Everything you need to know

Your tyre size is the code printed on the sidewall. Take 205/55 R16 91V as an example:

• 205 — the section width in millimetres, tread edge to tread edge.
• 55 — the aspect ratio: sidewall height as a percentage of the width. Lower means sportier.
• R — radial construction. Virtually all modern car tyres are radial.
• 16 — the wheel rim diameter in inches.
• 91 — load index. A code for the maximum weight each tyre can carry.
• V — speed rating. V means rated up to 149mph.

You'll find the size printed on the sidewall of your current tyre, or in your vehicle's handbook / inside the fuel filler flap. If you're stuck, just use our tyre finder on the homepage.

Every new tyre sold in the UK and EU carries a standardised label showing three things, so you can compare tyres at a glance:

• Fuel Efficiency (A–E) — how much rolling resistance the tyre has. A = best fuel economy and lowest CO₂.
• Wet Grip (A–E) — braking performance on wet roads. A-rated tyres stop several metres shorter than E-rated in emergency braking.
• External Noise — measured in decibels, with a class letter (A/B/C). Lower dB means a quieter tyre as it passes by.

The label is shown on every product page. Comparing the same size between budget and premium brands often shows where the price difference goes — usually wet grip and fuel economy.

It depends on where and when you drive:

• Summer tyres are designed for use above 7°C. They offer the best dry and wet grip in warmer conditions. Most cars in the UK use summer tyres year-round.
• Winter tyres use a softer compound and deeper, sipe-rich tread that grips dramatically better below 7°C, on snow, ice, and slush. Worth considering if you drive in cold or rural conditions; legally required in some EU countries seasonally.
• All-season tyres are a compromise — competent year-round, never the best in either extreme. A good choice if you don't want to swap tyres twice a year and don't see deep snow.

Look for the 3PMSF symbol (a three-peak mountain with a snowflake) on winter and all-season tyres — that's the certified "severe snow service" rating.

Several factors decide when it's time:

• Tread depth. The UK legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, around the whole circumference. Most safety experts — and we — recommend replacing at 3mm, since stopping distances in the wet lengthen sharply below that.
• Age. Tyres degrade over time even without use. Replace tyres older than 6 years even if the tread looks fine, and never use a tyre over 10 years old. The four-digit DOT code on the sidewall shows the week and year of manufacture (e.g. "2723" = week 27 of 2023).
• Damage. Cracks, bulges, cuts, embedded objects, or sidewall damage all mean replacement — not repair. Get any concerns checked by a professional.
• Uneven wear. Usually a sign of an alignment, suspension, or pressure issue. Fix the cause when you fit new tyres or they'll wear unevenly too.

Quick check: insert a 20p coin into the main groove. If the outer rim of the coin is visible, your tread is below 3mm and replacement should be on your radar.

The most common tyre markings, decoded:

• Run Flat (RF / RFT / ROF / SSR) — reinforced sidewalls that let you drive up to 50 miles at up to 50mph after a puncture, so you can reach a garage without changing the wheel at the roadside.
• XL (Extra Load) or Reinforced — built to carry more weight than a standard tyre. Often required on heavier vehicles, SUVs, vans, and EVs.
• M+S (Mud + Snow) — basic capability for muddy or snowy conditions. All winter and all-season tyres carry this, but it's a self-declared marking with no testing standard.
• 3PMSF (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake) — the proper, tested "severe snow service" certification. This is the marking that legally counts in countries with winter tyre laws.
• OE marks (e.g. *, MO, AO, N0, J) — means the tyre has been homologated (specifically approved) for a vehicle manufacturer's programme. They're approval codes, not "fits this car only" labels.

These are the two characters at the end of your tyre size — in "205/55 R16 91V" the 91 is the load index and the V is the speed rating.

Load index is a code for the maximum weight each tyre can safely carry. Common values:

• 88 = 560 kg  ·  91 = 615 kg  ·  94 = 670 kg
• 97 = 730 kg  ·  100 = 800 kg  ·  104 = 900 kg

Speed rating is the maximum sustained speed the tyre is rated for. Common ratings:

• T = 118 mph  ·  H = 130 mph  ·  V = 149 mph  ·  W = 168 mph  ·  Y = 186 mph

Always match or exceed the load index and speed rating specified for your vehicle — you'll find these in the handbook or on the placard inside the fuel filler flap. Going below them is illegal and may invalidate your insurance.

Three quick ways:

• The 20p test. Insert a 20p coin into the main groove. If you can see the outer band of the coin, your tread is below 3mm and you should plan a replacement soon.
• Tread Wear Indicators (TWI). Most tyres have small raised bars in the main grooves. When the tread wears down level with these bars, you're at the 1.6mm legal minimum — replace immediately.
• A tread depth gauge — cheap on Amazon, takes 10 seconds, gives you the actual depth in mm. Check across the tread (inner, middle, outer) on each tyre; uneven wear is a warning sign.

Check all four tyres — they wear at different rates depending on whether you're front or rear-wheel drive.

We accept:

• All major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
• PayPal
• Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Klarna — for splitting the cost (see below)

All payment options are shown at checkout. You don't need an account to buy — guest checkout is supported.

Klarna lets you spread the cost of your tyres at no extra cost (subject to approval):

• Pay in 3 — split your purchase into three equal interest-free instalments, taken automatically over 60 days.
• Pay in 30 days — pay nothing today, then settle the full amount within 30 days, interest-free.

Klarna does a soft credit check at checkout which doesn't affect your credit score. Full terms are explained on the Klarna step at checkout. Missing payments may affect your ability to use Klarna in future.

Yes. All payments are processed by Shopify Payments, PayPal, or Klarna depending on what you choose — all are PCI-DSS compliant and use industry-standard SSL encryption. We don't see or store your full card details on our servers.

Yes — through our growing FastFit Network. Rather than running our own fitting centres, we're building a UK-wide network of trusted partner garages and mobile fitters, so you get great prices and a fitting option that suits you.

You can:

• Choose a garage near you on our network and have your tyres delivered straight there, ready to be fitted when you arrive — no lugging tyres around.
• Request a mobile fitter to come out to your home or workplace and fit them on your driveway.

The FastFit Network is rolling out gradually across the country, so coverage is growing all the time. If there isn't a partner in your area yet, you can still have your tyres delivered free to your door — or directly to any local fitter of your choice — within the usual next-day timeframe.

Yes — where our FastFit Network has mobile coverage, you can request a mobile fitter to come to your home or workplace and fit your tyres on the spot. Choose the mobile fitting option when it's available for your area.

If mobile fitting isn't live near you yet, we'll deliver free to your door and you're welcome to use any local mobile fitting service or garage in the meantime — coverage is expanding all the time.

A few simple habits make tyres last significantly longer:

• Check pressure monthly when the tyres are cold. Correct pressure (see your handbook or fuel-flap placard) extends life, improves fuel economy, and reduces stopping distances.
• Rotate them. Swap front and rear tyres every 5,000–8,000 miles for more even wear — especially on front-wheel-drive cars where fronts wear faster.
• Get your alignment checked when you fit new tyres, and again if you notice the car pulling to one side or uneven wear. Misalignment will eat new tyres in weeks.
• Avoid harsh braking and kerbing — both shorten tyre life dramatically and can damage sidewalls invisibly.

It depends on the tyre, the car, and how it's driven. As a rough guide:

• A good touring tyre on a family car driven sensibly: 25,000–40,000 miles.
• A performance tyre on a sportier car: 15,000–25,000 miles.
• Front tyres on a front-wheel-drive car typically wear roughly twice as fast as rears.

Most tyres will reach their age limit (10 years from DOT date) long before that mileage on a low-use vehicle — in which case age, not tread, is what triggers replacement.