How to Buy New Car Tires

The primary thing to consider when purchasing tires is the kind of driving you'll do on them.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tires

1. Think about how and where you drive. Tire engineers design product lines for specific results, such as a cushy ride, durability, sporty handling,or traction in rain and snow. But choosing one virtue usually means giving up a little of the others.

2. Consider an all-season tire. It's a reasonable compromise for most drivers' that's why automakers usually provide all-season tires as original equipment on new cars.

3. Know your current tire. In general, it's best to replace your tires with those of the same brand, design and size, all of which you'll find printed on your tires. Look for the 'P' (passenger vehicle) followed by the tire's width in millimeters; its height, shown as a ratio of its actual height to its width; 'R' for radial; and the last number, which is the diameter of the wheel the tire fits.

4. Decide where to buy your new tires. In addition to car dealerships, tire stores and gas stations, they can now also be bought at discount stores or ordered over the phone or the Internet. Prices and service vary, so shop around if you can.

5. Have a mechanic or tire dealer perform the installation. Special machines are needed to slip your new tires over the car's wheels.

6. Keep tire wear even by rotating your tires as the manufacturer suggests'new cars are sensitive to tires with differing degrees of wear. Keeping tire wear even means your tires will all need replacing at the same time, so monitor tread depth to help you budget ahead for the expense.

Tips & Warnings

• Take care of your purchase. New cars are sensitive to mismatched tires, which is why it's important to rotate tires as manufacturers suggest. If you even out the wear, all four tires will be ready to replace at the same time. Although buying four tires at once stings the pocketbook, keeping an eye on tread wear lets you budget ahead for the expense.

• If you buy your tires from a tire center, make sure the price quoted includes installation as well as wheel balancing, and be aware that getting new tires doesn't necessarily mean you need a wheel alignment - check the uniformity of wear of your current tires.