Top 7 Questions Most Frequently Asked At Tire Shop

Posted on March 11, 2010
Filed Under Interesting

We have conducted small research regarding the questions that are most frequently asked at tire shops. Below you will find the questions and our brief answers.

How noisy?

Acoustic comfort is very important for many drivers. The question can be answered as follows: if other conditions (manufacturer, price segment) are equal, V-shaped directional tread pattern will be noisier. Physical laws work here: V-shaped layout of grooves and tread blocks causes resonance in shoulder area what in its turn entails increased noise level. So, if acoustic comfort is more important for you than high-speed directional stability on wet surface, tires with non-directional tread pattern will suit you better.

How soft?

The question may be very relevant especially if one has to deal with poor-quality roads. The common principle is: the lower the profile – the worse the absorption of undulations. In case two tires have the same profile but the sidewall of one of them is softer, the tire with more rigid sidewall will deliver less comfort. The disadvantage of the tire with a softer sidewall is its higher exposure to damages.

When was the tire manufactured?

A lot of people have been asking the question lately as they look for the tires manufactured in 2010 or 2009. In theory such search is a waste of time as tires can be stored for more than three years without losing their properties. But their storage must be proper, and there the anxiousness of a purchaser is justified as he is not able to monitor storage conditions. On the other side, one can easily distinguish tires that have been stored improperly – they have dents on sidewalls, radial and circumferential curvings, worn spots and small ruptures.

Where was the tire made?

People are constantly interested in the manufacturing country. Many of purchasers are afraid of Chinese tires. But all the tire producers say that the quality of the products manufactured under their brand will always be the same regardless of the manufacturing region. The human factor has minimal influence on the manufacturing process. The main thing there is the quality of the used components and equipment that is the same at all works (China, Russia, Europe, America). The sellers confirm this information saying that faulty tires are equally rare among the products manufactured both in Europe and China.

What do color spots on the sidewall and circumferential stripes on the tread mean?

The question is asked not very often but regularly. Drivers are afraid of marks on tires because they consider them as signs of the lowering of quality. There is plenty of such information on the Internet. Here is the truth: spots on the sidewall are markers for balancing. For example, red spot marks the heaviest place on the tire, yellow – the lightest. By the way, working on the modern balancing machines makes the spots absolutely unnecessary but some producers still mark their tires. Circumferential stripes can be either traces of the testing machines that check radial wobbling of tires at works or inner manufacturing markers that simplify manipulations with different models and sizes of tires at warehouses.

Will the performance on wet surface be good?

Quite popular question. To answer it one can recommend tires with directional tread pattern. Nevertheless, premium segment tires with non-directional tread pattern also provide good water withdrawal properties.

How long is the service life?

This question is typical for those purchasers who have already chosen some particular model. Frankly speaking there isn’t a single criterion. The common principle is following: softer rubber wears faster. Such rubber is basically typical of sport tires as they are to ensure better traction performance.