How to prolong the life of your car tires this monsoon

It’s the season of long drives and outings, and you can’t just let the rains dampen your fun! While it is that time of the year to enjoy the rains and the green cover along your roads; it is also of utmost importance to follow cursory monsoon precautions. And the first place to start with are your tires.

Often, it starts with the uneven tire wear that’s when you know your tires need some attention. If you drive regularly, your tires should last around 12,000-15,000 miles (or about 3-4 years). However, if your car does a lot of sitting around your tires could need replacement much sooner due to aging that will cause them to dry out, break down, and crack. Unless you have a weekend-only car, there are a few tips that can help you make sure that you’re getting the best possible life out of your tires.

If you’re looking to make your tires last if they can (within reason), implement these tips.

• First things first, do pre-monsoon servicing at your nearest Volkswagen dealer in Hyderabad
• Check the tyre conditions (the tread grooves should be of min 1.016 cm all the tyres, look for side wall cuts in tyres, if so, replace it immediately)
• Rotate them: Rotating your tires will ensure that they wear evenly. Since your front tires carry most of the weight of your car and must tilt to accommodate turns, they wear more quickly and unevenly than your rear tires. Tires should be rotated at least every 6 months. Visit an authorized Volkswagen service center in Hyderabad for assistance.
• Don’t swerve: Coming up on a pothole or speed bump? Hit it head-on. If you’re consistently swerving to avoid obstacles, your tires will wear out faster from the motion. When they hit what you’re trying to avoid, they’ll hit it on the edge rather than with the full strength of the tire, making it more likely that they’ll wear badly or even pop.
• Check for wear: Keeping an eye on your tire wear is a good way to know when it’s time to go in for a rotation and when it’s time to replace them.
• Be realistic: Your tires aren’t going to last forever. Ask how long you should expect them to last when you buy them and keep that in mind as time passes.
• Don’t hold out: Driving on old, uneven, or bald tires is dangerous. Don’t wait to replace them until the very last second—it’s dangerous and can end up costing a lot more in car repairs if you run into trouble

• Additionally, Before the start of every trip – make sure you check your tyres.
• slow down when you see the sign! – The speed limit during the rains should be 20-25 km/hr. instead of 40 km/hr. during normal conditions
• Keep safe distance from the vehicles ahead – The distance should be double during the monsoon season than during other seasons, failing which you may not be able to get adequate braking distance in case the front vehicle suddenly stops
• Drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you
• Watch out for brake lights in front of you
• Handling a skid – You can prevent skids by driving slowly and carefully, especially on curves, brake before entering the curves, steer and brake with a light touch
• Expressway driving – Leave lots of space between you and the vehicle in front because it takes longer to stop
• Watch out for oily deposits – Watch for intersections because of the oil spots on the road
• Do not brake suddenly while driving in the rain, instead control the speed with the accelerator, pump the brake pedal and apply the brake slowly
• Do not suddenly swing the vehicle while driving in the rain
• Avoid driving in the rain during night time (after sunset). Never drive beyond the limits of visibility
• Don’t drive in heavy rain – When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance
• Never drive through moving water if you can’t see the ground through it; your vehicle could be swept off the road
• Avoid off-road driving – It’s hard to judge the actual depth of puddles and you can easily get stuck
• To overcome front end skids, release the brake and let the front wheels roll freely to regain traction and steering control
• For rear end skids, take foot off the accelerator and turn wheels in the direction that the rear of the vehicle is skidding and pump brakes lightly

We hope you follow these tips and tricks to stay and drive safe this monsoon.

And if you are one of those trying to get yourself new wheels this monsoon, make sure you visit PPS Motors for the monsoon sales offers on the range of Volkswagen cars