Introduction

You are on a journey and you get pulled over by the road traffic officials, they ask for the necessary papers and equipment required for the safety of yourself and the car, which you present. Just when you say, ”thank God,” and are about to leave, they stop you and tell you your tires are not road worthy.

This means you have broken a traffic law and you get booked. This pretty much may be your story, and after such incident, you go to the market to buy tires to avoid future booking. Very Good! You have taken a bold step but is buying new tires in Nigeria just your concern? Have you asked questions such as:

• What are the best tires for my car?
• What is the duration of my new tires?
• Replace my tires or upgrade them?
• What is my budget for tires right now?

>>> Know more with Naijacarnews.com! Top 8 biggest tyre companies in the world

Tires are very important, and so is buying the right tire

Types of tires

Just as cars come in different models, sizes, and serve different purposes, so do tires. This variety in tires is to make such vehicles that they are designed for perform optimally. Generally there are various types of tires available in the market for you. These different tires perform the functions they are designed for. They are:

1. The all-season tires

Just like the name “all-season tire,” such types of tires are built for the road during wet or dry seasons, cold or hot weather condition. Such a type of tire is designed to carry you through the mud in wet season and sand in dry season with no fear of being stuck. This type of tire is sub-divided into two categories; the high-performance all season and the grand touring all-season tires, which you can choose from depending on your needs or pockets power.

2. Summer Tires

Another type of tire is the summer tire that gives your car the kind of grip you require on a hot day. They give you a sharp grip when going through a bend; they stop your car in a shorter time. One condition of course for this optimal performance is that is the temperature should not be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  

3. Winter Tires

Also called “snow tires” that is for areas that have snow, the winter tires is specifically designed for the cold season, they provide grip that is unmatched by even the all-season tires in cold and slippery weather conditions. But once the weather begins warms up, this tire start to wear out. Snow tires are generally not used in Nigeria, of course.

4. Run-flat tires

These type of tires allow you to run on slowly even with a flat tire. They are very good in an emergency.

Run-flat tires can be your life savior next time you're on road

Tire specifications

Car owners generally want to replace their tires with identical tires when they wear out. This is to provide continuity with the tires the vehicle came with as they believe they are the manufactures choice and gives maximum satisfaction. This is correct thinking by the way.

To help you decide on how best to replace your tires, you need to know your auto’s tire specs like size, the speed rating, and the life span of the tire (tread wear). All this information can be found on manufacturer’s manual or on the sides of the tires.

1. Tire size

As cars vary in size, so do their tires. So when you want to buy tires, you should know the size. On the side wall of the tires, information of this kind: 240/42-R16 gives the information about the tire size. The first number shows the width of the tire in millimetres. The second one after the slash indicates the aspect ratio (this is how tall the side wall is, the taller the sidewall, the higher the number). The “R” indicates that the tires are radial while the last number indicates the diameter of the wheel; this is of course measured in inches.

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2. Speed Rating

The speed rating of a tire indicates how fast the car can carry you safely when on the road. A speed higher than this rating puts you at risk. So when you go to replace your tires you should consider this especially if you are one of those that aspire to be like Hamilton the race champion. Also the speed rating of the tires indicates the performance potential of your car. Thus, sports cars have a higher speed rating than the conventional family vehicles or sedans. The speed rating is represented by alpha-numeric coded letters that range from L-Y carrying speeds ranging from 75mph to speeds above 186mph.

3. Tread-Wear Info

The tread-wear information helps you estimate how long the tires will last. They tell you the miles you can cover with the tires on your rims. Another way of knowing the tread-wear info is the mileage warranty given by the tire manufacturer. The tread-wear information is also given as a number on the sidewall of the tire after the word “tread-wear.” The higher the number, the more likely your tire will last.

Choosing and maintaining the right set of tires are so important to car safety

Should you replace or upgrade tires?

The replace or upgrade question is up to you the car owner, if you want to replace, fine! There’s nothing wrong with it as you have chosen to stick with your car’s manufacturer’s choice. Upgrading is also nice considering the kind of terrain you find here in Nigeria.

Once in a while you should upgrade your tires but you have to be careful to consider certain information about your car’s tire requirement. Information’s such as the wheel diameter, the outside diameter of the tires, etc, so that you don’t get tires that rub on the suspension or on the body of the car.

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Prices of new car tires in Nigeria

The prices of all types of tires vary and can be very high or affordably low. Sometimes of course, price can be a determinant to the quality of the tire. However, you do not necessarily need to buy the most expensive tires in order to get good tires. Some of the more common brands and prices in Nigeria are:

Select the brand of tires that work for you

Of course many other tire brands in Nigeria exist. They have both expensive and good, affordable tires as well. So which ever you can afford, make sure you get good tires.

That's all basic things you should know before buying new car tires in Nigeria. Good luck and keep updating new buying tips on Naijacarnews.com!

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