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If you are looking around for the best fully extended car or truck service contract package around you may be influenced to just look for the most affordable price. But there are many additional factors to consider, and one of the most important variables is the standing of the car warranty {company}. It might seem that you are keeping big money by way of picking a extended warranty plan which has primarily been around for a few months, however it could cost you more in the long run when you’ve got an issue with your vehicle and you are unable to get the company to pay for the repairs. There’s a lot to be said for a good name, and a premier business will always take care of it’s customers. Generally you’ll be able to find dependability in the likes of Carchex, US Fidelis, Warranty Direct, etc. However , you will still have to compare prices and find out exactly what is protected with every one of these packages.

You can read some reviews online to get the best  extended car warranty programs around, but you need to make your own personal decision in accordance with the facts. Not everybody has had a great experience with even the most reputable company around.

Your car or truck may break down at any moment. Regardless of whether your car is pretty new, you could be in for a big surprise when your transmission goes or even your radiator begins leaking. Many people just want the peace of mind knowing that they simply do not have to worry about the irritation of these kinds of expensive maintenance, along with the main reason behind acquiring a motor vehicle extended warranty is actually because it will certainly ease your mind if you are traveling or even while someone else is using your vehicle.

I’ve realized that the cost of car repairs have gone up substantially within the last five years, and the trend doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon. Along with the rising price of gas, the charge with regard to mechanics to work only has gone up as well. This is an much more poignant reminder that a automobile extended warranty is really a better option than ever before, providing you can get an excellent price on it.

It is best to look into what is in fact covered with the protection you are considering. You might think that any and every issue your vehicle has will always be covered, yet this is just not necessarily how car or truck warranties work. You have to read the small print as well as figure out what kind of protection you need before you go forward and make the purchase.

You can either get “wear and tear” protection or else you can get mechanical breakdown. Mechanical failure is the most everyday sort of guarantee which is bought because it covers most of the significant costs of car repairs. If you just want to have your car or truck insured in case the engine, transmission, or any other major component stops working, then this is the form of coverage you want to look for.

Often you can even get the company to give you a rental vehicle even as your vehicle is being fixed. This really is convenient because it goes one step beyond just what auto insurance really does, plus it makes certain that you are never left stuck somewhere.

Be also conscious that you should look after any regular upkeep on the vehicle to ensure that the extended warranty stays valid. You can’t neglect frequent oil changes and then expect the warranty company to cover a new motor when it blows up. This should actually be wise practice, nonetheless it can not be emphasized enough.

You should also  locate a  company which offers  to pay for  the repair center directly, which means you don’t have to concern yourself with being refunded your hard earned money . I have come across some companies take up to 2 months to compensate you back, which is simply pointless if you think about the reliable extended auto warranties that you can get . If you’re paying a month-to-month premium for this service you should never need to wait to get your money back, so do not be happy with a low priced  extended car warranty .

Is there any future for flying cars? In fact they exist already! And that’s the plain truth! For several years this type of vehicle has been under development by various manufacturers. A few have prototypes that are being tested and soon will be available to the public.

A very expensive flying car warranty will, one assumes, be available but if you can afford the vehicle in the first place, the cost would probably not worry you. According to the reports so far, a flying car, which is being classified by the FAA as a “Light Sport Aircraft,” will cost around $300,000. That is just for the entry level model without any extra options.

An airplane that can be driven on the roads has been developed by Terrafugia, a company in Massachusetts. It is a two seater and can be transformed into a road-ready vehicle in less than 30 seconds. On the tarmac it can go 65mph and can cruise in the air at around 115mph. Refilling with fuel would be necessary, according to the manufacturers, every 400 miles.

Billed by the Terrafugia Company as a “Roadable Aircraft”, this vehicle has been named as The Transition. Up and down movements of the wings can be done from the cockpit. This vehicle is powered on the road via its rear wheels and has enough cargo space to hold golf clubs. It has car styled doors for getting in and out of the vehicle. A full vehicle parachute can be bought.

The mind reels at the thought of a car that can also take to the air. The idea of a car that could fly gave rise to some interesting questions. Because of this classification, a flying time of twenty hours is considered sufficient to acquire the appropriate licence.

Twenty hours is not even a full day; it doesn’t seem sufficient time to me. There would be no problem for someone who is already a pilot or who has had flying experience. This time is not, however,enough for someone who has never flown. I’m sure that, like me, you are familiar with people who can’t drive even though they’ve been behind the wheel for years!

A motor vehicle licence requires a considerable amount of practice and the passing of a driving test and a written test. The same rules, no doubt, would have to apply to anyone driving or flying this hybrid vehicle. If so, what would the test involve? At the moment the volume of aerial car traffic is such (nil) that you should be able to cruise around fairly freely.

Traffic rules and regulations apply to anyone driving on the roads. Any contravention of one of these laws will result in your being given a ticket by a police officer. What happens in the air? Can you imagine some public instruction being broadcast that demands your attendance at the next airport?

With such cars of the future the notion of an airbag takes on a new significance. Wearing a parachute all the time would not be very comfortable. A full vehicle parachute can be bought from the manufacturers of the Transition Roadable Aircraft. What reason could there be for not having this as a standard fitting?

What procedure should you follow if you have a bump with another such vehicle? You’ll need the other vehicle’s insurance details; how will you get them? If they bump you and keep on going, is it going to be called a “fly and run” instead of a “hit and run”? Other considerations would include the need for gap insurance on such a vehicle. Presumably the plane (car) would also be subject to the usual car depreciation processes

These new concept vehicles are supposed to be powered by the same petrol that you put in your car. How is this supposed to help the environment if you put more vehicles in the air that release CO2 emissions? The next question has to be about what you can do if you run out of fuel?

What follows are some of the thoughts I had on learning that flying cars were already on the market. It will probably be quite some time before they are actually sold to the public in large numbers. When flying cars abound I just hope that every contingency has been thought of and catered for.

Export a used car is a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a extra one.Pre-owned cars are other reasonably priced than extra cars and they energy through an review process when they are sold through a dealership to get on to guaranteed they sort out not be inflicted with one problems.Often, these cars thumbs down longer be present inflicted with their manufacturer’s warranty since it has expired.Inside order to charge in support of you and your investment from expensive vehicle maintenance and repair expenditure supermarket around pro extended car warranties.Not all warranty declare are the same.

Here are peacekeeping unfilled by uncommon levels of coverage so with the intent of drivers may well kind to order the car warranty with the intent of service the unsurpassed pro them.Pro example, approximately warranties cover wear and tear parts, while others focus on the car’s powertrain.Investigate the get a hold on to and develop of the car you notion to approve of to espy made notorious which problems are usually ordinary with with the goal of brand on to phase situation unfashionable extended car warranties accordingly.All car has a history crash with the goal of is broadcast in sequence and unfilled to customers who are looking to approve of used cars.Preceding to signing on the dotted line, ask in support of a imitation of this crash to persuade on to guaranteed the car is healthy and has not withstood solitary brutal expenses inside the preceding.

This is furthermore an opportunity to determine what, if any, chronic problems the car has.This in rank want help customers point out from extended car warranties with the intention of are the generally appropriate pro a point vehicle.After researching the vehicles it is calculate to look into what all warranty package covers and the car warranty is kind of the great thing on this case.The salespeople by car dealerships could simplify the stipulations of the car warranty.Similarly, third have fun companies with the intention of advertise extended car warranties online could not provide a catalog of parts with the intention of are not covered upfront.

It is valuable pro customers to carefully read the material themselves previous to selecting an extended warranty based on the advice of someone else.The preeminent way to make a skilled deal is to supermarket around.Car dealerships deposit the pressure on to approve of extended car warranties the time the car is sold.However, these post are unfilled by one time.Take the calculate to compare prices linking a hardly any uncommon companies and point out the lone with the intention of offers the generally coverage pro the generally reasonable cost.Extended car warranties are a splendid way to ensure with the intention of a used car want not cost the driver money inside the lengthy run.

With all, the top of export a pre-owned vehicle is to save money.To make the most of the the makings savings, approve of an car warranty from a sound company with the proper coverage pro the get on to and develop of an party car.

Everyone would love to get a car and if you are someone that has saved the required money in order toget one, then I think you should know a few things before you will proceed with the pruchse. Well I am joking, but you should remember that when you are buying a second hand car that you will have to make sure that everythiong about it works just fine. So, you will need to take your new bought car to a mechanic where he will check everything about it and tell you tis condition and if it is worth buying it or not.

Thuis, your best bet to knowing if the car that you want to buy is a good choice or not, is to delve into a car inspection. Thus, when you will have the auto inspection done, the mechanic will have it checked form bumper to bumper. If you want to know what is involved in the process, then you will need to make sure to read on.

First of all, the mechanic will take a good look at the exterior and he will look for any scratches or dents, pits and also cracks which are most of the times found on the car. If you have a cracked windshield, then you should know that this is very dangerous, as when you will drive at a high speed, you will get to be in the jeopardy of having it broken, which will certianly endanger the passengers. After that, the panels are next and they will also be verfified for scratches, dings, dents and so on. The tires are the ones that follow and the tread depth is checked and also their overall condition. After the exterior is done, the interior is next.

The interior first of all encompasses checking the carper condition and the upholstery. After this step is done, the elecetrical components of the car are given a look. I bet that you would certainly want your car’s radio to work, don’t you?

This step will include checking the radio, the reverse lights, the power windows, the headlamps and of course, other features that your car might have. Next, the one to be crosschecked is the dashboard. And as a last step, the car’s identification number is checked.

When you are getting a car, it’s recommended that you also get car warranty along with it, for when it comes to auto warranty you will not hae to pay money from your own pocket in regards to any damages that might occur to it.

At some point in your motoring life it is likely that you will experience a breakdown whilst on the motorway. There are products on the market which may help us be financially prepared for all types of motoring crises – like extended car warranty policies or gap insurance, for example. In a practical sense, preparation and safeguards can also be provided in terms of knowledge and common sense. You will need to follow set guidelines if you want to make sure that everyone stays safe, especially when on the motorway. The hard shoulder of the motorway is to be used for emergencies only. You should only use the hard shoulder if all other options are closed to you. If you sense you are having car problems try to get to an exit and leave the motorway.

Should your car break down on the motorway, do make sure that you stop as far to the left of the hard shoulder as possible. Make sure that you turn your front wheels so as to be pointing to the grass verge, away from the road. Having come to a halt, put on your hazard lights immediately. Other warning devices, such as a red triangle, which may be useful in other situations, should not be used here. The traffic on the motorway is moving fast and putting these types of things out can be dangerous.

Having stopped, concern yourself first and foremost with evacuating any passengers from the vehicle. This should take place from the left of the vehicle so as to be as far away from the moving traffic as is feasible. When everyone is safely removed from the vehicle and well out of the way of the traffic, you can think about calling your rescue service.

It is quite common for some kind of roadside assistance to be offered when you renew your car insurance. You should not use you mobile though, as a roadside emergency telephone will enable the rescue vehicle to pinpoint your exact location more quickly. Look for the blue and white marker posts to locate one of these. These will tell you which phone is nearest to you. As they are directly connected to a police control centre, using a roadside emergency phone is the safest option.

Using these phones will ensure that somebody gets to you swiftly. Do make sure that you are as far away from the traffic as possible if you have to walk any distance along the hard shoulder. Stay alert, and focussed on the dangers of the road. Don’t forget that your pets – if you are travelling with them – will be safer if secured inside the car, unless in a crate.

Do not sit inside the car whilst waiting for help. Staying in your vehicle puts you at risk of injury should another car collide with you. It is very dangerous to try to repair your vehicle on the motorway. This is especially true if you need to repair something on the driver’s side of the car. The risk of being hit by an oncoming vehicle is great, and if you make a mistake in your haste you could invalidate your car warranty too. Motorway traffic is unpredictable and you should always seek professional help.

Once help has arrived you should stay on the verge whilst the problem is being taken care of. In particular you should never stand in between the two vehicles. Just imagine what could happen to you should another car then run into the back of yours.

Hopefully you will be one of the lucky ones and never have a breakdown on the motorway. For those of us that do, though, being fully prepared beforehand will put us and our passengers in an ultimately safer position. There is more to motoring than simply purchasing the most appropriate insurance products for your needs. Gap insurance, car warranties and roadside assistance may help save damage to your pocket, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you have the knowledge to survive other situations which may befall you on the road.

The irrational but basic appeal of the sports car has overwhelmed people’s reason ever since the first sports car was introduced. All over the world the wealthy quickly showed their love of sports cars by buying one to add to their collection. Whatever the kind of celebrity – royalty, film-star or playboy – driving a sports car is a powerful way of showing your high status. Different people find different reasons for wanting an open top two-seater sports car. This article will provide examples of this.

Ladies tend to like the Mazda MX5 more than men do. Honda’s CRX and Honda S2000 have wonderfully reliable and powerful engines. Both men and women are drawn to the sleek Honda S2000, a car that more than once has won engine of the year in its category.  They are performance cars that give a person a certain satisfaction and pleasure when flying down the motorway. Sports cars are designed to look sleek and sporty to make them stand out from the saloons and family vehicles that dominate the roads.

The main characteristics of today’s vehicles are cheapness and usefulness. Sports cars are all about performance and driving experience. A sports car is designed with one goal in mind – to accelerate fast, hug the curves and turns of the road better than conventional vehicles and make the driver feel like he or she owns the road.

The appearance of a sports car is the first thing that people are drawn to. As well as being aesthetically pleasing the car has to satisfy aerodynamic criteria. The design is intended to encourage would-be drivers to buy so that they can abandon convention and be free. The beautiful sweeping lines are all designed to break even the most stubborn of wills… Giving in to the temptation offered by a beautiful sports car is almost everyone’s dream.

Driving a sports car provides the driver with fun and thrills. Driving such a car can provide hours of excitement. Because these cars are designed to be driven they are engineered to very exacting standards.

The minute you drive out of the car showroom your car will have lost much of its original value. You can buy gap insurance to protect you against this loss of value. It is different with a sports car: as it ages it will often increase in value. Nearly all sports cars are constructed so that they will be able to withstand being driven fast and hard for many years. Sports cars usually end up being considered classics and can still fetch a great price many years later.

Desirability, speed, and high cost are the first thoughts that spring to mind when thinking about a sports car. People are drawn to a sports car in a way that isn’t equalled by most of today’s products. Sports car enthusiasts will band together and form clubs and any free time is spent caring for and driving their pride and joy. Club members may often receive pre-arranged discounts on insurance and car warranty products.

The appeal of high performance sports cars is difficult to ascribe to any one single factor. The freedom of the open road is best experienced at the wheel of a sports car. A convertible sports car is even more attractive. Some people love the idea of driving along the motorway with their hair being blown about.

These cars also attract us because they embody the latest designs and technology. The sports car is the ideal embodiment of streamlined styling coupled with a powerful yet compact engine. The sports car, because of its high performance and high-tech specifications, has achieved cult status.
A sports car is built to be driven and to respond to the driver. The allure of a sports car is all about giving the driver the feeling of ultimate control. The appeal lies in being able to drive to the limit and perhaps beyond by the controlled application of power. It is a form of expressing power and strength wrapped up in a beautiful package.

Driving a sports car can give you a real feeling of freedom. Every generation of sports car performs better than previous ones as a result of advances in technology. The sports car will always give us the feeling of power and of letting our wild side show through.These emotions are often prompted by nostalgia. Youthful memories are readily recalled by the sight or ownership of a classic sports car. They are treasured icons of the past. Classic sports cars should both improve and gain in value as they become older.

Whatever your model of sports car – a muscular classic or the latest – everyone will pay attention to it. The air of macho potency associated with a sports car will certainly draw people’s attention to you. You will attract admiration and envy if you are seen in a beautiful and powerful sports car. If you are thinking of buying a new sports car, you should seriously think about purchasing a product called finance shortfall gap insurance to protect you in the event of an insurance write-off.

Speed and performance automatically come to mind when people think about a sports car. The Toyota MR2 is an example of a sports car with an outstanding power to weight ratio: it is compact yet has a powerful sedan engine. Lady drivers especially like this car – as they do the Mazda MX5 – because of its compact design.

Supercars is the only fit description for the bigger sports cars such as the Ferrari Enzo, the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster and the Audi R8. The bigger they get the more weight the builders need to lose, and that’s when things get really interesting. Selecting the lightest materials for construction is the usual method of reducing the weight of high performance production sports cars. Cars like these invariably have body panels made from glass fibre or carbon fibre. Removing mod cons such as air conditioning and electric windows, thick carpets also helps with weight reduction. Of greatest significance in weight reduction is the use of wheels made out of the latest hi-tech alloy composites.

The reduction of body weight, powerful supercharged engines and state of the art technological advances make for blisteringly quick super cars like the Ferrari 40 and Lamborghini Gallardo. An engine has to do more work to power a heavier car. This makes the car perform better without slowing it down; it can hold corners better and the car is therefore easier to control.

A sports car is something that seems to appeal to almost everyone. A fine sports car parked on a road or driving down one immediately attracts the attention of most onlookers. A sports car is alluring and fun. Many people would love to own a sports car and should do so if they have the money?

The sole contact points between your vehicle and the road are its tyres. For this very fact alone it stands to reason that your car’s tyres should not only be safe, but also hard-wearing, made from high quality materials, be durable and still provide you and your family with a comfortable drive. Together with ancillary insurance products such as their car warranty, motorists should consider buying wheel and tyre insurance if they spend large amounts of time out on the roads.

To meet the above demands, tyres need to be manufactured to exacting standards: sometimes up to 200 separate raw materials are used in their manufacture. The difference between a cheap and expensive tyre is due to factors like the rubber compound being of a better quality, the amount of testing put into tread patterns and rubber stability and the fact that when making tyres at higher temperatures the tyres are of a better quality as a result.

The more testing done by a tyre manufacture the lower the road noise will be, the longer the tyre will perform at its peak rate and the safer your family will be. So it should not come as a surprise that there are many different types of tyres that are manufactured for our vehicles and that their treads actually do matter. Some of these are made for a specific purpose while others are purely used for high performance road driving, the race track, desert driving or more rugged terrain such as woodlands or farms.

Tyre Width and Tread
The tyre grip depends on its rubber compound and the grooves that are present in the tread pattern, as it is the tread that does all the work. The tread helps determine how well the tyre grips on a dry road. Each manufacturer designs its own tread pattern to achieve this.

The tread grooves will disperse water in the wet and thus the tyre will grip the tarmac and stay in contact with the road. If the tyre tread is not able to disperse enough water, then your vehicle will aquaplane. When you aquaplane, there is little or no contact between road and tyre and so you will lose control of the car as the tyre loses grip. The more efficiently the grooves expel the water, the better the tyre will be at maintaining grip in wet weather conditions. If tyre treads wear down, they have diminished ability to expel water and that is where it gets dangerous for you and other road users. Worn tyres are dangerous – do not drive on tyres with less than the legal tread limit.

There are many types of tread pattern, all of which are used for different performance issues including standing up to various driving forces such as cornering, steering and high speed braking, road noise reduction, low wear and traction with the surface you are driving on. Tyre treads are designed to cope with the road surface be it snow, farm tracks (large knobbly tyres for digging in), race tracks (soft tyres with minimal groves) or wet weather tyres (deep groves designed to expel water out and away from your car).

The sidewalls combine with the air in the tyre to carry the weight of the vehicle. The outside of the sidewall should always be where you find the tyre size and specification details. Damaged sidewalls could cause a blow out with deadly consequences.

There are legalities in relation to the tyre specifications. This is because they are the main safety features of a tyre. The manufacturer is responsible for any relevant sidewall markings and an owner is responsible for the condition of tyre including the width and tread depths.

The legal minimum tread depth for car tyres is 1.6mm continuously around the band of the central tread of the tyre, circling at least 75 % of the tyre. The remaining grooves must have a depth of a least 1 mm again circling 75 % of the tyre. It is always advisable to change the tyre before it gets to this level, not only for safety reasons, but legal reasons too. Not performing regular checks could mean that your tyres are illegal and cost you a fine of up to two-and-a-half thousand pounds and potentially three points on your licence.

Belted/Radial Tyres
These have replaced the formerly popular cross-ply tyre. The materials of the radial tyres inner casing runs perpendicular to the direction of tyre travel. If viewed side on, the materials run radially, hence their name. The only problem associated with the composition of this type of tyre is that the materials cannot absorb the lateral force when cornering or accelerating. To correct this, the materials are supported by another structural material, for example steel belts.

The steel belts are rubber encircled ropes of steel wire. They give structural rigidity and maintain the tread flat in contact with the road. With bead-wires, the ultra-strong steel wires hold an extreme resistance to stretching, therefore holding the tyre to the rim, even during very high performance driving.

Run Flat Tyres
Manufacturer have now developed tyres and systems that allow a vehicle to continue moving despite there being a loss of pressure in the tyres. Two systems are available. The reinforced tyre sidewall brands on the market include Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, and Pirelli. The other uses a rubber clip attached to the rim; brands using this system include Michelin. Run flat tyres should be fitted only in conjunction with your car’s tyre pressure warning system, if applicable. Although new cars will automatically be provided with the appropriate tyre choice, if car buyers are replacing run flat tyres with aftermarket upgrades, due care must be taken to ensure that they are compatible with your car.

Little Known Fact: Rubber car tyres actually deteriorate with age, this is even the case when those tyres have simply sat on a warehouse shelf and not been used. This aging means that the tyre will be more prone to sudden and unexpected structural failure. Similarly, spare tyres sitting either in your care or perhaps in your garage, are subject to deterioration! Never risk causing an accident just to save a little money. It’s false economy to buy tyres in bulk if you end up replacing them prematurely due to deterioration. Always ask your tyre supplier how long the tyres they are selling you have been on the self.

Summer Tyres
These particular tyres provide excellent driving and braking performance, both on dry and wet roads, during temperatures above freezing in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. Summer tyres typically perform well in warm weather and are not suitable for cold driving conditions. The simple block shaped tread on the tyre ensures that the tyre’s contact with the road is as firm as possible, giving maximum grip at all times.

Winter Tyres/Cold Weather Condition Tyres
These tyres are for use when the weather turns cold or there is snow and ice on the roads. The tread has a blocked design with deep, wide blades or grooves. These ensure that there is superior traction and braking performance on winter road surfaces. The tread rubber gives excellent friction and allows flexibility at low temperatures. Most of the current designs are centred towards the braking performance and driving control on icy roads. Sports such as World Rally and track motor sports have helped by providing invaluable information regarding performance so that tyre designs and technology are continuously being improved.

All-Season Tyres
As their name suggests, these are designed for use all-year round, and are more complex than other tyres. This is because of the longer block-edge that is used for winter. More blades or grooves are apparent in these tyres to ensure improved braking and driving performance, produced by maximising the effect of its edge. All-season tyre tread designs provide superb all-around traction for various road conditions, whilst still providing even wear and low noise.

Snow tyres
Snow tyres are especially designed to perform better when driving in the snow. They have been designed to replace the standard tyre for the winter months to ensure driving on the snow and ice is safer. They have much deeper treads that increase the traction and the rubber used maintains its elasticity in the cold temperatures. Higher volumes of snow, sleet and ice are displaced by using a tyre with deeper treads. They will perform well in such conditions as road flooding, ice and mud.

4WD Tyres
4wd tyres are produced for high performance on 4×4 vehicles, they will often be made for driving off-road too. Today many vehicles are built with four wheel drive capability; 4WD (4 wheel drive) is no longer the sole domain of Land Rover Discovery and Toyota Land Cruiser. Modern saloon cars like the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru’s WRX also have four wheel drive systems which can be engaged either permanently or – as in the case of the Subaru Forester 4WD for example – can be engaged and disengaged as dictated by driving conditions. Gone are the days where 4WDs were only used by the military and emergency services. In fact as a group Future45 Ltd has found a steady increase in sales of gap insurance to buyers of 4WD Sports Utility Vehicles over the past 36 months and expect this market segment to continue it’s growth.

Little Known Fact: Heat can cause tyre fatigue resulting in catastrophic failure. The main causes of such failure are due to frequent overloading of the vehicle which overheats the tyres though friction; the other is simply by living in a country with a hot climate. Since the tyres are prone to failure far sooner in these conditions more frequent tyre condition checks should be made under these circumstances. Many tyre manufacturers recommend that a vehicle’s tyres are changed every 5 to 7 years on average even if they still have plenty of legal tread on them.

Car Tyre’s sidewall markings
Markings are apparent on all tyres; if your tyre doesn’t have any, then it is not an acceptable tyre. The markings hold all sorts of information and will help you choose the right tyre for your car. For example:

If your tyre has 175/65 R14 T imprinted on it then:
• 175 is the tyre width in mm
• 65 is the tyre sidewall profile or the sidewall height as a percentage of its width
• R means radial (rather than a cross ply)
• 14 is the diameter of the wheel rim, in inches
• T is the speed rating which must match, or exceed the maximum speed of your car.

Speed ratings are as follows:
S 180 km/h or 112 mph
T 190 km/h or 118 mph
U 200 km/h or 125 mph
H 210 km/h or 130 mph
V 240 km/h or 149 mph
W(ZR) 270 km/h or 168 mph
Y(ZR) 300 km/h or 186 mph
ZR Above 240 km/h or 149 mph

Big Brand Tyres & Their Reputations

It used to be the case that there were only 3 or 4 brands that were available, but due to mergers and the increasing demands and needs of the consumer, more budget brands have entered the marketplace. The main ones are:

Michelin(France) -This is the world’s number one tyre manufacturer. They own Michelin, BF Goodrich, Kleber, Uniroyal and Riken.
Bridgestone(Japan) -One of the top 3 manufacturers. Back in 2003 Bridgestone (Japan) recently announced that they would be investing heavily in new research and development to produce tyres in the high performance sector, and also intended to raise their stakes in Europe’s share of global Bridgestone business. This initiative was a success and has put Bridgestone firmly in amongst the worlds top tyre manufacturers. Today they own Bridgestone, Firestone, Daytona and Europa.
Goodyear Dunlop(USA) -Goodyear Chemical provides both standard and high-performance polymers, antioxidants, latex and adhesive resin products to its customers on a global scale. The business has annual revenues of more than $750 million. Recently merged to form one of the largest tyre manufacturers in the world, they own Dunlop, Goodyear, Fulda, Falken and Kelly.
Yokohama (Japan) -In the top 10 list of manufacturers. Their 4WD tyres are world renowned, Their name embossed on the tyre sidewall painted white ensures instant brand recognition.
Pirelli(Italy) -In the top 5 of manufacturers. Pirelli are one of the worlds premier premium tyre brands. High performance car and motorcycle tyres are synonymous with the Pirelli brand name. They have recently developed the Ceat and Courier brands.
Cooper Tyre(USA) -They own Cooper, Avon and Mastercraft.
Continental (Germany) -They own Continental, Uniroyal, General Tyre, Gislaved and Semperit.
Toyo (Japan) – They are one of the newest budget firms.
Kumho (Korea) – They are a budget range with an emphasis on sporting tyres.
Vredestein (Netherlands) – They have an enormously wide range of tyres and are constantly working on innovative solutions, which they prove in practice by regularly introducing new tyres.

Tyre Terms You May Have Heard Before

Rolling Resistance
The rolling resistance of your tyres can affect your fuel economy. Correctly pumped tyres are essential to the tyres performance and your fuel economy. Therefore some tyres are described as “fuel savers”, “eco” or “energy” tyres. These tyres may have low rolling resistance. A general rule is that the narrower a tyre the more fuel you will save and they often, though not always, are less likely to aqua plane on road surface water at higher speeds! Interesting and completely logical when you think about it!

Tyre Pressures
Always check that your car has the correct tyre pressure. You will find the recommended pressure for your car either in the handbook, the glove box or the inside of the driver door panel. Check the tyre pressure every couple of weeks. Always check your tyre pressure when your tyres are cold, as the further you drive the hotter the air inside them will be: air expands as it warms up and you will therefore get a false reading.

It’s interesting to note how Formula One racing has employed this principle. Cold Formula One tyres are actually almost flat! They need to be brought up to temperature very quickly for optimal performance. Optimal performance is when the tyres are blisteringly hot and that makes them sticky as the rubber compound melts. This melting rubber is then used for holding the car to the race track at high speed when taking corners. A Formula One car relies on the hot tyres as this expands the air in them, which in turn inflates the tyres. However in a road going car you must not drive with under or over inflated tyres as this will hinder the handling of the vehicle and their structural safety is also dependent on their inflation pressure. Uneven tyre pressure will increase both tyre wear and your fuel consumption.

Wheel Alignment
If you find that your tyres are evenly worn across the surfaces, this is a sign of good wheel alignment. If the tyre wear is uneven, this could be a result of over or under inflation. If your tyres are badly worn on one edge this could signal that the wheel alignment has been knocked off of track. It is then essential that you have your wheel checked by a reputable garage or wheel and tyre centre as soon as possible. They will check your wheel alignment, camber and toe settings for you to ensure a safer drive, lower fuel consumption and longer tyre life.

Wheel Balancing
Wheels are balanced using tiny leads weights placed on the outside of your rims after the tyre has been fitted to the wheel. Each wheel is done individually. If your wheels are unbalanced, not only will you feel a vibration in your steering wheel, but the vibrations become more violent as the balancing gets worse. These vibrations can cause mechanical damage to your car and the distraction to the driver is dangerous. Always seek professional help as soon as you feel that there is anything at all that may be wrong with your vehicle’s tyres. Not only your life, but those of your family and other motorists are also at stake. Again, it is essential that you have your checked by a reputable garage or wheel and tyre centre.

Spare Tyre
Always ensure that your spare wheel is in good condition. Check the spare tyre’s pressure and tread every few months, so avoiding any problems should you need to use it. Your spares tread should be within legal limits if you have elected to use a tyre which you previously had on your car. Best practice is to always have a brand new tyre for your spare. You can use either a full-sized spare, or buy a temporary “mini-spare” to save space. These are designed to take up less room in your vehicle and to get you home in an emergency. They are not meant to be driven on for long periods of time and they are usually not suitable for speeds in excess of forty to fifty miles per hour. If in doubt consult the manufacturer.

Directional Tyres
Directional Tyres guarantee the best possible sound reduction and water dispersion. For these reasons the tyres must be fitted correctly. Directional tyres are fitted with the arrow point and the words “ROTATION” pointing towards the forward driving direction of the vehicle.

Asymmetrical Tyres
Tyres with an asymmetrical tread also exist. These have a more open tread on the inner section and less open tread on the outer section. The less open tread is intended for high traction on a dry road and road adherence in corners while the inner section has a more open tread that results in an improved dispersion of water.

Tyre Care Reminder

It is essential that you maintain the tyre pressure, for safety, economy and for the sake of the environment. So check that all your tyres are at the correct pressures, every couple of weeks. Don’t forget to check your spare.

When you do this, also check for any tyre damage at the same time. Tyre failure could occur as a result of any cuts, lumps or scrapes which you notice on your tyres which go unchecked. Noticing uneven wear could mean that the wheel alignment is incorrect, or if you have braked suddenly, there may be a flat area. So again, always have them professionally checked if you have been involved in any situation involving emergency or heavy braking.

Remember that not only is it illegal to have tyres below the legal limit of 1.6mm, but you may well also void your car insurance. There will also be a greater risk of skidding and aquaplaning. It’s important to inspect the tread regularly.

This article was supplied by the Gap Insurance division at Future45 Ltd group of companies for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice. In the interests of your safety please consult your local tyre replacement centre if you are in any doubt about the condition of your car tyres.