Tyres wear out extremely quickly compared to other parts of your car, so it is the drivers
responsibility to make sure all four tyres (and the spare, if you have one) are always in a safe,
driveable condition.
Maintaining roadworthy car tyres is essential to boosting your vehicle’s performance as well and if you’re looking for Gold Coast tyre dealerships, they will have professional staff to help you find the best set.
Identifying when a tyre is coming to the end of its life is the key to replacing them on time to ensure you’re looking after yourself, your passengers and other drivers. A quick examination of your tyres will tell you when the tread is becoming too worn to use.
There are other indicators your tyres require replacing, such as how your car is handling on the road.
When is the tyre worn out?
Checking for worn tyres is as simple as looking at the tread. Manufacturers mould tread wear
indicators into the grooves of the tyre, which appear as little bars that are the depth of the tyre wear
limit. In Australia, this limit is 1.5 millimetres.
When your tread is worn down to that level, you will see that the indicator bars are flush with your tyres tread surface. You cannot drive safely – or legally – if the tread depth is less than this. If your vehicle is pulled over for any reason, you are technically driving an unroadworthy vehicle, which can incur large fines.
Most manufacturers recommend you replace the tyres before the bars become flush with the rubber surface, as this helps maintain optimum safety and energy-efficiency for your vehicle. Some suggest changing the tyres when the tread reaches a depth of 3mm. Most tyre experts will recommend changing them when the tread reaches 2mm, just to be on the safe side.
Other factors contributing to tyre wear
While keeping your tyres above the minimum tread depth is recommended, if you don’t drive your
car very often, there is another reason you may need to replace your existing tyres. Once tyres have
passed a certain age limit, which is usually five years, experts recommend that an annual check by
your local Gold Coast tyre specialist or mechanical garage.
Following that, they will require replacing every 10 years. Unless your vehicle requires run-flat tyres, this rule also applies to your spare tyre. So make sure your have your local tyre professionals to check the spare along with the rest of the set.
In between inspections, you can help maintain your vehicle and reduce running costs by regularly
inflating your tyres. Go to your local service station to air to each tyre until they reach their
recommended load index capacity, which is clearly imprinted onto each tyre.
Talking to an experienced Gold Coast tyre seller about your requirements will help them find the best options for you.
To make a booking to have your new or used tyres fitted, please contact us here or visit one of our three convenient locations, Southport, Burleigh Heads or Murwillumbah.
We have published this article in the interests of the safety of our clients and all motor vehicles owners and we have made this article When should you change your tyres? available for download for you for future reference.