My Happy Place: The Tire Store

I was at my local Discount Tire yesterday, getting the tires on my wife’s car rotated. With three vehicles in the household, this is a regular event.  The store is staffed with professional, knowledgeable people so I look forward to each visit.  While there, I stare at the racks of new tires dreaming of the time I can buy my next set.  Yes, I have a tire addiction.

To many people, tires are a necessary evil for their car.  To me, they are a vital link between the car and road.  The wrong tires can make the driving experience miserable, causing a harsh ride, vibration or poor traction.  The right tires can do the opposite, providing a smooth ride with terrific grip.  

That’s why each time I go to the tire store, I talk with the employees to get their feedback on the latest tires.  I’m sure they humor me because they see their next big sale, but they do know their stuff.

Replace Tires On A Brand New Car?

The last four new cars I bought all came with mediocre tires.  Three of the four were equipped with run flat tires, which are inherently harsh riding tires.  In each case, I replaced the tires on each of those cars with a high performance (non-run flat) tire.

For the fourth vehicle (2022 Subaru Outback), I took a different route.  The standard tire on my Subaru was the Yokohama Avid GT, an all season tire that I would rate as “OK.”  They rode and handled OK, but were unremarkable in every other way.  Within three days of ownership, I had a new set of tires enroute to my house.

I wanted to try a set of Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires for added winter traction, and to give the vehicle a tougher look. I also bought new bronze LP Aventure wheels, had the tires mounted on the new wheels and shipped them to my house. This was done through Tirerack.com from the comfort of my sofa. Fun and easy.

Like Christmas Morning For Car Guys

It was like Christmas morning when the new tires and wheels arrived.  The tires were already mounted and balanced, so I only had to install them on the vehicle.  

Those tires lasted a good 25,000 miles until I ran over a chunk of steel on the highway.  They were worn enough to justify all new tires, so I bought a set of Nokian Encompass AW01 all-weather tires.  Nokian is a Finnish brand that is growing in the U.S.  These were the best riding tires of the three sets installed on the Outback.  

Final Thoughts

I can’t explain it, but there is something magical about being in a tire store. I just sold my Outback in October and bought a new Ford Ranger in November, so when I walked into Discount Tire with my wife, she said I had a goofy expression on my face. I was looking at the racks of new tires wondering if the Ranger needed a new set.  With only 600 miles on the Ranger, my wife quickly stopped me in my tracks.  I think she said something like “you don’t need new tires.”  I was too distracted to remember, but I’m actually pretty happy with the Goodyear Wranglers, so will likely stick with them until they wear out.  

Or, maybe next month I’ll buy something different.

Are you a tire fanatic, too?  Let me know how you manage your tire addiction in the comments below.

Curious what makes me tick?  Check out Meet the Vehicle Nanny .