Your tires are the things that help you get going and your first line of defense with hazards on the road. If even one tire is out of place or underperforming, you’re risking more than just a smooth ride, you’re risking your safety. We take your safety and budget seriously. With National Parts Source, you know for a fact that you’ll get the best service and supply for your tires every time. We do the grunt work of finding you the best suppliers, so all you have to do is call the number below to get a quote from a top-rated partner.
At National Parts Source, our mission is to:
- Connect our customers with top-rated parts distributors.
- Find quality, affordable tires to fit your car perfectly.
- Provide guaranteed customer satisfaction.
Choosing a Tire Brand
There’s one rule for choosing your vehicle’s tires: choose a reputable brand you’ve heard of. Buying bargain basement “Real Good” tires from a flea market for a fraction of what a Goodyear tire would cost, could cost you more money in the long run. Especially if those tires fail on the road. Pick a brand that you KNOW will get you from point A to point B safely and effectively.
When buying tires, it’s important to ask yourself:
- What kind of tires do I need?
- How many miles will the tires last for?
- What’s my tire budget?
- Should I just replace or upgrade my tires?
We’ll explain later how to find the best tires when you’re shopping around. The following is a list of some of the top-rated tire manufacturers worldwide:
- BF Goodrich
- Bridgestone
- Continental
- Cooper
- Dunlop
- Firestone
- Goodyear
- Hankook
- Kumho
- Michelin
- Pirelli
- Toyo
- Yokohama
Brands that specialize in a specific type of tire:
- Nokian – Winter Tires
- Dick Cepek – Off-Road Tires
- Hoosier – Racing Tires
Picking a Quality Tire Brand
Is it a good idea to buy the no-name knock-off cheapest of cheap tires? No. If these tires fail you could be in for a much much larger bill, or worse.
Many manufacturers spend years testing their tires to ensure they last as long as they’re supposed to. They also make sure the tires aren’t going to cause an accident by failing the day you put them on your car.
Types of Passenger Tires
If your vehicle is mostly for personal use, you’ll need a quality set of passenger tires. If you drive something meant for commuting, such as a sedan or hatchback, you’ll need passenger tires. There are a few different types of tires you can get for your vehicle:
- All-season tires are meant to drive on most roads and can even withstand some mud and snow.
- Summer tires are meant to be used during warmer weather.
- Track and competition tires are meant for high-speed performance.
- Touring tires are meant for better handling and driver comfortability.
- Performance tires are meant for speed, control, and grip.
Most vehicles already come with factory-standard all-season tires that can withstand most conditions throughout the year. Most drivers leave their all-season tires on throughout the entire year. Top-of-the-line brands have all-season tires meant to last up to almost 90,000 miles.
The Best All Season Tires
Typically, drivers need either high-performance high-touring tires or grand touring all-season tires. The high-performance tires have better handling than most standard tires. With superior grip, these tires are great for all terrains and for drivers who are a little faster and more aggressive than most. Grand-touring tires still have grip and quality but are often less expensive.
Many tires manufacturers have a broad range of tires to offer something for almost every make and model. Typically if you have Kumho tires on your vehicle you will be able to find a similar Goodyear that will give you similar performance. Using NationalPartSource.com helps you get the best deal regardless of which brand you’re looking to buy.
Not sure what you’re looking for? There’s zero obligation to buy with us. We have honest representatives who can tell you exactly what you need, how to get it, and how much it’ll cost without any commitment. They can answer your questions on which tire brands we work with and which have superior quality, durability, and reliability.
Truck and SUV Tires
Trucks and SUVs have different needs than most commuter cars. These vehicles are meant for heavy cargo carrying and handling a variety of different terrains. For these types of vehicles, you’ll want to look for these types of tires:
- Highways tires are meant to carry heavy loads and traveling long distances.
- Mud-terrain tires are for drivers who spent a lot of time off-roading.
- All-terrain tires are the most popular tires among truck and SUV drivers, as it offers the best of both worlds.
Your all-terrain tires should have superior durability and stability. Be sure to check out what the load capacity is on these tires if you need to tow heavier things like a boat or trailer.
Winter Tires
Winter tires, or what used to be called “snow tires” in the past are designed to withstand winter weather conditions below 45 degrees. It’s not just snow they’re meant to drive in, but all kinds of winter weather conditions like ice and rain.
All-season tires can drive in most weather conditions, but only winter tires can ensure drivers have the best handling and stability when it’s slippery out. If you live up north, you should have a set of winter tires to carry you through October to March.
Winter tire’s deep tread allows drivers to handle their vehicles as safely as possible during the most unpredictable months. These tires should be replaced annually, as they don’t wear as well as all-season tires.
How Tires Are Graded (Tire Quality)
Tires must meet certain safety standards before they can be sold. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQG) is used to rate all tires aside from winters. Scoring varies depending on the company but ultimately is graded off their treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance. Take gradings with a grain of salt, as brands must privately conduct their own research to grade their tires.
Traction
Tire traction refers to your tire’s “grip” on a wet road. Traction is rated by AA, A, B, or C, with AA being the highest quality. For a quality tire, go with anything with an A grade traction or higher.
Treadwear
Tire treadwear determines a rough estimate of how long your tires will last. Tires are compared to a “control” group of tires rated at 100. If a tire is meant to last three times as long as the control tire, it’ll be rated at a 300, and so on.
Temperature resistance
Temperature resistance refers to the tire’s ability to withstand heat. Tires need to withstand high temperatures easily. Most performance tires will have a high rating, as they’re meant to withstand great speeds. Tire temperatures are rated with A, B, and C ratings.
Most tires have a warranty coverage that protects you against defective tires. This is measured by the mileage put on a specific tire. Keep in mind that all-season tires have much higher milage warranties than winter tires.