How to choose your tires and which tires to choose?

When the wear indicator appears on the tread of your tires, it’s time to change them. Generally, your vehicle’s tires should be replaced every 40,000 or 50,000 km. Yes, but here it is, it’s not always easy to find one’s way among all the offers and all the brands of tires that are offered to drivers today. Here are some tips to help you see more clearly and find the eraser made for you!

THE DIFFERENT SELECTION CRITERIA FOR FINDING THE RIGHT TIRES

Several criteria must be taken into account when the time comes to change your tires. Indeed, not all tires are suitable for all users. So what really is the right tyre? Here are the different aspects to observe before making your choice.

Respect for compliance

First of all, it is essential to take into account the technological constraints of your car and to adapt the choice of your tires to the equipment recommended for your vehicle.

Start by defining your vehicle type. Do you need tires for an SUV, utility vehicle, city car, station wagon, 4×4, etc.?

Next, choose tires of the correct size, i.e. suitable for the width of the rim. Rims and tires must always match perfectly or risk jeopardizing your safety. To help you, be aware that the dimensions of your old tires are listed on the sidewall of the latter, in the following form: 165/60 R15 77 H, which corresponds to the width/height, R diameter, load index and index of speed. A tire’s load index is the maximum load it can support. The speed index, meanwhile, is materialized by a letter indicating its maximum speed (for example T for 190 km/h, U for 200 km/h, H for 210 km/h or V for 240 km/h) .

Seasons

In addition to tire dimensions, be aware that seasonality is also very important. Indeed, there are tires for every season. The latter must therefore be adapted to the climate of your region, and the ideal is to change them twice a year to alternate winter tires and summer tires.

Summer tires have a rubber that is resistant to high temperatures. They are recommended when the temperature exceeds 7°. Winter tires , on the other hand, are more suitable for cold temperatures, snow or frost. They have a thicker grip as well as larger crampons. Their rubber remains flexible, even when it’s cold and they are therefore more adherent in winter conditions. However, if your vehicle is driven in a region with a temperate climate, be aware that there are mixed tires for all four seasons. They offer a good compromise, without providing you with optimal conditions for one season or another.

Either way, the tires you put on your vehicle should always be suitable for the conditions you want to drive in. To put it simply, winter tires are very effective on snow and mud, while summer tires are more intended for driving in dry weather. For very damaged paths, tubeless tires, that is to say without an inner tube, are more robust. Choosing better quality tires is therefore absolutely useless if they are not suitable for the road they are intended for.

Driver expectations

Because not all drivers have the same expectations, it is also necessary to know what you are looking for when driving. To choose the right tires, it is essential to adapt them to your driving style. As seen above, there is no one best type of tyre. The ideal tire is simply the one that suits your driving style.

Then the right tire will be the one that matches your priority requirements. Ask yourself the question: are you primarily looking for comfort, silence, safety, better braking capacity, better grip in curves, an economical solution, etc.? No tire meets all the criteria at the same time.

When choosing your tyres, use common sense: a city driver will not opt ​​for off-road or tubeless tyres… On the contrary, an SUV equipped with road tires will lose its efficiency on an unpaved road or in the mud.

The budget

Finally, the other important criterion concerns your budget. However, in terms of tires, the price can quickly vary. But is opting for tires at the best price really a good calculation? Several criteria determine the price of a tire. It can be its brand, its seasonality, its notes on its European labeling, its type of rubber, its retailer, … Anyway, tell yourself that you will always get something for your money: to have a good tire, you will necessarily have to pay the price. For example, it is simply impossible to find a tire with long life and suitable for all seasons for 150 €. If your budget is tight, you will have to compromise and review your criteria.

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO COMPROMISE TO FIND THE BEST TYRE?

When it comes to tires, each manufacturer in the sector has its own specificity. Some prioritize comfort while others focus more on safety. Still other tires are made to save fuel. On the other hand, no tire is excellent on all criteria combined. This is why it is absolutely essential to define your needs beforehand.

If you opt for the choice of a tire rated A in comfort but B in fuel consumption, this does not mean that your equipment is bad. It’s just that you’re a driver who values ​​comfort over low fuel or diesel consumption. The objective is to find a tire adapted to your budget, at the best price, compatible with your vehicle and corresponding to your priorities and your use.

THE SPECIAL CASE OF TIRES DEVELOPED FOR A SPECIFIC BRAND

Finally, as in all areas, some brands are benchmarks in terms of tires. Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli and even Continental are among the most renowned tire specialists on the planet.

However, there are also tires specifically designed for certain car manufacturers. These are developed in close collaboration between car manufacturers and tire manufacturers. For example, there are BMW tires (marked with a star), Audi tires (marked AO) or Porsche tires (marked N). In this case, if your car is lucky enough to have its own brand of tyres, we strongly advise you to make this choice. In general, it is always better to choose tires recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle, which guarantee you the best possible compatibility as well as perfect technical compliance.

Tires remain one of the most important elements in terms of comfort and safety on board a vehicle. Moreover, when they are not suitable, they can also damage your car and sometimes lead to costly repairs. For all these reasons, a tire change should never be taken lightly.

Finally, of course, beyond these many tips for choosing your tires, never forget to maintain them properly. This is one of the biggest safety issues when driving. Inflation is very important because it can affect the grip of your car, while damaging the sidewalls of the tire. Likewise, parallelism and geometry should be reviewed regularly.

To choose the right tyres, seek advice from our team of professionals in one of our garages near you. Together, let’s study your needs and driving conditions to make the best choice.