Q: How do I choose tyres for my car? What are the things I should keep in mind?
Choosing the right tyres for your car is crucial for safety and performance on Singapore's roads. 
To start, consider the driving conditions you frequently encounter. All-season or touring tyres are good options for Singapore roads. They also provide a smooth and comfortable ride on highways and have good handling on dry roads, which works well for those who enjoy long drives to Malaysia during long weekends.
As an added precaution, go for tyres with a long tread life (every manufacturer has a tread life guarantee) to ensure they last throughout your trip.
The size of the tyre is also important. Choose the recommended size for your car's make and model. Tyres that are too small or too big can affect handling and performance.
While it may be tempting to go for the cheapest option, remember that quality tyres are an investment that can keep you safe on the road and save you money in the long run.
Q: My front tyres are almost bald, but the rear ones look barely worn. The staff at the tyre shop told me the rear tyres should also be changed as they were unevenly worn. What are the reasons for the difference in lifespan of the tyres and the uneven wear pattern?
A: On a front-wheel-drive car, the front tyres will wear roughly twice as fast as the rear ones.
This is because power and traction are handled only by the front tyres. In addition, on any front-engined, front-wheel-drive car, the front tyres carry more weight.
At the rear, the tyres do not need to work as hard because they do not have driving or steering duties. They are also lightly laden in comparison.
Although not frequent or obvious, there is a tendency for rear tyres to experience uneven loading. Over undulations or speed humps (if you do not slow down enough), the tyres go through a wide range of loading. This phenomenon by itself can cause a small amount of peripheral unevenness.
Another major cause of the wear could be down to worn dampers. This will result in even greater load fluctuations because with insufficient damping, the springs will cause the tyres to bounce several times over speed humps or road irregularities. Often, the unevenness can be visible around the tread.
The only remedy in such a situation is to replace the car's dampers with new ones.
With front-wheel-drive cars, it is always advisable to rotate the tyres – front to rear and vice versa – every 5,000km or so, according to Hyper Tyres, which is the sole distributor for Hankook and Laufenn tyres in Singapore.
“Rotate the tyres in a forward cross pattern. This means that the left front goes to the left rear and the right front goes to the right rear,” says Mr Leonard Tay, the tyre specialist’s general manager, adding that this will help lengthen the lifespan of the tyres.
Q: When some of my car tyres wear out or get punctured, is it necessary to change all four in one go? How should we decide?
First of all, if the puncture is repairable, you can get it repaired at the tyre shop and continue to drive. However, if it is beyond repair, then it is advisable to change.
Mr Ng Wee Liong, the head of retail operations at Stamford Tyres, points out that if the tyres' mileage hover between 5,000 to 6,000km, they are then considered new with a low wear rate. “In this instance, the driver can choose to change the damaged piece. But this scenario is only applicable if the tyres fitted are the same design,” he says.
“Otherwise, it's advisable to change the two tyres on the same side – either the front two or rear two, depending on where the puncture is located.” 
If the tyres' mileage is between 8,000 and 10,000 km, then it is best to change at least two at one go.
The caveat is, Mr Ng notes, that the decision is dependant on “how worn out the tyres are – always check the tread depth to determine when to change them”.
This story by Shreejit Changaroth first appeared in The Straits Times. Additional reporting by Terence Lim.
 
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