All Season Tires VS Winter Tires, which option is best for you.

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what kind of tires you should have for your vehicle. Depending on where you live, you will have varying road conditions and weather and it’s important for you to understand what would work best for you. If you’re in Wisconsin then you’ll have to deal with snow at some point, and we just want you to be equipped with both the knowledge and the proper tires to ensure you’re riding safely all year long. In this blog we’ll cover what your BEST bet is based on where you’re driving, and a brief numbers breakdown, and we’ll send you off with some tips and things to remember when it comes to tires and your safety.

If you’re driving in:

• Neutral climates without drastic weather or roads, we would recommend all season tires. If you only see a few snow flurries each year and slick, icy roads are more of a fluke than an annual ordeal, all-season tires are probably the way to go.

• Harsh winter weather, we would recommend winter tires. “If you know there’s a period when icy roads are always an issue, mounting winter tires isn’t an over-the-top precaution – it’s an essential safety measure that could save your life.”

• A four seasons climate where the winter weather can be extreme, your BEST bet is having a set of both tires. “When mounting winter tires for the season, always install a full set. Just changing out the front tires increases the likelihood that the rear tires will skid. Likewise, just putting snow tires on the rear wheels could cause the front tires to lose traction and make it impossible to steer your vehicle. And remember to re-mount those all-season tires when spring rolls around. While winter tires are undeniably superior in extreme winter conditions, they’ll wear down faster on warm, dry pavement.”

Why do we advocate for two sets of tires, and how does all the math break down? 

Having two sets of tires allows you to ensure you’re taking the most steps to ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers. Many people will ask if they can use all season tires in winter to save themselves money, and like mentioned above if you’re just having light flurries and it’s rarely icy then sure. But if you’re facing serious road conditions, keep reading to see how having two sets of tires can make all the difference. 

“A set of four winter tires costs $600 or more, depending on your wheel size. If you have the tires mounted on your existing wheels, you’ll have to pay a shop to swap them each spring and fall. Most shops charge about $18 apiece to dismount your all-season tires, mount the winter tires, balance and install them. However, if you buy an extra set of wheels and tire pressure sensors ($480 per set), you’ll save at least $50 on each changeover. Don’t think you can skip the tire pressure sensors—the shop can’t legally install wheels without tire pressure sensors if your vehicle was already equipped with them.

Sure, winter tires cost a lot. But keep in mind that you’re getting a lot for your money. When you factor in the better stopping distance and handling in turns, it’s easy to see how winter tires could prevent an “at-fault” accident. If your collision deductible is in the $500 to $1,000 range, winter tires could actually pay for themselves in a single season if they keep you out of an accident.

Here’s another way to analyze the costs. Winter tires last about five years or 35,000 miles. Those are miles you won’t be putting on your all-season tires. So if you buy a full set of new wheels, the true cost of winter tires comes out to about $150 per year for the first five years. Then if you buy a second set for those same wheels, the cost drops to just $65 per year. It’s worth the relatively small annual cost involved to get the extra stopping power and better handling that can help you avoid an accident.

Tire manufacturers make multiple winter tire models for specific winter conditions. So get expert advice from your local tire dealer to match the tire to your vehicle, your climate and your driving habits.”

Tips and things to remember:

1. “Swap to winter tires around Thanksgiving and back to all-season or summer tires around Easter—winter tires’ softer rubber compounds wear quickly in warmer temperatures.

2. Store off-season tires in a cool, dry area out of the sun, and consider wrapping them in black plastic bags to reduce oxidation.

3. Keep in mind that having two sets of tires isn’t doubling the expense, it’s halving the wear. You’ll have twice the number of tires but buy new ones half as often.

4. Mounting winter tires on the second set of wheels saves money over swapping tires on a single set of wheels. But you can save even more if you negotiate a package deal with the tire shop. Get a price for the tires, wheels, sensors and free seasonal mounting. If your shop offers a “Tire Hotel” service to store your off-season tires, ask them to throw that into the package as well. That way you won’t have to haul the off-season tires back and forth or store them in your garage.

5. Remember, fancy new tires or not, the standard winter driving advice still applies: Slow down, double your following distances, anticipate traffic changes ahead, and give yourself extra time to get where you’re going. Good luck out there!”