Five Things to Consider Before Buying New Tyres for Your Car
Choosing the right tyre for your car can ensure adequate performance and long life
Tyres cannot be kept for a lifetime even if you hardly use your car. Ultimately, they will show some signs of ageing or start troubling you. Tyres provide adequate road grip, acceleration, and also offer stability to your car. Besides, many performance factors such as fuel efficiency and safety depend on them. Hence, choosing the right tyres should be one of your primary responsibilities.
So, here are five things you must consider before purchasing new car tyres.
- Right Tyre and Rim Size
The most important thing to consider is that the tyre and rim size of your vehicle should be the same. Small tyres incompatible with the rim will reduce the height of the sidewall, resulting in poor handling of the car. The width is always mentioned on the sidewalls denoting three digits, for example, 205/60 R15, in which 205 signifies the width in mm. Wide tyres offer more grip and are considered safe for driving, especially on damp surfaces.
- Tread pattern
It's not rocket science to know that different tyres are made for different vehicles and different driving applications. Therefore, the tread pattern of tyres of different segment vehicles also varies. The unidirectional consist of a single direction tread pattern and cannot be swapped during wheel rotation.
The all-terrain tyres feature wide and deep tread blocks and are purpose-made for SUVs and hard road surfaces. Mud terrain tyres are made for purely off-roading, while the highway terrain tyres are meant for sealed roads and offer smooth drive quality.
- Tubeless or tube type
Most passenger cars nowadays come with a tubeless tyre setup and have many benefits over tube-type. The tubeless tyres are less vulnerable to punctures and low on maintenance. They are the most suitable when the tyre gets punctured, and you want to quickly move to a safe location or nearby puncture repair shop. They also produce less heat due to no friction between the tyre and the tube.
- Load Index and Speed Rating
The last letter ‘H’, mentioned on the tyre label 205/60 R16 92H, is the speed rating of that tyre. It means that this tyre has certain speed limitations. In the tyre speed rating chart, the ‘H’ symbol means that the tyre is capable of reaching up to the speed of 209kmph. The high-speed rating means improved grip and enhanced stopping power.
Similarly, ‘92’ in the above example means the load index, and in the tyre load index chart, it means the tyre can withstand a load up to 630kgs.
- Manufacturer's Reliability and Warranty
Apart from protecting the passengers, a good tyre must be reliable enough to ensure a comfortable ride and handling. Hence, always buy tyres from a reputed brand as a well-known maker will offer a better product and reasonably, a long-lasting tyre. Secondly, manufacturers generally provide extended warranties for tyres, so make sure you choose a reliable tyre manufacturer that offers good coverage for your tyre. You can also check online reviews for a particular tyre brand and the tyre model, or compare multiple tyres for more satisfaction.
Eventually, it’s your budget that's the deciding factor of your car replacement tyres. Each tyre has its own set of advantages and weaknesses, some are durable, some are made to offer superior grip, while others provide silent and smooth ride quality. Just keep one thing in mind that no single tyre is absolute in all aspects. So, ask a simple question to yourself what kind of riding experience do you prefer, and then choose wisely.