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Sooner or later, you are going to need to replace the tires on your car, and if you're on a fixed income, you can choose to buy used custom rims - instead of shelling out a lot of money for new ones. Places like small family-operated tire centers, and junk yards where you pull your own parts, are godsends when it comes to finding great deals.

But how do you make sure that what you're getting in a tire is really a great bargain - as far as its overall condition and how it might affect your safety, and that of your car, is concerned? Well, keep reading to find out.

The first thing to remember is that your wheels should all be the same size. If you are purchasing tires for the rear of the car, as long as it is the same size and is in good shape, you should be fine. However, in getting them for the front of the vehicle, they should also have the same tread - and, if at all possible, be the same brand as well. This is because having mismatched chrome rims on the front of your car can alter the way it handles on the road, damage your axles - and in some cases, even cause the vehicle to flip over while you're driving on the road.

Before you buy any tire, you will need to inspect it, in order to check out its overall condition. Look for the obvious signs of over wear and tear, such as, numerous cracks in the rubber, or a LACK of rubber around the tire belt. Also, you want to make sure that no part of the steel belt is visible. If you notice any of these things, the tire shouldn't be an option for you. And, if you see a wheel that has multiple patches on it, definitely forget about it - its days are over.

Here is a fun way for a novice to check the tread on a used tire. You do this with an ordinary Lincoln-head penny. Insert the penny into the tread on the tire, with the president's head facing downward. Make sure to do this in different places on the tire. If his face and head are still covered by the tread in all the places you insert it, then the odds are it's OK to put it on your car. But, if you can see the president's face or head at any of the insertion locations, put that tire back, and keep looking.

If you are a girl, then you probably aren't an expert in the field of automotive. In this case, it's a good idea to have your spouse, or boyfriend, accompany you when you're shopping for used tires. It's not so crucial at one of the "family run" tire shops, as they have people on staff that know about tires, and will help you with what you need.

However, this is not the case at those "pick and pull" places you visit. There, you are on your own as far as any service goes. YOU locate the wheels you want, YOU pull them from the junked car, YOU haul them up to the checkout counter to pay for them - and YOU take them home, and install them on your car. So, as you can see, if you don't know what you're doing, you could be headed for disaster.