What To Look For When Buying The Best Tires For High Mileage?
There are a few things you want to look out for when buying high-mileage tires, and I have listed those things and why they matter below.
Treadwear Rating
The treadwear rating will be a number between 100 to 1000. This is a rating that manufacturers are required to assign the rubber compound. The higher this number is will be the longer the tire lasts.
To find this, if you are shopping online, it will be under the “tire description” labeled “treadwear rating.” It will also be stamped somewhere on the tire’s sidewall in smaller print.
For long-lasting tread life, you want the treadwear rating to be between 600 and 800.
Speed Rating
Another rating that plays a role in how long to expect the rubber compound to last is the speed rating. This is another grade that must be assigned to tires from the manufacturer to determine maximum safe operating speed.
Speed ratings go from B to Y and work the same as tread wear ratings. The lower the letter is in the alphabet, the higher the speed a tire can travel at.
This will matter because tires with a higher speed rating are designed for higher traction and shorter tread life.
For longer-lasting tread life, stay with T, H, and V speed ratings for longer-lasting tread life.
Symmetrical Tread Pattern
Symmetrical tread patterns are designed for longer tread life and are less prone to irregular wear patterns.
They will have the same tread pattern from the center of the tire to the right of the shoulder as the left.
How Much Do High Mileage Tires Typically Cost?
I shopped around for you and found some prices for high-mileage tires based on the type of vehicle. I shopped for prices on TireRack, Amazon, DiscountTire, and other online tire retailers.
Four New Tires
- Passenger car- $500 to $900
- Sport vehicle- $700 to $1300
- Minivan- $600 to $1000
- SUV- $700 to $1400
- Truck- $700 to $1400
- Crossover- $600 to $1100
Two New Tires
- Passenger car- $300 to $700
- Sport vehicle- $400 to $800
- Minivan- $300 to $700
- SUV- $400 to $800
- Truck- $400 to $800
- Crossover- $350 to $750
Single Tire
- Passenger car- $150 to $300
- Sport vehicle- $200 to $450
- Minivan- $150 to $300
- SUV- $200 to $400
- Truck- $200 to $400
- Crossover- $175 to $350
Are High Mileage Tires Worth It?
High-milage tires can be worth it if you maintain them. They will be a little pricier than average mileage tires, so when you don’t maintain them, they will not last as long and, at that point, are a waste of money.
How Long Should Your High Mileage Tires Last?
How many miles you receive will depend entirely on your ability to maintain them properly. If not maintained, expect between twenty and forty thousand miles, but when properly maintained, you can expect to receive between sixty and ninety thousand miles.
Does the Year of Your Vehicle Matter When Buying High Mileage Tires?
This would be a question for you to answer. Since high mileage tires are pricier and last a long time, if you have an older vehicle that you’re not sure about keeping or long it has left, it might not be a good idea to spend the money on them.
Anything Else Worth Knowing When Buying High Mileage Tires?
I preach tire maintenance and want to give you a few tips on what proper tire maintenance looks like.
- Tire rotation every five to eight thousand miles
- Air pressure checks once a month
- Have your wheel alignment check once a year
If you follow these tips, you will be set up to have tires that last you for life!