Compare Tires Side by side

How To Compare Tires Side by side

Comparing tires can be a daunting task with thousands of brands and different model numbers. Multiple considerations can make or break your ride experience comfort and even compromise your safety. When making a high-stake decision like buying a new set of tires, it is best to do your due diligence first. Here is our guide on how you can compare tires without spending too much time and energy.

Identify Your Tire Size

To find the exact size of your tire, review the tire specifications recommended by your car manufacturer. This can be found in the owner's manual and states the width, height, and wheel diameter. 

The information comes as a series of numbers that can be difficult to understand. The series will look like this: 225/45R18 95H. The first value refers to the width of your tire in millimeters. The following number is the aspect ratio shown as a width percentage. In this case, the 45R means that the aspect ratio is 45 percent of 225 millimeters. 

The next value is given for the tire's diameter in inches. Finally, the last value is there to guide you about the tire's maximum loading capacity. 

When you want to compare a set of tires with another one, you only need this information. Simply searching for the recommended specs on the internet should get you multiple options for tires with the same rating.  

Select a Category

Before comparing any tires in terms of dimensions and other prominent properties, it is essential to narrow down your selection by picking the correct category. Besides dimensions, tires have different rubber materials, grooves, and air pressure, making them suitable for different needs. 

If you only need tires for your day-to-day driving, you probably don't want to waste your time and money on a high-performance, All-terrain tire. 

A few common categories you can choose from include Winter, Summer, or All-season. When purchasing for performance and sport, you can also narrow down based on your specific needs. Some tires come designed for a particular type of touring racing and offer compatibility with rough terrain. 

Review Product Info

Multiple factors determine the performance and durability of a tire. The most widely available information will include the speed rating, suitable temperature, warranty coverage, and the groove pattern. It's best to pick a few factors like these and use them for comparison rather than focusing on too many things. 

The tire's groove pattern and how often it needs air refills may not be as important to you as the mileage warranty. For this reason, always keep a focus on your particular needs, as the endless features and varieties will only cause more confusion. 

Mileage Warranty

It is probably one of the most important factors when purchasing new tires. There's no doubt that tires are expensive to buy and replace. Most industry-leading brands will offer you a mileage warranty of around 70,000 miles. This comes at a reasonably affordable price and has almost become an industry standard. 

However, when buying more expensive tires, you may want better perks, in which case you should not settle for less than 80,000 miles of coverage.

Don't Decide by the Price

When making a long-term purchase like this one, you probably shouldn't let price determine your final decision. A cheaper tire may offer you the same ride comfort and quality but come with hidden disadvantages.

For example, a tire with poor traction and rolling will use more fuel per mile than a higher-quality pricier tire.