Do You Really Need Snow Tires
by Amy Mattinat
Higher Learning dvd Winter Is Coming!
The weather service is calling for 7″ of snow tonight. They will probably be wrong par usual, but my shop’s phone is ringing off the wall with folks who want to make an appointment to get snow tires on their cars.
Do you really need snow tires? My simplified answer is: the best all-season tire is not as good as a cheap winter tire!
In reality it all depends on where you live and your driving habits. In Vermont, winter lasts approximately six months of the year. Seriously, anytime from the end of October to mid April, Vermont can get a huge dumping of snow.
Garfield move A picture of my Honda CRV last April with my Polish snowplow.
Winter tires are cheap compared to repairing or replacing your car if you go off the road and slide into a ditch, tree, road sign or another car. This happens to at least two customers per year who tell me that “all-season tires have always worked just fine for me.”
ABS, traction control and 4-wheel drive all help give you more control when driving and braking on a snowy road, But remember…. the only part of your car that touches the ground is the tire.
American Pie Presents Band Camp rip The compounds that make up a tire vary quite a bit depending on what the intented purpose the tires will be used for. In general, summer tires are made to last long, all-season tires are compromised to accommodate summer and mild winter conditions, and winter tires are made to handle snow and cold temperatures.
Winter tires are made up of softer rubber compounds then summer or all-season tires. The tread blocks of winter tires dig into the snow and the sipes (or slits) bite and grip the snow for traction. Winter tires also have a ‘self cleaning tread design”. So when your tires roll on the snow, they will use the snow for traction and then release the trapped snow, grip again, release agin, etc.
Always put on 4 winter tires.
Running 2 winter tires in the front and 2 all season tires in the back is like wearing snow boots on one foot and a sneaker on the other.
What brand of winter tires do you use?