SPOKANE, Wash. - If you have a new car or
truck and plan to buy tires soon, it could cost you more than you bargained for.
Instead of dropping $500 to $600 for new snow
tires, you could spend closer to $900. And it's all because of the
government.
The federal government has mandated that
all cars, 2008 or newer, have tire
pressure monitoring sensors (TPMS) in their tires. The sensors monitor the air pressure
inside of your tires and, when it's low,
warns the driver with a buzzer or flashing light on the dash.
There are a couple of different ways to ensure your car is updated with the
sensors.
1.) Most newer cars already have the sensors in the wheels so you can just switch out
the car's regular tires for snow tires. Perfection Tire Co-owner Jeremy
Dierks said this costs about $65 bucks for all four tires ($15 a tire). This way
will save you money in the short term, however, you will have to pay that
amount again when you switch the snow tires
back to regular tires.
2.) You can also pay for a new set of sensors to go
into the snow tires. That could cost you a lot more up front since the sensors
can cost anywhere from $60 to $200 per tire.
Is the cost for a new set of sensors worth
it?
Dierks said "They do come in handy? As far
as the answer to the question: 'why can't
we check them the old way?' That's the million dollar question. I really wish it
was that simple. I don't know why they came up with them. They do come in handy
and I don't know about life-saving. I imagine so. But I've definitely seen a lot
of tires saved by them."
If you decide to switch the sensors from a
regular set of tires to snow tires, Dierks said, many times the sensors have to
be re-set. However, that shouldn't
typically cost any more money.
RESOURCES:
US Department of Transportation:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/systems-technology/product-guides/tire-pressure.htm
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/tpmsnprmpost2cir/tpmsnprmpost2cir.html
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