3 good reasons to change over to winter tires before the legal date
Fall foliage has started to appear, heavy coats are taken out of storage and home heating is about to be turned on, unmistakable signs that winter is just around the corner. An autumn yard clean-up and taking out your warm garments is surely one way to prepare for the cold, but don’t forget that your car also requires special attention at this time of year. In fact, spring and fall represent key seasonal car maintenance periods that include more specifically your mandatory seasonal tire change.
Even if you’re not required to have your winter tires installed before December 1st, see below the reasons that should convince you to do so ahead of the official deadline.
1. Less Wait
Although it would be great to get a garage appointment with a snap of the fingers, unfortunately, booking can get quite complicated once the seasonal tire change rush begins. More often than not you end up at the bottom of a long waitlist and have no choice but to finally accept the first time slot available regardless of convenience. Why wait? Even if the law allows you to delay the installation of winter tires till December, nothing prevents you from changing over sooner to beat the long garage waiting lines. By booking now you ensure your appointment fits into your schedule.
2. Greater Choice
If your car needs a set of winter tires, definitely avoid putting off such a purchase since your personal safety is clearly at stake. That being the case it is obviously preferable to shop for tires in the early fall to benefit from an optimal tire selection. The market does offer a wide selection. Still, not all tires are necessarily right for your car and your driving style or needs. This being said, never settle with “whatever is left” that downplays the importance of the choice you need to make. By shopping early it becomes that much simpler to find those tires that are most appropriate for your vehicle.
3. No Nasty Surprise
Even if the law has set an official deadline to have winter tires installed out of a concern for driving safety, the weather can very well have its own schedule in mind. It can start to snow as late as January, but October can also come up with a nasty surprise of its own The fact of the matter is Mother Nature is unpredictable. Weather conditions being what they are, your best option to avoid being caught off guard is simply doing a seasonal tire change earlier in the fall. Unlike summer tires that harden when temperatures drop below 7 °C, winter tires feature a rubber gum composition with an enhanced road grip that reduces by 25 % the braking distance. This means that your driving performance will be unaffected when temperatures plunge in the fall. Yes, but…
I really want to avoid premature winter tire wear!
That’s understandable. Many drivers put off having their winter tires installed out of a concern for premature tire wear. However to delay switching simply translates into additional summer tire wear. All in all, it is best to change over to winter tires in the fall because they perform significantly better when temperatures plummet.
I’m Going on a Trip!
In line with premature tire wear concerns, you may be tempted to delay a seasonal tire change till you’re back from that long road trip to a place where winter tires were not a requisite. But keep in mind that the weather at the time of your setting off may be radically different when you return. Temperature swings can be quite sudden and it is always better to plan ahead than to get caught up in hazardous road conditions.
In short, while you can have winter tires installed in December, it’s strongly recommended to have this change done earlier in the fall. Booking an appointment will be that much less of a problem, just like having installed on your vehicle those tires best suited to your driving performance expectations and your needs. Avoiding nasty weather surprises is an added bonus. Better safe than sorry when it comes to road safety. Come and meet with us in stores now to obtain the most reliable tips from our experts.