Tyres are a new product range to hit the shelves at MicksGarage this year. Like a lot of car parts, buying
tyres online for the first time can be a little daunting if you don't know what information you'll need to know in order to get the right ones for your car. With that in mind we've compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we get. The FAQ should help you understand tyre labelling, tyre sizing, tyre type and lots more to boot!
Who will fit my tyres?
First of all, it’s worth pointing out that fitting tyres is a job best left to the pro’s. It is a skilled job that requires special tools and training. Buying tyres online is extremely popular these days, so much so that garages have become accustomed to customers arriving with their own tyres and asking them to be fitted, so it shouldn’t be an issue finding a garage to fit your tyres.
That said, It’s always a good idea to phone ahead and make sure before you arrive. Also while you’re on the phone, check how much they’re going to charge to fit the new tyres and dispose of your old ones. It’s also worth checking that there is no additional fee for bringing your own tyres – if there is, move on, most garage wont charge extra these days.
What is tyre labelling?
New EU Legislation dictates that every new tyre sold within Europe (with a few exceptions*) must be labelled. In a bid to make the label easy to understand it’s designed in a similar way to the labels you’ll see on a new fridge or washing machine.
The label provides info on the tyres performance in 3 different areas:
- Fuel Efficiency
- Wet Grip
- External rolling noise
Are all tyres included?
At present no. Not all tyre categories are covered by the legislation, only the following:
- Car tyres
- 4x4 tyres
- Van tyres
- Truck tyres
Tyres Not Covered: Racing, professional off road, spare, vintage, re-tread, motorbike or studded tyres, you will not see this label.
Explanation of tyre labels
Fuel consumption.
The
rolling resistance of your tyres is a key contributing factor in the amount of fuel that your car uses. Low rolling resistance equals better fuel economy and vice versa. The classification enables you to assess fuel efficiency per 100km. Class A corresponds to the best performance and class G to the worst.
Wet grip.
This rating provides info on the tyres grip levels on wet roads, A being the best and G being the worst. The rating is calculated by a stopping distance test on a wet road at 50mph
External rolling noise ( in dB)
The tyres exterior noise rating is expressed in decibels. One black soundwave indicates the lowest noise level. Three black soundwaves indicates the loudest noise level
What Tyre Pressures Should I Run?
The correct tyre pressures for your car can usually be found on the inside of the fuel filler cap, on the drivers door jamb or in the owners manual. There should be two values, one for normal load, and another for when the vehicle is fully loaded. It is important to check your tyre pressures when they are cold as warm air inside hot tyres expands and will give a high reading. Remember to replace the valve cap for proper sealing.
Under inflated tyres : An underinflated tyre will wear out more quickly and is likely to overheat. Excessive overheating can result in a blowout. An underinflated tyre will also have a detrimental effect on your cars ride and handling.
Over-inflated tyres : An overinflated tyre will lead to faster wear of the tyre in the centre of the tread and will give an overly firm ride and will affect you cars handling.
As a general rule, check your tyre pressures once a month. Remember to check the spare wheel pressure too.
Different Tyre Types
Summer tyres
A summer tyre is designed to work at its best in warm dry conditions. It will offer the best grip and road holding in these conditions but on wet roads it won’t perform as well.
Winter tyres
In some countries, winter tyres are a legal requirement but In the UK and Ireland that isn’t the case however, there is certainly an argument for fitting Winter tyres between November and March when temperatures drop and the roads are wet more often than not. As well as having a more aggressive tread pattern Winter tyres are constructed from a softer rubber compound which provides better grip at lower road temperatures, the drawback being higher wear rates though.
All season tyres
As the name suggests, all season tyres are designed to work all year round and are a good compromise between summer and winter tyres. However, all season tyres are not as efficient in the dry as a summer tyre or as good on snow as a winter tyre.
Tyre Sizing: What do the numbers mean?
Ordering the correct size tyres is vitally important. The easiest way to identify the tyre size you need is to read the numbers on the side wall of your existing tyres.
I've ordered the wrong tyre size by mistake what do I do?
Hey, don’t worry, mistakes sometimes happen! We have a 30 day no hassle returns policy. See the details
here
What does the price of my new tyre(s) include?
There are no hidden extras. The price includes VAT and delivery to the UK and Ireland is free of charge.
How long does delivery take?
Tyres are shipped and delivered in the same speedy timeframe as all of our other parts.
In Ireland:
- Free Delivery: 2-4 working days
- Priority Delivery: 1-2 working days
In the UK
- Free Delivery: Up to 7 working days
- Priority Delivery: 2-4 working days
Rest of World
Don’t live in the UK or Ireland?
Click here to check the standard delivery charges for your country:
DOT – How old will my tyres be?
Our turnover of tyres is very high which means that 90% of our stock has been manufactured within the last 12 months. In the rare occurrence that a tyre supplied is more than 24 months old we will offer an immediate replacement.
