Sales on car wheels offer obvious savings, but taking advantage of a sale is far from the only way you can reduce the price of a new set of rims. If you need or want new rims for your car, you can save money on a new set of wheels in a variety of other ways.
Wait Until You Need Tires
As tempting as it might be to instantly purchase different rims after buying a new car, a little patience can have a significant payoff. If you wait until you need to either replace or change out the tires currently on your car, you’ll save on mounting and balancing costs.
When tires are put on a rim, they must be both mounted and balanced. Mounting is the act of putting the tire on the rim, and balancing involves running it through a machine to make sure the tire will spin evenly. Tire shops charge for this service, and you can expect to pay mounting and balancing charges each time you have different tires put on a set of rims.
Thus, you’ll end up paying mounting and balancing charges twice if you buy different rims and have your car’s current tires put on them. You’ll pay the fees when the current tires are put on the rims, and then you’ll pay it again when those tires are worn and need to be replaced with new tires.
If you have the patience to wait until those current tires are worn, you’ll only need to pay mounting and balancing charges once. You won’t have to pay these fees for the current tires since they’ll just be disposed of.
Opt for Steel Wheels
While many new cars come with alloy wheels, steel wheels will be easier on your budget. In fact, steel wheels have financially related advantages over alloy and other types of wheels.
First, steel wheels are the least expensive wheels. Steel is an inexpensive metal to purchase and is easy to work with, so the material costs for steel rims are lower. Manufacturers are able to pass on those savings.
Second, steel wheels are also the most durable types of wheels. Steel is stronger than alloy rims and less likely to dent than aluminum rims when you drive over potholes. The added durability means you’re less likely to need to replace these rims in the future.
After many years with old wheels, steel’s resistance to dents provides another benefit. Some rims sustain tiny dents that are imperceptible but nonetheless let air slowly leak out of tires. This can lead to driving on soft tires, which decreases fuel efficiency and results in spending more at the gas station.
Select the Smallest Compatible Size
Every vehicle has a range of rim sizes that will fit on that vehicle, and some drivers prefer the largest viable wheels for aesthetic reasons. If you’re on a budget, though, stick with the smallest ones.
Selecting the smallest diameter wheels that will fit on your vehicle will save you money on the initial purchase, for smaller wheels require fewer materials and cost less to manufacture. They’ll also continue to save you money each time you buy new tires, because smaller tires also cost less than larger ones.
Over the course of a wheel’s life span, the amount you save on tires can be substantial. Any savings you realize on an individual tire is multiplied by four when you purchase an entire set of new tires, and you’ll get a number of sets if you keep the vehicle for a long time.
To find affordable wheels for your car, contact Evans Tire & Service Centers.
