Collaborative Post
Car tyres are to cars like feet are to the body: so essential for getting around that we often take them for granted. As a busy parent with a home to run and children to raise, the family car can quickly slip down the list. These tips will help you stay on the safe side of your tyre maintenance schedule.
Fit Quality Tyres
Begin by fitting your family car with quality tyres, especially if you purchased your car in a private sale. It pays to invest in respected brands like michelin tyres over unknown tyre manufacturers. Not only do better quality tyres last longer, but many trusted brands offer extra peace of mind in terms of warrantees and safety specifications. If you bought your car second hand, starting your car’s new life with good tyres is half the battle won. New tyres means you don’t have to worry about the previous owner maintenance habits and you can kick off your own maintenance schedule with confidence from day one.
Check For Wear & Tear
Perform monthly inspections of your tyres to ensure that they are not showing signs of damage. In addition to these regular checks, look out for obvious signs of wear and tear every time you load your family into the car. It’s normal for tyres to look a little worn after regular use, so how do you know when the damage becomes cause for concern? As a general rule, if it catches your eye, get it checked out by a professional. Anything from a bulge to a cut can result in a flat, a blow-out or dangerous skidding when you’re out on the road.
Measure Your Tread
On a sunny day, you might get away with worn tyre tread, but wet weather conditions can pose a danger if your tyre tread is not up to scratch. Aside from the safety concerns, your tyre tread will impact your vehicle’s performance and fuel efficiency. The legal minimum depth for tyre tread is 1.6 millimetres. Below this, and your tyres are in urgent need of replacing.
The Essential Spare
Nobody likes to think that they will have to chance a tyre one day, but it’s vital to be prepared in case you do (don’t forget a jack!). Always have a spare tyre available, and treat it to the same rigorous schedule of maintenance that you apply to your other tyres. What could be worse than fitting a spare tyre that turns out to be flat? If you’ve never changed a tyre before, ask someone experienced with cars to show you how. Unlike some forms of knowledge, changing a tyre is something it’s best to learn by doing. To check that you have understood your tyre-changing lesson, it’s well worth having a few practice runs at home to prepare you for the real thing.
Especially if you’re not the natural lover of wheels in the family, taking responsibility for maintaining the family car can be a daunting prospect. These tips will help you stay on top of that essential maintenance schedule and keep your family safe on the road.