Tires Tips
When it comes to Tires, we've been there, done that, now serving 101 tips in 10 categories ranging from Buying Tires to Tires and Fuel Efficiency.
Performance Tire Ratings and Your Vehicle
Performance tire reviews and product ratings are quite a valuable source of information when it comes to investing your money wisely. However, there is one little detail that can change the way you interpret your experience with a new brand of sport performance or high performance tire. Do you drive a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive vehicle? This may sound like a trivial distinction, but good tire reviewers know that this little detail can alter your view of a performance tire's handling on the vehicle. If you are interested in speed, it's very important to 'translate' the review to fit your vehicle's front or rear drive characteristics.
Wet-Testing Your High Performance Tires
If you are new to high performance tires, you might overlook an important handling aspect; how does your vehicle respond on wet surfaces? Some sport performance tire comparison tests concentrate on 'dry handling' data as the major part of the performance rating. If you are still getting the hang of how your vehicle behaves with performance tires, be sure to get an idea of how the tires behave on the wet road. Getting used to the responsiveness of your vehicle in the rain and snow is important when it comes to controlled handling. Don't be caught by surprise-make a conscious effort to learn the limitations and advantages of your high performance tires in the wet. There are "all-season" performance tires available if you'd rather avoid a regular tire swap when summer and winter come along. To get an overload of information on wet testing tires, do a Google search on the phrase "performance tire wet test."
A Bulletproof Performance Tire?
Performance tire manufacturers are getting more innovative with design and materials. Did you know one of the latest products incorporates carbon fiber materials used to reinforce jet airplanes? New performance tires are rolling off the assembly line with a new range of construction designs, including a model, which uses Kevlar, the same stuff bulletproof vests are made of. These new tires offer quieter rides, better treadwear and the usual performance car enthusiasts expect. Selected models even come with a thirty-day, no obligation trial period, so your exploration of this new technology is practically risk free.
Performance Tires and Appeal
There is an ever-increasing line of high-performance tires that cater to drivers who want flashy looks as well as excellent traction and handling. Some come in a variety of colors; red, blue, yellow as well as the standard black. The market for sport-performance tires and high-performance tires continues to grow, and with manufacturers becoming more responsive to this market, you'll find a larger range of styles and looks to choose from. Performance driving is getting more and more stylish; the flash is catching up to the quality. You should read road test reviews of the latest high-performance tires and make an informed decision before you buy.
Book Resources for High Performance Tires
Did you know there are book resources for your high performance tire and sport performance tire needs? A quick check of Amazon.com reveals many related titles including Paul Haney's "Racing & High Performance Tire: Using Tires to Tune for Grip and Balance." With Amazon you can also find articles and digital documents on related topics, including the Rubber World article "Effects of Aspect Ratio on Tire Performance." If you are serious about sport performance tires, you may find these books and articles very helpful in the quest to get the best value for your money.
High Performance Tires for the Street
For regular street driving there are several categories of high performance tire; high performance and ultra high performance are two of these. What's the difference? The high performance tire offers much better traction. This can give you a big safety edge when it comes to what some drivers call "emergency handling." The ultra high performance tire is another step above--so far up that some believe the average driver shouldn't spend the money because they will never need to fully utilize that kind of performance on the street. Also, some drivers warn of low treadlife associated with some ultra high performance tires on non-racing vehicles. If you are still unsure whether to pay for a high performance tire you should consider the "touring tire," which is geared for a more average type use on the open road.
