Consejos para adquirir neumáticos de verano de calidad

Even if all-season tires are popular: with their safety and environmental properties, separate winter and summer tires cannot be beaten. We offer the best tips for buying summer tires.

Summer tires: why the change is important

The requirements placed on a tire differ depending on the road and the season or outside temperature. Therefore, winter and summer tires are made of various rubber compounds to meet these requirements. There is no legal requirement to change winter tires, but it should be done to improve driving safety and better environmental features. High-quality summer tires are made of a harder rubber compound, providing more support and stability on the road due to better adhesion, while winter tires wear more easily due to the composition of softer materials at higher temperatures. This can go so far that even parts of the profile can be replaced at high external temperatures.

Overview of the advantages of summer tires

A major advantage of summer tires is the shorter braking distance: at 35°C outside temperatures and a speed of 100 km/h, winter tires can have a braking distance that is approximately 16 m longer than that of summer tires. And these advantages also convince skeptics to switch tires:

• Lower fuel consumption: a vehicle equipped with summer tires can consume less fuel than one with winter tires.
• Lower costs: in addition to the fuel savings, the longer life of the tires plays a role. Winter tires wear out much faster due to the softer rubber compound.
• Greater driving stability: the vehicle has more stiffness in summer with the right tires and is even more stable at higher speeds.
• More safety: a vehicle that is stable on the road and brakes in a short manner means more safety for the occupants and other road users.

Tip: Usually, for the use of summer tires: from «O to O», that is, from Easter to October. The rule is recommended as a guideline. The change to summer tires should always be based on actual weather conditions, especially in very early Easter festivals, there is still snow in some regions.

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Key tips for buying the right summer tires

For the vehicle to drive even at higher temperatures and be controlled accurately, the tires must match their speed rating. This indicates the speed at which summer tires can drive at maximum. It should be noted that the tire’s maximum speed rating cannot be used for wet conditions, as the braking distance can sometimes be significantly longer in affected road conditions.

The following aspects are equally important for the purchasing decision:

1. Volume

   • The EU tire label, which has been mandatory since 2012 and can be found on the tire, indicates a volume in decibels. As a general rule, the higher the specified decibel number, the louder the driving noise. Even a deep profile strengthens the tires.

2. Durability

   • In the search for cheap summer tires, some drivers use older models. The printed point number shows if a tire can still be used and, if so, for how long. It consists of four digits, with the first two for the Calendar Week and the last two for the year of production. After ten years at the latest, tires should be changed regardless of wear, as the rubber compound becomes brittle.

3. Tread depth

   • Summer tires should have a tread depth of at least two millimeters, the legal minimum depth is 1.6 millimeters. You should also consider minimum depths when buying used tires.

Tip: Summer tires should be bought anti-cyclically, ideal in winter. Then prices are often lower than in spring.