Check three things: tread depth, age, and visible damage. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.5 mm, but wet-weather grip drops sharply below 3 mm, so replace them by then. Look for the tread wear indicators (small raised bars in the grooves). Also replace any tyre older than 6 years regardless of tread, and any with bulges, cracks, or sidewall cuts.

Use the pressure printed on the sticker inside the driver's door jamb or in the owner's manual, not the number on the tyre sidewall (that is the maximum). Typical passenger cars run 220 to 250 kPa (32 to 36 psi). Check monthly with the tyres cold, since driving heats them and inflates the reading.

Start with the size, load index, and speed rating on your current tyres or the placard inside the driver's door, and match them to your manufacturer's specification. Then consider how you drive. Wet-weather grip matters most on NZ roads, so look at the wet braking performance on the tyre label. Highway drivers should prioritise low road noise and long tread life, while SUV and 4WD owners on gravel or rural roads may want an all-terrain or more puncture-resistant option. Quality varies between brand tiers, so ask us to explain the differences for your vehicle. Tyres below the legal 1.5 mm tread minimum will fail a Warrant of Fitness (WoF), so it's best to replace them before your WoF is due.

Not always, but replace at least in pairs (both front or both rear), with the new pair on the rear axle for better stability in the wet. For AWD and 4WD vehicles, mismatched tread depth can strain the drivetrain, so replacing all four is often recommended. Tyres with uneven wear can also cause a WoF inspector to flag the vehicle, so ask us to check your current set before deciding.

Take 205/55 R16 91V as an example. 205 is the width in mm, 55 is the sidewall height as a percentage of the width, R means radial construction, 16 is the wheel diameter in inches, 91 is the load index, and V is the speed rating (up to 240 km/h). Always match the size, load index, and speed rating to your manufacturer's specification, especially if you tow or carry heavy loads. Tyres that don't meet the vehicle's requirements can fail a WoF.

Rotate every 8,000 to 10,000 km to even out wear. Get an alignment check once a year, after hitting a pothole or kerb, or if the car pulls to one side or the steering wheel sits off-centre. NZ's chip-seal roads and rural gravel can wear tyres unevenly, so drivers who cover a lot of these surfaces benefit from checking more often.

A puncture in the central tread area, under about 6 mm in diameter, can usually be repaired properly with a plug-patch fitted from the inside of the tyre. Sidewall damage, shoulder punctures, large holes, and tyres driven while flat cannot be safely repaired and must be replaced. A quick external plug alone is only a temporary fix to get you to a tyre shop, and a poor repair can fail a WoF.