The choice of car tires is huge and therefore it is difficult for many car drivers to find out which model is the right one for them in view of the many advertising promises. The various tire labels are helpful in the decision-making process.
The EU tire label in particular, which provides information on rolling resistance, wet grip and noise emissions of the tires, plays an important role here. Rolling resistance and wet grip are divided into classes from A to G, with A being the best rating in each case. Noise emissions, on the other hand, are only divided into three levels and displayed as stripes. The lower the number of stripes on the label, the quieter the car tires are.
In addition to the EU tire label, consumers can also obtain information from independent tests conducted by institutions and trade journals. In these tests, the tires from different manufacturers are usually evaluated for their performance, safety in different environmental conditions and in different driving situations.
It should be noted that the test results always refer only to tires of a certain dimension and cannot be easily transferred to larger or smaller tires of the same manufacturer. For example, a tire model for a light compact car may behave very differently than one for a heavy SUV.
Car tire guide
Winter tires – advantages and characteristics
In principle, every driver has the choice between all-season tires or special tires adapted to the seasons. In terms of cost, the two variants do not differ significantly, because you can often drive longer with a pair of winter and summer tires than with two pairs of all-season tires.
If you opt for seasonal tires, you should change your summer tires to winter tires before the first cold spell sets in. As a rule, therefore, people in Germany usually switch to winter tires in october and back to summer tires in april. winter tires are marked by the "alpine symbol", which represents a mountain with a snowflake. Older winter tires usually still contain the "M+S" label. However, this symbol is not protected and could therefore also be misused.
Winter tires are optimized for use at low temperatures and for driving on snowy or slushy surfaces. Therefore, in winter weather conditions, winter tires offer significant advantages in terms of safety compared to summer tires, but also to all-weather tires. The special rubber compound, which is significantly softer than that of summer tires, does not harden as much in the cold and thus provides more flexibility or a better grip. Tire adhesion.
In addition, winter tires have a special tread pattern that has deeper and more grooves or sipes. More snow can get into these grooves, which strengthens the contact with the road surface and increases the stability of the tire. If there is a lack of tread depth, the vehicle can no longer adhere optimally to the ground in winter. Therefore, the recommendation for the depth of the tread by experts is usually at least 4 mm. However, the minimum tread depth required by law is only 1.6 mm.
What to consider when buying winter tires?
When buying winter tires, make sure that the tires meet the requirements of the vehicle in question. Here, the maximum load capacity of a passenger car tire is indicated by the load index (LI) and the maximum speed is expressed by the speed symbol (GSY).
Winter tires should generally be replaced after 5 to 7 years of use. When fitting winter tires, it is important to remember that most winter tires are directional tires. This means that they are marked with a predefined direction of travel, which must be strictly adhered to during installation.
With winter tires, you should also make sure that you drive them with a tire pressure that is about 0.2 to 0.3 bar higher than that of summer tires. And if you drive with winter tires in summer, you have to reckon with longer braking distances, significantly higher wear and increased fuel consumption.
Compulsory winter tires
According to the word, there is no winter tire obligation in germany. Since december 2010, however, only driving with suitable tires has been permitted in critical winter weather conditions. These tires do not necessarily have to be winter tires, even all-season tires can have the required characteristics.
Summer tires – advantages and characteristics
If you have decided on seasonal tires, you should change from winter tires to summer tires at temperatures above 5 degrees celsius on a sustained basis. If you continue to drive with winter tires, wear and tear, braking distance and fuel consumption increase. In Germany, motorists therefore usually switch to summer tires in april and drive them until october.
Summer tires differ from other tires in terms of rubber compound and tread pattern. The tire rubber is slightly harder and can therefore withstand higher temperatures without sacrificing road grip. In the case of summer tires, other properties are also important, such as the tire diameter.B. On the fact that during use the braking distance is shortened and the fuel consumption is reduced. These properties are also achieved by the different tread design of summer tires, which ensures low rolling friction even in hot weather without compromising driving stability.
With regard to tread depth, the same applies to summer tires as to winter tires. As with winter tires, summer tires are required by law to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm. However, experts often recommend a tread depth of 3 mm, which is 1 mm less than recommended for winter tires.
Tips for buying and using summer tires
The right tire for summer depends on many requirements. On the one hand, parameters such as the correct tire size and diameter are important. In addition, individual aspects such as the desired driving speed or driving comfort should also be taken into account when buying tires. The most important parameters are shown on each tire as markings. In addition, the tire size and diameter can also be found in the vehicle registration document.
Summer tires with a long service life can be used for many years. Only when the tires become porous or the tread depth falls below 2 mm should you look for new summer tires, because falling below the minimum tread depth represents an increased safety risk, not only on wet surfaces.
It is also advisable to check the air pressure in the tires more frequently, because if the tire pressure is too low, the service life of the tires decreases noticeably and at the same time fuel consumption increases. Since the inflation pressure increases when the tire heats up, the inflation pressure should ideally be checked when the tire is cold.
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All-season tires – advantages and characteristics
For drivers who are not on the road as often, all-season tires are a good alternative to seasonal tire changes. Especially drivers of small cars who spend most of their time in city traffic can make ideal use of such car tires, as the tires are adapted to almost any weather condition thanks to their technically advanced development.
All in all, car owners who do not drive so many kilometers and who do not drive such powerful cars should definitely think about buying all-weather tires, because they generally have less wear and tear and the driver does not need tires that have to have optimal properties in the border areas, because they are usually not driven at such high speeds.
All-season tires are basically tires that can be used in both low and high temperatures without having to worry about the legal requirement to have appropriate tires. Another advantage of all-weather tires is that there is no need to change from summer to winter tires and vice versa. This also eliminates the six-monthly question of when the optimum time to change the tire has come or when the tire should be replaced. You can save yourself the time of changing tires.
However, in terms of cost, one should expect to need two sets of tires, in the time it would take to wear out a pair of summer tires and a pair of winter tires. Logically, all-season tires are most common in regions where weather changes are not expected to be too severe throughout the year.
How good are all-weather tires in summer and winter??
As the name suggests, all-season tires are less specialized in certain properties, but are generalists that have the necessary properties for every weather condition. However, this also means that all-season tires do not have the same advantages as seasonal tires. For example, summer tires have shorter braking distances at high temperatures than all-weather tires, and all-weather tires also consume more fuel and wear out more in the summer.
The use of all-season tires in winter is also subject to the fact that they are not optimized for specific weather conditions. This means that in less severe and cold winters, all-weather tires can be used very well, also because many of these tires have a good grip on snow-covered surfaces. However, if the weather conditions become more extreme, if you drive a lot on highways or if your driving style is a bit faster, then it is usually worthwhile to purchase specialized seasonal tires.
When are new tires due?
The safety of every driver depends to a large extent on intact tires. Unfortunately, however, many car owners do not pay attention to this and it is not always obvious at first glance whether the tires need to be replaced or not.
The most important factors to consider when deciding whether or not you need new tires are the age of the tires, how many miles the tires have traveled, and whether or not the tires have been damaged.
Wear
The wear of a tire can be determined by the tread depth. The trick is to use a one- or two-euro coin, because the golden edge of the coin only becomes visible when less than approx. there is 4mm of tread left on the tire. If you do not see the golden edge of the coin, everything is in good order!
But even if you can already see the edge, you don’t have to put on new tires right away. Although the driving characteristics of the tire often deteriorate in wet conditions above this value, the minimum tread depth required by law within the EU (European Union) is 1.6 mm. So there is still enough time to inform yourself about new tires without the risk of a fine. However, many experts recommend changing summer tires with a tread depth of less than 2.5 mm and winter tires with a tread depth of less than 4 mm.
Aging
Drivers who use their vehicles very little are often under the misapprehension that they can get by for decades with one set of tires. But even if the tire tread is still in perfect condition, it is possible that a tire is no longer roadworthy. Here especially the age of the tires plays a role. with summer tires one should become critical also with good profile, if these are older than eight years and with winter tires are considered already six years as old.
But how do you find out the age of your car tires?? Especially if you buy a used car or if the tires have been at the dealer for a long time? Not every tire you just buy is necessarily a new tire. To be on the safe side, you should look at the sidewall of the tire, as this is where the so-called DOT number is stamped on every tire, which tells you the date of manufacture. The last 4 digits of the code indicate the calendar week and year of manufacture.
If you look for the DOT number at your local tire dealer, you can protect yourself from being sold off-road tires. As far as online retailers are concerned, they have a somewhat more difficult time with this issue, because from a legal point of view, tires are still considered new even if they are already several years old when they are delivered to the customer. Unfortunately, there is no entitlement to a brand new tire.
Tire damage
The third factor that can make it necessary to buy a new car tire is tire damage. Most damage is caused by tires that are not properly inflated. If the tire pressure is too low, not only will the tire be damaged while driving, but sometimes even the wheel rims will be damaged. By the way, you can usually read off the recommended tire pressure on the inside of the tank cap of every car, including information on how high the pressure should be at which load of the vehicle.
Further tire damage is caused by driving onto the curb at an angle or also by the so-called cavalier starts. But incorrect storage can also lead to damage. Car tires should always be stored in a dry place and not exposed to direct sunlight. In addition, it is better to store tires with rims horizontally and tires without rims vertically. Tires can also be damaged by insufficient clearance when using pressure washers or by contact with oils, gasoline and chemicals.
If a puncture is already visible, you should change the tire immediately if you want to avoid the consequences of a blowout. Cracks, dents or worn-in foreign bodies should therefore be inspected immediately. New car tires are available from regional dealers or you can order them conveniently via the numerous internet platforms that have established themselves in this segment.
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What are the penalties for worn or incorrect tires??
According to traffic law, only vehicles that meet traffic safety standards may be driven on the roads. These standards also include specifications for the correct tires. If a driver does not comply with these regulations and uses his car with worn or incorrect tires, he will be fined. In addition to fines, the wrong tires are always punished with a point in flensburg.
The amount of the fine for using the wrong tires depends primarily on whether you were simply driving with the wrong tires or whether you also obstructed or endangered traffic or even caused an accident. If you have not adhered to the minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm – regardless of whether you have winter or summer tires – you will be fined 60 euros and receive a penalty point in flensburg. If the worn tires also endanger traffic, the fine increases to 75 euros and the point in the traffic offender file also remains.
If you are driving with summer tires in winter, you will only be fined the same as for using worn tires in other seasons, i.e. a fine of €60 and a point in flensburg. If, on the other hand, the wrong tires cause an accident, the fine doubles to 120 euros and you get a point in flensburg on top of that.
Disposing of car tires – where to put the old tires?
How long car tires can be used depends on their mileage, age and quality. Sooner or later, however, even the most robust quality tire must be changed. At the latest after the purchase of new tires, the question arises what to do with the worn tires. Especially because there are strict legal requirements for the disposal of car tires.
Old tires are not household waste
Old tires cannot simply be disposed of with household waste or bulky waste. Since car tires are made up of a wide variety of materials such as rubber, textiles and iron, they cannot be assigned to a single waste group but are considered to be composite waste. This means that the individual components of the tire must be separated before it can be finally disposed of.
Here and there can also be alternative ways to get rid of your old tires, e.g.B. If you ask the municipality whether they would like to recycle the tires as stoppers under seesaws or buried vertically as demarcations on public playgrounds. Even farms use discarded tires, for example, to weigh down canvas tarpaulins as covers. But essentially, you have two other options for disposing of old car tires. Either they turn to a tire dealer or a tire dealer. A garage or you can hand in the tires to a regional disposal company that specializes in tire disposal.
Tire dealers and garages
If you have bought new tires from a tire dealer, they will usually also offer to dispose of the old tires. Most of the time this is free of charge or there is only a small fee. Car repair shops often offer a complete service that includes not only the new tires, but also the mounting and disposal of the old tires. If your local garage does not take back old tires, you will certainly be given a contact person or an address where they can help you.
Regional disposal companies
Companies that specialize in the disposal of old tires often accept them free of charge. However, not everyone has such a company in their vicinity. Otherwise, you can usually get rid of your old tires at the local building yard. This often incurs a small fee, but it also ensures that the old tires are disposed of or recycled in an environmentally sound manner and in accordance with strict legal requirements.
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7 must-have gadgets that turn your car into a smartcar
In today’s world, a car is much more than just a vehicle means of transport. New cars, for example, have many practical functions, making the journey more pleasant and comfortable. But with simple means you can also replace your old car with a few new ones practical technical gadgets expand. Many car spare parts can be bought used at daparto. With the car parts price comparison on the internet, more than 150 commercial dealers offer their spare parts and thanks to the price comparison, you can find the fairest offer with just a few clicks. In the following article you will learn with which seven gadgets you can upgrade your car.
The seven best smart gadgets for your car!
1. Car power distributor
In today’s world, most people use a tire pressure gauge every day smartphone or a tablet. In order for these devices to function properly, they naturally need energy. With the car power distributor supply power to many different devices during the drive. It is simply inserted into the cigarette lighter of the car plugged in and has several USB ports. This means that all important devices can be charged even on long journeys. as soon as they are fully charged, the process is automatically terminated. Such a device currently costs only 18,99 euro.
2. smartphone holder
to keep your smartphone legally in sight while driving, you can install a practical cell phone holder in your car. It plugs into the front air vents and is therefore always in view. It also has a flexible mounting device, so that all common smartphones can be safely stored without slipping during the journey. This makes the smartphone holder a good alternative to models that are attached to the windshield with suction cups, which are not known to last very long, and it also has an attractive design. This gadget costs just between ten and twelve euros.
3. tire pressure sensor
Before every long drive, you should always check the tire pressure control. However, if this is forgotten, or if for some other reason it suddenly drops or even rises, you can recognize this by the practical tire pressure sensor immediately. It can be practically retrofitted to any car by attaching four sensors to the tire, i.e. one on each tire.
In addition, the monitor via the cigarette lighter be supplied with energy. Then set up the system using the LCD display and then already directly detects the tire pressures and also the temperatures in the tires. Many of these systems have a USB port that can be used to charge the cell phone. on average these gadgets cost about 49,99 euro.
4. Driver assistance system
Most of today’s cars have many practical features driving assistance systems. But even if you have an old car, you don’t have to do without these useful helper do without. Because this can also be retrofitted at a later date. Have the system installed by a specialist workshop install.
Via a LCD display you will be alerted while driving if danger is imminent, for example, if a collision is imminent, if you leave the lane unnoticed or if you drive too close to the car in front. In addition there is a road sign recognition, which alerts you when you are speeding.
Please note, however, that this system only provides information and does not actively intervene in your driving behavior. Therefore, you should always drive with full concentration and keep your eyes open. Even if it costs around 1.100 € in the basic version is not exactly cheap, it can be used for frequent driver be very practical. the price usually already includes the installation by an expert.
5. Rear view camera
If you live in a large city where parking spaces are few and very tight, or if you’re just not very good at parking, a car power distributor can be a big help rear view camera be very practical. The gadget cleverly guides you into any parking space and protects you from dented bumpers.
Thereby there are optical and also acoustic signals, so that you can always park in the best possible way. This function is also factory-installed in many new cars and can be retrofitted in older cars as well. When parking in reverse, you will be alerted if you are getting too close to a wall or another vehicle and can react appropriately.
Have the system installed by a professional workshop to ensure that it really works properly and that all the regulations have been followed. A small camera is mounted on the rear bumper and a cable is laid to the front of the cockpit up to a TFT display. Even if the tools for the installation are usually included in the delivery, it is better to leave this work to a professional. The mobile rear view camera can be used for 50 – 55 € be purchased.
6. GPS tracker
With the GPS tracker always find your car safely and reliably. This can be advantageous, for example, if it has been stolen or you are parked in front of a large soccer stadium among tons of other vehicles. On the basis of the app, install it on your cell phone and you will always be able to find your way around and find your car quickly, even in unfamiliar surroundings. If it is ever stolen, you can see exactly where the thief has taken it and where he is headed.
Such a system has a very persistent battery of up to 280 hours. In addition, you can set different alarm sounds and be directly alerted when your car is moved or leaves a certain area. The retrofittable system costs about 60 € and is very practical.
7. android car app
this smart app is a complete solution for all people who own an android smartphone. Start the app on your cell phone and place it in the holder described above. The display will then show you all the important information and data, such as google maps, music or the so-called google now commands.
Conclusion
as you can see, you don’t necessarily need a new car to be smart on the road. Instead, you can easily retrofit many of the practical systems and car parts with small changes to your old car to ensure safety on all journeys and make a big impact. Mostly you need to install an app on your phone or tablet. The installation of the sometimes quite complicated systems, but you should leave to a professional workshop.