Automobile Tires

Whether you purchased S2000 tires or Camaro tires, or performance SUV tires—in fact, it doesn't really matter what kind of automobile tires you buy, they'll all need to be broken in before you push the pedal to the metal.

During the manufacturing process, a release lubricant is applied which prevents the tire from sticking to the mold in which it was created. Unfortunately, some of that lubricant remains on the tire upon installation. It reduces traction for a bit, but wears off after use. Going easy on your tires and driving cautiously for the first 500 miles should eliminate this lubricant and allow the other layers of the tire (the rubber, steel and fabric) to work as they should.

Even then, you'll want to go easy on your tires until you feel totally comfortable controlling them. Odds are good that your old tires didn't have much traction, which means your new tires will handle a little differently at first. Even if they are the same make and model.

To read more tire tech articles from Tire Rack, just click here. And if you actually need to purchase some new tires, shop according to vehicle for a customized list of options.

I was talking to one of my Corvette customers the other day and he told me that in his Corvette club most members buy their Corvette Rims and New Automobile Tires from Tire Rack. By far the most popular tires I sell for this car personally are the Firestone Auto Tires, we are also one of the largest Goodyear Tire Dealers and I often sell the Original Equipment Goodyears for this car as well. But for people who don't want the O.E. Corvette Goodyear tires the Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Run Flat tires are the most popular. People tend to like them because they are very high performance tires comparable to the Goodyears and usually less expensive.



Check back next week for my post on Corvette Rims to go with these tires!

Your peers are sharing their opinions on the new automobile tires we added to our inventory. If you've been considering a set for your own vehicle, you'll want to take advantage of this first-hand information. Here's a look at what's being said.

Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500
"What a tire! These were the first Firestones I ever purchased and I was impressed beyond expectations, wet, dry traction, cornering, noise, performance....it's all there." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Chevrolet Corvette, MI

Goodyear Assurance ComforTread Touring
"Waited for these tires to come out for a few months. So far, so good. A little noisier than I anticipated though, but handling is pretty, pretty good." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Toyota Avalon, NJ

Kumho eco Solus HM KR22
"I bought these knowing that driver comfort and long wear were my primary motivating factors. I use my car as a dedicated commuter car that spends the majority of time at highway speeds and these tires have been a pleasure in terms of taming road noise. They also provide a comfortable ride and help quell bumps/shocks from entering the cabin." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Toyota Corolla, CT

Kumho Solus KL21
"I have only driven 300 miles with these tires and I have been trying to take it easy during the break in period. Occasionally, I have had to corner, brake or swerve quickly because of road situations and these tires responded admirably. I held the road well and came to secure quick stop with no tire squeal." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Chevrolet Blazer, NJ

Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 (H&V)
"Sumitomo HTR tires are excellent at highway speeds (70 mph) changing lanes through 2" piles of slush and wet conditions. No hydroplaning noticeable. Car has much better cross wind and strong gusting wind stability now." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Nissan Versa, Canada

Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 (W)
"We have recently had a "Nor'easter" here in PA with 6 inches of rain in 24 hours, and I have been putting the Sumis to the test. I only have 200 miles on the tires, but I have been very impressed so far. I have plowed through small lakes with ease, the tires cutting through the standing water like a hot knife through butter. I have pushed the car around corners in a downpour, and the tires held well. I like the overall performance of the tire." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Acura TL, PA

Yokohama AVID ENVigor (H&V)
"I have only driven 100 miles on these, but they have my unqualified endorsement. They are as quiet and smooth as my old V4S tires, but seem to have more responsiveness and 3-4 mpgs better than the prior tires, as compared to when they were both new. Great tire." — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Toyota Camry, OH

Yokohama AVID ENVigor (W)
"HEAVEN!!! Very little road noise and living in NYC with the thousands of pot holes from recent storms was a easy way to quickly gauge the reaction and feel of the tires. I'm very satisfied with the results. When quickly moving to avoid a crater of a pothole the tires carried the weight of the car without any need to overcompensate the steering to maintain lane position. LOVE THESE TIRES!!!" — Tire Rack Consumer Review, Acura TL, NY

See all new automobile tires.

What better day than April 22nd, Earth Day, to talk about lower rolling resistant tires. In the past, the typical trade off with lower rolling resistant tires was decreased wet traction. Science has caught up to practicality. Now low rolling resistant tires are starting to catch on. They offer better traction in wet conditions and are even available as all-season tires. Last summer Tire Rack and I had the opportunity to test the low rolling resitant tires. Check out some of the details in "Round and Black Goes Lean and Green."   Then look at some of the low rolling resistant tires available today.


Grand Touring Summer Tires

• Bridgestone Ecopia EP100
• Yokohama dB Super E-Spec

Grand Touring All-Season Tires

• Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

Passenger All-Season Tires

• Bridgestone Ecopia EP-02
• Bridgestone Ecopia EP20
• Michelin HydroEdge with Green X
• Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max
• Michelin Energy Saver A/S
• Continental ContiEcoContact EP (O.E. smart car)

These are the latest fuel-efficient automobile tires on the market. Look for more to come as they are added to the light truck and SUV tire categories.

From polished silver finishes to red, blue and orange accents—there is, quite literally, a colorful span of O.Z. rims to choose from. And that's only part of the reason O.Z. Racing wheels stand out.

O.Z. Racing wheels have always been prominent in the light alloy wheel industry due, in part, to their strength and their beauty. A number of prestigious auto equipment and body work companies use O.Z. wheels, and they can be seen as standard equipment on a number of exclusive automobiles. And their motorsports involvement is a true testament to the fact that O.Z. Wheels never compromises when it comes to quality.

And that quality can be a part of your vehicle, thanks to Tire Rack.

Alleggerita HLT Crono HLT
 Superturismo GT Botticelli

See all O.Z. wheels.

At Tire Rack, we take pride in our higher standards because it means we can continually offer you new automobile tires of excellent quality.

Our team of Performance Tire and Wheel Specialists is formed by individuals who are trained to provide fitment and performance advice. And by training, we mean approximately 80 hours a year in a classroom or in a test vehicle on our on-site test track. At Tire Rack, it's the experience that counts—and it helps us help you choose new auto tires. On the phone or online.

Contact us today, or use one of our online search tools. A detailed list of new auto tire options awaits you.

• Search by Vehicle
• Search by Tire Size
• Search by Tire Brand
• Tire Decision Guide