5 Winter Tire Myths

It’s that time of year again where the weather is turning colder, and the snow is starting to  fall; meaning it’s time to bring out those winter tires. Many people think that there isn’t a need to swap out your all-terrain tires for their winter counterparts, but that’s a complete myth. In fact, there are a plethora of myths about winter tires that need to be debunked!

All Season Tires is All I Need. Yes all season tires imply they are good enough for all seasons. But that’s not entirely true – most tires are designed with summer in mind and  don’t carry the same grip and traction in winter as a winter tire. Also using your all-season tires year-round they will lose tread and become even more hazardous on the road. It’s like wearing the same pair of shoes every  day for a year, not a good idea for you or your shoes – same with tires.

Our Roads Don’t Get Enough Snow. Even if your car isn’t fighting snow on the roads, it still faces some pretty frigid weather. The cold makes normal tires stiffen and harden as it gets colder, which makes driving just as hectic as if it was covered in snow. Winter tires stay flexible in icy temps, so you still have a maximum grip.

I have Four-Wheel Drive. Even though 4-wheel drive vehicles are preferred for winter driving, and great to use when roads get icy, it’s not always enough. It’s great to have control of the wheels, but it doesn’t mean you have control of the tires. All season tires give you the same grip and traction on a 4-wd as a front-wheel drive vehicle (which we know doesn’t do the best in the cold and snow). Winter tires will give you that extra  grip to go with the extra control giving you an ideal cruise on those icy streets.

Winter Tires Are Expensive. A huge myth when it comes to winter tires is that they are too expensive. You’d be surprised to find many brands cost about as much as regular all-season tires you already have. There are a lot of dealerships have some great deal on winter tires, in fact some even offer price match guarantees.

I Know How to Drive in the Snow, and Use My Breaks. Even if you’ve had experience driving in the snow, and brake comfortably and it doesn’t mean you should dismiss winter tires.The type of tire you use in the winter can affect your stopping by more than 10%. That can be nearly two car lengths difference – and as you know when driving in non-ideal conditions this can make a huge difference.