New Tires and Brands: Goodyear and Matched Options

Start with the facts printed on your car, not the sale sign. The placard on the driver door jamb lists the original tire size and the cold inflation pressure in psi. The sidewall of your current tire shows size, load index and speed rating, plus a maximum pressure that is the tire's own ceiling and not a recommendation. A replacement should meet or exceed the placard numbers, then fit the way you drive.

We ask a few questions before we suggest anything:

• How many miles a year, and mostly freeway or city?
• Do you tow, haul tools, or carry a full family often?
• Any dirt roads, trails or mountain trips?
• What bothered you about the last set: noise, wear, grip in the rain?
• How long do you plan to keep the vehicle?

Those answers narrow the choice to a few tires instead of a wall of them. We then write up each option with the installed price so you can compare side by side.

Each part of the code means something. In 225/65R17 102H, 225 is the width in millimeters, 65 is the sidewall height as a percentage of width, R means radial, 17 is the wheel diameter in inches, 102 is the load index and H is the speed rating. Match all of them, not just the first three numbers.

Truck tires may start with LT and end with a load range letter such as C or E. Those tires run different pressures and are built for weight. If your truck came with LT tires, a passenger-rated tire in the same size is usually a step down.

Two more markings are worth finding. UTQG stamps a treadwear number, a traction grade and a temperature grade into the sidewall. The last four digits of the DOT code give the build week and year, so 3223 reads as the 32nd week of 2023, and it is fair to ask for that number before a tire is mounted.

For more on tire safety and sidewall labels, see NHTSA's tire safety page (opens in a new tab).

The load index tells you how much weight each tire can carry at its rated pressure. The speed rating tells you the speed it can sustain safely under load. Going lower than the original on either can mean heat buildup, soft handling or a tire that wears out early, especially on heavy vehicles and in summer heat.

Load index

The number maps to a pound rating on an industry chart. Heavier vehicles such as three-row SUVs, pickups and electric cars need a higher index. EVs weigh more than similar gas cars because of the battery, which is why many use tires marked for extra load.

Speed rating

The letter maps to a published speed on an industry chart. S is rated to 112 mph, T to 118, H to 130 and V to 149. A higher rating often means sharper steering and a firmer ride. Dropping below the original rating is something we only do with your understanding and never on a vehicle where it would be unsafe.

When we will not fit a tire

If a tire's load rating is below what your vehicle requires, we will not install it, even if it is the size you asked for. We explain why and show what does fit.

Goodyear groups its tires into families. Assurance covers many sedans, minivans and crossovers with all-season tread. Wrangler covers pickups, Jeeps and SUVs, from highway to all-terrain. Eagle leans toward handling and performance. Goodyear also makes tires designed around electric vehicles. The exact model depends on your size and use.

• Assurance family: daily commuting, quiet ride, rain grip and long wear. Common on commuter cars and family crossovers.
• Wrangler family: trucks and SUVs. Highway versions for towing and freeway miles, all-terrain versions for dirt roads and trail access.
• Eagle family: sportier sedans and coupes where steering feel matters.
• EV-focused tires: built with load capacity and road noise in mind for heavier, quieter vehicles.

Not every model comes in every size. We check what is available for your exact size before recommending one, and we do not claim a tire is in stock until we confirm it. Goodyear also owns other tire brands, which can be a good fit when you want a different price point. Ask which brands we can get in your size.

Four matching tires give the most even grip and wear, and on many all-wheel-drive vehicles they are close to required. Two tires can make sense on a front or rear drive car when the other pair still has good tread. When you buy two, the new pair normally goes on the rear axle for stability in wet conditions.

When two tires can work

• Front or rear wheel drive
• The remaining pair is the same model, size and similar age
• The remaining tread is still healthy

When four is the better call

• All-wheel-drive and many four-wheel-drive vehicles, where the allowed tread depth spread between tires is often only a couple of 32nds of an inch
• The old pair is aging or cracked even with tread left
• The current tire model is discontinued and mixing would change handling

On an AWD vehicle, if only one tire is damaged, ask about shaving a new tire to match the others. Your owner's manual lists the allowed difference in 32nds, and that number comes from the drivetrain, not from us.

A tire quote should show more than the tire. Installation labor, balancing, valve stems or TPMS service parts, the California tire fee, and disposal of the old tires all belong on the estimate. We list each line so the total you approve is the total you pay. Alignment is quoted separately and recommended.

Our written quote shows:

• Tire model and quantity
• Mounting and balancing
• Valve stem or TPMS service kit
• State tire fee, charged per new tire in California
• Old tire disposal
• Optional alignment, marked as optional

If you are comparing quotes from another shop, check that both include the same lines. A low tire price with balancing and stems billed later is not the same offer. The tire and alignment bundle groups the install and alignment so you do not return later for crooked wear. Read how our pricing works for more.

If the tire you want is not on hand, we can usually order it and book your install for when it arrives. We give you the expected timing when we place the order rather than a guess. Less common sizes, staggered sets and some truck load ranges take longer to find, so it helps to call before your tread is gone.

To speed up a quote, have these ready:

1. The full size from your current sidewall, including load index and speed rating
2. Year, make, model and trim
3. Whether you tow or carry heavy loads
4. Photos of the sidewall, if you are sending a quote request

When the tires arrive, we call or text to set the time. See tire installation for what happens once they are here.

Start with where your miles happen, not with the tread pattern in the photo. A commuter who spends most of the week on the I-10 or SR-210 needs something different from a contractor hauling tools up foothill streets. Pick the category first, then compare models inside it.

Summer pavement here gets hot enough to punish a tire that is underrated for load, so we check the load index on every quote, even for a car that never tows. If you fit two rows, tell us which matters more and we can put two or three options side by side on your written quote. Truck owners can find more on pickup truck service.

The most common mistake is buying on size alone. Two tires with the same size can differ in load index, speed rating and construction, and the cheaper one may not be rated for your vehicle. The other mistakes are just as easy to avoid once you know to look for them.

• Skipping the load index: a number lower than the door placard can overheat under a full cabin or a trailer.
• Mixing tread designs on one axle: uneven grip side to side can make the car feel nervous on wet roads.
• Ignoring the date code: many vehicle makers advise replacing tires about 6 years from the build date and most tire makers cap it at 10 years, so ask for the four-digit code before mounting. Our date code guide shows how to read it.
• Forgetting the alignment: new tires on a car that pulls can wear an edge early. See alignment after new tires.
• Comparing quotes that are not alike: one may include mounting, balancing, valve stems and disposal while another leaves them out.

Ask every shop for the out-the-door number in writing and compare line by line. Our quote lists each item before any work starts.