If your tires aren't lasting as long as they should, it might not be the fault of the tires. The fault might lie with the way you're maintaining your tires, or even your driving habits. Don't settle for tires that wear out too fast. Use the strategies provided here to help your tires last as long as possible:

Don't Postpone Your Alignments

Did you know that your alignments do more than keep your car running smoothly? Your alignments actually help prevent early wear-and-tear on your tires. If it's been a while since you had your last alignment, your tires may be paying the price. Don't wait until your tires are wearing unevenly, or your car pulls to one side when you're trying to drive. Take your car in for an alignment about every 6000 miles, or after every other oil change. This will ensure that your car drives smoothly, and your tires wear evenly. If you drive your car over bad roads on a regular basis, it's a good idea to have the alignment done more often, such as each time you have your oil changed. This is particularly helpful if your city streets are filled with potholes, or you drive on gravel roads a lot.

Keep the Pressure Topped-Off

Do you wait until your indicator light goes off to put fresh air in your tires? If you do, you're putting them at risk for premature wear-and-tear. You might not realize this, but most indicator lights don't go off until your tires are almost flat. By that time, the damage has already been done. When the pressure is low in your tires, your car won't handle properly. Not only that, but the lack of air will cause your tires to bulge as you drive, which will lead to uneven wearing of the tread. For maximum protection, you should check the pressure in your tires at least once a month.

Remember to Rotate Them

Did you know that if you don't rotate your tires, they'll wear out faster? Your car will also have trouble maneuvering properly. That's because the pressure isn't even on your tires all the way around your car. Depending on whether your car is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive, the distribution of pressure will be different on your tires. Rotating your tires each time you have an alignment done, will ensure that your tires wear evenly and that your car handles properly.

You and your car depend on your tires. The tips provided here will help your tires last longer, and improve the performance of your car.