Buying new tires can be daunting because of the wide array of brands, sizes, and tire brands available in the market. In order to make the right choice, ask yourself how much you are willing to pay for a tire, what type of tire the car needs and how many miles do you expect the tire to last. Are you replacing your old tires or are you upgrading to better ones? 

How to determine the size of the tire

The tires of your car have to be replaced when they are damaged, when the tread is worn out, when there is abnormal wear and when its lifespan is up. It is a good idea to replace the tires with something that is equivalent to its size and capability to maintain the performance and safety that the vehicle was designed to deliver. 

The information that you will need when buying a new tire is printed on the sidewall of the tire that you are using right now. For example, you found out that 245/40-R18 93W is imprinted on the sidewall. The first number 245 is the width of the tire at its widest point in millimetres. The number after the slash which is 40 is the aspect ratio which indicates how tall the sidewall is at a percentage of the width. R means radial tire which is virtually all the tires that are being used today. The number after R is the diameter of the wheel in inches. 

How to determine speed rating

Speed rating means how fast the tire can go for an extended period of time including its overall performance potential. Tires designed for high-performance cars have a higher speed rating than tires designed for family sedans and SUVs. When buying a new year, it would be wise to match the speed rating of the original tire that came with your car to ensure that it can attain the maximum speed plus a significant built-in safety margin. Speed rating is indicated as a letter in the alpha-numeric code that immediately follows the size of the tire. Letter range from L to Y and covers the maximum speed ranges from 75 miles per hour to more than 186 miles per hour. 

How to determine tread wear

Tread wear rating and tire mileage warranty will help you estimate the expected number of miles from a new set of tires. Tread wear rating can also be found on the sidewall of your original tire after the word treadwear. The higher the tread wear rating, the longer you can expect the tire to last. Tread life warranty will help you determine the expected longevity of the tire. If the tire wears out before the guaranteed mileage, you can get credit for the percentage of mileage that came up short. 

The cost must never be a deciding factor when buying new tires because it is better to be safe than sorry. You cannot risk driving with worn-out tires because they can affect breaking distance. Always check the tires for damage and make sure that your spare tire is always inflated.

Criss Peterson