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It seems like a thousand years ago that we had a very long winter with an awful lot of snow. It does not matter in the least that we have no snow on the ground at this time because we all know that it will come back. It will be here soon enough and there’s going to be trouble. I have a 2005 Ford Freestar. We bought the car brand new and it has been a great car for us. It has driven to Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto more times than I care to remember. It has gone to cottages during the summer, Irish Dance competitions, soccer tournaments and volleyball playoff. It has transported furniture, dogs, people and a lot of my clients’ donations for the Goodwill. It has been a great reliable vehicle. It will continue to be the workhorse of family transportation for as many years as we can get out of it.
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Being the main mode of transportation it does much chauffeuring during the week and on weekends. This means that there is plenty of mileage on this van and ware on the tires. I currently have pretty standard all-season tires. I have had all-season tires for the entire time that we have had this van. I have never had winter tires. My husband and I have fundamentally disagreed about this for years. He grew up in Vancouver where rain is what usually falls from the sky and snowfall is less frequent. That does not mean it doesn’t happen, it just means it does not necessarily require heavy duty winter tires.
I grew up in Montreal where snow is plentiful and slush is a given. You always have winter tires on your car. So much so that it is mandatory in Quebec to have winter tires on your car between December 15 and March 15. I grew up knowing that winter tires are made to keep you safer on the road, to keep your car solidly grounded and to avoid unnecessary skidding, sliding and fishtailing.
5 Reasons to Buy Winter Tires
- You’re only as strong as your weakest link – Your tires are the link between your car and the road that you are travelling on. They are, therefore, your first line of defence in tackling snow, sleet and wet roads that can become treacherous. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what you are driving if your tires are not gripping the ground. It literally is when the rubber meets the road (and that will be my last analogy in this paragraph).
- Worth the price of safety and insurance – a good winter tire should last you three to four seasons so theoretically you are not paying for a set of tires that will last you only a year or two. That means the investment in buying winter tires is just that an investment in your safety and ultimately in your insurance. Trust me, if you are in a car accident you will be paying for damage to your car and likely an increase in your insurance rates. It is worth the cost of having two sets of tires. If you have the ability to buy tires that are reasonably priced, would you not think that is the best investment all around? I don’t mind saving some money for a set of four winter tires as well as preventing an accident that may mean higher premiums and a $500 deductible.
- Sipes – they provide the traction between you and the ground you are driving on. In a video that I created last year (and had gotten over a thousand views), I explain what sipes are and why you need them on winter tires. If you fast forward to about the one minute mark, I explain exactly what sipes are.
What does this mean? The sipes let the tire grip better on ice but because winter tires have a more aggressive tread depth, they have the capacity to let the tire grip better in the snow. As you can see in my video, there are much deeper channels in a winter tire that help propel water away from the tire. So when you are stuck in slushy snow, you are more likely to have a better grip of the road when you are driving on a winter tire. It is important for your front tires (that provide the direction of the car) to be able to stay in contact with the surface. Getting the snow and slush out of the way helps you drive more safely. - Winter tires are made from more flexible compounds that help your tire adjust to temperature changes and plummeting cold weather. The compounds used in winter tires is more flexible so it can manoeuvre on snow and ice easier. On all season tires, the rubber becomes harder when the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius.
- The recent advancement in electronic drivers aid such as ABS and traction control don’t provide more traction they only help drivers to prevent over-breaking or over-powering the over traction of their tires.
I have to admit, since I went for a test drive a few years ago, I have been intrigued by tires. I really didn’t know a lot about them but I have come to learn that they make a huge difference in your driving experience. Last winter the Sailun Tire people decided to have a blind test with the exact same vehicle but different set of tires: one had Sailun tires and the other car had a leading competitor. You can see in this last video the results of that test. All I know is that this year, I have won the Winter Tire vs. All Season tires argument. Those lovely Sailun tires are on my car as we speak. I feel more confident and happier that I’ll have an extra bit of protection on the road because I have the RIGHT tires for the season.
So as unlikely as this may seem for a Holiday Gift Guide suggestion, I think it is perfect: Get your significant other a set of Sailun Winter Tires. I did… Merry Christmas to me!
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Margarita Ibbott is a travel and lifestyle blogger. She blogs about travel in Canada, the United States and Europe giving practical advice through restaurant, hotel and attraction reviews. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and other online media outlets.
I don’t have the slightest idea when it comes to cars including wheels. Thank you for the tips. I do wonder if my husband is aware of those things. 🙂
it may never snow here in San Antonio but it sure does get icy. I do need to get my tires checked before gets too bad thanks for the reminder
That is really interesting about the snow tire mandate. I live in Nebraska and we get our fair share of snow. And although some people get snow tires, I never have. This is good info tho.
I live in phoenix, but it is always important to have good tires! Thanks!
These are good tips! I am so grateful I Don’t have to drive in the snow though.
We got a newer car a couple of years ago and it had the sports tires that came with it! We got stuck in the snow a couple times and were slipping and sliding around. It’s important to know what kind of tires you have and if they will work well when the snow hits!
Winter tires are hugely different from all-season. It provides a feeling of safety to have them when the roads get slick. Great explanation as to how they are important!
Here in the midwest, winter tires are a MUST! Thanks for the tips.
Having a good set of snow tires is very important if your having to deal with snow etc. That reminds me it’s time for me to look into getting some.
I’m so glad we live in Alabama where we get very little snow (I grew up in Indiana and Illinois). But let me tell you, people down here need nice snow tires because they don’t have a clue how to drive in bad weather – bless their hearts. 🙂
We have terrible winters here. I always get good winter tires on my car.
I slid across black ice last year, without winter tires. You can bet I’ve got ’em this year, ever precaution helps.
It’s definitely important to have tires that can endure winter conditions. Therefore, I’m thankful that I have all-weather tires that have been nothing but amazing!
The weather here in TX is unpredictable for sure but I’ve never considered winter tires. Thanks for sharing this post, I may look into it if ever needed.
Omg, I totally agree with you. Winter tires are expensive but worth it. They are a must especially if you want to stay safe during the winter.
I don’t think that i have ever had winter tires but I live in Oklahoma and the weather is like an emotional roller coaster ride. One day it will snow and then the next it will be shorts and tee shirt weather.
Thank you for the advice and information, Yes, I will have a conversation of my wife about Winter tirers.
Last year we didn’t buy winter tires though I can definitely see why they would be useful. Our snowfall is so unpredictable.
There are so many great reasons to have snow tires, here in NH I was told to get them, but the prices killed me so I had to go with brand new all seasons. Thankfully my van is heavy enough that as long as the all seasons have good tread, I do well, but I only drive less than 5 miles a day so really the cost of winter tires versus amount I drive wasn’t worth it! I do think if you are driving a lot or have kids in cars, it’s safer just to go with snow tires!
Definitely good reasons to have winter tires. Maybe we can invest in some in January.
I have grown up in Boston my entire life and never switched out my tires for winter, but it sounds like it might be good for certain people.
I’m so glad you posted about this…get new tires and our car winter ready is on our list of things to do this weekend.
This is definitely very important! I always know that it is very important to keep a spare tire in your car.
Winter tires are so very important. It is very dangerous to drive in the winter.
That’s interesting that it’s mandatory to have winter tires. It’s a good idea though to keep everyone safe. I used to call them snow tires, but I switched them out with all-seasons every year when I lived in Michigan.
Great tips! I had no idea that there was so much to know about winter tires. No snow yet but I’m sure we’ll be getting some soon 😉
Winter tires are a must for us. I live in WI, so we usually get a lot of snow. Winter tires work so much better for us! We have already put ours on about a month ago.
Winter tires are a must for me. But now we’ve moved to the USA (and we still have our winter tires on since LAST year!!!) – it’s because we’re trying to wear out the winters, as our summer tires suck and we don’t want to buy a new set of tires when the winter’s haven’t been completely worn out.