Today, we'll be talking about car tires. As a heads up, tires and wheels are used interchangeably, but the truth is that a tire is the rubber part on the rim, and together with the rim, they make a car wheel as we know it.

Why are Tires Important?
Just like the engine, gearbox, suspension, and other core components, car tires are crucial, and every driver should have all the basics of tires at their fingertips. Tires affect a number of aspects of the overall car's performance, as discussed below.

(a) Traction, Handling, and Stability
Tires are the contact point between the road and the automobile and affect traction. For starters, traction is the resistance between the road and the tire in reaction to the car's torque. You'll find that softer tires tend to improve traction but, consequently, wear out faster. Tires also influence handling and stability. The best tires should have good responsiveness for better control when maneuvering around turns or switching lanes.

(b) Safety
Tires directly affect the safety of a car. A car should be fitted with the right tires as specified by the manufacturer, lest it becomes a ticking time bomb. Many accidents occur because the vehicle has the wrong tires. Tires also affect aspects such as braking, traction, stability, and handling, which are all related to safety. Last, tires should be in roadworthy condition and properly inflated, lest they lead to blowouts, instability, and other hazards on the road.

(c) Fuel Efficiency
When your ride starts turning into a guzzler, most of the time, you point fingers at the engine, particularly the fuel and ignition system, yet it could be the tires. Yes. Tires affect fuel efficiency. Tires affect rolling resistance, which in turn affects the energy required to roll. The idea here is to minimize rolling resistance to reduce the energy required for the tire to roll. This ultimately reduces gas mileage.

Besides the above, tires influence aesthetics. Aspects such as tire design and sidewall style, size and profile, color options, and logos impact the overall look of a car.
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Tire Sizes, Types, and Tread Patterns Explained
Indeed, car tires are important as they have a big effect on the car's performance and safety. Now, the next important thing you should be up to speed with is the different tire sizes, types of tires, and tread patterns.
1. Tire Size
When we say tire size, we are referring to 3 main dimensions;
Tire width
Aspect ratio
Diameter
In this segment, I'll explain tire size in detail. I will use this tire size for illustration:
235/80R17
Tire width is the length measured from the sidewall to the sidewall when the tire is properly inflated and mounted. Width is represented in millimeters (mm) and is often the first number in the tire size. In our case, the tire width is 245mm.
Aspect ratio, on the other hand, is the ratio of the tire sidewall's height to the tire's width. It is represented as a percentage and is the second number in the tire size. In our case, the aspect ratio is 80%, so the sidewall height is 80% of the tire width.
Last is the rim diameter, and as the name suggests, this represents the diameter of the wheel, which includes the rim and tire. The rim diameter is represented in inches. In our case, the rim diameter is 17 inches.
2. Tire Types
While there are over a dozen car tire brands, some of which you may not know, tires have some major categorizations you should be aware of. It's fundamental to use tires that have been designed for your driving conditions.
Below are themain types of car tires;

Summer tires - For dry and wet traction
Winter tires - Traction enhancement in snowy and icy conditions
All-season tires - Balanced performance during summer and winter
All-terrain tires - Designed for off road driving
Performance tires - Proper handling and responsiveness in high-speed driving
Regardless of the tires you will go for, stick to the manufacturer's recommended tire size.

3. Tread Patterns
The other aspect you need to know is about the tire tread patterns, and these are mostly dependent on the type of driving you engage in.
Below are the main thread types;
Symmetric treads - Most popular and designed for everyday driving
Asymmetric treads - Balanced performance in dry and wet conditions
Mud/snow treads - Winter and offroad conditions
Directional treads - Aesthetics and better water evacuation in wet conditions
Wrapping Up
The above are the basics of car tires. Of course, there are other nitty-gritty aspects and markings you will need to know, for example, speed index, load index, tread depth, and so on, so keep doing your research.

Choosing tires is always a challenge for me. I try not to do this without at least consulting with specialists, but it is better to entrust this moment to a car service. However, there is a proven tire shop, where I've already bought quality tires. The site has a support chat where you can always contact with questions.