How much does a tire change cost?
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Fall is a good time to get your car ready for the upcoming winter season. Although changing tires in Poland is not mandatory, the difficult winter conditions leave us with little choice. After all, road safety is paramount. Therefore, it is better to think not about whether to replace them, but when, where and for how much?
Winter tires - new or used?
A large number of drivers, changing to winter tires, decide to buy used tires. This is a good decision? Certainly at great risk. It is worth being vigilant not to buy tires that are already worn out and should not be used on the road. What to search? Winter tires are not suitable for driving, including when:
- have cracks, cuts or bumps,
- protector falls off
- tread height less than 4 mm,
- It has been 5 years since production.
Winter tires must be stamped with the designation "3PMSF", or "3 Peak Mountain Snow Flake" - a snowflake against the background of three mountain peaks. This means that the tires are suitable for driving on snow and are categorized as winter tires. In addition, they often have the symbol "M + S" - this is information from the manufacturer that the tires are adapted to driving on snow.
This is not all that is worth paying attention to. The new tires also have to be adapted, in particular, to our vehicle. size, class and speed rating.
What winter tires to buy? What to watch out for? Learn all about important tire parameters >>
Why do we change tires to winter ones?
If you can drive on winter tires in summer (although it is not recommended), then in winter it is generally impossible to drive on summer tires. Tires adapted to higher temperatures cannot cope with slippery surfaces, and even the best driving skills cannot keep us from skidding.
Winter tires differ from summer ones, including a tread height of at least 4 mm, but those with a higher tread, for example 8 mm, are more reliable. Thanks to this, the car not only has better grip on the road, but also a shorter braking distance. The number of cuts in the tread blocks and tire rubber is also different. Due to the admixture of silica and silicone, it can remain elastic even at low temperatures, which increases the grip on the vehicle.
Is it profitable to buy all-season tires? Check >>
Winter tires or all season?
The prospect of installing all-season tires can be tempting - then we will avoid the need to replace them twice a year, which will bring tangible savings. However, it is worth knowing that all-season tires do not have the same good parameters as winter ones. Due to the fact that they should be as versatile as possible, they are suitable for driving at any time of the year, but are less safe than winter ones in winter or summer ones in summer. Therefore, this solution should be considered for economic reasons only when you use the car only occasionally, driving short distances.
How much does a tire change cost?
Changing tires will cost us around PLN 80 on average, although forks range from PLN 40 to PLN 220. The price of the service depends on the type and size of tires, as well as whether wheel balancing is included.
Average prices:
- tire replacement without balancing from about PLN 40,
- tire replacement with balancing from about PLN 70,
- replacing tires with aluminum rims up to 16 inches in diameter (with balancing) from about PLN 90,
- changing tires to 19-inch aluminum wheels (balancing) from about PLN 180.
However, the price of replacing tires often includes the cost of buying the tires themselves. We don't always have our last year's, sometimes they're just too worn out to be safe to continue using. This is a much more costly item of expenditure than the exchanger itself. We will buy the cheapest set of new economy tires for about PLN 400. A slightly better product will cost us around PLN 700-800. However, premium tires can cost us up to PLN 1000-1500 per set. Used tires can cost around PLN 100-200 (about PLN 300-500 on average) for four tyres. However, it should be borne in mind that the degree of wear and tear (especially in the case of the cheapest offers) can significantly reduce our level of safety on the roads.
When to change tires for winter?
As a general rule, tires should be turned over when the average daily temperature starts to drop below 7 degrees.oC. Although in early autumn the temperatures are still often at the level of ten and even above twenty degrees, it should be borne in mind that at night or in the morning they are already much lower. If we drive at such hours, the tires should be changed earlier. 7oC is the generally accepted limit. It is very important to change tires before the first frost or snowfall.
Most drivers start changing tires only in November. Then the prices for this service usually rise (which is another argument in favor of choosing it in early autumn). This does not mean that the first snowfall is the optimal moment. If we do not prepare for this turn of events in advance, winter may surprise us - and we and other latecomers will be waiting for long queues at the service station.
Article written in collaboration with vivus.pl
