Cold weather has arrived in the Greenwich, CT area, and it’s time to ensure your vehicle has the right tires for the winter season. While you may be tempted to use the all-season tires that are already on your car, this could be a mistake. Here’s how to choose the right winter tires for optimal road safety in the winter months.
Start Early
Don’t wait too long to get your winter tires installed. Even if there isn’t snow on the ground, the cold weather means you need a different type of tire to keep you and your passengers safe.
The rubber used on cold-weather tires is softer than the rubber on all-season tires, which helps them retain traction even in the coldest temperatures. However, this rubber wears out quickly in the summer heat, so a helpful tip is not to change over your tires too early, either.
Ensure You’re Getting Cold-Weather Tires
If you go by the tread, all-season tires and cold-weather tires look almost identical. It’s the type of rubber used on these specific tires that makes the difference. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to tell them apart.
Look for the symbol that depicts a snowflake inside a mountain on the tire’s sidewalls to verify if they’re tires that are designed for winter driving. You’ll also see “M+S,” which stands for mud and snow, but this will also be on all-season tires, so the snowflake’s the key.
Consider Studded Snow Tires
You’ll get better traction on icy roads with studded snow tires than you’ll get with the studless variety, but if you don’t experience much ice, go without the studs. Studded tires can cause damage to roads, so you’ll also want to make sure your state allows them even to be installed on your vehicle. Some states restrict their use to the winter months only, but again, if there’s little ice where you drive, you shouldn’t need them anyway.
Invest in a Second Set of Rims
You may be considering just purchasing new cold-weather tires and changing them out with your all-seasons without getting a second set of rims. There’s nothing wrong with this, but you will have to pay for mounting and balancing every winter and summer as you switch tires.
It might be more expensive to buy a second set of rims up front, but it will pay off in the long run as it allows you to change your tires yourself.
Don’t Forget Installation Fees
Finding inexpensive cold-weather tires online isn’t hard; however, don’t forget that you’ll also have to pay a local service center to install the tires once you get them. This is not always the least expensive way to purchase snow tires.
In many cases, you’ll save money by purchasing your tires at the same place to install them, considering they can bundle your services. It’s more convenient as well!
Buy Four Cold-Weather Tires
No one enjoys spending money on tires, which is why you might be tempted to buy only the two wheels that power your car. However, this could be a mistake because the difference in traction will change how your vehicle handles.
In fact, it could cause a dangerous situation if some tires are gripping better than others. For safety’s sake, buy and install four cold-weather tires on your vehicle.
Even though it may not seem like it, buying cold-weather tires can be tricky, especially when you want to ensure peace of mind on the roads during winter. Contact DARCARS Lexus of Greenwich, where we can handle all of your tire needs and questions from start to finish, no matter the weather!
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