Tire Buying Tips You Can Count On

Tire Buying Tips You Can Count On

Some drivers see buying tires as an exhausting, expensive and inconvenient task. But consider this rather obvious fact: Your tires are the only things on your car that actually touch the road.

That makes them very important. Tires help you navigate roads with confidence, allow your car to perform at its best and keeps you and your family safe. For these reasons, buying tires is a task which should be taken seriously and with a good amount of thought.

When shopping for tires, consider these tips to help make an informed, appropriate decision for you and your car.

Make sure that your car is in good condition

It could be that the tires you have now are failing because of an issue with your car. Poor alignment, as an example, can put excessive wear on a specific part of your tire, severely diminishing its life. If you see uneven wear, bulges in your side wall or other signs of uneven wear, consider getting your car checked out before you invest in new tires.

Consider the brand, ratings and coverages of your tires

Not all tires are created equally, and are designed to suit a wide spectrum of features that buyers are looking for. This can include a strong warranty, quieter ride, better handling and/or fuel economy. A good first step in choosing which tire is right for you is to decide on what feature you favor most.

Consider your typical road conditions

If you have heavy snow and ice in your area during the winter months, you may want to consider winter tires for the colder months. Winter tires have deeper treads and are made of a rubber compound that performs best in colder weather. During warmer months, switch to a performance or all-season tires. For the Doylestown and greater Bucks County areas, a good all-season tire should do the trick and you should be able to get away with one set.

Your driving habits

Driving habits can have a significant impact on your tire choice. If you are putting a lot of miles on your car with a lot of highway driving, you may want to consider a higher quality tire that will last longer and ultimately save you money down the road. Better quality tires can also have better construction and offer a smoother, quieter ride.

Alternatively, if you are putting low miles on your car and staying local, you may be perfectly fine with a value brand tire to get you from point A to point B.

Lastly, if you love cruising on winding roads and pushing your car’s handling ability, you may want to consider performance tires, which offer more grip in dry conditions but may not be great in snow and ice.

One tire or a full set?

It can be tempting to try and only buy one tire. From sticker price to installation, the final bill can be drastically less. However, you should always try and buy a full set to help with maintenance and performance. A worn tire is not going to brake as well as a new tire, nor will it handle as well. Your car can react unpredictably during sudden stops and turns.

Furthermore, your car’s suspension system can start to wear unevenly, causing further headache down the road when issues start to flare up.

At a minimum, you should purchase and replace two of your tires. If your car has a full size spare, take this opportunity to replace your spare tire or store the other in case of an emergency.

Ask for help!

A local tire expert is a great place to start with your search for new tires. They can help explain the pros and cons of various brands and models of tires and get you outfitted with what you need.

BBack Car Care offers tire sales and expert installation, including no scuff tire mounting for those expensive rims.

After so many years in the business and a Best of Bucks winner for 8 straight years, we’ve been consistently recognized for our high level of performance and customer service.

Ready to shop for a new set of tires? Request an appointment online or give us a call today.