WHEN TO REPLACE TIRES

Check the tires on your vehicle often. Make it a habit to always scan them and ensure that they are in optimal condition. Check the tread often and make sure there is still enough to perform the necessary tasks, which is to provide good traction on most road conditions. If you are not sure of how much is good then just find a penny and do the penny test. If the penny slides in and the head on the penny is covered or even partially covered then the tread is good. If none of the head goes into the tread then you need to consider purchasing new tires.

In addition to a brief overall check of the treads, check for uneven wear or spots that appear to be flat. This is an indication of a problem with the car suspension system.

Bulges in the tire's sidewalls are an indicator that there was some internal damage done to the tire. Nails driven into the tire can possibly be patched but it's a good idea to replace the tire. Both are both signs that the tire could need to be replaced.

Another reason to replace tires would be if you've moved into an entirely different climate altogether. Moving from a place like Florida to, let's say, Colorado would definitely mean the necessity of purchasing tires that are designed for icy conditions.

If your vehicle has begun to take on heavier loads such as pulling a trailer of some sort then new tires may need to be considered to handle the extra work.

NORMAL WEAR ON TIRES

When tires begin to wear down, you'll notice that the car's driving performance is decreasing. The steering will feel harder and turning corners may require you to slow down more than usual. Driving through puddles now put doubt in your mind as to whether the car will slide or not. All of these usually come about as a gradual decrease and one may not notice until after purchasing new tires how much of a difference it makes in the driving capabilities of a car.

ot all tires last the same amount of time. Performance tires have a shorter life than the standard passenger tires. Don't depend on the manufacturer's suggested time life as they don't know your particular living conditions nor the way you normally drive. Always depend on your feel of the drive and your eyes by constantly checking the tires.