Tire Savings

It's not the best news that you've heard when your auto mechanic tells you to replace your car's tires. It's essential, and it's a several hundred dollars investment. Is there a way to save on the new tires? Even better, is there a way to make them last longer? The good news is that there is.

Tire Longevity

Maintaining proper tire health can add to the life of your tires as well as save on fuel. Checking your tires weekly to make sure that they're properly inflated can save on unnecessary wear if they are underinflated. Less than ideal tire pressure puts tires at risk for damage while driving, especially when potholes come into play. Likewise, if your tires roll across the road smoothly, the car uses less gas to propel it. So, take the time to fill your tires weekly and pay a little less.

Balance

Wheel alignment and tire balancing is something that a professional must do, and he/she'll charge for it. However, it will be worth it in tire longevity. If tires wear unevenly with one tire or one pair of tires wearing differently than the rest, your car is out of alignment. Tires that wear with odd patterns rather than consistently around are out of balance. Ask your mechanic to repair these problems at a low price to reduce the need for a higher priced tire replacement later.

Check for Leaks

If you suspect that your tire has a leak, put an end to it immediately. Don't pay to have a professional look for the leak if you can find it yourself. Either take the tire off the car and submerge it in water, looking for the bubbles to appear at the leak, or apply dish soap to the suspected area and look for bubbles to appear if there is a leak.

Rotate Regularly

Even with proper maintenance, tire rotation is essential for healthy tires. It's rare to have a car perfectly aligned and perfectly balanced, so tires will wear at different rates. Rotating tires helps to create a more balanced wear on all the tires. It's not a bad idea to rotate them with the seasons, once in spring and once in fall.

New Tires

If you need new tires, watch for the sales. It's not uncommon to find sales that offer four tires for the price of three. Avoid sales that boast of free maintenance or free balancing; the maintenance and balancing of tires isn't a great expense, and you'll do better to wait for a better sale.

When purchasing the tires, stay with the original style and size of your vehicle. Also, high performance tires usually aren't needed, though they are more expensive. Despite their name, high performance tires wear quicker than regular tires. Heavy vehicles, such as trucks, require steel belted tires to get the longest lifespan of the tires.