When it comes to buying new tires you have an almost unlimited selection to choose from. This isn't the false freedom of choice you experience when deciding which of seven virtually identical brands of frozen broccoli to go with either. This is the real deal.

The tires are the main point of interaction between your vehicle and its environment. It is, quite literally, where the rubber meets the road. This makes choosing the right tires a very important decision.

Luckily, it isn't very hard. By asking yourself some quick questions about you and your vehicle, you can make the process of buying tires simple.

Think of the answers you get as a profile of your vehicle's use. By detailing the conditions the new tires are going to operate under, you can help yourself to make an informed selection.

First, review uses to which your car is put. Is it used for a daily commute? How about weekend trips? Tires that would suit an SUV that is used to drive to work with an occasional side trip to the mall are completely out of place on a contractor's pick-up.

Maybe you're lucky enough to have a car you drive just for pleasure, but most likely your car falls under the typical profile of a family workhorse that functions as taxi service, cargo hauler and everything in between.

This is a good time to consider how many people drive the car, and under what circumstances they drive it. A mini-van that serves as the only vehicle for a family of six is going to need tires that are a little more robust than the ones you would put on a sedan driven by a 50-something bachelor who works from home.

Another factor that comes into play when choosing tires is the area you live in. Perhaps you live in Vancouver or Seattle and conditions are frequently wet. Tires that are perfect for battling through an Alaskan winter are going to be totally out of place in Florida. Someone living in a rural area with lots of dirt and gravel roads needs different tires than someone who commutes to or lives in a major metropolitan area, where the major stress on the tire is due to frequent stops and starts, and the main stress on the driver is due to the time spent waiting between stops and starts.

So far we've gone through questions that you already know the answer to. The next part gets a bit trickier as it involves an honest examination of your own driving habits.

If you are the sort of person who prefers a quiet, relaxed ride then you will want different tires than someone who delights in putting their vehicle through its paces. If you count yourself among the latter, then I highly recommend premium high-performance tires. This is one area where quality is a much bigger part of the value equation than cost.

Not all tires are created equal. Knowing in advance what you need your tires to do can save you time and money in the long run.