Buyers guide for new ( or used ) tires

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Intro to getting you new car tires and what to look for

When you are looking for new tires for your car, it usually isn’t a good time. This is because you either have blown a tire and need to change it, the tires have worn down to the point you need new ones, or you’ve wrecked a tire by hitting something or running over a tire. Pretty much no matter which way you look at it, you are going to be spending money on something that really won’t make your life that much better.

We have done our write up of the things to look for in a used car, and now we are moving on to what to look for when buying some car tires.

Don’t get me wrong, having safe tires will improve your driving experience and your chance of living longer if you drive lots…. but it will cost money that would probably be better spent on a holiday as far as return on happiness goes. We will go over the importance of replacing your tires and things to keep if you are in the market for either a new tire or a new set of tires. We’ll take a look at different brands of tires, budges

Why is it important you change your tires?

When it comes time to replace your car’s tires, it is important to choose the right ones. The wrong tires can lead to decreased fuel economy, increased wear and tear on your car, and even accidents. So pretty much, choose the wrong tires and it’ll cost you everything important in life.

So if you keep your old tires on and try to stretch them out for another season you might be risking a lot more than just the money it costs to change the tires. When it is time to change the tires , it is time to change the tires. You can’t just hope they somehow get better over time. Tires get worn up by driving, and can even go bad by just sitting around, so don’t risk anything you don’t need to by avoiding buying new tires.

Checking the shape of your tires is something that you don’t need to do all the time but it is something to keep in mind. They don’t change a lot, unless there is damage done to them, but it is a thing to check in on every once in a while when you are doing your car maintenance.

When should you change your tires?

You should generally change your tires every 50,000 miles, but this depends a lot on the tires themselves a swell as the conditions you drive in and how you drive. However, there are a few things you should look for to determine if it is time to replace your tires sooner.

If you notice any cracks or splits in the tread or sidewall of your tires, it is time to replace them. Also, if your tires are bald or have less than 1/16 inch of tread remaining, they need to be replaced. If you frequently drive on rough or gravel roads, you may need to replace your tires more often.

You can check the tread depth of your tires by using a penny. Insert the penny into the tread head-first. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, then you have less than 2/32 inch of tread remaining and need new tires. This isn’t a scientific method, but it gives you an idea as to where you are as far as how much of your tires have been used up.

What are tread lines on tires?

Tread lines are the grooves on the surface of a tire that provide grip and traction. They are an important part of a tire’s design and play a key role in ensuring safety while driving. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing replacement tires for your car:

  1. Choosing a tire with the appropriate tread depth for your driving conditions is important.
  2. Make sure the tread pattern is suited for the type of vehicle you drive.
  3. Pay attention to the wear patterns on your current tires to help you choose a replacement tire that will provide optimal performance.
tread bars on pretty new tires
looking like there’s lots of life left on these tires!

One of the things to keep in mind when you lower your car is that it can cause some uneven wear lines. This is why some kits will need camber kits. Oh the joys of lowering a car. But if you buy a better kit, or reduce the amount of the drop, you might not need to worry about tread wear when lowering your car.

What to consider when choosing replacement tires

When you get a flat tire or have to replace your tires due to wear and tear, you may be wondering what kind of replacement tires you should get for your car. There are literally thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of different options when it comes to ordering your new tires, so we will keep it easy for you. These are the most important things that you need to keep an eye out for when you are buying tires for your car:

Size

Size is one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing new tires. You will need to know the size of your current tires to buy the correct size replacement tires. To find out the size of your current tires, you can look at the tire’s sidewall or consult your owner’s manual. You will see three numbers on the side of your tires, so for example 265/70/18. The first number is the width of the tire. The 70 is the aspect ratio of the tire, and the 18 is the size of the rim the tire is meant for.

So while you can modify some of the aspects of your numbers when looking for replacement tires it is generally advised to stay as close to the stock size as normal.

Once you know the size of your current tires, you can start shopping for replacement tires. When looking at different tire options, be sure to pay attention to load capacity and speed rating, and these two things will affect how well your new tires perform.

Brand

When you are looking to replace the tires on your car, you want to make sure that you are getting a good product. There are a lot of different brands out there, and it can be tough to know which one to choose. Here are a few things to look for in a tire brand:

1. A good reputation: You want to ensure that the brand you choose has a good reputation. Do some research online and see what other drivers have to say about the tires you are considering.

2. A warranty: Many brands offer a warranty on their tires, which can give you peace of mind in knowing that you will be covered if something goes wrong with your purchase.

3. A good price: Of course, you want to make sure that you are getting a good deal on your purchase.

There are a bunch of different tire brands that have been around forever like Michelin, Pirelli, Hankook, Toyo Tires, and BFGoodrich. These are the more well known brands but we will tell you which tires we are using right now at the end of the article, and it might surprise you… and probably make you laugh.

Pirelli tires on gunmetal rims
Nice and shiny Pirelli tires

Price

When finding a replacement tire, ( or set of tires) for your car, price is always going to be a factor. But there are other things you should look for as well. Here are some tips on what to look for when shopping for new tires.

While some tires can cost tens of thousands of dollars per set you can also find great deals. We found our favorite set of tires and the cost shocked us to be honest ( in a good way ) . For us, and many people, the best tires are the ones that fit your budget. If you literally need to spend every dollar you have on tires you won’t be driving anyways as gas is so expensive on top of all that.

But for us, we figure out our budget and look for tires in that range. Then we find a couple that might fit our budget and read reviews online about what people say. We have honestly found that TireRack has some of the best prices, but we have also found that in person shops can sometimes match the prices online.

If this is the case we suggest you go to the place in your area because A) we should support stores, and B) it is always good to have people who would be happy to help you if issues come up available for help.

How to install replacement tires

This is one place that we will easily pay the money for the service. To put your tires on yourself you will need some pretty specific tools, which you won’t need for anything else rather than putting tires on. Many times if you buy tires in a store they will mount and balance them for you.

So to summarize, if you are buying tires we suggest you get someone else to put them on for you. Balance and installation are very important for tires.

What are some of the top brands for tires?

Michelin: Michelin is a leading tire manufacturer that offers a wide range of high-quality tires for all types of vehicles. They offer excellent traction and handling in both dry and wet conditions.

Continental: Continental tires are known for their durability and long tread life. They offer good traction and handling, especially in wet weather conditions.

nice clean tires on a clean Mercedes rim
Clean tires on a clean rim

Pirelli: Pirelli is another top tire brand that offers a wide selection of performance-oriented tires. Their tires offer excellent grip and handling, making them ideal for use in high-performance vehicles.

Should you think about buying used tires, or should you only buy new tires?

When it comes to cars, tires are one of the most important things for your safety. They are ( or should be ) the only car part touching the road, so they must be in good condition. Many people choose to buy used tires because they are cheaper, but there are some things you should keep in mind before making this decision.

First, you should ensure that the used tires you are considering are from a reputable source. There is no way to know how long the tires have been used for or how well they have been maintained. If you buy from a reliable source, you can be sure that the tires have been inspected and are safe to use.

Another thing to consider is the tread depth. Tires with less tread will not grip the road as well in wet or icy conditions and can be more prone to punctures.

The final thing to keep in mind is age. We actually didn’t think about this when we picked up our last set of rims. The tread looked great and the tires were in amazing shape… but they were 15 years old. Yes you read that right… 15 years. The tire store actually said they couldn’t put them on due to liability issues after we painted the rims. So we needed to buy new tires. Which again, wasn’t fun but something we needed to do.

What tires do we currently have on the Accord?

So now, the big reveal as to who our favorite , and current make of tires is. After we sold our Civic we said we will never buy super cheap tires again. We got a set of 16 inch tires for $800… yes that isn’t cheap but I am in Canada and everything is expensive here.

The Accord needed new tires, as the ones we thought were good to go when we bought our Work Emotion rims were actually 15 years old. So one of our friends said don’t worry, I can get you some 18’s for $800. I was instantly taken back to the loud road noise of the old Civic tires and said no I would rather spend more than have terrible tires for years again. He said don’t worry, these are good.

The brand is Iron Man Tires , and in all honesty we couldn’t be happier with them. They aren’t Pirellis by any means, but they aren’t loud and perform well in normal daily driving situations and are great in the rain. We don’t get much snow here, but they have done well in slush. So if you can look for them when you are in need of new tires and hopefully they work out for you like they have worked for us.

Conclusion: The importance of having quality tires

Car tires keep you car moving, and stopping. And surprisingly, they also help your ability to stop. Needless to say, having tires that are in good shape on your car is VERY important. We cannot state that enough. You MUST have decent tires on your car. Please, if there is one thing that you take from this article, just go look at your tires. If you don’t know what you’re looking at just take them to a shop. It will take them a minute to tell you if they’re good or not. That is it, and it can really be a life save.

If you have any questions, or comments, or even tire recommendations please just leave a comment and help out.