Make Your Tires Last Longer with These Simple Tips

The lifespan of your tires depends on many different factors, such as the quality of the tires, the type of tires you're using, how often the vehicle is driven, how you drive your vehicle, etc. While car owners would hope to get at least 40,000 miles from their brand new tires, this is never set in stone. The good news is that you can do a lot to stretch the lifespan of your tires. Make sure to follow these tips to get the most out of your tires:

Purchase the Right Type of Tires

It may be tempting to buy the cheapest tires that you can find, but this is a mistake. Tires are subjected to a great deal of wear and tear, which means that you will want quality tires that will last. Look for tires that have good tread wear grading and high traction ratings. This doesn't mean that you have to buy expensive tires. You can find the right tires at places such as Mavis Tires & Brakes and even use a coupon to get a mail-in rebate when you purchase four tires.

Get Regular Tire Inspections

Regularly inspecting your tires and ensuring that they are properly balanced and rotated will increase their lifespan. Many times this can be done for free at the place where you originally purchased the tires. Tires that are balanced will have less vibration, which can contribute to the wear and tear of the tire. Rotating your tires can make them last longer because the front tires usually wear down a lot faster than the rear tires.

Ease Up on the Brakes

While it is sometimes necessary to slam on our brakes for emergencies, try to ease up on your brakes when you can. Cruising to a stop instead of braking hard can stretch the life of the tires on your car significantly. The same goes for speeding up. Instead of flooring it, speed up slowly so that your tires aren't digging into the road and losing traction quicker than they need to.

Drive with Caution

Hitting potholes at even 20 miles per hour can do damage to your tires (and your vehicle), and it is important that you try your best to avoid potholes and other road hazards. Potholes can hurt the tire sidewall, which can't be repaired and will need to be replaced. It can be difficult to see potholes during inclement weather, so try to keep an eye out during these times. Keeping your tires properly inflated can help when going through potholes is unavoidable, but it is also helpful to slow down as much as possible before going over potholes and bumps in the road.

Basic Tire Maintenance

Keeping on top of regular tire maintenance can do a lot to make your tires last longer. Check your tires every month for any cracks in the sidewall and use a protectant such as Armor All to protect them from sun damage and harsh winter weather. Regularly clean your tires and store them in an environment with a stable temperature to boost their lifespan. In addition, it is important to note the wear on your tires and test their condition. The common way to check for tire wear is to take a penny and hold it in the groove of the tire. If you can see all of Abraham Lincoln's head, it is time for the tires to be replaced. The tires need to have at least 4/32” of an inch tread to maintain necessary traction. Taking proper care of your tires is key to making them last as long as possible.

Check the Tire Pressure

Many of us forget to regularly check the pressure of our tires, and we could unknowingly be driving around with under-inflated tires, which contributes to their wear and tear over time. Check the pressure of your tires at least once a month with a tire pressure gauge. The tires should be checked when they are cold and when the vehicle has not been driven for a while. This is because driving the vehicle can warm the tires, and cause them to expand and make your reading inaccurate. Tires can lose a pound of pressure every month, so it is crucial that you are aware of your tire pressure. Your car should also have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which has a warning light that tells you when your tire pressure is low.