TIRE SHOPPING 101: How to choose the right replacement tire

Keep in mind that four small patches of rubber are responsible for keeping your car firmly planted onto the pavement.

Often overlooked, tires are an essential part of any car. I cannot stress the importance of changing and properly selecting the right tires for your car.

Your safety as well as your passengers' depend on it, so habitually check your tires and replace them whenever necessary. Ultimately, the tires on your car will eventually wear out and there’s still no telling how long.

Since tires usually need to be replaced every three or four years, here's how to make sure you're getting the right ones.

When do I replace my tires?

Before heading out to have your tires changed, determine first if they are really due for replacement.

How often your tires need changing depends on a number of factors including what sort of car you own, where and how you drive it and how well you care for your tires.

To help determine if it needs replacing here are a few pointers.

Tread depth

Almost all tires now feature "tread wear bars."

These are small bridges found between the treads. As the tires wear, these bars will become flush (level or even) with the tire's tread. At this point, it's time to replace the tires.

Irregular tread wear

If it is extreme or if tires wear out much faster than expected, have a tire workshop check your suspension and correct the alignment before replacing tires.

Sidewall bulges

This indicates structural damage and the chances of a sudden failure or blowout at highway speeds, which could cause a serious crash.

Any tires with sidewall bulges should be replaced immediately.

The 6-year rule

Like most things, tires do expire and the minimum is six years even if it's unused, with 10 years being the maximum service life for tires.

Check your owner's manual for specific recommendations related to your car.

Vibrations

If there are unusual vibrations felt through the steering wheel, the tires probably need to be rebalanced.

If that doesn't stop the vibration, it's more than likely that the tire is damaged. This occurs when tires haven't been rotated regularly.

Do I need to replace all four tires?

Depending upon the overall condition of the tires, it would be best to replace your tires as a whole set or in pairs whenever possible.

Refrain from changing only one tire as this could affect the overall handling and performance of your vehicle. It’s also not a good idea to have a set of mismatched tires as all four tires should be as identical as possible.

This is because if your tires don't match, it’s possible that one end of your vehicle will either sit too tall or short, so it won't respond as quickly or completely as the other, making the vehicle imbalanced and difficult to maneuver.

Tire manufacturers also recommend that tires that have been in use for more than five years from the date of manufacturing should be inspected to see if it’s still roadworthy.

Meanwhile, 10-year-old tires should be replaced as a precaution even if they appear serviceable and have not reached the legal wear limit, said by Robert Herrera, an automotive expert at COR Wheels.

How do I choose the proper replacement tires?

Normally found on the driver’s side doorjamb is a tire placard indicating all the pertinent tire-size specifications, such as width, aspect ratio and wheel diameter.

The second source of your car’s proper tire and wheel size information would be the owner’s manual.

Not unless you’re planning to upsize your current wheel/tire setup, it is always best to follow the car manufacturer's recommended tire size when the tires need to be replaced.

To gain a better understanding, here’s how to determine the proper size and tire type.

What size do I need?

P205/65R15 94H.

The first part of the label—P205/65R15—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 H is the speed rating, which is the tire's maximum speed in relation to the load index.

The size should exactly match the tire's size measurements, but you have some flexibility to go higher with the load index and speed rating.

Choose your tire type

To decide what tire type you want, here are two basic and popular tires types you can consider.

All-season

These are built for the average driver and are capable of performing in a variety of road and weather conditions.

All-season tires handle well in warm weather, but are not intended to provide the extreme grip or sportiness of a summer tire.

Summer

These are best for high-performance vehicles and are designed to offer both speed and agility.

Summer tires are not as gas-friendly as many tires and may not be as great at handling wet conditions.

What replacement tires do you plan to install on your car?

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