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(ARA) - The mechanic gave you the news at your last oil change. Lincoln’s head doesn’t hide between the treads anymore, and with the winter season upon us, you really need to get new tires.
New tires, particularly all-season ones, save time and money by going the extra mile. Many consumers like yourself purchase all-season tires because, with tight budgets, the tires need to perform under all wet, dry, hot and cold conditions for the next four to six years. Unlike Ultra High Performance sport or winter tires, you don’t want to spend the money on new tires every spring and fall as the temperatures change.
The informed tire shopper can save a lot of money asking themselves and the salespeople the following questions:
1. How much rain or snow do you drive through annually?
Calculate the amount of time driving in hot conditions, including rain, or cold conditions, including ice and snow.
2. What line do you want to drive between price and performance?
A less expensive brand of tire, like Kumho Tires, often costs 30 to 50 percent less than top tier brands with only a 1 to 5 percent drop-off in the performance, if any. The price does not mean the tire is cheap. Nanotechnology, tire compounds and tread design even the playing field to your benefit.
All-season tires have an aggressive tread design on the edge of the tires to handle rain and snow, but the middle of the tires are designed to minimize road noise and increase tire life on the vehicles they fit.
Plus, all-season tires maintain a 50 to 70 percent range of elasticity even in the freezing weather of winter, and they last between 40,000 to 60,000 driven miles, or between four and six years for the average drivers.
Kumho produces all-season tires for all vehicles. The company has some tips to help your tires to go the extra mile:
* Maintain tire pressure according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Low air pressure in the tires not only reduces the vehicle’s gas mileage, but also wears out the tire faster.
* Rotate tires every other oil change, or about every six months. Your car’s tires wear differently depending on their position, and rotating them slows the wear, allowing you to use the tires longer.
* Check your alignment. When wheels lean too far in either direction, bald spots will appear much earlier in the tire’s life. Your car’s alignment can be altered every time the wheels hit something on the road like potholes or railroad crossings.
* Investigate your tire’s balance. This means both the weight of the tire and the wheel are compensated for once the tire is mounted. Uneven balance is indicated by a vibration as the tire rotates or irregular tread wear. Leaving the wheel unbalanced causes the tire to lose its durability.
To learn more about all-season tires before purchasing your own, visit www.KumhoTireUSA.com.