That pretty much sums up what a lot of drivers think about tires. Which means there's a good chance your tires are either wasting your money, or posing a safety risk.
With the rainy season around the corner, here's what you need to know if it's time to retire your old tires:
First off, there's so much competition in the tire business, prices aren't too much higher than what you paid the last time you bought tires. Overall, dealers say prices average about 5 percent more than last year.
Judging by the condition of tires drivers are leaving at one of the local Discount Tire stores in Seattle, many drivers are long overdue to go tire shopping.
"Normally people wait 'til they're worn out to take 'em off," said Gevan Woodke, who manages the Discount Tire Store in Northgate.
Driving with worn tires is a safety oversight that could cost you money in more ways than one.
Get stopped by police while driving with worn out tires -- especially in a crash -- and you're looking at a citation for $101.
But tickets aside, ignoring your tires burns more gas and makes your tires wear out faster.
The top three tire busters are under-inflation, lack of rotation, and misalignment.
That might raise the question: How good a shape are the tires you're riding on right now?
As a rule, you should have your tires rotated every 5,000 to 10,000 miles, depending on your driving habits and your car manufacturers' recommendations. You should have your alignment checked at least once a year, and check your tire inflation at least once a month.
Next time you get in your car, just stop and check the tread. Does it show even wear across the entire surface? If not, you're burning money.
Find the tread wear bars on the tire -- they're the small raised bars in the tire grooves. If your tread is even with the bars, it's time for a tire change.
Or you can use the old fashion penny test. Put a penny in your tire grooves with Lincoln's head facing down. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, your tread is too low.
On average, you can get a good set of tires for $300-$500, depending on what you drive. You can find good deals by getting a private label tire made by major manufacturer for a specific store. Dealers say thanks to new technology, tires made today give a quieter ride and better wear.
You'll also find more tires with built-in siping. Siping is the practice of putting extra cuts across the tread for more flexibility.
"Siping adds more biting edges to your tires to give you better traction," explained Woodke.
Built-in siping will cost you more and is typically being done on higher end tires. Many tire dealers now offer added siping on a basic tire, for about $10 to $15 each.
Some words of caution about siping tires after the fact: Check your warranty first because some manufacturers will void your warranty for altering the product. As a rule, manufacturers discourage siping because it changes the original tire design. Consumer experts also advise against it because while siping gives you better traction, it can wear down the tire more quickly and alter the performance of the tire.
