5 tips for drivers planning to purchase new tyres
How to choose the right tyres for your car? What do the symbols and labels on tyres mean? Why are used tyres hazardous? How to reduce the external rolling noise level and rolling resistance? How to increase fuel efficiency and traction? Polish Tyre Industry Association gives tips on how to choose appropriate tyres and how to take care of them so that they ensure our safety.
It is worthwhile to know that for some years now European drivers – thanks to the labels affixed to a visible place on a tyre’s tread – can easily compare basic parameters of the tyres while purchasing them. This eases the task of purchasing tyres fit to our preferences. Let us remember that tyres of different category (premium, mid-range, budget) differ significantly when it comes to traction, fuel efficiency or noise. A set of tyres of the class "A" compared to a class "G" can shorten the braking distance of a vehicle driving at the speed of 80 km/h by up to 18m[1]. The difference in fuel efficiency between class A and G is as much as 7,5% in the quantity of used fuel.
– Choosing the right tyres means investing in our safety – tyres are the only part of vehicle in contact with the road and their quality determines their performance on the road and during hazardous situations that may occur. The properties and quality of tyres impact not only the vehicle comfort, but also the car’s handling in difficult conditions, ability to avoid crushes and fender-benders – points out Piotr Sarnecki, Director General of Polish Tyre Industry Association (PTIA).
1. Used tyres are a pig in a poke
Good mounting of tyres is one of the easiest steps one can take towards increasing road safety. One of serious mistakes often made by drivers looking for some savings is purchasing used tyres. According to Moto Data’s research, up to 32 percent[2] of drivers buy used tyres and take a huge risk of driving on tyres, which history is completely unknown to them. For instance, driving for a couple of weeks on tyres with low pressure has an impact on the rate of degradation of inner layers of tyre, which cannot be assessed by simply looking at the tyre. Tyres have to be brand new, but not necessarily produced just a couple of months before their purchase. Following the rules of appropriate storing will make tyres retain their physical characteristic for a long duration of storage. Tyres do not age when stored properly.
2. Appropriate parameters – suited to the driver and the type of the vehicle
The size of tyres does not only serve an aesthetic purpose – tyres are tailored to the requirements of the car manufacturer as well as performance and specifications of each type of a car. The information about which tyres were used by the producer to homologate its vehicle in the EU can be found in car’s manual. There one can also all the necessary data, that will help them choose the right size and type of tyres.
Which information can be found on a tyre? An example tyre designation 195/65R16 91T consists of:
3. Designations on tyres – what do they mean?
Symbols on tyres help to make informed decision while buying a set of tyres. The most important are:
4. Labels – important for drivers
Since November 1st of 2012, all tyres sold on the territory of European Union must be equipped with a label. They were made to help the potential buyer compare three basic parameters of tyres – fuel efficiency, grip on wet roads and external rolling noise. These labels are easy to read and the date printed on them is essential for every driver:
5. All-season tyres? Only if with winter homologation
According to PTIA’s data the segment of all-season tyres is one of the fastest growing – in 2017 their sales in Poland increased by 29%. Although such tyres have an increasingly better performance backed up by tests of leading tyre manufacturers, they are still just a a compromise solution. When deciding to purchase such type of tyres take into consideration only respected brands, because not every manufacturer can handle their production. The decision to purchase all-season tyres should be well-thought-out, but we should first and foremost check if they have winter homologation. The commonly encountered M+S symbol, given by the manufacturers in a virtually discretionary fashion, only denotes tyres with a tread for mud and snow – these tyres do not have the much softer, winter rubber compound.
– Braking on a dry and wet surface, handling, aquaplaning retention, durability and robustness are some of the parameters which should be crucial to every driver. We should adjust our driving style to the type of the road we most frequently drive on as well as our individual preferences. Hence, it is worth to check some independent automobile industry tests and ask auto service’s employee for help – adds Piotr Sarnecki.
[1] Measurement in in accordance with rules introduced by Regulation WE 1222/2009
[2] Moto Data 2017 - Panel of car users
Source: Polish Tyre Industry Association