Winter Tires

No matter what you're driving this winter, you need to make sure you're ready for winter's nasty surprises. That's why it's important to look into a good set of winter tires!

The All Season Myth

Years ago, people knew that you had two sets of tires: Summer, and Winter. About 30 years ago, tire manufacturers found a way of combining attributes of both summer and winter into the "all-season" tire. What a great invention! No more need to lug tires into your car or truck, and having to swap them everytime. You get greater garage space. Only one set of tires to blow your budget on.

Fast forward to now. A lot of these "all-season" tires have to meet a wide array of needs. Tires have to be able to deliver a comfortable ride, handle well in the wet, grip the snow, give good fuel efficiency, handle the increasing power to the wheels...ACK! Way too many shoes to fill. As a result, the "all-season" tire has to compromise to all these various factors. It can't do anything well, and now it's becoming known as the "all-useless" tire.

You often see an "M+S" on the sidewall of all-season tires. M+S represents "Mud and Snow". Transport Canada explains M+S as a marking suggesting “safe all-weather performance, but may not always be suitable for severe snow conditions." In plain speak; the M+S marking doesn't represent real snow conditions.

Winter Snowflake

So what is good enough then? You want to have the "Severe Service" emblem, as endorsed by Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada. Tires marked with the pictograph of a peaked mountain with a snowflake meet specific snow traction performance requirements, and have been designed specifically for use in severe snow conditions. You'll find this marking on the outer sidewall of the winter tire you are considering. The marking is now becoming a general standard in North America, Europe and Asia.

Narrower Is Better

The basic rule of thumb for winter tires is the narrower the better. One trick is use the base tire and wheel size for your vehicle, known as "Minus Sizing". You can usually find this out on the tire size and pressure decal located in one of the door jambs. This may not be possible for some vehicles because a performance model may have different specifications or larger brakes and/or offsets.

Four Is Better Than Two

Due to the new designs and rubber compounds for winter tires, it's best to mount four winter tires at each wheel.

Most retailers now offer packages that include tires mounted and balanced on separate rims. It may be a bit of money up-front. However, you'll be saving time and costs in taking off the tires and having them mounted and balanced for the start and end of the seasons. Constant dismounting and remounting of tires will affect the seal between the rim and tire causing air leaks and unsafe driving conditions. You will also be saving expensive factory rims from the salty roads, as well as an expensive replacement if you decide to hop a curb. The added bonus is you will be spreading your wear out on your non-winter tires, thus eventually evening out the investment in winter tires.

Is it Worth It?

For the price of a standard insurance deductible, the investment in winter tires is sound. There's also the satisfaction of passing that all-mighty Tahoe or Durango owner who thinks AWD makes him (or her) king (or queen) of the road.

When purchasing tires, go for packages that include tires mounted and balanced on separate rims. It may be a bit of money up-front. However, you'll be saving time and costs in taking off the tires and having them mounted and balanced for the start and end of the seasons. Constant dismounting and remounting of tires will affect the seal between the rim and tire causing air leaks and unsafe driving conditions. You will also be saving expensive factory rims from the salty roads, as well as an expensive replacement if you decide to hop a curb. The added bonus is you will be spreading your wear out on your non-winter tires, thus eventually evening out the investment in winter tires.

What Our Members Run

Our members have a wide variety of preferences when it comes to the winter tires they choose. Everyone has different needs and situations. But everyone agrees that it's better to be well equipped for winter.

So Now What?

To properly select a winter tire for your needs, consult your dealership (like Dixie Ford) or local tire retailer. Ask around for pricing and opinions, and do a lot of research on the Internet. Websites like Tire Rack give a good cross section of brands and opinions from readers.

Here's to you not losing your grip in the coming winter!