How to choose the best tires for your car

Technology is always evolving, but despite advances in longer-lasting tires, car owners still need to replace their tires a few times or more throughout the life of their vehicles. It seems, as the adage prays, that nothing lasts forever. Also, the actual tread life will vary by type of car, tire type (such as all season or performance tire), driver aggressiveness, and even road and weather conditions.

The best car tires

Proper maintenance and responsible driving can maximize the mileage from a set of tires. While 2/32 of an inch of tread depth is the legal limit, we recommend replacing tires sooner for those typically driving through poor weather. If you routinely drive in heavy rain or winter conditions, consider replacing the tires when the tread reaches a 4/32-inch depth. That can be measured with a quarter, held with Washington upside down. His head is at about 4/32 of an inch. Believe it or not, there is a significant traction difference between 2/32 and 4/32 of an inch, with highway-speed braking differences measured in the tens of feet.

So, once a need for new tires is determined, it is necessary to identify the best tires for your vehicle and driving demands. Here starts our dilemma.

Different Options

There is a wide range of tires types and size available from popular brands such as Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear, Michelin, and Pirelli. Prices typically vary from $50 or less for all-season car tires to more than $150 for ultrahigh-performance tires. You should decide what you are buying basing your decision on the kind of use you’ll give the slicks.

There are three basic types of tires–car, truck, and winter–and each has a few choices in each category.

CAR TIRES

Choice of a car tire depends on how you drive, type of tire included with your car, and the performance you want.

All-season tires come in sizes to fit everything from small cars to full-sized SUVs and pickups. They are for drivers who want year-round traction, long tread wear, and a comfortable ride.

Performance all-season tires have a higher speed rating than standard all-season tires. They generally provide better handling and braking, and usually have a lower profile (shorter sidewall height) and a wider footprint for sportier applications.

Ultra performance tires are commonly fitted to sedans or sporty vehicles. These tires are designed to provide good handling and responsive steering in wet and dry conditions, but the tread wear and ride comfort are common compromises. Summer versions are not intended for snowy or icy conditions. All-season versions tend to provide a compromise of dry and wet grip relative to summer tires for all weather conditions.

TRUCK TIRES

Because of their size, dynamics, and how they are used, trucks and SUVs often require special tires.

All-season truck tires are well-rounded and are good for on-road driving. They are designed to perform reasonably well in most conditions.

All-terrain tires are suited to paved roads and light-duty off-road use. They provide added traction on unpaved and snowy roads.

WINTER TIRES

These are especially useful if you drive often in wintry or icy conditions.

Winter tires have treads with more biting edges for better grip on snow and ice, while their softer compound remains flexible even in extremely low temperatures. But on cleared roads, they might not grip as well as all-season tires and they often wear more quickly.

Performance winter tires provide higher levels of snow and ice grip, but keep some of the handling and cornering capabilities of performance tires.

How to decide

Safety at the top

Look for tires that do well in braking, handling, and resistance to hydroplaning tests. Let tread wear, ride comfort, noise, and rolling resistance be tiebreakers.

Consider the speed rating

Although we recommend buying tires with the same or greater speed rating as the original equipment tires, winter tires are the exception. When possible, look for winter tires with a speed rating that is close to or the same as the original tires they replace.

Fight the price

Tire prices can vary widely by region, retailer, or even by the changing price of the raw materials used to produce them.

Check independent tire dealers, online or mail-order stores, tire chains, car dealerships, department stores, and warehouse clubs. Be sure to ask whether the price includes mounting, balancing, and new valves, which can increase total cost.

Keep an eye on the manufacturing date

Look at the sidewall of a tire for a designation beginning with DOT (for Department of Transportation). The last four digits of the designation indicate the week and year of manufacture. For example, 3307 means the tire was made during the 33rd week of 2007. Don’t purchase tires that are more than a few years old.