Many drivers don’t think about tire care, which is understandable because tires are meant to last at least 20,000 miles, and most people do not drive nearly that much in many years, even if they take multiple road trips and other travels with their vehicles.
That said, you should take the time to properly care for your tires for 4 major reasons. We will look at these 4 reasons in this post:
1. It Saves You Money With Regular Preventative Maintenance
Failing to maintain your tires can cost you maintenance fees and roadside assistance fees, but most importantly, it can cause an accident.
It is much more expensive to replace a set of tires after an accident than it would be if you maintained them properly. For example, each tire on a standard-sized car costs about $200. If you were to hit a pothole that caused a flat on one of your tires (all four total), it would cost $800 just for that single accident.
But if you were able to avoid even one flat with proper maintenance, then all four tires will still be perfectly fine and road-ready since they do not need to be replaced after such an event. So effectively taking preventative measures now could save you anywhere from $400-$800 or more in future expenses.
Proper tire maintenance also helps when dealing with punctures. Having your tires rotated regularly and having spare tires on hand makes you less likely to get multiple flats over time, saving both time and money by not having to deal with countless punctures at once.
And lastly, investing in regular preventative maintenance allows everyone who uses that vehicle safer driving conditions due to less risky situations, which helps decrease accidents all around. And again, repairing accidents is much more costly than any preventative steps taken now.
2. The Correct Tire Pressure Improves Performance
Tires have an optimal range of pressure where they’ll perform at their best. If you drive around with them too hard or too soft, your performance will suffer. Drive slower and carefully when your tires are underinflated.
And expect to replace them sooner if they’re overinflated. Using a tread depth gauge on a regular basis will help you keep tabs on how much tread remains so that you can get new tires before hitting unsafe levels of wear. Newer tires tend to last longer.
Cheaper brands often don’t offer warranties because many customers report that their products fall apart just outside of what most would consider reasonable wear for a set of tires. More expensive models offer peace of mind; even though they cost significantly more upfront, they typically come with better materials, a wider warranty, and better longevity overall.
The difference between cheap tires and high-quality models in terms of mileage tends to be pretty significant. Check tire tread regularly. Worn down areas can be identified by looking at each groove; if it looks like it has been worn all way down to the belt – it should be replaced immediately. Rotating your tires helps extend their life.
Tire manufacturers always advise rotating your tires every 5k miles (around six months). Driving on uneven surfaces wears out one side quicker than another, causing uneven patterns across all four wheels after time, hence requiring them to be rotated for an even distribution of use and prolonging life in general.
3. It Reduces Premature Wear And Tear
You can’t avoid this one, but we’ll cover what it means. The more time you spend on a road, the more likely your tires will get damaged. Exposure to debris, potholes, and roads in general will take its toll on your tires, resulting in having to replace them sooner rather than later.
Even if you choose to invest in higher quality tires made of better materials and last longer if you’re spending long periods on a particular road, they will still wear down quicker than they should. The main reason is that regardless of how well-made a tire is, it cannot withstand constant abuse without breaking down over time.
But with proper maintenance, you can ensure they last as long as possible before needing to be replaced, which leads us to our next point. A properly maintained tire won’t just make you less likely to encounter issues while driving but will also contribute greatly towards overall safety during bad weather conditions such as snow or rain.
4. It Improves Safety
Improperly maintained tires can lead to blowouts, poor gas mileage, and accidents. Replacing worn-out tires on a routine basis helps improve safety and reduce stopping distances in wet weather and during emergency braking situations.
An annual vehicle inspection will catch potentially dangerous problems before they become a problem; if you feel that your car has any dangerous tire issues, bring it into a shop immediately. Tire maintenance varies according to individual needs.
If you drive more than 30,000 miles per year or are subject to harsh climates, consider bringing your car in for an inspection twice a year or every 10,000 miles instead of once per year. Investing in regular tire maintenance will help keep you safe on the roadways without breaking your budget.
It’s one thing most people don’t think about, but keeping their car well-maintained is just as important as what goes under the hood. And now we know better how we can take care of our cars.
Hi, my name is Niklas, the head content creator & CEO of Whirling Wheelz. I am very interested in vehicles of all kinds, mainly cars. I have a car mechanics degree from high school and a big hobby of mine is to follow the WRC (World Rally Championship) both online and through travel.