How to Shop for Winter Tires

December is finally here and Ontario knows what that means – sooner or later the snow is going to hit. And when it happens, you’re bound to spot the inevitable one or two drivers who weren’t prepared, their vehicles trapped in a ditch as you carefully plan your way to work. And don’t forget the neighbour who can’t make it out of his avalanched driveway. A proper auto service is extremely important to keep your car running smoothly throughout the colder months, but to keep it running safely you should consider switching your all-season tires to winter tires.

Tire Discounter Auto Centre, at 342 Ontario Street in St. Catharines, Ontario is the Niagara Region’s expert snow and summer tire supplier. As the winter weather approaches, we’ve assembled this quick guide to purchasing winter tires.

Don’t be fooled

There are certain regions where drivers can drive on all-season or summer tires with little difficulty. But particularly in the Niagara Region, lake-effect snow can make driving a dangerous endeavor. Certain all-season tires will bare a “Mud & Snow” designation – this means the tire has a specific tread pattern designed to perform better than typical tires on inconsistent surfaces. Mud & Snow tires are a better option than summer tires, but they don’t stack up against Severe Snow tires. Here’s why:

The snowflake and the mountain

Tire Discounter sells snow tires in St. Catharines that feature a pictograph of a snowflake in a mountain. This mean’s the Rubber Association of Canada has approved these tires for the designation “Severe Snow Tires”.

Winter tires identified with this badge have passed snow traction tests, and are proven to perform a minimum of 110% better than summer tires on snowy roads.

What makes snow tires different?

An entirely different rubber compound is used in snow tires. The “cold weather rubber” resists freezing, and begins outperforming all-season tires – even on dry roads – at temperatures of 5˚ C. Certified snow tires also have specially designed, open tread patterns to more efficiently move slush and water, larger tread blocks for better responsiveness and handling and more slits in the blocks to disperse water on top of flat surfaces.

Transport Canada recommends installing winter tires in sets of four, and so do we. Mix and matching your used tires with new tires can have a negative effect on your vehicle’s steering and stability.

You should also consider mounting your snow tires onto new rims, to prevent wearing your tires out from switching from one rim to another.

If you’re in St. Catharines and you’re looking for affordable new or gently used tires to keep your drive safe this winter, visit Tire Discounter Auto Centre at http://www.tiredac.com.