The quest to choose the right tires can seem like a maze to a lot of people – so we’ve laid out three things to know when starting your search for tires:
1) CONSIDER YOUR DRIVING CONDITIONS
Choosing tires is kind of like choosing shoes (just go with me – it’ll make sense). You wouldn’t wear flip flops to trudge through snow in Minnesota, and you shouldn’t drive through it in summer tires either. Neither would you wear hiking boots to go out dancing – that’s like driving on studded snow tires in the summer! The point is – dress for the occasion & know your driving conditions. – and yes, if you’re thinking it – the little black dress would be considered the “all season tire” – works well in most occasions.
Ok, back to being serious. Here are some more factors to keep in mind:
- Temperature: below freezing, mild, scorching hot
- Rain: dry as a t-rex bone, moist-ish like a good turkey sandwich, or as soaked as a German Shepard after playing outside with the sprinklers
- Terrain: sand, dirt, rocks, gravel, brick pavers, concrete, asphalt, inclines/declines, sharp turns
- Speed conditions: low speed stop & go, mid speed around town , cruising on the open highway
2) CONSIDER YOUR DRIVING STYLE
Step two on how to choose the right tires, is knowing how you drive. Are you easy going, normal paced, or spirited & lively?
If you brake, accelerate, and corner harder than average( like with sport oriented vehicles), you should keep that in mind when browsing the tire categories (briefly explained below)
How many miles do you put on your vehicle per year? This will help you clarify if you need a treadwear warrantied tire (some brands offer 60,000+ mile treadwear warranties).
Will you be keeping the vehicle for a while, or will you be selling the vehicle soon? Buy tires appropriate to your situation.
3) KNOW THE TIRE CATEGORIES
Step three of your quest on how to choose the right tires, is knowing the tire categories. Check out the quick break-down below to get your head around all the different types of tires you may see
All Season / Touring: The default go-to. Very versatile, they go pretty much anywhere and perform well in most conditions. Good traction in wet or dry, and longer tread life than performance tires
Performance: Better acceleration, handling, and braking during sporty driving on dry roads. Not as good as All-Season in the rain. Shorter tread life than All-Season, and not recommended for snow.
Ultra High Performance (UHP): Best handing, acceleration, and braking on dry roads to unleash the maximum potential from your sports oriented vehicle during “spirited” driving. Wet traction is worse than All-Season, and the tread life will be the shortest of all the categories.
Winter/Snow/Mud: Great at their intended conditions, but tire noise is noticeably louder than Performance or All Season
CLOSING THOUGHTS
So that’s 3 Quick Tips To Choose The Right Tires. For more info on specific tire recommendations for your application, hop over to our tire shopping link. You’ll enjoy less shopping hassle – with our innovative “Driving Style” filter, you can zone in on the best tire for your needs – and of course – we COME to YOU! Happy shopping!
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