For every vehicle owner, there comes a time when you have to replace tyres. It might be that one or more of your tyres is damaged, or just that your tyres have reached the end of their expected life, and are no longer considered safe to use.

It’s more important than you might think to update your tyres when necessary. Firstly, having well functioning tyres improves fuel economy, and makes for a smoother drive. Secondly, tyres play a crucial role in keeping you safe on the road, providing essential grip and cushioning for your vehicle.

In this article, we’ll look into how to choose the right kind of tyres for your vehicle, where to look for new tyres, be it tyre sales in stores or through a mobile tyre sales service like Jim’s Mobile Tyres, and approximate costs for tyre replacements. So buckle up and let’s talk about new tyres.

When do you need to replace tyres?

We’ve actually covered this topic in our article: Best Practices for Timely Tyre Replacement- Knowing When It’s Time to Change Your Tyres, but we’ll give you a quick summary here. In short, you should replace tyres:

  • If they were manufactured ten or more years ago (regardless of how much or how little they’ve been driven on). Check your tyre for a 4-digit code next to the DOT label. The first two numbers represent the week your tyre was manufactured, and the second two numbers, the year of manufacture.
  • If a tyre expert has inspected them and advised that it’s time for a changeover. (Professional tyre inspections should occur every 2-3 years, at a minimum.)
  • If your tyres are showing signs of accelerated wear. A tyre tread check will show you whether or not this is occurring. (To check the tread, look at the tread wear indicators on your tyre (the blocks that sit within the tyre tread). If the indicators are level with the tyre, it means they’ve worn and your tyre needs replacing. An alternative check is the coin check. Place an Australian 20c coin in the tyre tread groove. If you can see the platypus’ bill on the coin, then it’s time to get the tyres assessed, and likely, replaced.
  • If you’ve clocked up 40,000 kms of driving on your tyres in ‘normal conditions’. How do you check this? Review your car’s service log book and check when your tyres were last replaced, and what the odometer reading was at the time. Add 40,000 kms to that reading. Now, go check your car’s current odometer reading. If it has exceeded the resulting number, it’s time to consider a tyre replacement. (Note that if you’ve put your tyres under strain during this 40,000, you might need to get your tyres assessed earlier. ‘Strain’ would include carrying or towing heavy loads, driving at excessive speeds, or driving on poor roads.)
  • If you’ve experienced a driving incident that has damaged your tyres.
  • If you observe physical problems with your tyres, like tears, embedded objects, bulges etc. In some cases tyre repair may be possible, however it might be a case of buying new tyres instead.

How to choose the right product in new tyre sales

If you strongly suspect you need to buy new tyres, you might have already hopped online to look up tyre sales. Before you jump the gun, there are a few factors you need to consider, as buying the appropriate tyres for your vehicle is really important. A poorly-matched or incorrectly-sized tyre will mean the difference between an economical and safe driving experience, and a dangerous one, so you need to get it right.

In saying that, we recognise that choosing between multiple brands and tyre types can be overwhelming. That’s why we recommend you come to us for your new tyres. But we’ll get to that. First, let’s look at what you need to consider when buying new tyres in Australia.

What you need to consider

Your vehicle type

Each vehicle type will have unique needs when it comes to tyres. Obviously the type of tyres you would see on a large truck are different to those you will need on a small passenger vehicle, so the first thing to consider is what the requirements of your vehicle are.

Passenger and luxury vehicles:
Typically, your average passenger vehicle will be designed to be driven on decent roads, whilst being able to handle minimal challenges. These types of vehicles require tyres that perform well in wet conditions, offer a smooth ride, and good handling.

4WDs and Utes:
These vehicles are often used off road, on rough terrain, so require tyres that can do a tough job. Often tyres for these vehicles are all-terrain or rugged-terrain (they have deep tread and good grip on mud, gravel, sand and wet roads). They are also usually highly durable, so they can take a bit more of a battering than standard passenger vehicle tyres.

Truck (up to 5 tonne capacity):
These vehicles often travel long distances and carry heavy loads, so they need extra sturdy tyres. Truck tyres often have tread patterns that enhance fuel efficiency and load-carrying ability. They also usually have reinforced sidewalls.

Tyre size

When you buy new tyres, you need to be sure they are the correct size for your vehicle. A tyre professional will easily be able to tell you which is the best size of tyre, but you can also find this information in either your vehicle’s owner manual, or check the sidewall of your existing tyre, where the tyre’s speed rating, profile, rim size, and width will be detailed.

So, when you search tyre sales, ensure you consider only tyres within these parameters. Or else, check with a tyre specialist at Jim’s Mobile Tyres.

Considering OE tyres and aftermarket options

When your vehicle was created, its manufacturers matched it with tyres that would ensure comfort, safety, and consistent handling. Known as the Original Equipment (OE) tyres, these tyres are the safest bet for your vehicle, when it comes to replacing tyres. However, it’s not always possible to obtain the OE tyres. They may no longer be available, or be outside your price range.

Aftermarket tyres (not the OE) can be suitable for your vehicle, provided they match your vehicle’s unique specifications, and are of good quality. In addition, aftermarket tyres may offer updated features your previous tyres didn’t.

If you have the option of choosing between OE and aftermarket tyres, speak with a specialist at Jim’s Mobile Tyres. We can talk through the pros and cons of each and help you come to a decision.

Do you replace all tyres at once?

To be sure you have uniform wear on all your tyres, it’s ideal to replace them all at the same time, especially if you are driving a 4WD or AWD vehicle that is heavily dependent on fit-for-purpose tyres to ensure driving performance. In saying that, if you’ve recently replaced all your tyres and there’s only a problem with one tyre, then you would likely only need to replace that one tyre.
If you damage a tyre that’s a little older, yet the full set is not due for replacement yet, then it’s recommended that you replace the damaged tyre and the tyre that sits opposite it. This ensures uniform wear for those corresponding tyres, and improves vehicle balance.

Do you replace the spare?

Ensuring your spare tyre is in good condition is important. A spare needs to meet all the same requirements as your other tyres, meaning it needs to be up to date (it can’t have exceeded its lifespan, regardless of whether or not it’s been used), and should be properly inflated. So, if you bought your last set of tyres all at once, you are best advised to do the same again (purchase five tyres rather than four). If you’d rather do without that expense, chat to a tyre specialist at Jim’s Mobile Tyres. We can check your spare and let you know whether or not you can get away with keeping it for longer.

Tyre costs in Australia

The cost of buying a new set of tyres will vary according to the type of vehicle you own, the tyre brand you choose, and what special features the individual tyre offers.

In general, the more expensive tyres on the market tend to use higher quality materials, and are more robust when driven on Australian roads. They don’t wear out as fast, and are designed to be quieter and more fuel efficient.

Cheaper tyres tend to be made from lower grade materials, so they wear faster. They also won’t have the most advanced designs, so may be noisier and result in less fuel efficiency, which is something to consider in terms of a cost comparison (cheaper tyres in the short term may mean more expensive fuel costs in the long term). Again, this is all difficult to weigh up if you don’t have tyre expertise, so having a chat with a Jim’s Mobile Tyres specialist can really help.

Can you afford the new tyres you want?

Naturally the question of tyre price comes up when you are searching for the best new tyres for your car. Tyres can be expensive, especially those with all the bells and whistles. If price is a concern (and it is for most people), then at a minimum, you need to buy tyres that fit well with your vehicle, and enable your vehicle to be safe on the road. Ideally, they’ll also be from a reliable and quality tyre brand.

You can shop around for tyres on sale online, or visit the big tyre stores, but you’ll likely be faced with seemingly endless options, and it can all get a bit confusing. A better bet is to get your new set of tyres from Jim’s Mobile Tyres. We stock the leading tyre brands at competitive prices, so you won’t pay more than you’d pay elsewhere. In addition, we visit you and check out your current tyres, so we can match you with tyres that are as close as possible to the OE tyres, and that suit your driving needs and budget.

We also fit the tyres for you, so you don’t need to worry about booking in with the mechanic! Visit our Tyre Sales page for more information, or else contact us.

A final note on affording tyres—remember that tyre replacement is an essential task when it comes to responsible vehicle ownership. You can expect that, within 2-5 years of replacing your tyres, you will need to do it again, so remember to factor this in with overall vehicle budgeting.

Buy new tyres at Jim’s Mobile Tyres

Choosing the right tyres involves considering your vehicle type, deciding between OE and aftermarket tyres, and finding the best deals. It’s worth getting some help from Jim’s Mobile Tyres to ensure you’re making the best choice for your budget. We provide expert advice on tyres, and we stock a range of quality brands. Because we visit you, and fit your new tyres at a location of your choosing, the whole process is simple and low effort on your part! Contact us for new tyres today.