How long should car tyres last

Having to fork out for a new set of tyres is an expensive exercise for any driver. Despite this, many motorists neglect basic tyre maintenance that can not only save them having to replace tyres earlier, but also improve overall performance and mileage costs. Whether it’s checking correct air pressure is maintained, keeping them clean, or going more in-depth with proper inspection and alignment checks, there’s plenty of steps that can be taken to keep tyres in tiptop condition for longer.

One of the easiest ways to prolong the life of your tyres is to keep an eye on air pressure. Incorrect air pressure can affect handling, cause increased stopping distances and put you closer to the risk of blowout. It will also drastically increase wear and tear sustained by tyres you as drive. As a general rule, tyres can around 1 pound per square inch (PS) of pressure during a month of driving. In winter, colder conditions will lower the air pressure of your tyres, while in summer, hotter weather can lead to increased air pressure. Incorrect air pressure can lead to driving impairment and has been observed as a contributing factor in car accidents. Even in an everyday sense, incorrect air pressure can cause you serious problems, from advancing wear and tear of a tyre set, to costing you money in fuel inefficiency. Checking air pressure regularly not only saves you having to invest in new tyres sooner, but also saves you money on day-to-day mileage.

Tips for Avoiding Premature Wear and Tear

Most of the time, only one or two wheels at a time are subject to the bulk of stresses from driving. This can cause uneven wear and tear on your tyres. With front-wheel drive cars, the front tyres can wear out faster, while even 4-wheel vehicles can fall victim to it as the drive is shifted from one tyre to the next. It’s advised you rotate your tyres at regular intervals to share the burden, spreading out the wear across the entire set. If you do this, tyres as a whole tend to last longer. It’s recommended you opt for tyre rotation for every 5,000 miles or so driven.

Keeping an Eye on Tread Depth

The less tread depth a tyre has, the less hold one has on the road, particularly with wet surfaces. Tyres will lose contact more easily with the road as tread depth deteriorates, causing you to suffer from steering issues and facing difficulties when braking. With summer tyres, once tread depth reduces to between 2 and 2.5mm you should look at having them replaced. With winter tyres, have them replaced once tread depth hits a minimum of 4mm. By law, cars in the UK should have tyres with a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, however tread depths of twice that can cause you serious driving impairment.

Get in Touch

Worried your tyres aren’t performing as well as they should be? Whether you need to arrange an alignment check for your existing set, or enquire about a brand new set of tyres, speak to the team at Wheel Power today. Drop us a quick enquiry via the online form, or get in touch via phone and call us on: 020 86 999591.