When you buy a car, it comes with four tires already fitted and, in most cases, a spare. Over time, natural wear and tear mean you’ll need to replace those tires to keep your vehicle safe and efficient.
If all you ever do is drive to the office and back, that might be all you need to know. If you plan on making the most of your vehicle, however, you should make sure you’re using the right tires.
Different roads, different weathers, different vehicles, and different driving styles all place different needs on your tires. To ensure you are getting the best, most efficient, and safest performance, you need to choose the right tires.
What are the choices?
- All-season tires
The most common tires fitted as standard to most vehicles in the US are all-season. These are often seen as the best value as they will perform reasonably on most road surfaces in most weather.
They are, however, not suited for use in heavy snow, nor do they offer peak performance for any driving. If you’re looking for an all-rounder, these tires are fine, but they are far from the best you can have.
- Snow tires
As you might expect, these will be your best choice for city or country road driving after a heavy snowfall. Deeper and wider tread combined with cold temperature compounds mean these are the best choice during harsh winters.
If you live in a snow-prone environment, it’s recommended to replace all four tires with snow tires during winter. Always be sure to change back in spring, however, as they will become noisy and wear quickly on clear roads.
- Thunderer tires
These modern tires have been specifically designed to deliver the peak performance of heavier vehicles on North American roads. Passenger vehicles, SUVs, trailers, and small commercial vehicles will all benefit from fitting Thunderer tires.
Easily sourced from reputable suppliers such as Tire Agent, Thunderer tires are hard-wearing and high-performance with an excellent pedigree. Ideal for long miles of all-terrain and all-season touring, these represent a great choice for many drivers.
- Summer performance tires
If you take a high-performance vehicle on a well-surfaced road in a dry environment, these are the tires you’ll want. Narrow treads and soft compounds help you get the very best out of your vehicle in summer conditions.
For safety and efficiency, it is important that summer performance tires are only used in the right conditions. Rain, rough roads, and heavy vehicles will all seriously affect the performance of these specific-use tires.
- Directional tires
These are tires designed to travel only in one direction on the road. While not suitable in city scenarios where reversing is common, they are ideal for chewing miles on the highway.
If you’re looking for maximum efficiency and a long lifespan in a single direction, these are the tires for you. In some cases, you’ll also find they deliver higher safe speeds and handle both water and snow with great success.
- Off-road tires
Many regular tires will see you through in most standard driving conditions but off-road they will let you down quickly. If you’re taking your SUV or truck across rough surfaces, you’ll need to fit a different sort of tire.
Reinforced, puncture-resistant, and high-grip, off-road tires give you the best chance of arriving at your country destination without incident. Always be aware, however, that some off-road tires will not be legal for use on standard road surfaces.
- Run-flat tires
These will never be the best-performing tires but they will give you ultimate peace of mind in many circumstances. Designed to keep performing even after a loss of pressure, run-flat tires will keep you on the road when others can’t.
You’ll pay more and sacrifice ride quality but, if a puncture strikes, these tires will help get you to safety. For long journeys on unknown roads away from civilization, run-flat tires are always worth considering to keep you moving safely.
So, next time you plan a journey, perhaps think about what tires your car is riding on before setting off. If you want maximum performance, safety, and efficiency, choosing and fitting the right tires is essential.