All tires are not created equal. Think of your car’s tires like shoes. You wear different shoes for different occasions: office shoes, tennis shoes, running shoes, etc. Your shoes are chosen based on what activities you’ll be partaking in, and often your decisions revolve around speed…

Speed: Tires have speed ratings, meaning certain tires are designed for maximum speeds. For example, if you’re traveling at 115mph with tires ranked “Q” (up to 100mph), you may be in for trouble. Here are the government speed ratings for tires:

Tires (image from Wikipedia)

Q: Up to 100mph
R: Up to 106mph
S: Up to 112mph
T: Up to 118mph
U: Up to 124mph
H: Up to 130mph
V: Up to 149mph
W: Up to 168mph
Y: Up to 186mph
Z: 149mph and beyond

Even if you don’t plan to travel above 149mph, why would one opt to purchase tires with lower speed ratings? There’s a good reason: wear. The faster a tire is rated, the softer its rubber so that it can better grip the road with that malleability. Thus, faster rated tires wear out quicker than slower rated tires. Back to the shoe analogy, you would never wear dress shoes to play tennis, but your tennis shoes will probably be replaced more frequently than your dress shoes because of the material they’re made of. When choosing your car’s tires, consider your diving habits, speed, and how much “grip” is necessary for the roads you frequently travel. This will help you make an informed decision about just how fast and flexible your tires really need to be. If you’re constantly replacing tires because of wear, examining their speed ratings could save you a bit of money in replacement. If you want an expert opinion, the technicians at MOTEC Auto Care Clinics in Dan Diego are ready to help! Give us a call, and get fitted for tires that best suit your lifestyle.