Purcell: We'll keep you moving

How Do You Know If You Need New Tires?

There are three critical things to consider when deciding if you need new tires: tread wear, exposure to the elements and tire age. Purcell Tire's technicians are experts in guiding you through the process of understanding your tires and keeping them fit over their lifetime.

TREAD WEAR

Try the Penny test. Place a penny head first into several treat grooves across the tire. If you always see the top of Lincoln's head, your treads are shallow and worn. If this is the case, your tires need to be replaced. If part of Lincoln's head is always covered by the tread, you have more than 2/32 of an inch of tread depth remaining. This means you probably don't need new tires.

WHY WORRY ABOUT TREAD WEAR?

The most important reason to worry about tread wear is safety. When your tire treads are worn, your car may respond poorly in adverse weather conditions like rain and snow. With good treads your car will grip the road better. Having insufficient tread is considered illegal in many states and worn treads can make other parts of your car wear prematurely.

EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS

Exposure to heat and the sun's ultraviolet rays may cause structural changes to your tires. These changes are not usually a concern in moderate climates.