The five stages of grief might just start with the phrase “You need a new set of tires.” It opens the floodgates of financial fear. From “I guess we’ll cancel our dinner reservations,” to “the kids need braces!” to the ultimate tear-streaming realization, “vacation might have to wait until next year.” That’s the reaction I’ve had more than once when taking my car to the dealership for service. In my experience I didn’t always need new tires and I never needed to replace them immediately (more than once the service tech was flat-out wrong).
But take a deep breath. When it comes to new tires you have options. Lots of options. And the good news is that you don’t have to buy tires from the dealer who sold you your car.
How to Know You Need New Tires
This is the first test: Do you really need new tires? Here’s how to tell:
- Your current tires fail the penny test; put a penny head-down into your tread and if you can see Lincoln’s head, your tread is too low. You can also use a tape measure or ruler and look for tread that is deeper 2/32 of an inch
- Your tires are worn on the edges and you can see threads, wires or other non-rubber materials
- The rubber on your tires is dry and cracked
- Your tires are more than 5 years old or exceed the manufacturer’s estimated mileage
- Your car doesn’t drive like it used to, pulling to one side or the other, taking longer to come to a stop, sliding or fishtailing on damp or wet pavement (these conditions could be mechanical, too, and warrant a visit to a repair shop)
What Type of Tires Do You Need? Here’s How to Tell
The first thing to understand is your driving style and conditions. For most drivers, a solid set of all-season tires with a warranty of 50,000 miles or so will do the trick. But drivers who live in snowy climates can save a lot of headaches and anxiety by swapping all-seasons for winter tires during the cold months. Drivers who spend a lot of time off pavement may opt for all-terrain tires. And those who have a long commute or for whom a flat tire is a huge inconvenience may opt for run-flat tires.
Then, look at the type of tires that are recommended for your car. Manufacturers specify certain criteria for tires beyond size, such as noise and rolling resistance, which impacts fuel economy and performance. Do these tires fit your needs, too?
OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer Tires
These are the tires that are specified by the car maker when your car was designed. If you drive a sports car, the manufacturer probably specified performance tires, though sometimes a sport trim of an SUV will come with performance tires— and may not be the best choice for family routines and road trips.
You can find your OEM tires on the tire brand’s site or a tire sale site like Tire Rack and learn their features, advantages and ideal driving conditions and decide: Does this match your lifestyle?
When To Choose Non OEM Tires For Your Car
Even though your car maker took time to specify a specific set of tires for your car, you can shop around and find tires that may be a better fit for your driving style, may last longer and may cost less in the long run. We chose these Kumho Solus tires for their all-weather capability for those infrequent jaunts to Colorado in the winter.
Yes, You Can Tire Shop Online—And It’s the Best Way
Walking into a tire shop where tires are piled to the ceiling is not just intimidating, it’s not fun. The smell of rubber, the jarring high-pitched whirring of installation equipment and a salesman trying to sell you a deal can be overwhelming. Try shopping on line first.
Once I looked at Tire Rack to learn which tires we needed, I was convinced. Now, I take a photo of my current tire and start my shopping on line to find the right tires. And the good news is that even if I buy online, I can still choose that overwhelming tire store for installation.
Or, Buy Your Tires Through Costco
Yes, you can buy tires through Costco! Similar to online shopping, you search for what you need, order it and they are shipped to your local Costco where they are installed. And, Costco loves to offer you a deal, so you may find the tires you need are on sale.
Caring For Your Tires Will Make Them Last Longer
When you have your tires installed, the installer should add a reminder sticker on your window so you know when to have them rotated, which will extend the life of the tires.
Are Your Current Tires Still Under Warranty?
Tire warranties typically amount to a discount off a new set of tires if your current tires wear out sooner than the warranty, provided you buy the same brand and meet the warranty criteria for care, wear and other conditions.
When you find you need new tires, check the warranty of your current set. If they are warranted for 50,000 miles but you’ve only put 30,000 on them, you may get a credit for those 20,000 miles.
When You Should Buy Tires From the Car Dealer
Like anything, a deal isn’t a deal if you don’t get the right product. Once you’ve done your homework, you know what you need (and know that you really do need new tires), check with your car dealer to see if they have the tires you want, ask the full price including installation, and how long it will take to have them installed. The benefit is that you can also have other services performed, a recall check and often, car dealers have much nicer waiting areas with premium coffee and snacks. And, often car dealers will have special pricing on tires to get you in the door, so you may actually get a better deal.
How To Avoid the 5 Stages of New-Tire Grief
The downside of not replacing worn tires can go from bad to horrible. Sticker shock is really not that bad compared to a flat tire or worse, a blowout while driving that can cause an accident. But all this avoidable. Regular tire care will allow you to plan for your next set of tires and give you time to do the research, find your tires and schedule an appointment with an installer. Even if you’re not as good as you should be with tire care, pay attention to your car’s driving dynamics and give your tires a regular once-over to ensure they look healthy.
And then, plan that vacation, and the dinner out and the kids braces, all knowing that when it comes to nasty surprises, your tires won’t be one of them.
