Smart Tyre Shopping

Buying new tyres for your car can be tricky. Like most products, you've got a big choice of possibilities but – unlike most products – they all basically look the same. Even trickier, quantifying all the claims from the retail floor or behind a screen is essentially impossible, making the process a leap of faith.

So how exactly do you drive away on the right tyre for your needs – and maybe even get a great deal while you're at it? Read on.

The case for sticking with OE

Want your car to drive like the factory intended? Then just stick with what your car-maker chose when new. Car manufacturers typically develop and refine a car around a specific tyre and stick with that 'original equipment' (OE) rubber. Or, if it's been superseded, using the equivalent current option from the same brand is an easy way to ensure your car drives like it's meant to.

You probably won't notice too many downsides – and might even benefit – from swapping a known-brand OE tyre for another known-brand equivalent. The tyre game is competitive and the differences between one big name's tyre and another's aren't likely to be massive.

The case for trying something new

OE tyres are by nature chosen to satisfy the widest array of uses. They typically balance grip, longevity, comfort, quietness, rolling resistance and cost rather than being singularly focused around one thing. For most of us, that's just fine.

Maybe, though, you value off-road grip more than on-road quietness, or put quietness or tyre life ahead of handling. Perhaps OE rubber is just a stretch too far for the budget.

This is when straying from OE will come into frame. But what 'different' tyre to go for?

Finding the right tyre

The downside of not sticking with OE or equivalent is you have to pin down the best tyre from all the possibilities. That legwork, however, is pretty simple. Online reviews of specific tyres and searching the web using relevant phrases (e.g. 'best off-road tyre', 'quietest tyre for a [insert model here]', 'good cheap tyre', whatever) can get you a long way to a shortlist of quality possibilities. It’ll also reveal all the tyres you should avoid. Google is your friend.

Do I need winter tyres?

A seasonal tyre change is common around the world, but here in Australia it's largely unnecessary due to our balmy climate. And for that once-a-year alpine sojourn, there’s always snow chains.

If you do all your winter driving in elevated climes or are a real snow bunny, however, 'winter' tyres will deliver more grip on frosty and snowy roads than the 'summer' tyres we normally drive on. But you really need to be doing the kind of driving to justify the cost and inconvenience.

Getting the best deal

Good deals are happening all the time, whether it's a 'four-for-the-price-of-three' deal, a cashback promotion or holiday sale. Some retailers will match any advertised price on an identical tyre while paying you back a portion of the difference.

So don't just walk into a tyre shop and pay full retail – or tick the box for the first online tyre-and-fitment deal you see. Scout the websites of the tyre retailers and online players, assess all the numbers and then make a few calls to see what's possible. You don't have to do that much legwork to potentially save a lot of cash.

Disclaimer

Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.