Winter is here, and that means snow. And ice. And some days, a nightmare on the roads. From icy days to too-much-snow-days, welcome to Canada! You want to be as safe on the roads as you can, especially if you are driving with your loved ones in your vehicle.
Purchasing a whole new set of tires for the winter can be nearly impossible to budget for. They don’t come cheap. Winter tires are probably your best bet for the snow here, but there is another option that won’t require multiple tire purchases a year. It’s called an all-weather tire – and it’s safe for the whole year. Before thinking about getting new tires, get all of the facts first. Here are some things you should know:
- Tires are expensive because of the engineering that goes in to making them. Multiple layers, different kids of rubber that performs in different ways with the varying temperatures, and so much more. They are not just a piece of rubber in a wheel shape.
- All season tires are NOT suitable for winter driving conditions. They are for the other seasons: pretty much any time the weather is +7 degrees or higher. Anything lower, and you lose traction and handling. Winter tires are optimized for temperatures below +7, which is why it is important to swap them when the seasons change: for the safest drive possible.
- Only tires with the Mountain Snowflake symbol are safe for Winter conditions.
- Even a winter tire with only 50% grip left will handle better in the snow than an all-season tire, because the rubber in engineered to perform best below +7 degrees Celsius. There is no advantage to having it on above this temperature, and you risk wearing it out quicker, costing more money in tire purchases.
For the safest drive and best possible handling on the roads, Plan A:
Two sets of tires – Winter & all season (or Summer) – switch them when the seasons change.
The other option (Plan B) to save time & money:
ALL WEATHER TIRES. Use your existing rims, and leave them on your car year-round. Performance is optimized for above and below +7. That means you don’t need to switch them between seasons, no need to store extra tires – just keep these on until you wear them out and need new tires. And, unlike an all-season tire, this one has the Mountain Snowflake symbol – so it is approved for Canadian winter roads.
Don’t know your tire size, or exactly what you’re looking for? Use the Kal Tire guide to find the size for your vehicle, and give you multiple options with prices, here.
No matter which tires you have on your vehicle, always drive according to the road conditions.
Save more: Tire pressure checks actually save you money, are always free at Kal Tire.
This post is sponsored by Kal Tire.