How to Pick Out Tires for a Car

The tires represent your only connection to the road.

Your car's tires represent your only connection to the road. You might have the latest safety features, gadgets and performance tweaks known to man, but you only have a relatively thin piece of rubber between you and the road. This one item ultimately represents the entirety of your traction and handling. That should stress the importance of the tire. Choosing your next set of tires should warrant a little additional research to insure you have the best tire for your driving conditions.

Instructions

1. Consult your car's owner's manual for the recommended tire size. You can also reference this information by looking at the side of your current tires. The size should look something like "225/45R16" and will be printed in big letters on your tire. These numbers represent the width, sidewall height and rim diameter, respectively.

2. Analyze the driving conditions you are likely to face, using these tires. This might include rainy, snowy, dry or hot conditions. If you are purchasing a seasonal tire, then only analyze the type of weather for which it will be used. Some people might use two sets of tires--one for summer and one for winter, when snowy conditions are present. If that is the case, then you can choose tires optimized for individual conditions, such as a summer tire set and a snow tire set. If you only use one set of tires, then they have to match both conditions, such as an all-season tire.

3. Purchase a tire with a speed rating suited for your driving habits. In most cases, this is not a concern, since even the lowest speed setting is higher than the highest speed limit. If the tire will be used for the track, then you might need a speed rating that allows safe travel at higher speeds.

4. Search for tires that match your requirements. Some online sites allow entering such requirements and will bring up a list of tires that fit your needs. This also gives you an opportunity to gauge prices. You can also ask a salesperson of a local auto parts store, or tire specialty store, for recommendations based on your needs.

5. Check consumer reviews of tires that match your initial concerns and recommendations. Read tests and reviews of each tire and see how they actually fared for traction, tread-life, noise and handling. This will help narrow down your search.

6. Choose the best tire that matches your requirements and fits your budget.

References

• Edmunds: How to Choose Tires and Wheels
• Tire Rack: Selecting the Right Tires
• Tire Rack: Tire Rearch
• Consumer Reports: Recommended Tires