Your tires play a huge role in your driving experience and can even influence your vehicle's fuel economy. When purchasing new tires for your vehicle, it's important to understand the different types of tires and how they can affect your vehicle's performance.
When shopping for tires, consider these eight common varieties of tires:
• All-season tires - The utility player of tires, the all-season tire provides a dependable mainstay for vehicles sold in the U.S. All-season tires are designed to provide solid performance in a variety of conditions, including dry roads, wet roads, and snowy roads. In areas where snowfall is severe, more rugged tires may be necessary. Vehicles that are frequently taken off-road will also need specialized tires.
• All-terrain tires - These tires are designed to perform well on and off road. All-terrain tires provide the grip needed for occasional off-roading while also providing road-handling capability. All-terrain tires are made of softer rubber than street tires, so their tread will wear down more quickly. Also, all-terrain tires tend to make more noise on the road.
• Low-profile tires - Low profile tires are characterized by a short sidewall and a wide tread. These tires are great for performance vehicles and racing vehicles. The short sidewall allows owners to get longer rims and bigger brakes-both good features for sharp braking. The wider tread of these tires also allows better road grip, making cornering much easier.
• Mud tires - Mud tires are excellent for off-roading. Their huge tread allows better grip and traction in muddy conditions.
• Performance tires - Performance tires have stiff sidewalls and are made of soft rubber, characteristics that make vehicles equipped with them able to react quickly. Performance tires are well-suited for sports cars, as drivers of these vehicles enjoy driving fast and taking sharp corners. The downside of these tires is that they can offer a rougher ride than all-season tires.
• Winter tires - Made specifically for winter conditions, winter tires have lots of grooves which help them gain traction in snowy and icy conditions.
• SUV tires - As the name suggests, these tires are designed specifically for sport utility vehicles. SUV tires are made to sustain the weight of SUVs and provide a smoother, less bumpy ride.
• Truck tires - These tires are robust enough to ensure that your truck has a smooth ride on the highway and in some limited off-road situations.Many of these tires carry tread warranties up to 70,000 miles, ensuring you good value for your money.
When shopping for tires, also be sure to pick quality tires from reliable manufacturers that properly fit the dimensions of your wheels.
Your car dealer is likely your best source of information concerning what type of tire best suits your vehicle. INFINITI of Thousand Oaks provides expert advice on all issues concerning new and used vehicles it sells customers, even what kind of tires they need. Visit today to check out the dealership's selection of vehicles and consult with the dealership's well-trained and friendly sales and service staff.
