At some tire shops, selecting new tires for your vehicle can be overwhelming. You will likely see a range of different sizes, prices, and claims about each tire. To find the best tires for your vehicle, visit SwitchTire. We make the entire process easy, and you’ll get the best price, guaranteed!
Having good tires is essential for keeping you safe on the road. Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that is in direct contact with the road, and when your tires are performing at their best, you’ll have better traction and, therefore, better control over your vehicle.
So, what do you need to know about choosing new tires for your vehicle? Here are a few tips:
Size and Load rating
There are various sizes of tires, but fortunately, this is one of the easiest things to determine. Simply look at the tire placard, usually located on the inside of the driver-side door or on the opposite door pillar. This is where the vehicle manufacturer specifies the appropriate size and load rating of tires for your vehicle. If you cannot find the tire placard on your vehicle, any good tire centre such as SwitchTire should be able to look up what size and load rating you require based on the make and model of your car.
All-season vs. winter tires
While all-season tires are designed to provide acceptable performance in a wide range of weather conditions by offering a balanced compromise between the characteristics of summer and winter tires and the convenience of not having to perform tire changes, there are some cons.
All-season tires are not optimized for extreme weather conditions such as heavy snow and icy roads, which we often experience here in Peterborough. Winter tires provide superior performance in cold and snowy conditions due to specialized material and specific tread patterns, which stay more pliable in temperatures of 7 degrees Celsius and lower. There is also a big difference between all-weather tires, snow tires and snow and ice tires, so talk with your tire specialist at SwitchTire to gain more knowledge to help you make a better decision on your tire selection.
Treadwear, Traction and Temperature Ratings (AKA UTGQ)
Wondering how many kilometres you’ll be able to get out of your new tires? This can vary depending on several factors, including the tire brand, model, vehicle conditions, vehicle type, and maintenance practices. But to get a general idea, you should be able to estimate by using the treadwear rating found on all passenger tires.
The Treadwear rating is a standardized rating to give you an estimated expected lifespan of your tire. The higher the treadwear rating, the longer the tires are expected to last. For example, a tire with a treadwear rating of 200 will generally last twice as long as a tire with a rating of 100.
Traction ratings give you a better idea of stopping distances between different Traction ratings. The highest Traction rating is AA, followed by A, B and C.
Temperature ratings give you a better idea of how cool the tire runs, thus maintaining its stability and performance at higher speeds. A temperature rating of A is the best at effectively dissipating heat at up to 185 kph speeds. The B temperature rating effectively dissipates heat at speeds between 160-185 kph, and the C temperature rating effectively dissipates heat at speeds between 136-160 kph.
Contact Switch Tire today
Is it time to replace the tires on your vehicle? Visit SwitchTire today!
At SwitchTire, we will work with you to find the right tires that are best for your vehicle at a competitive price. Talk to one of SwitchTire’s specialists to learn more about our quality tire brand selection. Get the best deal on tires, or we’ll beat it by 5%! We have a wide selection of leading tire brands to suit any vehicle. We also use high-tech equipment at installation that ensures no scratches to your wheels.