Category: Tire and Wheels

Tire and Wheels

Tips on How to Choose the Right Car Tires

Buying car tires is not difficult; it’s getting the perfect tires for your car which can be complicated. If you make the wrong choice, you can hobble the performance of your car and its capability to tackle all weather types. Car tires should be replaced after every 3 or 4 years. Here are tips on how to pick the right car tires:

  1. Original Equipment (OE) Tires verses A New Brand

It’s always good to consider buying the same type of tires the manufacturer made for your vehicle. If you like how your car rides and grips, then, purchase the original equipment. Original equipment means that the manufacturer of your specific vehicle commended those tires as a standard for use on your particular car.

Some car manufacturers like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi equip their cars with tires specially prepared for their brand. The tires’ sidewalls have specific OE markings. Below is a table or original equipment markings by car brand:

MO1= AMG

AO- Audi

RO1= QUATTRO

MO= Mercedes

N0, N2, N4, N1, N4= Porsche

It is highly recommended that you replace your vehicle tires with those with the required OE marking. It’s the most straightforward alternative since those tires are designed for your type of car and will fit perfectly.

  1. Type of Tire

– All-season tires- They are very popular since they can be used throughout the year without having to replace them. They offer modest traction and grip on ice plus functional cooperation of wet and dry grip.

– Winter tires- They’re made of pliable rubber compounds which work best in very cold temperatures. They have more slits and deeper tread which break the ice & bite into the snow. Since they’re not made for use throughout the year, you’ll have to swap them with summer tires when winter draws near.

– Summer tires- They’re perfect for sports cars. They have a good grip on very dry roads and in warm temperatures at very high speeds. The supple rubber compound doesn’t offer good traction in areas with temperatures of less than 40 degrees and on snowy surfaces.

  1. Tire Size

Look for the placard on your driver’s side door which shows the size of tires which perfectly fit your car. The string of letters and numbers denotes the width, height, and diameter of your tire. The new tires you purchase should have the exact dimensions as those indicated by the manufacturer of your car.

The placard reads something like P215/ 60R16 94T. The last number (16) is the diameter of the wheel. 94 is the load index (the maximum weight each of the tires can hold). T stands for the speed rating. This is the maximum speed of the tire in connection with the load index.

  1. Handling & Comfort

Choose the tires which are not only the correct size but also those which optimize the handling of your car and its breaking capability. You can choose tires that minimize noise on the road and offer a comfy ride.

Yes, you can find a lot of good quality tires in the market, but when it comes to choosing what is right for your car, it takes careful consideration of the factors mentioned above because not all popular brands of tires are the ones made for your car.

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The Common Auto Body Repair Problems

Car paint problems can be quite a headache; these are not only annoying eyesores, but they could also be hiding bigger problems. Moreover, a new appointment with a car care expert is the only way to solve it. But if you get proper technique and preparation, it is possible to get these fixed.

Read on for a list of top automotive paint issues and how to solve them.

Fish eye

Fish eyes look the part, resembling crater-like round openings that may appear after you spray your primer or paint onto a surface that has traces of wax, silicone, grease or oil. Avoid fish eyes by thoroughly cleaning the vehicle before you paint it. You may use grease remover if necessary. Fixing fish eyes usually means more work, as you would need to sand and repair the affected area.

Orange peel

When a spray gun is set to too low a pressure or the paint is not reduced, the result is uneven appearance resembling that of the texture of orange fruit. And there is no way to justify the look!

Avoid orange peel by using a proper painting technique. Before you begin, it’s good to assemble the sprayer, and adjust the pressure properly. During the painting, the sprayer has to be held at a proper distance angle for a more refined finish. Just like the fish eye, an orange peel can cost quite an amount, as the error can only be fixed through wet sanding, polishing, and repainting.

Fading Car Paint

When the gloss or shine of the finish dulls as it dries, the effect is faded car paint. The best way to tend to a car’s finish is to park in a garage or carport, aside from a regular car wash. A regular wax will also help the original color of the car to last longer. There is no need to sand and repaint faded car paint, but you can try a clay bar first to get rid of dirt and oxidation, then retain the sheen by polishing the surface.

Mismatching paint color

Are you worrying over off-base color? Find the correct color code of the vehicle inside the door jam on the driver’s side. Use this tip as a guide for choosing car colors. A HIP TIP – a factory color will need to be adjusted if you plan to match faded paint. Fix a botched paint job with the help of factory matched color for the affected areas.

Bleeding

This type of Bleeding is way complex from the color bleeding of clothes. The new topcoat’s solvent unexpectedly dissolves pigments that are soluble in the original coat. Avoid bleeding by cleaning the surface before sanding. Exercise caution when painting the vehicle on a lighter shade versus its original one. Most importantly, use a quality primer/sealer before applying the new color to the vehicle. This way, any bleeding can be stopped. If it’s too late and you need to resolve bleeding, try isolating the area by using a good sealer and primer. Another option is to take off the paint and refinish with a better primer and top paint.

These common auto body paint repair problems can punch a hole through your wallet and time. Cliche as it sounds, prevention is always better than the cure. And the best prevention scheme is to have better preparation and painting technique to preempt paint issues. Putting your money on quality painting supplies can not just help you avoid car paint problems, but also get your car a flawless finish.