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Do New Cars Come with New Tires? A Buyer’s Guide

Do New Cars Come with New Tires? A Buyer’s Guide

Car tires give us the feel of the road. They are an important part of the overall driving experience and safety. When testing a new car, we focus on comfort, performance, and style, but with one question lingering at the back of our minds – do new cars come with new tires?

New cars come with new tires; however, the vehicle manufacturer typically manufactures the provided tires instead of a major tire brand. While this helps to reduce the vehicle’s purchase price, the tires often wear out faster than those made by a major brand.

Since the factory tires on new vehicles are designed for a certain level of performance, numerous factors affect the life of the tires and may considerably lessen their lifetime. This guide explores the characteristics of new tires that come with new cars.

Tire Expectations on A New Car

New tires provide a comfortable and easy ride when you first drive a new car. However, these tires do not perform well over time.

When you buy a car, you don’t typically check the tires. Even if you did, most people do not know which brand makes their tires.

The reason for this is because automakers do not provide new cars with major tire brands. The manufacturer is the one who often decides which tire brands to fix on the vehicle based on their prices and, at times, the car model.

Most of the tires in new cars are Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) designed by the carmaker. Since it is costly to manufacture a vehicle, the automakers purchase these standard tires in bulk at a more affordable price.

The original tire choice for many automobiles may be primarily influenced by the value of the vehicle, if not the cost of the tires. However, dealerships are usually willing to swap to a more expensive model for a nominal fee.

How Long Do Factory Tires Last?

We established that factory tires are softer and so wear out a lot faster. This is a common complaint from new car owners like this buyer. He had a Mercedes GL450 and only got through 18,000 miles before visiting the tire center for a replacement!

Most people argue that the average expected mileage for factory tires is between 14,000 to 20,000 miles. This data is debatable for several reasons, like how often you are on the road, living conditions, driving habits, or how well you generally maintain your car.

When the time comes for replacements, make sure to buy top-quality tires that will provide excellent handling and durability. Seek honest consumer reviews that will tell you how well the tire performs in various road situations.

The price of tires depends on the brand, size, and style. For example:

  • Extra-high-performance tires or special off-road tires range between $300 to $100 for each tire.
  • The regular tires are moderately priced at $100 to $300 each.
  • The inexpensive basic tires go for $50 to $150 each.

Why Do New Car Tires Wear Out So Fast?

It is normal to get substandard tires on new cars except for the premium performance vehicle models.

Tires on new vehicles are softer, and this softer compound contributes to fast wear. The soft tires have a short life span on the road.

Still, without proper care that guarantees a longer lifespan, some car owners will experience irregular wear on their tires due to improper tire maintenance.

This is because temperature change may cause the soft compound to expand and regularly contract, affecting tire durability.

What To Do When You Get New Tires

Replacing new tires has become easier over time. There are, however, a few tips to consider before tire shopping.

1. Cost Guarantee and Previous Models

Tires are one of the most expensive parts of a vehicle to replace.

However, several tire retailers provide a “price match guarantee.” And some of them will even honor their competitors’ prices!

Other additional payments include:

  • Tire taxes, even though not all states charge this tax.
  • Mounting, balancing, and disposal fee of the old tires.

2. Warranty

Most new tires have a free road hazard warranty. The tire retailer and manufacturer can offer you a short road hazard warranty. The warranty covers the damages plus any defect.

There is an option of purchasing a longer warranty from any shop. Many warranties are mostly prorated. This means that you can get a refund for the value of the rest of the tire life.

3. Tire pressure

All gases go through the process of expanding and contracting depending on the temperature. The proper PSI is at the driver-side door jam.

Tires lose pressure about 1 PSI for each 10 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature drop and gain the same during a temperature fall.

Some shops get the psi wrong, so it is vital to learn how to check our tire pressure.

4. Check If the Tires Are Nitrogen-Filled

Most tire shops inflate tires with nitrogen at no extra cost. This is because most tires can also use compressed air.

How To Maintain the Tires?

A well-maintained car can be both fun and economical to drive. Tires form one of the main safety parts of a vehicle. Regular maintenance ensures good traction, longer tread life, and better fuel efficiency.

Let us look at a few methods of maintaining the tires:

Rotate the tires. Manufacturers have a proposed schedule for rotating the tires. This ensures that the tires wear out evenly. Incorrect alignment and inflation result in uneven wear.

Select the right size tires. Indicated on the owner’s manual is the correct size of tires for the vehicle. This information is also on a label on the driver’s side door jam.

Tire tread. Tires come equipped with tread wear indicators, and you should check once every month. When the horizontal rubber strips appear, know it’s time to change the tires. According to NHTSA, tires are unsafe when they wear down to 2/32 of an inch.

Tire pressure. Most braking issues occur because the tires are either over-inflated or under-inflated. It is, therefore, crucial to check the pressure regularly. Newer car models have an inbuilt pressure gauge that will notify you if there is a pressure imbalance. For the older models, though, a pressure gauge comes in handy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Tires Covered on A New Car Warranty?

Newer cars come with a standard warranty that covers the entire vehicle for several miles. The tires, however, are not covered by the warranty. The automaker is not interested in ensuring the tires are durable.

Is It Cheaper to Get New Tires at The Dealership?

Car dealerships often have a large inventory of tires, and they usually get their tires at amazing discounts. This means that the retail price lowers, which is good news for drivers.

Do Rims Come with New Tires?

Rims do not come with new tires. A rim holds the tire in place, and together, they hold the entire vehicle. We replace the tires and not the rims unless they get damaged.

Conclusion

When purchasing a brand-new vehicle, the tires are one of the most important things to check. If you’re concerned with the quality of the OEM tires, you can always try negotiating with the dealership to cover the cost of upgrading them!

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Zach Reed

Hi, I'm the founder of VehicleAnswers.com! Having owned a wide variety of vehicles in my life, I was astounded at how hard it can be to find answers to common automotive questions. Rather than sit idly, I decided to create this website to help others!