Category Archives for "New Tyres"

0 9 tips to get the best from your off-road truck tyres in Queensland

How to drive safe and sure when you’re off-road

Goodyear’s Wrangler DuraTrac tyre was recently voted the best off-road truck tyre by readers of ‘Off Road’ magazine. It’s the fifth year running that it’s won the accolade, and once more the tyre polled over 20% of the votes from 20,000 readers. Goodyear has now won best off-road tyre in the annual poll every year that the magazine’s readers have been surveyed.

Goodyear’s Chief Marketing Officer for Europe said, “This award is particularly important for us because the readers of ‘Off Road’ magazine are true experts with high demands when it comes to off-road tyres. It shows that the Wrangler DuraTrac lives up to its promises.”

In this article, you’ll learn how to get the best from the Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tyre, or any other off-road truck tyre you buy.

1.    Drive with momentum rather than acceleration

When you’re driving in muddy conditions, or through sand, avoid the temptation to put your foot down on the accelerator. Instead, you should accelerate into the mud or sand and use your momentum to travel, keeping your speed constant. It will prevent your truck tyres from spinning, losing traction, and becoming stuck.

2.    Select the right gear and turn off the ‘diff lock’

It’s best to drive in a lower gear and make your engine work harder when driving through mud or sand. If your truck has a differential lock (a diff lock) make sure it’s turned off. The diff lock makes sure that wheels on the same axle rotate at the same speed. On smooth roads this is great, but off-road you’ll want to allow the wheels to rotate with resistance. A wheel with less resistance will spin faster, and you’ll get more grip.

3.    Don’t fight resistance, and brake gently

As you drive off-road, you’ll come across a range of different terrains. You’ll meet resistance, too. Don’t fight this. Go with the flow. Your off-road truck tyres will find the best route through.

When driving through mud or sand, deflate your tyres a little. It increases the footprint and helps you to accelerate in a lower gear as you build momentum to carry you through. Always accelerate and brake gently.

4.    Plan the course ahead

As you are driving through different terrains, try to plan the course you want your vehicle to take. Rocky outcrops are particularly tough on truck tyres, and sand can hide sharp rocks below. These could slash your tyres and damage your truck. Remember, your tyres will try to find a way through, so don’t fight resistance. Instead, use it to inform your course.

5.    Don’t drown the engine!

When you’re crossing a river or flood, take extra care. You may not see rocks in the water. Sandy bottoms can quickly suck you in. Look at the terrain around the water to figure out what type of river bed you are probably dealing with.

Take note of the flow of water if you are crossing a river. It can tell you a lot about how you should traverse the river, and where you should enter and exit.

Disconnect or jam the fan belt to avoid it damaging the radiator or causing water to splash over your vehicle’s electrics.

Drive at a steady speed, and once clear of the water brake gently to lose water from the brakes. Stop, check the truck over. Look at the engine, gearbox, and axle oil for signs of water. If the oil is a milky colour, it means water has mixed with it. If this is the case, you’ll need to drain the oil and replace before continuing.

6.    Drive with company

It’s always best to make off-road trips with at least two vehicles. If you get stuck, the other vehicle can haul you out (providing you have the right equipment – tow ropes and shovels, for example).

7.    Remember that your company changes terrain

The vehicle in front of you will change the terrain as it passes over it. Rocks get dislodged, and mud and sand become ridged and rutted. Coming out of rivers, banks can become extra slippery. Watch for changing terrain and alter course and momentum accordingly.

8.    Know how to get unstuck

Everyone gets stuck at least once when driving off-road. Here’s how to get unstuck:

• Don’t panic.
• Attempt to reverse the way you came, slowly.
• If this doesn’t work, start digging!
• Dig around your truck tyres to clear a run-off.
• Place the mats or branches where you have dug to provide your off-road tyres with extra grip.
• Use a low gear to creep through, accelerating slowly to build momentum.
• If you are with company, if it’s possible to do so always have them pull you out.

9.    Buy the very best off-road truck tyres you can afford

Finally, don’t neglect your tyres when planning an off-road trip. Check your tyres before you leave, and make sure they are the best your budget can buy. And, whatever you do, do not neglect your spare.

Contact Darra Tyres today and make sure you are properly prepared to go off-road in Queensland. We have an extensive range of off-road and truck tyres to suit all vehicles and budgets.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Why you should check your tyres regularly, and how I know you don’t

An underinflated tyre could cost more than a few dollars

When a customer comes into our tyre shop in Brisbane, I can tell almost immediately if they haven’t checked their tyre pressures for a long while – or if they only check them now and again. I’m not a mind reader. I don’t have a second sight. And I’m not a magician. But I do know my tyres.

In this article, you’ll learn how often you should check your tyres, and why.

How do I know you neglect tyre pressure checks?

You can tell a lot from tyres. I can see if you drive fast into corners and if you brake harder than you should. One of the easiest things to tell is if you leave it too long between tyre pressure checks. The sign is worn shoulders on the inside and outside: it means your tyres have deflated, and this is usually because you haven’t checked the tyre pressure in a while, or you leave it too long between doing so.

Why do tyres deflate?

Most drivers think that if they have the valve cap screwed tight, their tyre pressure will remain the same. I expect you know that heat affects tyre pressure – in hot weather your tyre pressure increases. But did you know that all tyres deflate over time?

It’s a slow process, but your tyre is constantly losing air. Usually at the rate of around 3PSI every month. It happens because all tyre rubber has small holes in it. Miniscule holes, through which air molecules can (and do) escape. If you inflate your tyres to a high pressure, the air will escape faster because the molecules are forced out. It’s a natural process, and cannot be avoided. The only treatment is to regularly check your tyre pressures, and make sure you re-inflate to the right pressure.

How do incorrectly inflated tyres affect you?

Driving on incorrectly inflated tyres will affect your pocket, and can affect your safety; and that of your passengers and other road users.

Incorrectly inflated tyres will cause increased and uneven wear. It will affect handling, and increase braking distances. You’ll find it harder to negotiate bends and corners, and that distance between you and the vehicle ahead might not be enough anymore.

Underinflated tyres could fail prematurely. The tyre must work harder, and the rubber flexes more – and breaks down faster. Abnormal conditions become problematic. Debris and gravel become lodged in the rubber more easily, and your control is impeded.

Increased wear also increases fuel consumption. That’s a direct hit on your pocket. And the longer you run your tyres under or overinflated, the greater the wear and tear on them – and the less time they’ll last. Poorly inflated tyres could need changing tens of thousands of kilometres earlier than correctly inflated tyres. You could be buying three sets over a period that two sets should cover. That’s hundreds of dollars in unnecessary costs.

How often should you check your tyre pressures?

At the very least, you should check your tyre pressures once a month. Preferably, check them every two weeks. Re-inflate to the recommended pressure.

Other times you should check your tyre pressures are:

• Before a long trip, or before and after driving in the outback
• When you rotate your tyres (make sure you adjust pressures according to front and rear tyre requirements)

Don’t forget to check your spare tyre every time you check your other tyres. The last thing you need to happen is to find your spare tyre is unusable miles from home and assistance.

How do you know what pressure to inflate to?

First, you should usually ignore all the writing on the tyre sidewall when inflating your tyres. The correct tyre pressure to inflate to is dependent upon your vehicle and its load. You’ll find the tyre pressure recommendations either on the tyre placard on the door jamb or in your vehicle’s driver’s manual.

The exception to this rule (there’s always an exception, isn’t there?) is if you replace the original tyres with different tyres. In this case, refer to the tyre manufacturer’s recommendations – and if you’re in any doubt, call in at our tyre shop in Brisbane and ask me. See if I can tell how long it’s been since you last checked your tyre pressures while you’re here. Just for fun, of course!

What if your tyre keeps losing pressure fast?

If you find that your tyre pressure is reducing rapidly, or has lost more than 4PSI to 5PSI in a month, you could have a problem with another part of the tyre. Most commonly this will be the valve stem. Don’t leave this tyre condition to chance. It’s dangerous, and you could find your tyre suddenly deflates while you’re driving – often on the motorway. If this is the case, contact Brisbane Tyres today and get your tyre checked before it’s too late.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 5 essential tips for storing tyres in Brisbane

How to make your spare tyres last longer and stay safer

The season is changing. The weather here in Queensland has started to turn warmer, and for many drivers that mean switching to a different set of tyres. If you’re planning a springtime Queensland adventure, you might change your normal tyres for a set that is more tuned to off-road driving. Or, perhaps you simply have a spare set of tyres tucked away. Whatever the reason, how you store your spare tyres will impact their usefulness.

If you don’t store tyres correctly here in Brisbane, you could find they rot away, even if they haven’t reached their expiry date. UV radiation from the sun, ozone damage, and oxygen all take their toll. An unused tyre could be as useless as a tyre with 100,000 kilometres on it. The following five tyre storage tips will help keep your stored tyres in top condition for longer.

1.    Clean and bag your tyres

Before putting your tyres into storage, you should clean them. Use a tyre brush to rid the tyre of dirt and brake dust. If you store on wheels, make sure to clean them, too. Dry them completely, and don’t use tyre dressing.

2.    Use airtight bags to store your tyres

Once the tyres are clean and dry, place each in an airtight plastic bag. Make sure there is no water or condensation in the bags. Large vacuum storage bags will help you to suck out as much air as possible. Once you’ve done this, use tape to make sure the bag remains airtight.

3.    Store in a cool, dry place

Keep your tyres out of sunlight, in a cool and dry location. If possible, store in a basement or climate controlled room – sheds and garages tend to suffer from temperatures that vary from hot to cold. They can also be damp and humid – not the best conditions to store tyres in. Wherever you store your tyres, keep them away from fridges and freezers, and air conditioning units.

4.    Stack tyres vertically

It’s best to stack your tyres vertically. It reduces tyre distortion. Keep them off the ground, and if possible put them on a dedicated shelf.

5.    Use them or lose them

Tyre rubber contains a protective wax. It slows down the process of oxidation, as the protective wax ‘blooms’ through the rubber compound to the surface of the tyre as it is being used. When the tyre is in storage, the wax on the surface of the tyre is eventually exhausted by oxidation – which is why you need to remove as much air from the tyre bags as possible.

When a tyre isn’t being used, the protective wax doesn’t work its way to the surface. It is another reason for unused tyres degrading just as fast as the tyres on your vehicle. The answer is to make sure you don’t store tyres for too long without using them. If you do so, you could find that when you do put them on your vehicle, they aren’t fit for purpose.

Tyres are like people!

Tyres aren’t so different from people. They age. But if you store your tyres properly, you can slow down this ageing process. However, even if your tyres look perfect, they may not be so. Before you switch the tyres on your vehicle with a stored set, always get a professional to examine them. Degraded rubber has a habit of looking as good as new, and you won’t know they’re dangerous until you suffer a blowout at speed. And no one wants that to happen to you.

For all your tyre needs here in Brisbane, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 What are the benefits of regrooving your commercial tyres?

Could regrooving cut your fleet costs?

Commercial tyres are expensive pieces of equipment, and so you’ll want to make them last for as long as possible. You’ll also want to make sure they perform well – increasing safety and driving comfort, and decreasing fuel consumption. There are several ways in which you can make commercial tyres last longer. These include good tyre rotation, proper inflation, and proper loading. You could also buy the best tyres for retreading or buy tyres that can be regrooved.

In this article, we look at regrooving commercial tyres, the fastest and easiest way to make your tyres last longer and reduce fleet costs.

What’s the difference between a retread and a regroove?

When you retread a tyre, you add new rubber onto an existing tyre when the tread has worn down. When a tyre is Regrooved, a tread pattern is re-cut into the existing tyre rubber when the tread depth has worn down to around 3mm to 4mm.

What are the benefits of regrooving?

A tyre that has been regrooved will benefit from improved grip immediately. It will increase vehicle performance, and reduce braking distance. The tyre life will also be extended, possibly by many months. Better performance equals better fuel consumption and lowers fuel costs. Longer life equals lower tyre costs.

The positive effect on fuel consumption can be dramatic. It is estimated that fuel consumption constitutes around 35% of all fleet costs. Michelin has calculated that regrooving will save around 6% to 10% of a fleet’s fuel bill. Some tyre experts estimate that a regrooved tyre is between 20% and 30% more fuel efficient than a new tyre.

How do you get the best out of regrooving?

To maximise the benefits of regrooving commercial tyres, specialist tools are needed to ensure that:

• The tread pattern is followed accurately. It is key to providing the traction expected.
• The tread pattern depth is cut consistently. It maximises the use of rubber on the tyre.

Can all tyres be regrooved?

It’s always best to refer to a tyre dealer to make certain a tyre can be regrooved because not all can be. On tyres that can be regrooved, under the original tread, the tyre rubber is at its most effective and efficient. Mileage is at a maximum while rolling resistance is at a minimum.

A tyre that can be regrooved will have extra rubber underneath the tread. Not all tyres have this, and even those that claim they can be regrooved should be checked before regrooving takes place.

Should you consider regrooving your fleet’s tyres?

There are plenty of reasons why fleet managers should consider a tyre maintenance program that includes regrooving. These include the following advantages:

• Regrooving your tyres could increase their mileage.
• Tyres that last longer need to be replaced less often, and so purchase costs fall.
• The lower rolling resistance translates to better fuel consumption, and lower fuel costs.
• Drivers benefit from a safer and more comfortable drive.
• A further benefit is that maximising fuel consumption and minimising tyre disposal adds to your fleet’s green credentials.

Tyre regrooving is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. It makes good business sense. Why not book a tyre inspection for your fleet today? We’ll be happy to audit your fleet’s tyres and provide quotes for professional regrooving which will help you realise all the benefits we’ve discussed in this article.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Listen – do you know what that tyre noise is telling you?

Your hearing is the first tyre check you should make

Do you hear that noise? The one your tyres are making on Brisbane’s roads? That’s not just rubber on tarmac, that’s real communication. The squeals, squeaks, screeches and rumbles all tell you about the state of your tyres and more.

It is thought that three-quarters of effective communication is through listening to what the other person is telling you. With tyres in Brisbane, the noise they make tells you most of what you need to know about their condition. Listen to what they are telling you, for they are key to your safety. Those black circles are your single point of contact between you and the road. They are integral to the handling, comfort, and braking distance of your vehicle, in whatever weather and road condition Brisbane throws at you.

And you thought listening to your spouse was important…

Tyres always make a noise, don’t they?

Some noise from your tyres is inevitable. When rubber rolls against any surface there will be noise from the friction between the different materials. Air, water and debris move rapidly between the tyre tread, causing even more noise. Tyre manufacturers spend millions on creating tread patterns that cut down noise. Some have almost achieved perfection. But until vehicles float rather than roll, tyre noise will never be eliminated.

Much of the noise you hear your tyres make will be natural rubber against the road. Each tyre brand and product sound slightly different to another on the road. Learning to translate the noises your tyres make takes experience, though the language is the same. It’s a little like learning to understand what a Scot is saying when you are only used to speaking with fellow Aussies.

The language of tyres

There are several common sounds that your tyres make. They may squeal, squeak, or rumble. It is the language that tyres use to communicate to you. Let’s translate these sounds for you:

·      Squealing tyres

Your tyres may squeal, especially when you are turning tight corners. Often, you’ll hear this in car parks. If it appears that this squealing is from your front tyres, they are probably underinflated. You should check the tyre pressure, even if they don’t look underinflated.

·      Squeaking tyres

If you have a tyre that squeaks, you need to take notice straight away. It’s more dangerous than a squeal. A squeak could be a sign that your tread is worn unevenly, and usually on the front tyres. You might also experience some pulling to either the right or the left. Get to the tyre shop immediately and have your tyres, wheel balance and wheel alignment checked.

·      Squeaking with a rattle

If a squeaking tyre is accompanied by a rattle, it’s likely that the hubcap has come loose.

·      Grinding sounds

If you are suffering a grinding sound from your wheels, it’s time to be scared. The most likely cause is that your brakes are failing; worn drums or pads. Don’t take any risks with this noise. Wherever you are, get your vehicle checked immediately. Failing brakes are never good news – for you, your passengers, or other road users.

·      Rumbling and vibration

Some road surfaces (especially ribbed) cause your tyres to rumble and vibrate. However, a more important reason to be worried is that rumbling and vibration from your tyres could indicate that a wheel bearing is worn – especially if the noise gets louder as your speed increases. The wheel bearing keeps your wheel attached to the car. I don’t need to tell you how serious rumbling and vibration from your tyre is. It’s screaming to get your car checked.

·      Screeching

Screeching tyres is normal if you are cornering at high speed, or if you brake quickly to stop fast. It is caused by friction between rubber and road. However, if your tyres are screeching during normal driving, the likelihood is that your tread depth is illegal. Bring your vehicle into our tyre shop, and we’ll check your tread and locate the problem.

If in doubt, shout!

When you’ve been driving a while on a set of tyres, sometimes you instinctively know something isn’t quite right. There may be a noise that you can’t pinpoint or put into a particular ‘sound’ category, but you just have a feeling that it doesn’t sound right. It could be that you’ve hit a pothole or scraped against a kerb. Your wheel may have become misaligned, or your tread has worn, or your tyres are underinflated.

Don’t ignore the noise from your tyres. If you aren’t sure what it means, err on the side of caution. Get your tyres and car checked. Be safe, not sorry. Don’t take any chances – contact us today and book an appointment for a tyre check.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Warning for drivers in West Brisbane: driver fatigue and poor tyres kill

Tips to stay safe on the roads during school holidays

It’s that time of year again – school holidays. It means many of you could be packing up and heading out on a road trip from West Brisbane into the outback or interstate. Driver fatigue is a factor in as many as one in three road accidents. Poor tyres are a factor in almost as many road accidents. We want you and your family to stay safe, no matter whether you are on a shopping trip in West Brisbane or a family holiday to Perth.

In this article, you’ll read my tips to prevent driver fatigue and ensure your tyres will do the job they are designed for.

How do you know you’re getting tired behind the wheel?

Driver fatigue makes you a worse driver. Your reaction times are slower, and you’ll find it harder to concentrate on the road ahead. It leads to poor judgement. In the worst case, you could suffer a fatal accident.

There are some tell-tale signs that you are suffering from driver fatigue. These include:

• Heavy eyes and yawning
• Daydreaming behind the wheel
• Variable driving speeds
• Cramping in your legs and arms
• Impatience behind the wheel

You may also find that your braking becomes more lethargic, your steering less pronounced, and you change gears with a crunch. As tiredness increases, you’re likely to drift across lanes.

When are you most at risk of driver fatigue?

Many fatigue-related road accidents occur at night. However, contrary to popular myth, driver fatigue can happen at any time and isn’t confined to long-distance journeys.

Another myth is that it is the act of driving that makes drivers tired. It’s true that if you drive for hours upon hours, you are going to get tired. But most driver fatigue is a problem caused by lack of sleep before a road trip. You may work long hours or inconsistent shifts. You may have problems sleeping. Perhaps a newborn baby has been keeping you awake most of the night. There are many reasons why you could be tired before you sit behind the wheel.

How to avoid driver fatigue

When your body is in desperate need of sleep, your brain will shut it down. You get advanced warning of this – all those signs of fatigue we discussed a couple of paragraphs earlier. You should listen to them, and take a break. To avoid driver fatigue:

• Only travel for a maximum of ten hours in a day
• During a road trip, take regular breaks every couple of hours
• Share the driving if possible
• Avoid driving when you would normally be asleep

If you’re planning a long trip, make sure you sleep well the night before – and don’t drink alcohol before you go to bed. Alcohol stays in your system for 24 hours and makes you fatigued.

Now you’re fit for the road, are your tyres?

Okay, you’re ready to drive and fit for your family’s road trip. But are your tyres? When was the last time you checked the tread and tyre pressure? Here are a few basic tips to make sure your tyres are as fit for the journey as you are:

• A couple of days before you are due to leave, inspect your tyres. Make sure they don’t have bald patches, scuffs, bulges and scrapes. Legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm. As soon as the tread reduces to below 3mm, tyre performance will be adversely affected. At 2mm, your braking distance is severely lengthened. If you are concerned about tread depth at all, bring your vehicle to our West Brisbane tyre shop. It isn’t worth the risk to do nothing.
• Before you leave, check tyre air pressures. Make sure they are at the recommended levels – you’ll find these on the tyre placard on the door jamb or in your vehicle owner’s manual.
• Make sure that each tyre valve is capped. It protects against dust and water.
• Don’t forget to make the same checks on your spare tyre.
• Don’t forget to check the tyres on a trailer or caravan if you are towing.

If you haven’t changed your tyres for five years or more, get them checked. Even if a tyre looks good, tyre rubber degrades because of the effects of weather. Particularly here in Brisbane, UV rays from the sun deplete tyre strength.

Be safe, not sorry. Don’t take any chances. Contact us today and book an appointment for a tyre check.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Continental Tyres in Brisbane – the tyre of choice?

Is Continental the safest tyres for Australian drivers?

Continental tyres in Brisbane have been sweeping up Best Tyre awards over the last few months. Awards have been flooding in from around the world. The best and safest performance tyres in Australia is the latest. It comes hot on the heels of success as producing the winner of the 2016 tyre test, as selected by the UK’s number one private hire and chauffeur magazine, Professional Driver. And between these two accolades, Continental tyres is given first place in Auto Bild magazine’s sportscar summer tyre test.

Which of Continental’s tyres is going gold and platinum? And how they selected as Australia’s best performance tyre? Let’s start with the tyre selected by Auto Bild.

The SportContact 6 tyre – “fast, crisp, faultless”

Auto Bild’s sportscar testers had nothing but praise for Continental’s SportContact 6 tyre. They tested the tyre on track, driving on both wet and dry asphalt. The tyre put through ten disciplines in both conditions and pitted against stiff competition from nine other tyres.

Testers praised the tyre for its handling, and precise steering response calls it “Fast, crisp and faultless on a wet track. The stuff champions are made of.”

Continental have reformulated the composition of the tread and redesigned tyre construction to give us mere mortals driving on Australia’s roads the same performance benefits. The range spans 50 rim sizes, from 19 to 23 inches.

ContiPremiumContact 5 – the No. 1 choice for UK professional drivers

Professional drivers want safety and efficiency from their tyres. Continental’s ContiPremiumContact 5 tyre delivers both. That’s the conclusion of  Professional Driver magazine. It names the tyre as the winner of its 2016 tyre test. It said the tyre is strongest in wet grip and fuel economy and provided the drive that is “easily the most comfortable”.

The tests conducted took tyres through their paces, examining performance, quality, safety and comfort. The 3D edges give the tyre more contact with the road when braking, and its eco-contour reduces energy loss and thus minimises fuel consumption.

Scott Benbow, the Product Marketing Manager at Continental, said, “This win for the Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 is an excellent endorsement for our product range, and commitment to constantly improving our tyres performance. Suitable for a wide range of cars from compact to luxury, the ContiPremiumContact 5 boasts extremely short braking distances on dry and wet roads. Utilising the superb handling characteristics from the ContiSportContact 5 and the low rolling resistance characteristics from the ContiEcoContact 5, it offers a top choice for professional drivers.”

ContiSportContact 5 P – The performance tyre for Australians

Now to Continental’s latest award, currently celebrated here in Australia.

MOTOR magazine tested a huge range of brands and tyres in its 2017 tyre test. Its objective was simple: find the best tyre choice for Australians. Tests at Sydney Dragway included:

• Slalom runs
• Dry braking
• Wet braking
• Gymkhana
• Wet lateral G-exam

Continental’s ContiSportContact 5 came top of the pile. Impressively, it proved to be the best tyre for braking in both wet and dry conditions and scooped either second or third place in the other three test categories.

Test driver Warren Luff described the tyre as “Consistent from front to back, and lively with a bit of an edge”, commending it for its “great wet weather performance”.

Continental – an investment in your safety

It has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into tyre research and development and is producing innovative tyres that slash braking distances and fuel consumption while increasing passenger comfort and safety.

These tyres are proving to be the choice of professionals. They are beating other tyre manufacturers in test after test around the world. If you consider Continental’s track record of safety, performance, and economy, it’s easy to see why they don’t sell at budget prices. Then again, what price do you put on road safety?

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 What new tyres should you buy in Brisbane?

Tips for buying new tyres in Brisbane

If you’ve never bought new tyres in Brisbane, it can be difficult knowing which are best for your vehicle. The answer isn’t always as simple as matching new tyre size and loading with that recommended on the tyre placard (which you’ll find on the driver’s side door jamb or glove box). Nor is it as easy as buying ‘brand X’ because your friend told you they are the best.

In this post, you’ll learn what factors you should take into consideration when buying new tyres in Brisbane.

Where you live and how you drive

The main factors that affect tyre choice include the type of road you drive on most, and how you drive. For example, do you:

• Drive on motorways at high speeds?
• Live in an area that is surrounded by potholed side roads?
• Brake heavily when cornering?

Did you buy your car new or second-hand?

It might seem like a strange question to ask, but the age of your car when you bought it does have a bearing on which new tyres you would be best to buy. For example, if you bought your car new and you’ve been happy with the tyres supplied, then you’ll probably do best to replace like for like.

On the other hand, older cars are likely to have had their tyres changed at least once. The tyres on the car may even be mismatched. Don’t assume that the tyres on your vehicle are the best ones for it. You might need to talk to a tyre expert – feel free to contact us. We’ll be pleased to help you decide which tyres you should buy, taking everything into consideration.

What’s your budget?

Of course, you’ll also need to consider your budget. Though the price of tyres should never be the ultimate decision-maker, you should buy the best tyres in your price range. A few dollars extra for better grip and balance on the road is worth it every day of the week.

The good news here is that the most expensive tyre is not always the best. We have a variety of quality tyres in all price ranges, and several of the mid-priced tyres are of equal (or near equal) quality to the most expensive brand names.

Review the range

Take a few minutes to scan our tyre pages on this website. You’ll find information about the tyre brands that we supply. It will help you make your decision.

We’ve got more than 100 years’ experience in passenger car tyres. You’ll find our approach is personal but professional. We care about your safety, and we care about our reputation. Contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form), and we’ll help you make the best choice of tyres for your vehicle, driving needs, and pocket.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 A visit to the tyre dealers will be less than you think,

Good tyre dealers, followed up with good maintenance means you can reap the rewards,

It might seem that $400 to over $1000 for a set is expensive, but the cost of new tyres for your car represents incredible value for money. No other part of your car goes through the same second-by-second friction, and when you think that your safety rests on just a few inches of rubber between you and the road, you’d begin to understand how important the maintenance of new tyres is. Here are five reasons why the cost of a trip to the tyre dealers is less than you think:

Safety is worth every cent of the cost of new tyres

A set of new tyres will last anything up to 100,000 kilometres, depending upon your style of driving and the condition of roads you drive on and the maintenance you stick to. Keep on top of the maintenance of new tyres, and that’s a hundred thousand kilometres of better breaking, more efficient turning, and more effective traction. Ultimately costing you less.

Better traction is a component of safety

Now that we’ve mentioned traction, let’s discuss it a little more.

Traction is what gives you your grip on the road. Soft tyres aren’t so good in the summer heat, but they’re great in snow. So if you’re planning a trip to Alpine Way in New South Wales, or perhaps Mount Baw Baw in Victoria, you might want to equip yourself with soft tyres. Usually, though, one set of new tyres will be good for all seasons here in Queensland.

New tyres cut your fuel costs

Worn tyres have to work harder to provide traction. When new tyres are fitted, part of the initial maintenance of new tyres is to ensure that they are aligned and balanced correctly. As part of a weekly tyre maintenance programme, make sure you keep them inflated properly. Doing this one thing will make sure that your tyres perform better, and that will decrease your fuel consumption.

Good maintenance of new tyres drives better performance

When new tyres are fitted and then maintained well, your car’s performance increases. Your stopping distance will be shorter, and you’ll drive smoother through corners. The extra traction you get means better acceleration if you get into trouble.

You’ll love driving on new tyres

If you’ve ever had a brand new car, there’s something special about the feel and smell of it. Have it professionally valeted after a few thousand kilometres, and that brand new feel comes right back. It’s the same with new tyres. When you first drive on a new set of tyres, the whole driving experience is different – it’s like driving a new car. You’ll have a quieter drive, too, with less road noise.

If you’re planning a long trip, you’ll probably have a service to make sure everything is in tip-top condition before you set off. Don’t neglect your tyres: the extra safety, better performance, and lower fuel costs make the cost of new tyres worth every single cent for the next 100,000 kilometres (especially if you rotate your tyres to make them last even longer).

Call us today on 3375 3566, and we’ll be happy to discuss your car tyres with you.

Cheers,

Kevin Wood