Snow Tires: To Buy or Not to Buy?

Snow tires I have learned are a complicated business. There is a lot of information out there and I’m not certain what is right or wrong for any one person in particular but, here is what I can pass along to you. Mounting the right tires on your car or truck can give you a huge advantage when trekking through snow. Many car makers and tire manufacturers recommend changing all four tires to snow tires in the winter. However, if you choose not to swap out all four, the difference between snow and summer tires can cause other problems for you and your vehicle.

All-Season vs. Snow Tires:
All-season tires are NOT snow tires. Sorry folks. All-season tires are your jack-of-all trade tires. They do everything but don’t specialize specifically well in any one area either.  Snow tires or winter tires are made for snow. They focus their attention on the exact conditions you’ll most likely be facing during the winter season. They are designed to work best in cold winter temperatures, below 45 degrees, and have tread patterns and tread compounds that are designed to take bites out of the snow and work well on packed snow and ice. All season tires aren’t created to do this as well which of course can lead to sliding, skidding and low traction in bad weather.  

SUV’s and Snow Tires:
I can hear a few of you saying, “I have an SUV with all-wheel drive, I don’t need snow tires.” Well the truth is you still might. All-wheel drive is only as useful as the traction your tires allow the all-wheel drive system to gain. Having snow tires will help you get the most out of your all-wheel drive vehicle. Also, all-wheel drive can help you get going but can’t help you stop or turn your vehicle. Again snow tires will maximize your ability to do both, with or without all-wheel drive.

Picking the Right Tire:
Do your research or talk to a trusted dealer for advice. Every tire snow, all-season or otherwise are created to perform in a specific way. You will need to take driving conditions, your vehicle, and driving habits into consideration when picking which tire will work best for you.

Two vs. Four Snow Tires:
No reputable tire dealer will put only two snow tires on your car. Snow tires are so highly advanced over summer or all-season tires that it might be more dangerous to have only two snow tires than choosing not to change your tires at all. While driving, your two snow tires will dig into the snow and ice while your two normal tires will float on the surface. This will result in snap oversteer and your car will suddenly want to begin spinning down the road with little likelihood you will be able to keep your vehicle under control.

Watch what snap oversteer looks like at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9snlEeDNKA