Learning to Read a Car Tire

In our blog entries, we like to provide insight on options that can simplify your life when it comes to your vehicle.  In today’s instance, we’re going to provide you with tips on how to read a tire.  Knowing how to read your tire can provide detailed information like the type of vehicle, if they’re seasonal, the speed rating, temperature resistance, as well as the width and diameter of the tire.

Read the manufacturer and the tire name.  These are easy! They are printed in large letters toward the outside of the tire.  With more than 100 tire manufacturer’s it might be hard to pinpoint the perfect one for your vehicle.  By contacting our service department, we can help you find a perfect fit.  The tire name might just be a combination of numbers and letters following the manufacturer name.

Width and aspect ratio.  This is a sequence of numbers near the center of the tire.  They would look something like www/aa/SCrr or www/aaCrr.  The first series of 3 numbers tells width in millimeters (from 155 to 315).  The 2 numbers after the slash show the aspect ratio of the tire.

The prefix in front of the width and aspect ratio drtermine type.

LT – Light truck

P – Passenger

BP – Cosmetically Blemished Passenger

ST – Steel Radial

The load index is the tire size's relative load carrying capabilities. The higher the load index number, the larger load carrying capacity.

The Z,W, and Y ratings are for tires that have extremely high top-speed capabilities.

The cold inflation numbers are near the inner edge of the tires.  This tells you the pressure the tire should be at to optimize performance.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at the dealership for more info!

Preventing Auto Theft

The restaurant is dimly lit; creating an ambiance that is both inviting and tasteful. You bite into your steak, looking through the window outside as you measure the flavor of your first morsel. It’s then; you see a shadowy figure huddled by the drivers’ side of your car. You watch, as if in slow motion, as the individual quickly enters your car via force and drives off in your brand new car.

The scariest moment during theft is watching your hard earned vehicle being taken by someone who wanted a quick buck.

In today’s blog, we discuss some solutions for protecting your car from theft. Theft begins with opportunity, as we all know. The thief sees a opportune moment to strike. Diminish these opportunities by being prepared. An alarm system is a good beginning, however most thieves have a full understanding of most theft systems. Here are some ways to protect your vehicle:

Obviously, you should never do any of these things:

• Never leave the windows down or the sunroof open;

• Never leave the keys in the ignition, or someplace else in the car such as under the visor;

• Never leave the car running and unattended, even for only a few minutes;

• Never leave car unlocked

• Don't leave your spare key somewhere a thief is likely to look, like magnetically stuck to the exhaust pipe or sitting on top of the tire;

• Only leave the ignition key with the valet, and make sure that the key to the glove box is a different cut;

• When you park on the street, turn the front wheels sharply into the curb and always use the emergency brake;

• Disable the car in some way, either by removing the electronic ignition fuse or by some other method;

Stolen vehicles are usually sold as parts because it’s more difficult for police to track hundreds of vehicle parts, as opposed to an entire car. Want to keep your car immune from theft? Consider these options:

• Ignition and fuel kill switches;

• Floorboard, gearshift, tire/wheel and hood locks;

• Vehicle tracking device

• If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, back into the driveway; if you have a front-wheel drive vehicle, drive straight into the driveway;

• If you have a garage, clean it out and park your vehicle in there, and always lock your garage doors;

• Install a motion-sensor light or alarm system on your garage doors;

We hope that we provided some great tips for you, guys. Have a great week!  Feel free to share any experiences you might have had, or additional tips.