When the time comes to purchase new tires for your vehicle, there are a number of factors to consider to ensure that your car, truck, or SUV is running at peak performance. From the tread to the load capacity to the usual driving conditions, you will want to make sure that you get the best tire to fit your vehicle and your budget.
Do I need new tires?
If you’re not quite sure whether you need new tires, you can always bring your car to your local tire shop and let professionals like those at D&R Car Care take a look. Regular maintenance such as rotation and balance is key to getting the best performance from your car or truck. If you’ve been putting off service, and you notice increased road noise or your vehicle isn’t handling well, check out our Tire Repair Page for some quick tips.
Yep! I need new tires!
Once you’ve determined that you need new tires, you can use the following helpful hints to decide what fit is best for your vehicle.
Driving Conditions:
Determining the weather conditions you are usually driving in will go a long way in helping you decide what type of tires you need to buy for your car. Factoring in extreme weather conditions, you can look at your typical drive and the weather you’ll be traveling through to determine the best tire for you.
- All-Season – All-season tires, tires with S- and T- ratings, deliver decent, well-rounded performance, but do not perform well in extreme weather conditions. These are typically chosen for standard cars and SUVs. Brands like Continental have consistently high performance reviews in all weather conditions.
- Summer – These tires are great for dry/wet braking, but can’t hack it in snow.
- Winter – If you’re frequently driving in snowy conditions, these tires offer wonderful handling, but do not perform nearly as well braking on clear roads. Always buy winter tires in sets of four in order to optimize for braking.
Performance Ratings:
Figuring out what type of tire you need, in large part, comes down to what type of vehicle you are driving and what you are using that vehicle for. Beyond just knowing the size right size, the following list can help you determine what the best performance and speed rated tires you will need for your vehicle. If you’re looking for something more than the standard all-season tire, companies like NITTO, BF Goodrich, and Continental all offer a wide variety of performance levels.
- For Performance All-Season tires, look for the H- or V- speed rating. These are especially great when looking for better cornering grip. Be aware, however, that these, as well as other performance tires, usually do not wear as long.
- For sports cars and performance sedans, ultra-high-performance all-season or summer tires are the best option. These tires typically come with W-, Y-, or ZR – speed ratings. As always, whether you get UHP All-Season or UHP Summer tires depends on what type of weather conditions you’ll be driving through. All-Season tires will have a M&S designation on them indicating their handling in mud and snow.
- If you’re looking for even greater performance on any surface, all-terrain tires such as NITTO Tires’ Mud Grappler and BFGoodrich’s KO2, with there aggressive tread pattern and larger size, are made for off-road action and are fantastic tires to meet the needs of light-duty pickups.
Whatever your tire needs, D&R Car Care is here to help you determine exactly what tires will fit your needs and your budget. Our experts are on hand to answer all of your questions. We will work to get you the best price, whether you are buying tires for a ATV, SUV, Car, Pickup, RV, or minivan. Give us a call today, or come in and talk to our friendly staff, and see why D&R Car Care is the best choice for you.
