All new vehicles come with Original Equipment (OE) tires, which were specifically chosen for your vehicle. Those tires were no random choice. Automotive engineers choose the right tire to compliment your vehicle for the best driving experience possible.
When you replace the tires on your new vehicle, the manufacturer often recommends replacing them with the OE tires that were originally equipped on the vehicle. This doesn’t mean you must replace the tires with OE; it is just recommended. The reason this is recommended is because the tire that was chosen for that vehicle was based on many factors, reflecting the driving capabilities of the vehicle. If you want your tires to perform the same, you can buy the OE tires or find tires with the same attributes to maintain performance.
To make sure you are replacing your tires with ones that will fit your vehicle and your driving conditions, you should always refer to your driver’s manual for the size, load capacity and speed rating requirements as a basic guide to tire replacement. After this consideration, you should look to your driving habits and conditions as a guide to buying new tires.
Different cars have different characteristics, and so do tires. Sports cars, for instance, are built for speed and quick handling, so this car wants a tire that can perform to its level of handling and performance. Touring cars provide comfort and smooth driving, demanding a completely different tire. Energy efficient cars need tires with low rolling resistance for better gas mileage. Trucks and SUV’s might need different tires, but those tires must safely carry the weight of your vehicle.
You should always take the manufacturer’s recommendation into consideration as the tires equipped on your new vehicle were not randomly chosen but designed for the car and performance capabilities of the vehicle. However, it is not a rule that you must replace your OE tires with OE tires. So consider the minimum requirements for your vehicle type and then take into consideration your driving conditions, your performance needs, and budget when buying new tires.
