Serving Our Community Since 1984

Run: PV NEWS Automotive, 3/18/04

Talking Tires and Batteries

by Dave Carney

Let’s talk tires and batteries. Both of these items are essential to the continued operation of your car, and, just like a bunch of bananas, they are both perishable. Consequently, you will have to replace them periodically as they wear out or die. To help simplify the replacement tasks, I have listed some handy tips below.

When shopping for new tires, the first thing you need to do is to match the new tire size to the tire that is on your car.  Begin by looking on the sidewall of your tire where you will find a number, i.e. P205/65R15. The “P” stands for passenger.  The 205 is a metric measurement of the actual width of the tire that is on the road.  The 65 is a metric measurement of the height of the tire from the road to the bottom of the rim. The “R” stands for radial. (Most tires today are radial as this is a tried and true process for building the strongest tires). The “15” is the rim size, or the inside diameter of the rim.

The tread wear has a numeric value. A comparative number for most cars is in the high 300s, i.e. 360.  The traction and temperature of the tire are rated AA, A, B, or C.  These ratings are based on traction and temperature tests, respectively.   The higher the letter rating, the higher the quality of the tire.  Like most things in life, you get what you pay for, so shop wisely.

Batteries are basically like power plants.  The more expensive the battery, the more power it has, and the longer its warranty period.  Most batteries have a five, six or seven year warranty.  Interestingly, batteries really do last very close to the actual warranty time.   In the event the battery fails while it is still covered by warranty, the warranty is prorated.  If it lasts just half as long, you’ll get 50 percent off a replacement battery.

One thing to be aware of is that a marginal battery, or one that is near the end of its warranty period, will go bad anytime there is a spike in the temperature, up or down.  For instance, a trip from Palos Verdes to either the mountains or the desert, will cause a marginal battery to fail.  A battery check should be part of every routine service you have performed on your car.

Questions?  Please feel free to give me a call at 310.373.7676. Our new Automotive Center is located on Hawthorne Blvd., at Newton Street in Torrance.  Hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday through Saturday.

Happy, safe driving!

Dave Carney