Buying new tires can sometimes feel a little overwhelming. Where do you look for tires? Online, a tire dealer, an independent repair shop like Luke’s Auto Service in Verona, NJ? How do you know if you are getting a competitive price? What kind of tires do you need to buy? These are common questions many people have when it comes to replacing the tires on their car, van, light-duty truck or SUV. This blog post will provide you with all the information you need to know when it comes to buying new tires.
How do you know if you need new tires?
First, let’s go over how you can tell if you need to buy new tires. Your vehicle tires are an important safety component of your vehicle. If you are driving around with tires that are over-inflated or under-inflated, you and your passengers are at risk. The tires will also wear out more quickly. Misalignments can also cause uneven or premature wear. That said, it’s important to inspect your vehicle tires each month. You’ll want to check the air pressure and look for signs of excessive wear. You’ll also want to look for bulges or cracks in the tire sidewalls. While you are taking a look at the tires, you can use a penny or quarter to tell you if there’s enough tire tread. Put the coin into a tire tread groove with Abraham Lincoln’s or George Washington’s head facing down and toward you. If you are able to see the entire head, buying new tires is a must.
Now that you’ve established the fact that you need new tires, what are the right tires for your vehicle?
It all depends. If you are happy with the way your current tires performed, buy the same brand and model. Simple, right? But what if you were unhappy with the tire brand? Maybe you didn’t like the way they felt on the road or perhaps you have a budgeting concern. Here’s what you need to know:
- Rim Diameter/Tire Size: The rims on your vehicle (also called wheels) come in different sizes. If you haven’t installed custom wheels on your vehicle, you’ll be able to find the tire size on the label located on the side of the driver’s side door panel.
- Load Index: The load index represents the amount of weight a set of tires can support at their maximum air pressure. A smaller vehicle will have a lower load index than a SUV or a light-duty pick-up truck. You should never install a tire that has a lower load index than what was originally installed at the factory.
- Speed Rating: If you take your vehicle onto the highway (which you do), the tires installed on it are required to have a speed rating. As you can imagine, when you are driving on the highway, the car tires build up heat. The speed rating is the ability of the tire to prevent buildup of the heat. The faster you go, the hotter the tires will get. The speed rating on the new tires should meet or exceed the speed rating on the tires that were factory-installed. Never mix tires of different speed ratings.
Still not sure what to purchase? Ask your certified auto technician at Luke’s Auto Service in Verona, New Jersey. When it comes to buying new tires, we can assist you with selecting the right tires for your vehicle and budget. Once you purchase your new tires, we will mount, balance and install them for you. We will also reset the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) when new tires are installed. Contact us now to buy new tires for your vehicle.
What is the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and how does it relate to buying new tires?
Right now, the majority of car owners are driving around with tires that are improperly inflated. That’s a safety hazard and that’s why today’s vehicles are equipped with a TPMS. The TPMS alerts you with a dashboard light that will come on when the tires are under-inflated. You may recognize this light from seeing it on a cold, winter morning. Whenever the tire pressure in the tires gets too low, the TPMS triggers the light to let you know you need to add air. When replacing the tires, the TPMS needs to be reset. Also, if you are receiving an alert that a tire pressure sensor is faulty, you will need to replace it when you buy and have your new tires installed.
Why should the wheels be aligned when new tires are installed?
When you buy new tires, you’ll be told their life expectancy (e.g. 70,000 miles). Driving around on new tires with a faulty wheel alignment will cause them to wear out quicker. That means you’ll have to buy new tires sooner than you should or would like. A wheel alignment is a prudent investment.
Luke’s Auto Service offers competitive pricing on many different tire brands. Think of us as your one-stop tire shop. We can mount, balance and install them for you. We can also perform wheel alignments and rotate your tires on a regular basis. Lastly, we can patch and plug tires that need to be repaired. Schedule your appointment to buy new tires at Luke’s Auto Service in Verona, NJ.