tallperson

I know I'm asking to have the mick taken here but wondered why I shouldn't just leave the winter tires on my car over the summer. Would it be SO bad?

Purley

Of course you can leave your winter tires on over the summer. But don't expect them to be any good next winter. I have winter tires and I understand that the rubber on winter tires is softer than all seasons so it grips the snow better. Or something like that. If you drive on summer roads the hot weather will heat up the tires and it will wear the tread down much more than if you were using all season tires. So the tires will work ok - its just a waste of money because it will ruin the tires.

tallperson

Thanks Liz, we are thinking of getting rid of the car next summer anyway and the tires were new this winter so I was hoping they may last this summer and next winter and then be done with it.

lof

in addition to liz's point: you spend quite a bit more money on gas as well. the softer compound means more friction, the motor of your car has to work more -> more gas used than with all-seasons or summer tires. but hey, we are in northern america - who cares about gas mileage?

whatever reasons there are that you don't want to change the tires twice a year, get all seasons. although they are the ultimate compromise: in harsh winter conditions they are to hard for the optimum grip, in warm summer weather they are to soft for minimum resistance on the road. but still better than driving with winter tires all year round...



edit: if they are new - why not changing them, and when you sell the car, and can't use them for your next vehicle, sell them with the car and get some money for them?

Greenhill

If they're studded, you'd probably be breaking the law:

Studded Tire Restrictions in Canada (according to http://www.betiresmart.ca/buying/stu...c2=studdedTire)

Newfoundland & Labrador November 1 - April 30

Nova Scotia October 15 - April 30

New Brunswick October 15 - April 30

P.E.I. October 1 - May 31

Québec October 15 - May 1

Ontario (Northern Ontario only) October 1 - April 30

Manitoba October 1 - Mar 31

Saskatchewan No date restrictions

Alberta No date restrictions

British Columbia October 1 - April 30

Yukon No date restrictions

Cookie

I just changed over my tires the other day so I demand NO MORE SNOW

I would not drive on winter tires over the summer as it will wreck them and I would be worried about the safety aspect regarding traction too as they are obviously made to cope with temp below zero C, not +30C.

Have a read here

To me it would like wearing my thermal, deep tread boots in the summer and flip flops in the winter

iaink

You will probably end up needing a new set of tires for next winter, and your handling will be a bit squirrely as the rubber and sidewalls will be very soft in normal temperatures.

iaink

Dont you have another set?


Bare in mind if you are getting rid of it next year that a set of winters in decent condition is a good selling point for the car, and probably worth $500 on the sale price to save the new owner the hassle of getting some.

Its only about $80 to change them over.

tallperson

Alright, alright I'm convinced
Last year's tires are knackered so have to get new ones which is what got me thinking.
It's not the cost so much as the waiting 2-3hours while they're fitted. I'm fed up of doing that 2x a year always with a small child in tow! Ho, hum...

iaink

2-3 hours? You need to find a different shop!

Especially with small kids in tow.

I had to get my all seasons remounted cos the alloy wheels were corroded enough that the air was leaking out...they took them off, buffed the rims, remounted them and put them on in place of the snow tires...all in about 45 minutes while I waited. A simple replacement should take half an hour or so. Normally I would do it myself as they are on a second set of rims.

If you need new tires and dont have a second set of rims, maybe now is a good time to mail order new tires and rims. Prices are cheaper that way generally, and then you dont have to be at the mercy of the tire place to swap them over.http://www.tiretrends.com/ is where I got mine from. Its in Canada, so no sales tax hit to receive them.

On one occasion my wifes car was making a god awful noise, she was in town with offspring #2 in tow....We called a few places, one of them bumped a job to fit her in right away because she had the babe with her. Guess what, they get all our business now. You need to shop around to find a place willing to do it right away when you get there with kids in tow. Maybe thats just "small town" thinking.

Paradisefound

I need to replace 2 of my all weather tyres. I have been advised by the garage just to leave the winter tyres on, saving the cost of changing them. Drove for 2 winters on all weather tyres so this is the first year I put winter tyres on, knowing how much worst this winter was going to be.

dthomas

One simple solution is to get rid of your car and trade-in for a tracked car - like mine!

iaink

A garage advised you to drive on two allseasons and two winters? Holy Crap, do they specialise in body work repair?


For the same reasons doing it in the winter is a bad idea, I dont expect its going to help out your summer handling much either!

MikeUK

Buy a trolley jack, changed mine on saturday in a little under half an hour

tallperson

Nice idea but only have one set of rims.