J.D. Potié
PONTIAC May 6, 2019
If you haven’t heard, it’s springtime and that means you should’ve probably changed your tires already.
Since your tires are the only thing separating your vehicle from the ground, they should always be one a top priority for all car owners.
Whether you’re installing your old set from last summer or purchasing brand-new ones at your local retailer, here are a few things to consider to make sure you have the right tires for your car, with help from a local expert.
According to Jeremy Williams, owner of Jer’s Auto Service in Ladysmith, the first thing to consider when purchasing a new set of tires is determining what kind of activity you’ll be doing with your vehicle.
With many different kinds of tires for different types of performance it’s important to know which ones are best suited for your car as they all play factors when it comes to fuel efficiency and overall feel on the road.
Some tires are characterized as aggressive while others are less aggressive, which is all dependent on how tread patterns are formed, Williams said.
An aggressive tire looks blockier and bulkier allowing it to dig into the ground, whereas a less aggressive one sees its tread following along the circumference of the tire.
Aggressive tires are for off-road activities while less aggressive tires are suitable for more standard roadways, such as highways and paved streets, according to Williams.
In order to maximize fuel efficiency, buying the right tire for your car is a priority, he said.
“You’re not going to put an aggressive tire on an SUV that’s just going to be on the highway,” he said. “It all affects fuel mileage and the drive-ability. The more aggressive your tire, the more road noise you’re going to get and the harder it is for your vehicle to turn it. So, you’re going to burn a little more fuel all for nothing if you’re going to go on the highway.”
With countless different brands of tires out there, Williams says it’s likely better to purchase them from an established brand instead of buying them from cheaper distributors that often don’t work as efficiently.
“They just don’t perform the same for things like water dispersion and general traction,” he says. “People generally don’t think about traction in the summer time compared to the winter. A rainy day can be just as dangerous as a snowy day, depending on the rainfall. So, if you don’t have a tire that can help you grip the road or disperse the water away from the tire it can be unsafe.”
With over 10 years of experience in the car industry, Williams knows all the signs of a worn out tire. But, for all the regular Joes and Janes out there, he advises the first thing to look at is the wear bar located in between the treads of each tire. If you reach the bar, you should definitely purchase new ones because that means they’re definitely worn out, Williams says.
