Wherever you live in the UK, you have to have appropriately sized and rated tyres for the vehicle you drive. This is as true for the car and van dealerships located on the south side of Harlow on Edinburgh Way as it is for ordinary motorists in Edinburgh and other places north of the border. In Harlow, you’ll often see drivers with what look like ill-fitting tyres trying to avoid the many potholes in the town. Although tyres might work for a while if they’re not quite right it doesn’t mean you’ll be street-legal and this is true anywhere from Harlow to Harrogate. What do you need to know to ensure your tyres fit properly?
To begin with, you need tyres that are the same width size as your current set. Tyres must match in this way so all four need to have the same dimension even if you’re just replacing a single tyre. The width of a tyre means its measurement from one sidewall to the other. You can measure this but look at your current tyre’s code first. It will have a three-digit number before a slash in the code. Simply put, you’ll need a tyre with the same three digits to ensure it has the right width.
When ordering a new tyre to replace an old one, the aspect ratio is also crucial. This is indicated in the tyre code, too. The three digits following the slash tell you how high or low a tyre’s profile from the hub will be. Obviously, if you choose a tyre with the wrong aspect ratio it might not fit but even a little difference will be enough to leave your car unbalanced. Therefore, it’s essential to make an informed choice. Considering that, if you are looking for new car tyres; a good idea is to get them from a reliable garage like Fife Autocentre; they stock a vast range of car tyres for all car makes and models and will guide you on how to choose the right tyres according to your budget.
Speed rating is another issue not all motorists appreciate. Some cheaper tyres are limited to certain speeds. There is a letter at the end of the tyre code which indicates its speed rating. Those toward the end of the alphabet are rated for higher speeds. Although this won’t impact many motorists, if you have a sports or prestige model, you may want a higher speed rating.
To sum up, always ensure your tyre is fully compatible with your car, not just a close fit. If not, you may soon regret it!
