Tire Buying Tips: What To Consider When Purchasing Tires

Walking into a tire store can be, and often is to say the least confusing for those of us who don’t buy tires that often. For the most part, as long as there are four tires on the car, most people are satisfied.

But when taking a stronger interest in the type of tires that are mounted on a car, the whole area of “tires” opens up, and we find there’s more to this tire buying than just bringing the car in to a tire shop and having four new tires put on.

A tire is an important functional part of any vehicle. Outside of the engine and its various parts, without the tire, no car, no truck, or no bus will get from point A to point B or any other point for that matter.

Sometimes we can’t always base our decision to buy a tire based on the name of the tire if it is a well known brand, or because the price is in a higher bracket than other selections of tires. A little homework will help us make a wiser decision when purchasing a tire.

First off the U.S. Government rates tires according to safety and mileage and by learning what these specifications are will help us decide what is best for our needs. Treadware traction, and heat resistance are some of the factors that should be seriously considered when making a purchase. Tire dealers can and should provide this information to the discerning consumer.

Treadware gives the expected mileage. This is shown by numbers, i.e. 300, 400, 500, etc. The higher the number, the more the expected mileage.

Traction grades provides a basis on how well tires will stop on a wet surface. “A” Grade of course being the better tire, thereby stopping in a shorter distance than Grade “B. We can see here that by purchasing the better grade, if we live in a climate where rain is a factor, we are better off paying a bit more by buying the higher-grade tire.

Grading a tire by “Heat Resistance” is also an important consideration, especially for those who live in the warmer climates. Again, deciding on a better grade will in the long run prevent driving on a tire that may not be suitable or does not wear well in the hotter climates.

Tires are also rated by speed. Checking the ‘”owner’s manual” will provide that information, ensuring that the manufacturer’s suggested requirements are kept in mind when making the purchase.

Also, when having these tires mounted keep in mind that some stores may charge extra for balancing and mounting, thereby upping the total cost of the tire. This happened to me and the "great" sale did not turn out so great.

Other considerations: When driving on mostly paved roads and highways as opposed to off-road, a smooth road tire (aka street tire) should be a consideration.

When driving equally on paved road, highways, and off roads, then an all-terrain tire should be a consideration.

When driving mostly off-road, and occasionally on paved roads/highway, then an “off-road” tire should be considered.

Again, doing one’s homework, becoming well informed, knowing what to look for, what is required by a manufacturer in terms of their own specifications for buying tires will ensure that a correct decision is made when purchasing this product.


WEBSITE: http://www.tampabayautonetwork.com/

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/TmpAutoNtwrk

YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/TampaBayAutoNetwork

Lane Departure Warning Technology

Have you ever looked away from the road to your radio, only to be blasted of another driver's horn as you drifted? It happens to many drivers. Fatigue, medications, and distractions can make even the best drivers do dangerous things. Don't you wish there was a way to be alerted when this happens―horn blasts aside?

There is. It's called lane departure warning (LDW) technology.

LDW History

After first making an appearance on European commerical trucks, American drivers saw LDW technology in 2004. Iteris licensed it to Valeo Management Services, and Nissan Motors unveiled its 2005 Infiniti FX and 2006 Infiniti M45―the first two models to come with LDW―at the April 2004 New York Auto show.

How It Works

LDW uses tiny cameras, mounted on rearview mirrors, to watch the lane markings. This information is fed to an onboard computer, which then warns the driver with a combination of lights, steering wheel vibration, and perhaps an alarm that the car is drifting out of the lane. It's so sophisticated that it works under any weather conditions ― that's why it's taken so long to come to market.

If the driver happens to forget to use a turn signal, the LDW still goes off. Don't use this an excuse to leave your turn signals on forever―systems come with an off/on switch.

It's by no means foolproof. Muddy roads or freshly repaved streets with no lines stump the system.

Which Cars Have LDW

More cars come out with LDW every year. Lexus, BMW, Nissan Infiniti, and GM (Cadillac and Buick) all have versions in their 2008 models.

LDW may appear under a slightly different name, like Nissan Infiniti's "Lane Departure Prevention," or Lexus's "Lane-Keeping Assist."

Each may work a bit differently. Some only have warnings, and some actually allow the car to brake and move the car back into the lane for you if you ignore the system.

It sounds like something the Batmobile has, but LDW is meant to be only another helpful accident-prevention tool. It won't drive the car for you. Don't try to travel across the country in 48 hours and expect the LDW to save your life.


WEBSITE: http://www.tampabayautonetwork.com/

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/TmpAutoNtwrk

YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/TampaBayAutoNetwork