Make The Most of Your Tire Coupons by Choosing Your Replacement Tires Wisely

Author: D.w. Maynard

The tread life of your tires will depend on many factors - car type, tire type, if you are an aggressive driver, and even the type of road on which you drive. Regardless of modern technological advances, you will still need to replace your tires a few times or more during the life of your vehicle.  If you wish to lengthen the life of your tires, the simplest method is proper maintenance and good driving. Inspect your tread monthly, and you will learn when a tire can be replaced - perhaps weeks or months ahead of federal regulations. The standard for many states is if tread depth reaches 1/16 inch.   The Coin Method    Penny:  Hold a penny upside down in the tread of your tire. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time to change your tires.Some experts say this is not enough. Once you are down to 1/16 inch tread you already are running into danger. Braking, turning, and hydroplaning all become significantly more likely and dangerous. so once you get down to about 1/8 inch tread it's a good idea to start shopping around for prices or discount tire coupons.   Quarter:  A quarter can be used as a better indicator of tire wear. If you put a quarter updside down in a tire groove, the distnace from the edge of the coin to George Washington's hairline is about 1/8 inch. If you see more of his head than just the hairline, start pricing new tires.   How To Choose Tires    Size Matters:  Your owner's manual, doorjamb, glove compartment or some other part of your vehicle will usually have a recommended tire size. Stick with the manufacturer's recommendation as much as possible. If you bought your vehicle used, it's always possible the previous owner put a different size of tires on the vehicle instead of the recommended tires. So don't just automatically read the tire numbers off your existing tires and assume those are correct.   Safety:  Finding tires that do well in braking, handling and other safety features are certainly important. If you live in a part of the country that has medium to strong winters, then obviously winter traction needs to be factored in as well. Ride comfort, resistance to rolling, and road noise are also important factors but should be considered secondary to the primary features of handling and braking.   Details:  Definitely be aware of warranties and guarantees tire manufacturers put on their products. Keep in mind that tread wear warranties are pro-rated. So the percent of credit you get for a replacement is rated against the amount of tread left on a tire.   Prices:  Depending on what part of the company you live and what tire manufacturer you ultimately end up using, tire prices can vary quite a bit. Additionally, many tire replacements will also offer mounting, balancing, and new valves. Other times those services may not be included but instead are tacked onto the final bill.  Shop around, check your weekly coupons that arrive by mail, and you will find there are many chain stores and franchises offering discount tire coupons.   Freshness Guarantee:   On each tire will be a number beginning with DOT. The last four digits coorespond to the week and year the tire was made. For example, 1409 means the tire was made during the 14th week of 2009. It's a good idea to refrain from buying tires more than a few years old.   Bearing these points in mind will ensure you are getting the most value for your money, while being a safe and responsible driver