If You’re in Auto Mechanic Training, Here’s How to Know Which Tires to Recommend to a Driver
Pirelli. Michelin. Goodyear. Bridgestone. Sure, lots of top brands spring to mind quickly, but with so many well-known varieties on the market, one car tire tends to look just as good as the next to many car owners. What they may not know is just how important a tire type is for determining the level of road grip, making a huge difference to the vehicle’s overall performance, handling, durability, and safety.
So how do you determine which type to recommend from one car owner to the next? Let’s take a look at some key factors to consider!
What Are the Owner’s Unique Driving Habits?
The owner’s personal driving style and how the car is used will make a big difference to which tires should be recommended, as different driving habits will impact the overall life of the tire. You’ll need to assess how often the car carries cargo and passengers, what type of surfaces it’s mainly being driven on, and whether the owner drives in a lot of stop-and-go traffic.
Whether or not the owner drives aggressively—peeling corners, braking hard, and taking off quickly from a stop position—is also a factor to consider. Why? Because this driving style is likely to wear down a tire much faster than the manufacturer’s listed lifespan.
A person with auto mechanic training might think to recommend performance tires to faster drivers, as these have a higher speed rating than most other tire types. Touring tires also offer a higher speed rating, but are designed to increase road surface contact—affecting performance but allowing for a much smoother and comfortable ride.
Where Does the Driver Live and What Do They Drive?
Tires should also be selected according to the weather conditions of the region the car owner lives in. Performance tires work extremely well in warm climates, as this tire type adapts to both warm and wet-weather conditions. Summer tires are another good bet for warm climates, designed to offer superior road grip in such environments. The all-wheel tire offers good traction in most weather conditions, and handles winter conditions decently. However, the winter tire offers much better traction in snow and ice, and is really the more appropriate recommendation during the winter months.
Additionally, you need to consider what car the driver owns. Specialized tire designs are made to outfit trucks and SUVs, for example, while other types are best suited to performance vehicles. With an appreciation of these various tire categories in mind, it becomes much easier to recommend the right type to a driver.
How Good Is the Driver at Keeping Their Car Maintained?
If you’re interested in attending automotive school, you should know that a person who’s vigilant about overall car maintenance is more likely to reach the tire manufacturer’s mileage numbers than someone who’s not. This is because tire treads wear down more rapidly if the owner hasn’t been on the ball about taking the car to the shop for routine tire rotation and alignment. How hard the car is driven will also impact that advertised lifespan. It can also be helpful to ask them how many kilometres they got out of their last set, as this can be a strong indicator on whether to recommend that type again or not.
Are you interested in attending auto mechanic school to learn about diagnosing and repairing all kinds of car problems?
Contact Automotive Training Centres for more information on its specialized automotive service technician program!
