The Importance of Changing Your Tires in the Spring
With the amount of cold and snow that we get during our long Canadian winters, there is no doubt that drivers should be using winter tires during the colder months to help keep themselves – as well as others on the road – safe. But now that the temperature is starting to rise, it is time to swap out those winter tires for your summer or all-season tires.
And while you might feel tempted to keep driving on your winter tires, once temperatures are consistently above 7 degrees Celsius, it’s time to change them. Here are a few reasons why:
Winter tires wear faster on warmer roads
Winter tires are made from a softer rubber than all-season tires. This softer material is perfect for cold temperatures because it doesn’t harden and cause you to lose traction. But in warmer temperatures, winter tires are too soft. They wear more quickly, and their service life can be reduced by as much as 60 percent if you continue to use them on warmer roads. This means that you’ll have to replace your winter tires sooner than you would if you had replaced them with your summer or all-seasons in the spring.
Fuel economy
Another reason not to continue driving on your winter tires in the spring is that it will cause you to use more fuel, which is not only bad for the environment, but it will cost you more money!
This again is because winter tires are made from a softer rubber. To illustrate this point, think about riding a bicycle – and how much harder it is to pedal when the tires are on the soft side. Just like you must work harder to pedal the bike, your car’s engine must work harder to drive on softer tires – and so you end up using more fuel.
Do I really need two sets of tires?
While it may seem counterintuitive, having two sets of tires in Canada (one for winter and the other for the remaining three seasons) will save you money in the long term, and you will find that you are replacing your tires less often as well as saving money on fuel.
More importantly, using the right set of tires for the season will improve the safety of your vehicle.
Contact Victory Lube today
If you are looking to buy new tires, need a seasonal changeover or tire repair, just drive into Victory Lube, and we’ll help save you money and improve your ride. Even if your tire light is on, indicating low air pressure, don’t bother putting a loonie in at the local gas station, just drive into Victory Lube and we will check the air in all the tires and look after the low one for free. No appointment necessary and happy to serve you.
