Top 7 Great Tips for Buying & Maintaining New Tires
There are plenty of reasons to pay a little attention to your car tyres before you find yourself on the side of the road at midnight. Tires are the car’s most essential part. The tyres are part of the car that has contact with the ground; therefore, the tyre’s performance determines the safety of all passengers. With so many options and companies in the market, deciding what type and brand of tyres you want for your car can be complicated. Everyone would like to buy the best tyres within their budget and according to their car’s needs. When purchasing tyres, you must consider price, economy, and width as the most important factors. Before purchasing, knowing some tips would ease your work and your decision. In this guide, we have listed some essential tips for buying tyres in Dubai.
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Make sure that you need new tyres
Knowing when to replace car tyres is essential, as it can save money. For instance, replacing your tyres too early when your old ones work well will waste your money. When you notice tyres look worn out, cracked, or protruding unusually, or you see a colour change, that’s a sign that it’s time to replace them. Before you discover how to choose tyres in Dubai, it is vital to understand when to change car tyres. The legal minimum tread depth in the UAE is 1.6mm. However, replacing the tyres when the tread depth is less than 3 mm is recommended for safety.
you can use a tread depth gauge or a one-dirham coin to measure the tread depth of your car tyres. A tread depth gauge is inserted in the grooves of the tire and it can easily measure the depth. A one-dirham coin is a simple way to check the depth. It is recommended to check the depth before any long drive or generally once every month.
UAE regulations require passenger car tyres to be sold within two years of manufacture and changed within five years. You can find the tyres’ age by looking for the production dates on their sidewalls, which indicate the week and year they were manufactured. For example, 0224 means the tyre was produced in the 2nd week of 2024.
Surface cracks on the tyre are not that important, but if you notice a deep crack on the sidewall, it is cause for concern. You need to immediately replace that tyre as it indicates it is on the verge of a leak.
If you notice any bulges and blisters on the tyre’s outer layer, it indicates that the tyre’s outer surface is weak, and the tyre can burst anytime. It can be another reason to replace the tyre. If the car vibrates during driving, it indicates a flat surface on the tyre. It is time to replace it.
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Make sure that your car is in good shape.
Inspect your tyres for uneven wear, which might indicate alignment or suspension issues. Check for signs like more wear on the inside or outside of the tyre vs. an even wear pattern across the entire tread width.
You’re throwing money away if you put a new set of tyres on a misaligned car or one with severe shocks. The new tyres will wear quickly and unevenly, and you’ll need another set quickly. Buying new tyres before they become so worn that it is an emergency is a smart choice. You can save a lot of money and get the best deal if you have the time to shop around and search for the right tyres rather than take whatever the shop has in stock because you’ve had a punctured tyre and you need a new tyre as soon as possible so you can drive your car.
Read Also: Car Maintenance Tips for Owners
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Cost
Paying too little or too much for the tyres is something you want to avoid, as buying a tyre that is too cheap can turn out to be a tyre of cheap quality, whereas paying too much can give you great tries, but you could’ve gotten the same quality at a lower price. That’s why you should get help from a trusted tyre salesperson to make an informed decision and choose a tyre wisely.
Famous brands like Bridgestone, Goodyear, Dunlop, and others frequently produce expensive tyres. However, they are reliable brands, and their tyres have the best performance. But with the advice of an expert, you can get good tyres from economical brands at lower prices.
You can save some money on the initial purchase of your new tyres by shopping over the Internet. Some retailers, like Tire Rack, even have relationships with local independent tire centers that will accept shipment of your new tires and perform the installation at a pre-negotiated rate.
When it comes to purchasing them, don’t limit yourself to just local tyre stores or local dealerships, as they do not have a wide range and variety, and you might not find the tyre that fits your vehicle best there. So it’s better to go to larger stores and shop for your wheels there, where there is a large variety of tyres, and you can easily find the one that fits your vehicle best. It is best to shop around at all places and search for the tyre. Don’t be afraid to pay a little more for better quality, as it risks your whole family and your safety.
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Find out which tire to buy.
You need to assess your driving habits. Are you going to go on long drives regularly, and then you need a different tyre or a premium one, or are you going to go for off-road adventures? There are different tyres for that, or if you are going on short drives, you may purchase economical tyres. Weather conditions where you are going to drive your car also affect the choice of tyres.
- Summer tyres: Summer tyres are standard tyres that offer great performance in hot weather, such as in the UAE, above 7 °C.If you are residing in the UAE, summer tyres should be your first choice.
- Winter Tyres: If you are going to drive a car in harsh winter weather, then you need winter tyres. These types of tyres offer great grip on icy and wet roads.
- All-Season Tyres: All-season tyres are a combination of both summer and winter tyres. They offer excellent performance in all seasons.
- Ultra-High-Performance (UHP): These are designed for high-end luxury cars and sports cars like Porsche. They offer high performance, fast speed, and better steering control.
- Off-road: 4×4: These tyres are completely different from standard tyres. The tread in these tyres is deeper, and there is a gap between the treads. The technology behind these tyres is that they remain in contact with the surface in off-road conditions and provide a safe drive with excellent performance.
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Check your owner’s manual for the size and type of tyres.
The manufacturer of your car has made a recommendation about the size and type of tyres that work best with your vehicle. That number is found in the owner’s manual and on the information placard.
The numbers will be like this: P228/75R17 91S.
Once you have found the numbers and letters on your tyre, you will know the size of your car tyre. This number indicates your tyre size and should be a benchmark for size. The letter ‘P’ at the starting indicates that the tyre has been designed for passenger vehicles.
The number 228′ indicates the width of the tyre. The number’ 75′ indicates the aspect ratio. The letter ‘R’ indicates the construction of the tyre. The number ’17’ indicates the rim diameter.
The number ’91’ represents the load. The load index is the capacity of the tyre to bear weight.
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Where can I buy tyres in Dubai?
There are different reputable tyre shops in Dubai where you can purchase tyres.
- PitStopArabia is an online platform where you can order online, and they will deliver it to your location and install it.
- Al Dobowi Group: They are a distributor of tyres in the UAE; they have several branches in Dubai.
- TyresOnline.ae is an online platform from which you can buy tyres and they can deliver and install tyres at your desired location.
- Tyres Station: They offer different brands of tyres and have several outlets in Dubai.
- Zdegree: is another famous brand in Dubai.
- Bridgestone MEA: Bridgestone is a world-famous brand with several authorized dealers.
- Michelin: Michelin is another well-known brand offering tyres.
- Goodyear Auto Service Center: Goodyear is another renowned tyre brand
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Maintenance
Everything can have flaws, especially over time, as they can get worn out after being used repeatedly. Just like humans are advised to get a checkup done every year, car tyres should be checked regularly as well. Check if they have cracks, breaks, or any other damages, although it can also affect the places you go on a ride. If you live in mountainous regions and often drive through the mountains, the uneven terrain can most likely puncture a tyre. That’s why a spare tyre is advisable; just know that you absolutely cannot risk the quality of your tyres. So choose the right tyres and keep your family and yourself safe!