The tire details worth gathering before a quote
Know which photos and markings help describe your tires, while leaving compatibility and service approval to the review.
You do not need to become a tire specialist to make a clearer service request. You do need to describe the tires and wheels you actually have. A few well-chosen photos and a faithful copy of the markings can reduce ambiguity before a quote. The purpose is to support a fitment review, not to approve a tire combination yourself.
Photograph the tire you mean
Take a clear, well-lit picture of the visible sidewall while the vehicle or stored wheel is stationary and accessible. Include enough of the tire to show which item the markings belong to, then add a closer image if the small text is hard to read. Do not crawl under a car or lift it just to collect a photo.
When there are several sets, identify the relevant vehicle and set in your notes. A photo of a tire from a previous car can create more confusion than no photo at all. Say when the origin of a stored set is uncertain.
Copy the complete size marking
Transport Canada explains that a tire’s sidewall code identifies details including width, aspect ratio, construction, wheel diameter, load index and speed rating. Copy the whole visible marking, including letters, rather than reducing it to one number or trying to choose a substitute from memory.
Use the photo as the source if transcription is difficult. The reviewer can ask for a clearer view or other details when needed. Your role is to preserve the information accurately, not to decide that a similar-looking code is close enough for your vehicle or the wheels you own.
Keep the vehicle label separate from the tire markings
The pressure number molded on a tire is not the same thing as the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended operating pressure. Transport Canada directs drivers to the vehicle’s tire information label or owner’s manual for that recommendation. A sidewall photo should therefore not be treated as a personal inflation instruction.
If the request asks for the vehicle label, provide it as a separate image and identify it clearly. Avoid combining details from different vehicles or selecting a pressure based on a generic online example. Keep the vehicle-specific source available for the qualified review.
Explain whether the tires are already mounted
A sidewall code alone does not describe the work you want. State whether the seasonal tires are already on a second set of rims or are loose tires needing mounting and balancing. If you are not sure which description applies, include a wider photo that shows the complete item instead of guessing.
On-rim wheel swaps and off-rim tire mounting have different review needs. Motrive’s off-rim work depends on verified fitment, equipment and an approved service arrangement. Providing the tire marking helps that process, but does not by itself establish eligibility, final price or compatibility.
Use the details to ask a better question
Send the information with your actual goal: changing to a stored seasonal set, requesting mounting for loose tires or clarifying which service to select. Mention missing records and any uncertainty about the set’s previous use. Avoid presenting a guess about condition as an inspection result based only on a photograph.
Keep the response and accepted service description with your request. If you later choose another set of tires or wheels, have the new details reviewed. A quote based on one documented set should not quietly become a request to work on something different when the provider arrives.
Take it into your next request
- Provide a clear photo and the complete marking for the actual set in your request.
- Keep the vehicle’s pressure information separate from tire-sidewall markings.
- Describe mounted wheels versus loose tires, and leave compatibility approval to the review.
