Driving on your Winter Tires All Year? Time to Switch to All Weather Tires!
In late autumn of 2021, I helped a nice young family get a new to them, Volkswagen Arteon. When I was speaking to the father of the family about winter tire options, he told me he just kept his old snow tires on his rapidly decaying fourth generation Jetta all-year long, because they seemed like the safest tire out there. After letting out a large sigh that reverberated throughout my entire body. I then set about explaining all-weather tires, summer tires, tire compounds, and stopping distances.
Let’s start with the basics. There are different tires, for different purposes. All season tires (which are more like three season tires) are made of a compound that turns hard and loses grip right around 7°. Then there are different tire tread patterns for different purposes. Be they studded for icy roads, siped for channeling water in Vancouver, or with a tread that cuts through deep Quebec snow. Drivers in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario generally benefit from winter tires that are designed to cut through some deep snow but also have a tread designed to work well on dry, cold pavement. I will let the always eloquent Mr. Rick Mercer explain why there is no such thing as a true all season tire in Ontario.
In Ontario, insurance companies are required by law to give drivers a discount if their vehicle is equipped with tires that posses that snowflake mountain logo. A M+S mud snow rating is not the same thing. All winter tires are M+S rated, but as an M+S rating is a lower level accreditation, not all of those tires are snowflake rated winter tires.
Running your snow tires in the warmer months will lead to them wearing out much faster, and believe it or not, they aren’t as effective at stopping in those months, than a tire designed for warm weather. But having two sets of wheels and tires is something many people just don’t want to or cannot deal with.
If you are in that camp, what you need are all weather tires. All weather tires are not to be confused with all season tires. They are relatively new in the tire world as they have not been around even as long the iPhone. A few companies make them, so you are certainly going to be able to find a set to fit your car, van, SUV, crossover, or pick up truck.
They are made of a compound designed to be used all year, and are cut with sensible treads for use in all weather. While they aren’t necessarily as effective in winter weather as full on winter tires, they still possess that snowflake logo, indicating their winter capable design. Their compounds won’t wear out in summer months, nor will they freeze up in colder weather. So how do you find all weather tires right for your vehicle? Well, I provide tire sourcing as part as my all-inclusive packages for my clients. Alternatively, you can use any number of Canada’s many tire resources to find “all weather” tires in your vehicle’s sizes. If you want your perfect vehicle to get you through the winter don’t hesitate to reach out today!
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