Tire buying do's and don'ts

One more Don’t:

DON’T Buy Used Tires. I have two family members that work at tire shops for two different companies (well-known), and they’ve both told me that they’ve sold used tires to customers who have specifically asked for Second Hand prices. They don’t like to, but their companies allow them to, since its not illegal. I was shocked. They say there’s not even a testing or rating system for the tires, just the typical ‘tread depth check’. Like Aaron says, don’t skimp! Buy like you’re planning to protect your investment…you probably will.

“Always put the new tires on the back if you are only buying two” – can this possibly be correct? I’ve always heard that all of your steering and a majority of your braking is handled by the FRONT tires and that new tires should always be placed there, not the back.

Paul, this is correct, and it surprised me to. Here’s the logic: If you have to brake or swerve suddenly, the action of slowing down puts the weight on the front of the car. If the older tires are on the back, that makes the back end more likely to break loose (oversteer), making the car more likely to spin out. If the older tires are on the front, the weight transfer will help them maintain traction, while the grippier tires on the rear wheels will help keep the car from spinning out. The car will try to go straight — or understeer — which is exactly what most cars’ suspensions are designed to do in a panic maneuver. Understeer is an easier condition for most drivers to recover from. Oversteer requires countersteering and getting off the brake and on the gas to transfer weight to the rear tires — and the latter is counter-intuitive for most drivers.

I like to buy softer tires. Softer tires are more rubbery (like a new pencil eraser), and tend to grip the road a lot better, versus the high-mileage tires which are generally made of a harder, longer-lasting compound and feel more like plastic than rubber, and don’t grip as well in rain and adverse conditions.

Of course, there is a trade-off when buying tires that are softer: higher price & lower lifespan (softer, grippier material tends to wear away faster – generally the stickier tires come with a warranty that is under 50,000 miles).

Regarlesss, when shopping for tires, LOOK AT THE CUSTOMER REVIEWS and the STORE’S RATINGS (example: discounttire.com generally rates tires as ‘good’ ‘better’ ‘best’) I always start with tires that the store rates as ‘BEST’, then read the customer reviews (keep in mind that some people don’t know what they are talking about when they write a review about tires… for example, someone may have bought a 40k mile tire and complained that it wore out very quickly.. well DUH. It is a soft tire, you probably drive like an animal or need an alignment, it gripped well while it lasted, and you are still alive). After selecting a couple of final candidates, I go to the tire store, and ask them which of those tires do they recommend, then look at the price, and make a decision.

Also, be sure to maintain your tires!
check the pressure regularly (just ask Mario Andretti!), rotate them if possible (some cars have different tires on the front/rear).

When buying new tires, make sure ALL 4 have good traction/tread! Putting 2 new tires on and leaving 2 junkers will only endanger your safety (and mine). Do you care more about steering and fwd traction?, rwd traction or the rear end whipping around? How about you go for 4 new tires and live to see another day.

But hey, it’s your arse on the line here. Just keep away from me if you don’t heed the (un-)common sense. haha

… just my $0.02
-AndyS

When you are buying replacement tires, ALWAYS buy tires with a speed rating at least as high as the OEM tires that came on the car. For example, if the tires that the factory put on the car had a “V” speed rating, replacement tires should have a V or higher rating such as W or Z.

A tire’s speed rating is especially important if you intend to drive at excessive speeds (V rated tires can withstand speeds of 150 mph). But, even if you don’t intend to use all of the high-speed potential of your car, its suspension was made to perform best with tires that have certain performance and handling characteristics.

High performance tires usually have a lower profile and a stiffer sidewall, and these factors greatly affect the way your car handles. A tire that is significantly different in sidewall stiffness or profile from the car’s OEM tires may degrade the car’s handling to the point that it becomes dangerous.

One other thing, most car dealers will check the speed rating on your tires when you attempt to sell or trade-in the car to them. If the speed rating of your tires is less than the OEM standard, a dealer will discount the worth of your vehicle, since the dealer will have to replace your tires with tires of the proper speed rating. Dealers do this to prevent liability problems when unusually stupid customers want to, “see what this thing will really do” on the way home from the dealership.

My new Mini came with Continental Runflats. The performance is really good. I’m told they’re harsher running than than regular tires, but to me they’re fine. Now my FWD CRV is ready for tires. Would you recommend runflats for this vehicle? They’re a lot more expensive. Can they be repaired with a plug like regular tires? What would you put on it, if it was yours…alternates were the Aquatred and Goodyear Triple Tred.