Tire Replacement Near You in Briarcliff Manor

Tires are the part of your car actually connected to the road. Your tire provides traction, balance, and stability. Tires also impact road noise and fuel economy.

Many manufactures will indicate that tires driven under typical conditions could last up to 50,000 miles. So, if on average you are driving 10,000 – 15,000 miles per year, figure your useful life is three to five years.

Besides miles driven, rubber compounds deteriorate with time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) does not publish specific standards but instead relies on manufacturers to inform guidelines. The standard suggested by vehicle manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Nissan is six years. Manufacturers Continental and Michelin claim a useful life of up to ten years, but suggest annual inspections after the fifth year.

Factors such as heat, frequent braking, improper inflation, potholes, punctures, mis-alignment, curb hits, and storage could all negatively impact service life

DETERMINING TIRE'S AGE

A tire’s age is printed on its sidewall. Look for the four-digit code after the DOT (Department of Transportation). The first two numbers represent the week manufactured and the last two digits represent the year. So, if your sidewall is imprinted with DOT A3TY PXH6 4816, the 4816 indicates the 48th week of 2016. Sidewalls imprinted with a three-digit code were made prior to 2000. Units this old have considerably higher risk of the steel belt in the tread suddenly separating from the rest of the rubber.

There are other codes published on your sidewall that indicate the manufacturer, the usage designation (P is for passenger), the width in millimeters, the ratio of height to width, the rim diameter size, load index, speed rating, and temperature grade, among others.

TO OEM OR NOT TO OEM

Most drivers replace car tires and wheel with the same make, model and size that are already on the vehicle. This is the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) part provided. For the most part, this is fine. There are acceptable substitutions that could perform as well or better than the OEM item. Consider replacing all-season pieces with winter tires during the snowy season, especially if you do not have all-wheel drive.

There are other product features to consider – such as run flat or high-performance.  Or you might like the look of bigger wheels, which not only necessitates different models but also may impact the setting of your suspension or change your aspect ratio.

TREAD WEAR AND PSI

Maintaining correct air pressure will lengthen tread life. Consult your manufacturer's suggested PSI (pressure per square inch) as improperly inflated tires wear faster. Be sure to perform pressure checks whenever the season changes since heat causes expansion and cold causes contraction. Use your smart phone to photograph your tread depth every 10,000 to 20,000 miles. Use visual inspection or the penny test to track tread wear.

At Fred’s Auto Repair, we’ll take out the guesswork of your replacement selection. If you’d like to stay with what you have or the OEM part, we can accommodate that. If instead, you want a sportier grip, quieter ride, different tire size, or products that are better in inclement weather, we’ll advise you on the tradeoffs you have to consider amongst the available options.