Cheap Car Tires: Understanding Standard Markings Makes You A Better Buyer

There are almost as many brands of tires on the market as there are cars. It seems that every time you go to put new tires on your car there is another manufacturer offering a great deal on a new tire. Who makes the tire is not as important as the cost. Most people are looking for cheap car tires. They do not want a tire that is going to shred going down the road, but neither do they want to pay an unusually high price for quality.

With the aid of the Internet you can find cheap car tires which will give a top performance. You can find tires rated for winter driving, summer driving, or all weather driving conditions. You will find tires which boast about improved gas mileage. There are tires claiming to hug the road better than any tire on the market. Wading through all the advertising can be a hard task. It can be simplified quickly.

Understanding Tire Markings Makes It Easier To Buy

Each tire is marked on the side. These markings are extremely important. These markings are standard in all tires sold in the United States. The U.S. Tire and Rim Association is a standardizing organization which helps to establish tire standards. Together with the European counterpart, European Tire and Rim Technical Organization, they have helped to make sure tires are all produced with the same standard sizes, inflation limits, load limits, and other factors.

It's Easy To Master Tire Specs

This allows you to find cheap tires from someone other than the manufacturer of your original tires. The numbers and letters show many interesting things about your tires. Here is a breakdown of what they mean.

We will use a P215/65R15 as our sample tire. The first letter is important because it stands for "P"assenger. If it was a truck you may see the letters "LT", which means light truck. You want a tire designed for your vehicle.

The next number is the width of the tire. Tires are measured in millimeters. This tire is 215 millimeters wide. You can go wider if you are using customized rims. However, you must account for clearance when going wider or taller than the current tires on your vehicle.

The 65 is the aspect ratio. This is the ratio of the height to the width. The "R" means this tire is a radial tire. There are three types of tires, radial (R), bias (D), and belted bias (B). Most common is the "R"adial tire. The 15 is simply the rim diameter that tire can be used on.

Now You're A Knowledgeable Buyer

When you know this much about your car tires, you can find many great deals on the Internet. Cheap car tires do not have to be cheap quality as well. You can research the tire manufactures on line. You can even find local dealers who carry certain brands you may be looking for. There are even on line merchants who till deliver the cheap car tires right to your door. This is convenient and can save some time when you are looking for replacement tires.

All you need to do is write down the information listed on your tires and start browsing to find the cheap car tires that are right for your vehicle. Once you know the size and ratings, this will be easy. You can also search the name brand sites to see if there are any coupons or specials you can take advantage of. This would mean making your tires even cheaper.