Winter traction / snow – Q & A style (because rubber isn’t naturally meant for ice)

A few of you have asked additional questions about getting the most out of your tires in the winter season.  Seems as if publishing that information here would be to the benefit of others that may have the exact same or similar inquiries.

Most of this data is courtesy of Howstuffworks.com and Tirerack.com (with additional commentary by the CAR team).

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Q: How do tires made for snow differ from those made for warmer weather?

A: Winter season tires have completely different tread patterns that are engineered specifically to grip (literally bite into) snow.  This is usually best achieved prior to snow forming ice, but you may get some performance out of ice as well.  Just keep in mind that (as the subtitle above suggests) ice wasn’t made to navigate with motor vehicles.  Take extreme caution by allowing extra time to get where you need to go and ALWAYS keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

Cold weather tires are made of much more pliable compounds that conform easily to the road surface.  Since grip is very important, having more control will afford you better steering and handling capabilities.  This increased performance will help to avoid you from getting stuck in the snow as well, which could result in savings with your local towing company.  Lastly, in order for any vehicle specific safety features, such as ABS (anti-lock brakes) to work properly your tires must keep contact with the road.

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Q: If I have “all-season” tires can I just leave them on year-round?

A: Well, we can’t keep you from doing anything but this decision wouldn’t be advisable for a number of reasons, some of which have been discussed already in a previous blog entry.  Winter tires will not last nearly as long in warmer weather conditions.  Also, all weather tires can handle most weather conditions fair enough for them to receive the “all” stamp on their name, however this can be misleading because in most cases winter weather is where ALL of them fall short.  None of the all season tires available today specialize in winter weather conditions.  In fact, of the four seasons, winter is commonly the one that all weather tire manufacturers overlook.  Let’s be honest here, the reason for doing this is of course to draw your attention to their winter weather line.  But is that wrong?  No, not really.  You might disagree until you actually invest in a pair, at which point you’re almost certain to never look back.  You’ll likely wonder what took so long.  Don’t just take our word for it, try for yourself.

A common expression shared around our industry is that all weather tires are like tennis shoes and winter tires resemble gore-tex boots.  Which would you prefer for inclement weather conditions?

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Q: How do you justify the expense of winter tires?

A: I suppose this is a personal question and might receive various answers depending on who you ask because we all value things in different ways.  Our team at Community Automotive Repair believes there are two main ways you will see a good return on your investment.  First, your warmer weather tires will be stored for the duration of the winter weather (regardless of how long that may last), which will inevitably prolong the life of both sets of tires.  This alone could be the difference of up to an additional year or two of use, depending on how much you drive.  Second, most traffic accidents in colder conditions are due to lack of proper traction and handling.  While there’s no guarantees, the odds that you’ll have significantly better control are very high, which means your chances of an accident (at least that you cause) are drastically reduced.  How does this translate to savings, you may ask?  Have you considered the cost of your insurance deductible if you have to file a claim?  Perhaps you pay extra for having it set at $100 but most people would have to spend upwards of $500 to repair the damages.  For less than that you can wrap your entire vehicle in winter performance tires.  Make better sense now?

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Bottom line here is you have a decision to make, and we’re not interested in “hard-selling” anyone on this, or anything else we offer.  That’s not our style.  We do, however, have a commitment to keep you informed of the latest product innovations and their advantages.  This, my friends, is what we hope to have achieved with the continuation of this particular blog entry.

Investment worth making?

 

Being an authorized Tire Rack dealer, we felt the video above would be a good introduction to an age old debate.  It is hard to measure how many customers ask about All Season versus Winter tires so hopefully this resource is somewhat helpful if you happen to be curious.  First of all, rest easy that you (and your peers) have asked a great question and should have a better understanding of our recommendations when finished reading this blog entry.

Let’s begin with some absolutes so as to eliminate any confusion here.  Ice is ice every day that ends in Y.  Ice was not meant to be navigated easily and effectively, unless of course you’re in an area that permits and/or encourages studded tires or chains.  Last I checked there weren’t any vehicles in West Michigan with either of these.  We’ll leave that to our northern most counterparts.  Bottom line, NO winter tire will allow you to stop on a dime.  Not one.  If somebody has told you differently they are either buying stock in winter tire R&D (in hopes it will eventually be available), or they were misinformed as well.

The other misnomer that we want to lay to rest is that it is OK to drive year round with winter tires.  Not sure why one would want to do this exactly but this statement could be true in part, depending on other variables.  You may get by driving on winter tires in warmer weather but I can assure you they won’t last as long, nor will they wear evenly.  In short, the only exception to this may be areas where the climate stays at or below freezing temperature the entire year.  So while in some instances it may be permissible, in the majority of the lower 48 this would be an absolute waste of money.

Our recommendation is to own one set of winter tires and another for the warmer weather.  If you’re able, we also recommend an extra set of wheels so the exchange is more efficient at the end of each season, as well as there being less wear and tear than if you only had one set of wheels year round.  The cost of winter tires in most cases (albeit there are exceptions when you take into account the most expensive options) will wash itself out given that your warmer weather tires will last significantly longer.  In most areas of the US your winter tires will only be used for 4 months of the year so you can count on them lasting several years.

Remember, the most expensive option isn’t always the answer.  We welcome you to contact us with any questions you may have so that we can help equip you with the right tires for your specific vehicle and driving conditions.  Also, for those of you already familiar with Tire Rack, you can order your tires online and have them shipped directly to our shop so the install is more convenient.  Don’t forget, we also offer a service to store your warm weather tires here until you need them again, which makes it a turn-key operation for you.

Have a Wintervention with your vehicle

Sources: Edmunds.com, DIY.com

 

Winter weather can be very unfriendly to a vehicle. Cold temperatures make

it harder for an engine to work properly. Snow and ice limit traction. Potholes

damage wheels and tires. Salt causes rust and can damage your vehicle’s paint.

But there are things you can do to help your vehicle in this cold season. Below

are some simple steps to “winterize” your car. Remember, an ounce of prevention

is worth a pound of cure.

 

1. Consider using snow/ice tires.

2. Check the tire pressure.

3. Make sure your vehicle’s four-wheel drive system is working properly.

4. Change the engine oil and adjust the viscosity grade.

5. Inspect the belts and hoses.

6. Inspect the wipers and wiper fluid.

7. Check the battery.

8. Check antifreeze mixture.

9. Carry an emergency kit inside the car. (*)

 

* Things you might want to consider carrying:

a. A flashlight, flares and a first-aid kit.

b. Jumper cables, a tool kit and tire chains.

c. A blanket, warm clothes and gloves.

d. Paper towels.

e. A bag of abrasive material, such as sand, salt or non-clumping kitty litter.

Use this for added traction when a tire is stuck.

f. A snow brush, ice scraper and snow shovel.

g. Extra washer fluid.

h. Extra food and water.

i. Lock de-icer

j. Insulated boots

 

See anything you might suggest adding?  Please leave a comment.