Whether you are looking for car tires or truck tires, getting the right ones at a good price is absolutely essential when it comes to your vehicle's safety and performance on the road.  Keeping your car tires up to date is unbelievably important.  Failing to check the tread and air pressure, or not rotating and installing new tires on a regular basis can set you up for a whole host of problems.  These car maintenance tasks keep your vehicle from sliding on the road, can help prevent an unexpected flat, and also maintain good fuel economy.  Therefore, although tires can sometimes seem like a costly afterthought, staying on top of their condition is actually vitally important.

Luckily, the internet now makes it easier than ever to find affordable car tires and, thus, properly maintain your vehicle.  There are plenty of discount tires that you can purchase without needing to sacrifice on quality and safety.  However, in order to find the tire dealers offering these deals or to locate coupons to save on tires, it is often best to search the internet.  One of the biggest deterrents for staying on top of getting new or more weather-appropriate tires is often their excessive cost.  Luckily, instead of being forced to pay the typical, high prices, it is now possible to locate local dealers offering the best promotions and lowest rates by looking online.

While most automotive tires for sale are marked up significantly it is possible to find dealers offering low prices.  Especially when you factor in how often car tires need to be replaced in addition to your other vehicle maintenance costs, being able to purchase quality, discount tires is a great option to have.  Fortunately, using the internet to find tire dealers with the lowest prices or to find coupons makes it much more feasible to purchase new car tires when necessary and even to splurge on season-specific car tires.

When choosing which car tires to purchase for your, it is important to make sure that you get the right tread and the proper fit.  For this reason, it is a good idea to consult a car tire sales professional.  While using the internet to help locate local car tire dealers with the best prices is a good idea, it is essential to pay them a visit to them in person for proper fit and installation.  By investing a bit of time locating car tire dealers with the best prices, you will be able to get the most appropriate automotive or car tires at a reasonable price, keeping you safe and secure on the road.

Buying new car tires has become an ordeal for the average consumer. Negotiating the maze of types, sizes, ratings, warranties, and prices has many throwing up their hands in frustration. Here are a few simple things to look for.

What size and type of tire does my car require? Placards with size, service rating, and air pressure are posted on each car. Open the drivers door. The placard is usually placed on the edge of the door or on the body pillar. The owners manual will also contain this information.

When are tires worn out? A simple answer lies in the tread depth. Tread depth is measured from the top of the tread block to the bottom of an adjacent groove. It is measured in increments of 1/32 of an inch. Most new tires begin with a tread depth of 10/32 or 12/32. A tread depth gauge, found in most auto parts stores, will help to determine when a tire is due for replacement. Most states require a minimum tread depth of 3/32 to 5/32.

What is a UTQG rating? UTQG is an acronym for Uniform Tire Quality Grade. The federal government requires manufacturers to test and grade tires in areas of tread wear, traction, and temperature. Consumers need to be aware that these tests compare the tires of an individual manufacturer and is not meant as a comparison of different brands.

What is a tread wear warranty? In simple terms, the manufacturer guarantees the tire to last a certain number of miles before the tread is worn to unacceptable levels. These warranties range from zero, on some truck and off-road tires, to 80,000 miles on high-end car tires. These warranties have limits and cover only normal wear under normal conditions. They do not cover damage caused by road debris or any other impact damage. Mechanical wear, caused by lack of rotation, worn suspension, misalignment, or any other mechanical causes, is usually not covered. However, the tread wear warranty can be used to compare among brands. A guaranteed number of miles indicate the manufacturers willingness to stand behind its claims of the tires quality.

Armed with information, consumers are better equipped to shop for this most ubiquitous, and mysterious, of commodities. Do not be afraid to ask for a lower price. In todays economy, tire dealers are generally willing to negotiate. As with any other purchase, caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). Be aware of what you are actually buying. Look for hidden fees. Does the price include mounting, balancing, and installation of the tires? Does it include new valve stems and disposal of the old tires? Press for the final price, including sales and excise tax before you commit to the sale.

. The recession of 2009 hit the entire automotive industry hard. New car sales dropped by an average of 40%, resulting in huge lay-offs and the closing of dealerships all over the country. Huge job losses in the parts and tire manufacturing sector contributed to the economic meltdown.  One bright spot amidst all the doom and gloom has been the burgeoning used car market. Although the complete figures for 2010 are not available yet, it appears that used car sales have more than made up for the precipitous drop in new car sales. This boom in used car sales drove the replacement tire market to heights not seen since 2005. This trend is expected to continue through 2011.

In 2010, replacement tire sales topped out at $32.1 billion dollars. This reflects an average price increase of 11.3% over the two year period. Of the millions of tires sold, 76% were sold by independent tire dealers with only 8% sold by tire company stores. The other 16% were sold by big box stores, gas stations and auto parts stores.  (Source: Modern Tire Dealer)

Reasons why more than three quarters of all replacement tires are sold by independent dealers is largely due to price and established relationships with the consumer. Consumers shopping for replacement tires need to be aware of shady pricing methods practiced by some tire retailers. Many times the first price quote given is for the tire only. After the customer agrees to a price, which may be a 100% markup over cost, hidden fees are added. Suddenly, the consumer is presented with a bill that may be as much as 50% higher than originally quoted. Most consumers are unaware that state excise tax is levied on wholesale tires only and is simply passed on to the consumer by the retailer.

At Uptown Auto Service in Alliance OH, we are an independent dealer in every sense of the word. We are not tied to one manufacturer but retail all brands. We do not have gigantic warehouses or huge, unwieldy inventories. This allows us to pass the cost savings to our customers. We are connected to our suppliers via the internet and most orders are same day delivery. Our tire prices have a very modest markup. A fee is added for mounting the tire on the wheel, computerized balancing, a new valve stem and for disposal of the old tire. We add the sales tax, and provide the consumer with the exact price. There are no hidden fees and state excise tax is not charged to the consumer. We bring this same concept of honesty, integrity, and forthrightness to our automotive service and repairs. Our customers are our friends and neighbors.

Come, visit us at 2075 W. State St. or www.uptownautoservice.com and experience how it feels to be treated like family.