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Should I Choose A General Passenger Tire Or A High Performance Tire For My Car?

Home » Car Maintenance » Choosing The Right Tires For Your Car » Should I Choose A General Passenger Tire Or A High Performance Tire For My Car?

Most people have to drive to and from work, five days a week, all year and in many different weather conditions. Many people have a commuter car that is usually a gas sipping, lower priced model that is purchased for the sole purpose of driving back and forth from work. This kind of driving has special needs: low tire noise, a smooth ride, and good all weather traction and generally a longer service life. Several manufacturers now offer high mileage passenger car tires, often with prorated 80,000 mile warranties.

There are quite a few levels of performance tires on the market. The main objective of a performance tire is to increase traction. Thicker tread blocks provide more contact area with the road. A softer rubber tread compound gives it more grip. Small channel grooving provides a smaller void ratio. All of these contribute to increased grip on the road.

There are some tradeoffs associated with running a high performance tire. Besides the increased noise and stiffer ride, the most important is less than optimum performance in the rain and snow. Since performance tires try to maximize the contact area with the road, there is less void are for water, snow, mud and other debris to enter, which can lead to hydroplaning in slippery conditions.

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