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5 Tips for Choosing the right Tires

The single most important thing that you can purchase for your car are the tires it rides on. That ribbon of rubber is all that separates you from the peril of the road, and badly worn tires are a catastrophe waiting to happen. So how do you choose the right tires for your vehicle? Let's find out.  

The biggest choice to make when buying tires is deciding which are the right ones for your car. The wrong choice of tire can interfere with your car's performance and ability to protect you from various types of weather conditions. Since you'll be replacing your vehicle's tires every three to four years, you want to make sure that you pick the right rubber to do the job and keep you safe on the road.  

Tip #1 Original Equipment Tires vs. Other Brands

Automakers spend a great deal of time and money deciding which tires come with your car when it is new. They have done the research on how the car will handle under all circumstances including in high heat, in freezing cold, and while traversing every kind of road condition you can imagine. The tires that came with your car have been tested by the manufacturer to assure the best handling and comfort as well as the best performance under dry and wet conditions.  

Before you explore all the various brands of tires that will fit your car, take a look at the original equipment chosen for your vehicle. If you like the way the car rides and handles, why not buy replacements that are the original equipment tires your car came with from the manufacturer? Since those tires were designed for your car, you can bet they are a good fit. These will be available from the auto dealer you purchased the car from as well as from other tire retail suppliers.  

On the other hand, if you want to change the ride characteristics of your car, you'll need to do some research on the kind of tire you are looking for. For instance, owners of performance cars are always looking to find tires that offer better grip and handling in corners. They often spend the extra money for V-rated tires built to perform at high speeds. If you are researching different brands of tires for your car, read online reviews and refine your search for specific characteristics.  

Tip #2 Your Tire Size

If you purchased your car from a Lithia Auto Dealer, your service department will know what tire fits your car or truck and will be able to offer you the original equipment tires when replacing them as well as other options for specific tires. If you are looking for your car's tire size, check your owner's manual. You will also find the tire sizes marked on a placard inside the driver's side door well or inside door jam on most vehicles. Sometimes this is located inside the lid of the console compartment between the driver and passenger seats. You will also always find the tire size embossed right into the sidewall of the tire itself.  

As an example, your car tire size might read something like P215/60R16 94T. The first part of the label-P215/60R16-refers to the tire's various size measurements such as width and diameter. The 94 indicates the load index, which is how much weight each tire can support. Finally, the T is the speed rating, which is the tire's maximum speed in relation to the load index. You should match the tire's size measurements, but you have some flexibility to go higher with the load index and speed rating.  

If you are shopping for tires online, you can easily find your tire size on a retailer's website. Just enter the year, make and model of your car and you'll find the tire as well as a list of tires that match the size and will work for your car. Then you can research tire reviews and prices.  

Tip #3 Performance, handling and comfort

Picture a set of 20-inch, low profile Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires on a flawless Jaguar F-type coupe. Yes, tires can define and transform the personality of your vehicle. It is important to choose tires that not only fit your car, but improve the car's handling and braking characteristics.   

You want tires that reduce road noise and provide a comfortable ride. Depending on the tires you choose, your ride can be as soft as a cloud or as hard as a rickshaw ride. All this brings us back to the original equipment tires that were designed specifically for your car. The manufacturer chose tires for your car for a reason. The automaker wanted to achieve a ride that is quiet yet offers the best handling in order to create the exact personality the vehicle was designed for.   

Our research shows that people often choose a direct replacement tire when the car is still relatively new. But as the car ages, consumers become more inclined to switch to another brand or model of tire based on performance or price. If you're looking to make a switch, check the tire's ratings, especially if you're seeking a model with maximum tread life and all-weather grip.  

Tip #4 What type of tire?

Most car tires fall into three main types: all-season, summer, and winter. Most people buy all-season tires because it's easier and cheaper than buying one set for the winter and another for summer.  

All-season car tires deliver good, well-rounded performance but are never particularly outstanding. They are also the most popular tires because, as the name implies, you can leave them on the car year-round. All-season tires provide some modest grip and traction on ice and a good compromise on dry and wet roads.  

Summer tires deliver on handling and dry/wet braking, but they have poor traction in snow. These are best suited to sports cars for performance driving and provide good grip on dry roads in warm temperatures and at high speeds. However, the soft rubber compound does not provide good traction below about 40 degrees or on snowy surfaces.  

Winter tires are not designed for all-year use. This means that you can only really use them during the winter months and you'll have to swap them for summer tires in warm weather. Winter tires are made of a pliable rubber compound that performs best in cold temperatures. They also have a deeper tread and more traction slits to break ice and bite into snow.  

Tip #5 Speed Ratings

Most tire retail websites will list all the tires in your size, but you'll often have to delve deeper to find out about the speed rating. For instance:  

All-season tires come in S- and T-speed ratings. Known for good all-weather grip and long mileage, these are commonly fit to mainstream cars and SUVs.   

Performance all-season tires come in H- and V-speed rating. They tend to have better cornering grip than S- and T-speed rated all-season tires, but performance tires may not wear or last as long.  

Ultra-high-performance all-season or summer tires come in ZR-, W-, and Y-speed ratings for sports cars and performance sedans. Differentiating between all-season and summer tires can be challenging and may require going to a manufacturer's website to find out the details. One clue to tell them apart: A summer tire would not have an M&S (Mud & Snow) designation on the sidewall.  

All-terrain truck tires come in large sizes and are designed for hauling and towing duties on light-duty pickups and SUVs. They generally have a more aggressive tread pattern for off-road traction. A tip is that many all-terrain tires will have A/T or "All Terrain" right in the model name.  

5 Tips for Choosing the right Tires

Don't wait until your tires are dangerously worn before you begin shopping for new ones. If you insert a penny into the tire tread and the tread is even with the top of Abraham Lincoln's head, the tires are becoming unsafe and you should buy new ones right away.  

Looking for the best tire shop in your town? With over 200 auto dealerships from coast-to-coast, Lithia Auto Dealers has a service department near you that can get you rolling on new rubber in nothing flat (pun intended). Visit our Lithia Locations.Â