Buying new tyres? What you need to know.

Buying new tyres ranks pretty far down on the list of things most people want to do with their time and money, right next to replacing a failed water heater. While you might overspend on your next water heater, at least there will be a flow of warm water to wash the pain away. 

Not so with tyres. A poor choice of replacement rubber will haunt you every driving day for the next three to six years. The wrong tyres will pound your neck, assault you with constant whining, cause your beloved sporty car to handle worse than a pickup, or scare you witless when it rains. Plus, buying new rubber is intimidating for the unprepared: tyres appear identical. Each manufacturer claims all its tyres are superlative in every area. All cost more than you'd budgeted, which was "nothing." And newer vehicles require replacement components for their tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). 

But this process doesn't have to be so painful. These are our simple tips to make the tyre-buying experience a little better. 

(Not sure whether it's time to replace the tyres? There's no consensus among car- and tyremakers on acceptable tyre life, but keep a close eye on tyres that have been on a vehicle, used as a spare, or stored in a hot or sunny location for more than six years. For a tyre's "born on" date, check the sidewall for an alphanumeric series that begins with "DOT." The last four digits are the week and year the tyre was made: "1209" means the tyre was built in the 12th week of 2009.) 

When you try to replace your tyres with the same model that came on the car, you might run into sticker shock—original equipment tyres can be expensive. However, car makers offer every vehicle with at least two brands of tyres. Some Web surfing will reveal the alternate brand. Keep in mind, though, that tyres developed for a different trim level of your vehicle likely will be very different from those on your model. The tyres for the sporty edition will ride harsher and have little traction in snow. If you want to save money by putting tyres from the base model on your sporty version, they may make it handle like, well, the base model. 

You'll also need to take tyre life into account. If you drive a sporty car, 20,000 miles is about all you can expect. Short tyre longevity is one of the prices you pay for driving a vehicle with power and handling once reserved for full-on race cars. Today, even conservative cars, crossovers, and sport utility vehicles boast horsepower once unmatched by ultrahigh-performance cars. In addition, safety, comfort, and entertainment features have added hundreds of pounds to the average vehicle. Unleashing those extra horses—and stopping and turning all that weight—takes its toll on tyres. 

If your original equipment tyres are not available, both online tyre stores and the tyre manufacturer will suggest reasonable facsimiles. They will not duplicate your experience exactly, but simply having new tyres, much like a fresh hair style, will likely overcome the differences. 

There's hope for those who are unhappy with the way their car rides or handles. The trend of large-diameter wheels and low-profile tyres has many accidental performance buyers complaining about ride comfort. A switch from ultrahigh-performance tyres to those labeled "grand touring" or "touring" might soften the ride a bit. Check the consumer reviews at online tyre sellers. Know that the change unavoidably will make handling less precise and reduce grip. 

It's easier if you want more performance from your car: Switch from the original all-season tyres to summer ones (or, as they should be called, three-season tyres). They'll provide a lot more grip, wet or dry, at the expense of a harsher ride and no traction in the snow. 

The most important rule: Do your research before you show up. Your trip to the tyre store will be far less intimidating if you first assess your situation and budget, and then spend an evening surfing the sites of tyre manufacturers, online tyre sellers, and especially your local tyre store.