One
option is to stick to the tyre your car originally came with. But remember
that the original rubber isn't necessarily the best. But before you begin
shopping around, you need to do your homework well or risk ending up in
gumboots for a ballroom dance. It's important that car owners take time
off to choose tyres themselves. Begin by answering a few questions to
put you on the right track.
What is the year, make and model of your vehicle?
This information gives the tyre dealer an idea of what type of tyre will
suit your car best.
What is the brand, model, size, and type of your current tyres?
Just look at the sidewall of your tyres. Always consult your owner's manual
and your retailer before purchasing new tyres. If your current tyres did
not come with the car when it was new, be sure to check all four tyres
and ensure they are the same.
Do you like your current tyres?
Do you like the way your tyres make your car handle? Do they give a good
ride or are they noisy? How do they look? Feel and sound? Or how they
make your car look? Make a list of the things you like or dislike about
your current tyres. This will help guide your dealer to the tyre that
best meets your needs.
What do you want from your tyres when you are driving?
Do you want a soft, comfortable ride, or a tyre that provides sharp handling
and superb stability. You may want both, but that is difficult to achieve.
A tyre designed for ride comfort will not handle as crisply as a performance
tyre and vice- versa.
What are your driving conditions?
Do you drive mostly around town or on highways? Smooth or rough roads?
Are the roads mainly dry or do you live in an area where the monsoon is
strong.
How much do you want to spend?
Your dealer will be able to show you various price options for tyres that
meet your driving needs. Know what you're getting for the price. Be sure
the price of the tyre, tax, mounting and balancing are all included in
your estimate before agreeing to purchase the tyres
More often than not, you are likely to be bombarded by a barrage of technical
jargon from tyre dealers retailers. My advice is to visit a multi-brand
tyre counter - this way you can get to see various tyres from different
companies - unless you have a specific brand in mind.
There is speculation in the tyre market that imported tyres are not meant
for Indian road conditions and one should keep away from Chinese-made
or South East Asian-made tyres. This is not correct as a proper proven
tyre with the correct speed rating will perform equally as well as any
of the top brands.
The problem generally lies with who is importing the tyres and what are
they importing? In the grey market, there are tyres which look good but
don't meet the necessary safety standards nor have a service representation
in the country. Thus it is best to stick to known brands which are present
in India.
In terms of warranty claims, all tyre companies have a fixed five-year
warranty against any manufacturing defects. Most claims which do come
up however are generally commercial in nature and the claim policies differ
from manufacturers.
Apollo reigns supreme with a clear-cut three-year unconditional written
warranty. Among other commercial warranty on claims, JK and Goodyear are
quite lenient while Bridgestone and MRF are strict. Foreign manufacturers
like Pirelli and Michelin won't even look at a cut tyre!
To sum up, overall for general city driving and performance, I would rate
the Bridgestones as the tyres to buy. If longer life or comfort are what
you are looking for, then MRF or Goodyear would be my choice. An overall
value-for-money buy would be the very customer-friendly Apollo tyres.
For auto freaks who drive hard and have the money to spend, brands like
the Michelin MXF Sports or the Michelin Certis, the Pirelli range, the
high performance range of the Bridgestone Potenzas and Turanzas or the
Goodyear Eagles are the ones to go for.
Once you have zeroed in on the tyre best suited for you, make sure they
are mounted on an automatic fitment machine and the wheel rims are free
from any dust particles, which could be damaging. Once the tyres are fitted
onto the rims, they should be balanced and preferably aligned for optimum
mileage. It is not a bad idea to keep a note of the tyre numbers and the
mileage reading at the time of fitment of your new tyres for future reference.
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June 2002
