When is it Time For New Tires?

Do You Have Bad Tires?

Tires that are not performing well and may need to be replaced soon? Tires that make a lot of noise, or leave dark marks on the pavement when they’re new? Tires that feel like they lose grip in wet weather, or don’t offer the same stability as before? If any of these sound familiar then it might be time for new tires.

There is no one perfect time frame for how often you should replace your car’s tires. But there are some general guidelines based on their use and wear. For example: If your vehicle spends most of its time driving on paved roads, then you can get away with replacing them every 60-80 thousand miles. But if those tires are frequently on unpaved roads, you’re probably looking at about 20-30 thousand miles before they need to be replaced.

One way of telling when your tires are reaching the end of their life is by keeping track of how much tread depth you’re losing over time. Tires that come with a Tread Wear Indicator built into them will have an indicator line found at the lowest safety point in your tire tread.

Another way to tell that your tires are almost down to their widths end is when you start to feel the car pulling in one direction or another when you’re driving. Tires that are worn down will not be able to provide even tire wear, which is why your vehicle may start swaying if it’s struggling with an unbalanced load on uneven pavement. This is definitely one of the more dangerous signs of them all.

Lastly, one more sign to look out for is if you can see the steel belts through your tire tread. Tires that are worn down don’t have as much structure to them anymore, so it’s easy for those sharp edges of the ribs to show themselves.

So the question stands, when is it time to go for new tires? When all three signs discussed present themselves together, then it probably is time for new tires…ASAP!

If you’re not sure whether or not it’s time for new tires, that’s ok. There’s why we have businesses that can handle this for you. You can simply take your car to a nearby tire shop and have them do a tread depth test. Most shops will offer this service for free, so there’s really no excuse to put off getting new tires if they’re needed. Tires are an important part of your vehicle and should be taken care of immediately.

So go ahead and make an appointment with Murray’s Tire and Auto or call us at (919) 821-0573 and let us take care of the rest.