Safety is the main feature sought by motorists who purchase new tires. Other important features are strength, low fuel consumption, low noise and low cost. These are the elements that emerged in a survey commissioned by Nokian Tires (YouGov March 2021) and carried out in Germany, northern Italy, Russia, Sweden and Finland. In each country, 1,000 motorists who participated in the purchase of tires were involved. The survey indicates that one in four motorists will purchase new winter tires only when the tread depth has reached the legal minimum. In addition, nearly a quarter of respondents indicated that they will only buy new tires when they realize that the safety features have reduced. These numbers do not include drivers who use all-season tires.
The findings raised some concern in Matti Morri, Technical Customer Service Manager of Nokian Tires. “Tires should never wear out completely. A tread depth of 4mm is a reasonable limit for replacing them. When the tread depth falls below 4 millimeters, the characteristics of the tires deteriorate, especially as regards the prevention of aquaplaning. A very low tread depth also increases the risk of puncture damage ”.
When buying tires, the possible durability of the product must be considered: the price is partially based on the materials used for production. Premium tires have better and longer lasting rubber and metal combinations than cheaper alternatives. For example, Nokian Tires SUV and van tires contain Aramid fibers which reinforce the sidewalls of the tires. Aramid is a very strong fiber used, for example, in body armor. “However, wear resistance shouldn’t be the only criterion for making a choice. In fact, it is necessary to focus on safety, and both good grip in the wet and the prevention of aquaplaning go in this direction “, added Matti Morri. “Motorists they can extend the life of their tires by rotating them from the front axle to the rear and vice versa. This will cause the tires to wear evenly. Unfortunately, tire rotation is far from common, even if this practice could even double the mileage that can be obtained from a set of tires ”.
According to the survey, however, in Italy this measure is taken into consideration much more than in other countries: as many as 43% of the Italian respondents declared that they rotate between the axes for uniform tire wear, while in Finland the percentage drops to 30%, followed by Russia (26%), Sweden (19%) and Germany (18%). Also, proper storage can improve tire life. The best place to store tires is a cool, dry place, protected from sunlight. An important element, given that the Nokian Tires survey indicates that more than 75% of motorists keep their tires at home while 21% of respondents use a tire hotel, i.e. a deposit service – a more common practice in Sweden, Germany and Italy than in Finland and Russia. The longer tire life is an economical choice for consumers and the best option for the environment. The Nokian Tires survey also includes some questions relating to environmental issues: the younger respondents felt it was important to lower CO2 emissions in tire production; older people are worried about the release of microplastics and fuel consumption. There have also been some gender differences: women are more interested in CO2 emissions and the sustainable production of raw materials than men. The latter, on the other hand, are more concerned about fuel consumption and external rolling noise.
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