Aug 2, 2023

As we approach Labor Day, many of us come to the conclusion that summer is coming to an end. And although many of us will be mourning the loss of warm weather and summer vacation, we all should be getting our vehicle’s ready for fall/winter weather that is right around the corner! Getting your vehicle ready for winter is a long process, but one of the most important tasks is changing your summer tires to winter tires. Many of you might be thinking that this isn’t something you have to do, but this week we want to inform you of why it’s something you should be doing. 

It’s no secret that the winter months can bring less than ideal weather conditions and when the snow and ice hit you’re going to want the right tires for the job. It is very arguable that your tires are the most important feature of your vehicle when it comes to you and your passenger’s safety. So it only seems fitting to have the proper tires to keep you safe. So this week we are going to tell you why winter tires are important to have. But we also want to help you know when is best to change them and how to change them. If you don’t think it’s a task you can do yourself or if you just don’t want to, our team would be more than happy to help you! All you have to do is schedule a service appointment with us, plus when you service your vehicle with us, you can save big using our service specials. So get a jump start on your maintenance today and schedule your service appointment now! 

Winter Tires: 

  • Winter tires are made with special rubber and have deep treads that grip unplowed snow, ice, and other conditions 
  • All-season tires, regardless of being branded with M+S for Mud and Snow, might not be suitable in heavy snow.
  •  Even the best all-season tires have compounds that get more brittle as the temperature drops, and when that happens, the tires tend to grip less.
  • Without grip, most of your car’s safety functions – like all-wheel drive and anti-lock brakes – can’t do their jobs correctly.
  • Having a second set of dedicated snow tires gives you a margin of safety and a sense of security to get where you’re going
  • Even if you have FWD drive, you should put snow tires on every wheel of your vehicle. Putting them only on the front wheels of a front-wheel-drive car can cause spinouts or result in diminished steering capabilities in a rear-wheel-drive car

When to change them:

  • Like I said before there is a specific time to change your tires because storms hit at different time periods depending on location 
  • I’d advise to change them once the weather starts to change from fall to winter, but wait too long and find yourself stuck in a storm without the proper tires
  • The earlier you get them changed, the less waiting at the shop you’ll have to do. 

How to change them: 

  • When you buy winter tire be sure to get another set of rims as well, this will save you so much time when it comes to swapping the tires  in and out 
  • Having a second set of wheels for the winter also means your nice, clean wheels will be protected during the rough weather months.
  • Make sure to store your other set of tires in a safe and easy place to access for when springs rolls around