Tyres provide contact between your car and the road and play a significant role in ensuring your car's safety and ability to stop effectively.

At Rodneys Auto Centre, we pride ourselves on our reputation for honesty, experience, and local knowledge as independent business owners. With our range of tyres and specialised equipment, we are fully equipped to handle any new tyre fitting, wheel alignment and balancing needs you may have. Additionally, we stand behind all of our work with our Nationwide Warranty.

Ensuring your car receives regular servicing is essential to maintaining its optimal condition. As part of this, it's wise to have your tyres checked to monitor their condition and identify any possible issues. In addition, consulting with your trusted mechanic at Rodneys Auto Centre can reveal whether your car would benefit from a wheel alignment or wheel balancing, both of which can greatly enhance your driving experience while ensuring maximum safety for you and your passengers. These low-cost solutions are well worth considering to optimise your vehicle's performance.

The wear and tear on vehicle tyres can significantly impact your driving experience. Here are three examples of when it's time to replace them:

1. Tread Wear - A tire’s tread is designed to grip the road and channel water away from the tire surface to prevent hydroplaning. Over time, the tread will wear out, becoming less effective and reducing traction. When the tread is down to 1.6mm or less, it’s time to replace the tyres.

2. Punctures or Tears - Tyres can also be damaged by road hazards like potholes, sharp objects, or debris. If you find a puncture or tear in the sidewall or tread of your tyre, it’s essential to get it checked out as soon as possible. In some cases, it may be repairable, but if the damage is too extensive, you’ll need to replace the tyre.

3. Age - Even if your tyres look good and have plenty of tread left, they may still need to be replaced due to age. Tyres have a lifespan of six to ten years, depending on the type and usage. After this time, the rubber will begin to break down, becoming more brittle and prone to failure, even if they’ve been rarely used.

Tyre pressure is not just important to ensure you get the best fuel economy from your vehicle. Incorrect tyre pressure is a common cause of tyre damage as pressure and wear is directed at areas of the tyre not designed to take it. Perhaps most importantly the pressure of your tyres can have a direct impact on the driveability, and therefore the safety, of the vehicle.

We check your tyre pressures and ensure they are correct at every service, but should you have any concerns about your tyres current pressure or what that pressure should be, please give us a call to discuss.

Tyres will suffer from wear and tear at varying rates. The front and rear tyres for example will wear at different rates as front tyres generally carry more weight than rear ones, meaning faster heat build-up and therefore increased wear. The tyres on either side of your car will also tend to wear at different rates to those on the opposite side.

Having your tyres rotated regularly, every 8000 to 10,000 km for example, can help to ensure that all of your tyres wear at a similar rate and in the same places. Rodneys Auto Centre will be happy to undertake this task for you and inspect each tyre as they do it, letting you know of any issues that might present a problem or you should otherwise be aware of. We can undertake all types of tyre rotation for you including Cross rotation, straight rotation, 5 wheel rotation and four wheel drive rotation.

You should check your tyres yourself on a regular basis to ensure they are in good condition. Be on the lookout for bald or flat spots, tears and cuts in the surface of the tyre and any foreign objects likely to cause problems such as stones, nails and other road debris. You should also have a tyre professional give them a check on a regular basis as they have the knowledge and equipment to properly check the entire tyre and may spot issues you simply don't see.

Although checking your tyres is a task that you can undertake yourself, professionals at Rodneys Auto Centre are equipped to examine not only the external surface but also the internal condition of your tyres. They possess an in-depth understanding of the appropriate procedures for disassembly, repair and reassembly, as well as any manufacturer or legal requirements involved.

Regular wheel alignment helps to protect against premature or uneven tyre wear, increases the safety and handling of your vehicle and improves ride performance and fuel efficiency. Wheel balancing helps to minimise vibration through the wheels, thereby minimising premature or uneven tyre wear. Either wheel service (or both) will go a long way in helping to maximise the life of your tyres along with safety and handling benefits.

It's essential to keep an eye on your vehicle's tyres, checking the tread depth, air pressure, and visual condition regularly. Knowing when it's time to replace them will keep you safe on the road and help avoid any unexpected breakdowns or accidents.

Rodneys Auto Centre supply and fit a range of tyres suitable for most vehicle types in our Casino car service workshop