Before You Buy: Questions To Ask At The Tire Shop

10 February 2015

Isaiah Chambers

Tire purchase is something that any vehicle owner will have to do, sooner or later. Whether you are behind the wheel of a tiny economy car or a futuristic hovercraft, you need to make sure that you are getting the right tires for your vehicle. Ideally, you'll be able to get these tires for a good price while you're at it. While the tire shop employees are a great resource for tire buyers, they can help the most if you are well prepared with some specific questions. Here are the best questions to ask your local tire shop, such as Dack Auto Service, before you buy new tires.

Are The Tires Currently On Your Vehicle The Best Choice?

Your vehicle may currently have tires that aren't right for it. Have your tire shop evaluate the tires on the vehicle right now, so they can determine if you need to make a change with the new set of tires. Your tires could be the wrong fit in several different ways. They may be:

• Too Small: This is something people may commonly do to save money, since smaller tires can be cheaper. If you have tires that are smaller than the manufacturer's recommended size for the vehicle, it could potentially cause excess wear on the vehicle suspension, as well as instability while driving.
• Too Large: Some people may have overly large tires on their vehicle because they like that "monster truck" look. This can cause instability while driving.
• Too Wide: Certain vehicles, for example sports cars that are close to the ground, need wider tires. However, extra wide tires may not be appropriate for a standard sedan or other types of vehicles. Overly wide tires can cause damage to the vehicle suspension.

What Are Your Price Options?

Most tire shops will be able to give you at least two or three different price options for new tires. Your tire shop may carry tires from multiple manufacturers, and these manufacturers can have very different price points, even though the tires are exactly the same size. Think of the difference between generic and designer. It applies to tires too!

Be sure that you understand what the extra money will actually buy if you opt for the pricier tires. Consider the following points.

• The more expensive tires may have a longer mileage warranty than the cheaper options.
• The manufacturer of the more expensive tires may be more reputable than the maker of the cheaper ones.
• There may be some major differences in tire tread or tire composition between the different options, which could impact the quality of your driving experience.

Your tire shop is there to help you, not just to make a sale. A reputable tire shop knows that you'll return to them in the future for other tire needs like rotations if you're happy with their service. Because of this, they will help you make a good decision when it's time to buy new tires!

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