Anyone can go out and buy the cheapest possible tires for their car. But when you’re lurching around a slippery winter road on a dangerous curve with your family on board, you’ll wish you’d put some more time and effort into your decision! Read on to find out how you can get the best price and value from your new tires.
Don’t Buy Them!
The best way to save on new tires is to not buy them at all! In other words, do everything you can to extend the life of your current tires. This starts with having them fitted and regularly serviced by tire experts. A good wheel balance and wheel alignment can add up to 50% to the life of your tires. You can also add up to 5% to the life of your tires by keeping them inflated at the maximum recommended pressure (which can be found printed on the tire wall). One final tip is to avoid tricked-out, extra-wide tires. Sure, they look great; but they increase road friction and you’ll wear through them 20% faster than normal tires.
Are You Sure You Need Them?
The first step to wise tire buying is to be 100% sure that you really need new tires. Many people know that a vibration in the steering wheel can be a sign of worn tires – but it can also be a sign of needing a wheel balance or wheel alignment. Check with a tire technician, who should be willing to make a free recommendation on the hopes of getting the job after you’ve decided what you need.
When and How to Change Tires
The best time to change your tires is just before winter hits. New tires can add a great deal to the traction of a slippery road and the absence of hot summer tarmac will extend the life of the tire as well. But don’t wait for signs of slipping or tire damage to put your life at risk – have your tires looked at least once a year to know exactly how they’re faring. Finally, ask the technician if you’re able to change just one pair of the tires – a great trick is to move the back tires up to the front and focus all your budget on a single pair to replace the back set.
Shop Around
Shopping around has always been a good idea, but in these tough financial times, it’s an even better one. Plenty of companies are competing ferociously to emerge from the crisis with a bigger share of the tire market. Some of the larger chains are also using their buying power to bring better prices to customers. Meanwhile, you could also take advantage of any smaller local outfits that are going out of business and offering closing up specials.
Finally, be sure to take advantage of the amount of information that’s available online and compare the various tire sellers in a wide geographic area – a great bargain might be a mere half hour’s drive away.
