We all want a bargain, but we also want to know that the product we are buying is of good quality for the money we are paying. Tires are no exception to this, but buying cheap car tires does not need to be the same as buying poor quality tires. By shopping around for the best price, you can often find deals on mid-range or even premium car tires that will save you money both in the short term (low price!) And the long term (by reflecting you much longer).
The EU tyre labels that will be mandatory from November will help you to see the quality of the ty at a glance by showing you how they perform at wet braking, rolling resistance and exterior noise. However, this should just be the start of your research as you will not always be braking in the wet, and sometimes you might even want to go around corners! Both handling and dry braking will also be important factors, and there are also many other aspects of performance and safety that the tire manufacturers test their tires for, so use the internet to look at the quality of the tires more closely. Once you have found a brand that delivers the performance you want, and you know which model you want, it is time to shop around!
The internet comes into its own when we're talking about shopping for the best prices; there are so many websites available to help you with this, and nowadays, even your average search engine will bring up some prices if you search for the product. So have a look around to see if you can find a cheaper price than your local dealer. Remember to take into consideration fitting costs and disposal of old tires, as well as inconvenience to yourself if you have to go to a specific garage. It is no use finding cheap as chips tires that you have to drive for 50 miles and use up loads of fuel to get fitted!
Once you have a few prices, you can make a few phone calls, as often a tyre fitting service will price match with a competitor. This is why it makes sense to call the most convenient tire fitting service first. You may find that a mobile ty fitter can offer the best prices due to lower overheads. Replacing tires may be a necessity, but by spending a little time shopping around, you can get great quality tires at cheap tyre prices !
