Pressure is Important

P.A.R.T.

Pressure:  Check once a month and maintain proper air pressure.

Alignment:  Align your wheels on a regular basis.

Rotate:  Have your tires rotated every 5,000 miles, or as recommended by your tire dealership.

Tread: Take the penny test.  Place a penny into a tread groove.  If you can see all of Abe’s head, you need new tires.

Pressure

If you ride a bike, you know it’s harder to peddle with soft, under-inflated tires. When your bike's tires are properly pumped, there’s less resistance and your trip is easier. It's the same for your car! You don’t notice because all you need to do to overcome the increase in resistance is to push the gas peddle a bit harder. But doing so makes your car's motor work harder. The harder your car's motor has to work, the more gas it burns. Under-inflated tires waste gas, which results in more pollution. Low tire pressure also reduces the handling and safety of your car, especially in rainy weather.

You can improve your fuel economy by about 3.3% if you keep your tires inflated properly. Make it a habit to check your tire pressure at least monthly because you won’t notice if your tire pressure is low until your tires have about half the recommended level of air.

Buy a tire-pressure gauge and add air as necessary. The psi number noted on the sidewall of your tires is the maximum pressure of the tire, not the proper inflation level. Find the recommended tire pressure in your owner's manual or on a sticker on the doorjamb of the driver-side door.

The ideal time to check your tires is before you start your car. You can’t get an accurate read if the tires are warm.

Alignment

Also check your tire alignment. Look at the tread on your tires – if the wheel alignment is bad, they’ll show uneven wear across the tread. Poor alignment not only wastes gas, it can make your car harder to handle in an emergency.  Ask your mechanic to realign your tires if they’re off kilter.

Rotation

Rotating your tires will lead to more even tread wear, and thus easier handling of your car.  Such maintenance will not only save you gas, but will maximize the life of the tires on your car.  Save the money; reduce tire waste.

Tread

You should invest in tires that have a long tread life.  A good tread rating should be at 300 or above.  Short-life treads result in unsafe driving and excessive waste.

Eco-Traction

Equally important is choosing the right kind of tire.  You can invest in low rolling-resistance tires to achieve maximum fuel efficiency.  Check whether eco-friendly tires are a viable option for your vehicle by following this link.

Finally...

When you have your next set of tires installed, ask for lead-free wheel weights.

And -- when your tires reach the end of their useful life, dispose of them properly.