Today’s winter tires are a long way from the heavy, noisy, clumsy “snow tires” or “mud grips” that your dad might have had on his station wagon 40 years ago. Modern winter tires are designed for noise, handling, steering response and road manners that rival grand touring tires, only with enhanced traction. They accomplish that with deeper, more aggressive tread grooves and a tread pattern that’s designed to eject snow and slush for a clean “bite” with every revolution of the wheel.

More importantly, the tread compound used for winter tires is substantially different. Grand touring or all-season tires can stiffen at low temperatures, reducing traction. Winter tire formulations are designed to stay flexible even when temperatures are at zero or below, meaning they can still deliver traction in winter conditions. Some winter tires come pre-drilled for studs, which can enhance traction even more in snow and light icy conditions.

There are a few things to remember with winter tires, however:
• Winter tires often don’t handle as precisely as all-season tires, due to their construction. That may not matter much in snow, when handling will be sloppy and treacherous anyway, but it can be a noticeable difference on dry pavement.
• Winter tires tend to be noisier
• Winter tires are rather fragile. That same soft rubber compound that helps with traction in snow means that the tires will wear down much more quickly in warmer temperatures. For that reason, winter tires should not be used when temperatures are above 35-45 degrees.
• If you elect to go with winter tires, you’ll need to get an entire set and not just a pair. Mixing designs of tires can result in poor traction, uneven and unpredictable performance and a “schizophrenic” car.

With all that in mind, you’re going to be the best judge of whether you really need winter tires or not. If your part of the country gets a few inches of snow that typically melts in a few days or a week, when the weather changes, winter tires might not be a real necessity. If you’re in a place like the upper Midwest, New England or the mountains, with snow measured in feet rather than inches and winter temperatures that stay below freezing for weeks on end, winter tires might be a good investment after all. If you’re leaning that way on the decision, call us and let us get you the best deal on quality winter tires that you’ll find anywhere!

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The two designs are quite different and deliver different levels of performance and winter-weather traction, so let’s discuss.
• All-season tires are designed as an all-around compromise. They feature a tread pattern that evacuates water from the tire’s contact patch to prevent hydroplaning, with plenty of small, textured slits (sipes) to add extra biting edges for traction in wet or slushy conditions.
• All-season tires are designed with a harder tread compound that can deliver a long service life and long wear.
• All-season tires can deliver the same sort of low noise, comfortable ride and good handling as most touring or grand-touring tires. They offer straight-line stability, good road manners and good road feel on asphalt.

Now, let’s compare-and-contrast all-season tires with winter tires…
• Winter tires use a softer tread compound that’s designed to stay flexible at low temperatures. Below 15-20 degrees, all-season tires can stiffen and lose traction, while the flexible rubber of winter tires can conform more easily and continue to grip in the cold and snow.
• Winter tires use a more aggressive tread pattern with deeper grooves and a denser sipe pattern to push away slush and dig into soft or packed snow. Many all-season tires come pre-drilled to accept metal studs for traction on ice.
• On dry pavement, winter tires tend to be noisier and rougher-riding than all-season tires, with less-precise handling. That may not be a concern in winter conditions, though, since handling is going to be sloppy and treacherous on snow anyway.
• The soft tread compound of winter tires makes them fragile. At temperatures above freezing, winter tires will soon start to wear prematurely; it’s important to change them as soon as the weather starts to warm up.

So which will it be? All-season tires may be great for most weather conditions, but the truth is that in more than an inch or two of snow, they’re not so great. Winter tires are the only tires that can deliver real traction and performance in harsh winter conditions…and it’s important to remember that just because your vehicle has AWD or 4WD, that’s no guarantee that it will perform well without the right tires.

If you live south of the Mason-Dixon line, or in an area that might see a couple of inches of snow that melts a few days later, chances are you’re going to be just fine with all-season tires year-round. If you live in, say, the upper Midwest, New England or the mountains, where snow is measured in feet rather than inches and temperatures might stay in the 20s or lower for days on end, winter tires are almost a necessity. If you’re in need of tires before winter sets in, whether you choose all-season or winter tires…call us and let us help you out!

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