Most of the time when tyres wear prematurely the underlying cause is misaligned wheels or suspension problems. Getting the problem fixed promptly is wise.

Try to check your tyres for wear on a monthly basis. Examine the whole tyre including the inside of the tyre. Use your hands as well as your eyes to feel for any uneven or rough spots. Your hands will pick up more than your eyes. Wear a light pair of plastic gloves to stop your hands getting dirty.

If you find premature or uneven wear getting to the bottom of the problem and getting it fixed will not only you save you money on tyres. Running a car with damaged suspension will not only cause premature wear and tear to your tyres, but will also cause other components to wear prematurely.

Where your tyres wear can give you a clue as to what the underlying problem is. If the whole of the inside edge of a tyre is worn and when you run your hand over the tyre edge it feels stepped this usually indicates that the tracking has not been set correctly. Tracking can also be knocked out by hitting a kerb or a deep pothole.

If your tyres are wearing only in the centre this could be because your tyres over inflated. When they wear on both edges this is usually due to your tyres being under-inflated. Make it a habit to check your tyre pressures on a regular basis. Doing so will not only reduce tyre wear, but will also help to improve your fuel consumption.

When a tyre wears more on one side than the other and the worn area feels smooth the wear is usually caused by the wheels being misaligned. This is also the case if the tyre wears on one side, but the wear is as if someone has scooped some of the rubber out of part of the tyre. There are many reasons why a wheel goes out of alignment, these include worn springs, ball joints, bushes, shock absorbers or simply the wheel itself has gone out of line.