How does the tire buying process occur when you need a new set? How much time do you spend analyzing various offers? Or maybe you just rely on the assistant's knowledge instead of reading reviews?
Regardless of how you do it, we thought it would be useful for you to keep in mind a few rules that would help you guide the tire-buying process. And not only to facilitate it but also to make it more efficient. What does it mean to "buy tires efficiently?" - you probably ask yourself. From our professional point of view, this means finding the right tires that best match your needs.
And it is not necessarily about the best brand or the highest price. It's about finding the perfect product that meets your specific needs, whether that's excellent off-road performance on rocky terrains or absolute comfort on highways.
Obviously, not everything depends only on the tires. Here, your driving skills and the technical potential of the vehicle play an important role as well. However, it is wrong to think that tires do not contribute at all to driving performance. So, we should give them due attention.
We invite you to take a look at the following rules which, we believe, will help you avoid unfavorable products and find the ones that will suit you best. The following Do's and Don'ts recommendations were prepared by our specialists who have extensive experience in the tire industry and know that it's not always all about price or brand. So, long story short, let's see how to find the right tires.1
The Do's When Getting New Tires
Know When To Change Tires
First of all, get to know when it's time to replace your tires. Tires are not eternal and you cannot use them indefinitely. After 2-3 years of use, tire regular inspection should become routine for you. Over time, tires wear out from many factors: daily stress on different surfaces, heat build-up, weather changes, road obstacles, and natural wear and tear. As such, they tend to provide less and less performance and are more and more prone to damage.
As a general rule, specialists claim that a tire becomes unsafe after 5-7 years of service. The closer you are to this term, the more vigilant you must be regarding their condition. Check their status regularly. Observe their signs of uneven wear. Provide them with the right pressure to avoid more eminent wear. And, decide on their replacement when you see that their condition is more precarious than acceptable.
"They will last another few thousand miles" - erroneously think many drivers who notice that their tires are already no longer viable. But, please, think about your safety first. Postponing tire replacement on a new set is not economy, but subjecting to great risks. 2
Know When To Change Tires
Dear reader, the tire industry offers an impressive variety of tire types and sizes. It is unrealistic to hit the right product without narrowing down all available options to your specific criteria. Needless to mention how dangerous it is to ride on the wrong tire type or size. As such, do your homework before buying new tires and learn more about the size and category of tires you need.
Start by understanding the size of your existing tires. You should only look at their sidewall and read the marking you find on it. The new set of tires should be about the same size, maybe with small differences in width or height, if necessary. In any case, always consult an automotive professional whenever you intend to make size changes. Make sure that these changes will not somehow endanger your safety and that they are 100% compatible with the specifics of your vehicle and rims.
Know When To Change Tires
The other area you should be focusing on is the type of tires. There are at least 10 categories and subcategories. What is the probability of finding the right one if you don't understand exactly what you need? In order to understand the right type, start by defining the specific conditions in which you will mainly drive.
You should define the specifics of the roads, the weather conditions, and the driving style you prefer. These will filter down all potential tire options. As a result, you will be able to decide more easily if you need all-season, winter, summer, or all-weather tires with underlying specifications such as off-roading, UHP, touring, or grand touring.
Also here I recommend that you think about what comfort and longevity expectations you have from your tires. Some tires have a higher comfort and treadwear rating than others. Obviously, the price can be different. Here you will have to choose what is more important for you. But keep in mind that a good tire is not necessarily the most expensive. A customer-oriented dealer will help you find the right product without breaking the bank. By the way, NeoTires is one of them. 3
Browse Various Tire Products and Markets
If you end up choosing a model that seems suitable, go the extra mile and compare it with some similar products. I showed in one of the previous articles Questions to ask your tire dealer that 2 products with the same general performance rating might fit your specific needs differently. I will illustrate this idea in the image below.
You take your time to analyze it for a while. You will notice that the following 2 products are from the same category, both from reputable brands. Still, when you get to specific performance details, you see that they differ slightly from each other. So, I recommend choosing the one that best fits your specific needs. If this means comfort, then this model is probably more suitable. But if it's about longevity, then model 2 is the right choice.
Physical or Online Tire Shops?
As for the markets, of course, you have 2 major options to choose from: physical and online stores. Both of them have advantages and disadvantages. So, it's up to you to decide which one suits you better. But what I want to recommend here is to give yourself the chance to explore various products in various online stores. And here is why.
Whenever going to physical stores, you have a somewhat limited variety in price and products. You can only choose what is in stock under the conditions limited by the seller. On the other hand, online stores offer you the opportunity to compare various products that you might miss in the physical one.
In addition, you can search for more optimal prices for the same product. Plenty of online stores have deals and discounts that can comfort you more than the offers in the physical warehouse. Obviously, the physical store also might offer certain favors, bonuses, and perks. Consider them as well and decide which of the options comforts you better.
Consider 4 Instead of 2 Tires
We know that many drivers are used to buying 2 tires instead of 4. Such a scheme seems to reduce expenses and ensure the peace of mind that the vehicle is more or less safe. We recommend excluding this "more or less" from the equation and ensuring complete safety whenever and wherever you drive.
Changing only 2 tires is more about an incomplete safety, as strange as this sounds. We can never be sure that we will reach our destination safe and sound even with the 4 brand new ones, let alone with only 2. But, at least, we must strive to ensure the maximum safety that we can.
All 4 new tires increase vehicle performance in all perspectives. Handling is safer, traction - is more confident, and navigating on water or slush - more capable. No one guarantees the total absence of risks, but at least you reduce them substantially.
Changing only 2 tires on one of the axles is also an option for many drivers. If for some reason the replacement of 4 tires is not possible, at least make sure that the 2 new tires go on the rear axle. Always, regardless of the type of traction of the vehicle. That's what most reputable tire manufacturers recommend. This positioning strategy allows the vehicle to cope well with various conditions. However, the recommendation to replace all 4 tires always remains valid to ensure a higher level of performance and safety.
A quick note here before diving into the Don'ts: if you opt for 2 tires exclusively because of the budget, know that you have solutions that could help you. Many tire dealers are loyal to their customers by offering them the opportunity to pay in interest-free installments. NeoTires is one of them. If this idea comforts you, feel free to use this benefit to ensure maximum safety with the 4 tires at once. 4
The Don'ts When Getting New Tires
Don't Let The Price Decide
One of the biggest failures when buying new tires is to let the price influence the product you choose. Obviously, the price is an important criterion, no one denies that. But, not the most important and decisive one!
In order to save on the price, many drivers settle for somewhat mediocre products, without taking too much into account tire performance. But performance is what should interest you the most! Tires are the only point of connection between the road and the vehicle. These must be of enough quality to ensure good hydroplaning control, superb handling, reliable traction, short braking distance, and plenty of other deliverables. You can't just let the price influence your product decision!
Please note that the industry offers plenty of tire products on a reasonable budget that offer decent performance in parallel. So, there are good chances to find a suitable product without breaking the bank. But if you need specialized tires for really challenging conditions, invest in safety, first and foremost. The main point here is that you need to prioritize high ratings on what you mostly need, and not the price as the priority aspect. Let's discuss a more detailed example here.
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As a reference, let's take 2 all-season tires, both with a decent rating according to Consumer Reports. It is about Firestone All Season and Firestone WeatherGrip. So it is about the same brand offering 2 tires at different prices. Assuming that you live in a wet area with frequent and heavy rains, we will further evaluate tire hydroplaning properties and wet braking, predominantly.
The Firestone All-Season, as you can see, offers good properties, even above average in wet conditions. So, this tire could comfort you because it seems quite reliable and on top of that it has an advantageous price.
On the other hand, the WeatherGrip works fine in hydroplaning but leaves room for better in terms of wet braking. Even if it's a little bit more expensive which would give you a sense of reliability, the Firestone All Season is a better, and cheaper solution for your specific needs oriented towards wet climate. In addition, this one seems more fuel-friendly, which is also a nice bonus for the price.
Does that mean that the WeatherGrip is a less performant tire? No way. As you can see in the ratings above, it stands out for its hydroplaning, snow traction, and ice-braking properties. As such, you should choose it specifically for these assets. Its rolling resistance is more of a shortcoming compared to its All Season rival. But at least, you are sure that this tire won't let you down in snow and hydroplaning conditions if these are a pain point for you.
This is just an example to understand that the price should not determine the product you buy. This criterion is secondary. You should give priority to the tire particularities that best describe your driving conditions. This is how you choose the right product without risk. By the way, if you follow the scheme of prioritizing the aspects you need first, you will discover that many products are capable of offering them to you at a very decent price. What's the point of an expensive tire if it has a mediocre hydroplaning rating, which is what you mainly need in it? Do you get the idea?!
Don't Limit Yourself to OE Options Only
OE stands for Original Equipment tires and they are the ones with which your car left the factory. You probably got used to them. As such, the first thing you'd want to do is think of a similar new set when the time comes. But don't rush to make this decision until you know all the options you have.
In addition to OE tires, you can opt for specialized or non-OE tires with a focus on certain performances that you specifically need. For example, specialized UHP tires are much more agile and tenacious than your OE ones. Or, winter specialized tires perform much better in severe snow conditions than the OE all-season ones that you may have mounted on your vehicle.
So, know that you can always add something more to your tires in addition to what your OE tires offer. Think if you are fully satisfied (or not) with them before going for another set. The point is that OE tires are more universal than specific. The car manufacturer chooses them so that they are versatile in most conditions. And that's pretty good on the one hand, but sometimes insufficient on the other, when you feel you need more. The replacement ones focus more on a specific purpose. The image below will help you better get the idea.
We here at NeoTires neither encourage nor discourage the choice of OE tires. The decision is fully yours and we are only here to broaden your horizons. An informed driver is an armed driver, right? So, our job is to inform you so that you choose the option that best comforts you out of all. 6
Don't Ignore Tire Ratings
Just like the size and diameter of the tire, other tire ratings are also extremely important, but often ignored. I'm referring to the UTQG data in particular - information that, I don't know why, is less important than the price for many drivers. These technical considerations are actually essential to choose intelligently and smartly.
In most cases (there are certainly exceptions) a low-price tire includes a lower UTQG rating. More precisely, this can mean mediocre mileage, low resistance to heat build-up, low resistance to extra load, and a modest speed rating.
If that comforts you, then that's just great. However, many drivers do not know the capacities of the tires they choose. As a result, they are extremely disappointed by their performance without realizing that in fact, the product did not promise much from the start.
The idea here is that there are no "bad tires". Rather, there are tires chosen inappropriately or without understanding their specifics and potential. Reading the tire ratings before buying them gives you a better understanding of tire capabilities. If these do not comfort you, choose another product that better matches your specific needs. Even tires with a low UTQG rating can be a good option for the right conditions. Make sure about the compatibility of your conditions with the optimal tire ratings for the best match.
Buying New Tires: FAQs
At What Point Should You Buy New Tires?
There is no definite answer because there are many factors that influence the moment of tire replacement. As a general guideline, tires serve on average between 6-7 years. It is recommended to change them within this term to avoid tire failure or other risks associated with poor tire condition.
We recommend not relying only on the age of the tires, but also on their condition. If they show signs of treadwear, damage, or poor performance, tire replacement might be considered even earlier than 6-7 years.
Is It OK To Buy Just 2 Tires?
It is generally accepted, but not 100% safe to opt for only 2 tires. Replacing all tires will give you better performance and safety than if you change only 2. If for some reason full replacement is not an option, make sure that the new tires go on the rear axle. Leave the tires partially worn on the front axle because this scheme is as safe as possible. The rule is valid regardless of the type of traction of the vehicle (FWD, RWD, 4WD, or AWD).
How Much Is A Set Of 4 Brand New Tires?
Everything depends on the size, type, and brand of the tire you choose. So, there is no definite price, but as an estimate, a full replacement will cost you around $400-$1000. We recommend being alert to various promotions and hot deals because they will help you get better tires at a lower price. Also, you can consider paying in installments in order not to sacrifice the quality of the tires in favor of a lower price.
Are Mismatched Tires OK?
Not really, to be honest. Tires that do not match each other generate performance conflict instead of all working for efficient rolling. Control over the vehicle becomes poorer and the responsiveness of the steering may decrease. Also, grip and traction can suffer, depending on how much the type and condition of the tires differ from each other.
Make sure you buy tires of the same type, size, and brand. Ideally, we recommend changing all tires instead of just 2. If it is not possible for some reason, the new tires must go on the rear axle. Avoid putting 2 mismatching tires on the same axle.
Why Trust NeoTires?
We know that there are hundreds and even thousands of tire dealers out there and you have no reason to trust a certain one in a special way. However, what makes us different from the competition is our loyalty and care towards our customers. We really care about your driving experience. This means that our goal is not only to sell tires at any price but to offer the right tires for your concrete needs.
First of all, we have a wide range of products in our store. All are from reputable brands, which guarantees high quality. Secondly, we offer very convenient payment terms to ease the stressful process of buying tires.
Thirdly, we are here to provide support and qualified assistance. We have technicians, assistants, and professional content writers - all with extensive experience in the automotive field.
So, here we are for any tire-related need. For us, your satisfaction is important and we want you to come back, being sure that here you're cared about. We cannot change the conditions in which you drive. But for sure we can find the necessary tires to ride in them, however challenging it may be. Drive safe and choose your tires wisely!
