Busting Winter Tire Myths
AS SOON AS THE TEMPERATURE consistently dips below 7 C, it’s time to change to winter tires, says Ryan Peterson. We asked CAA Club Group’s manager of automotive services to help debunk some common —and dangerous — myths about winter tires.
Winter tires are too expensive. “I always push back on this,” says Peterson. “A set of tires lasts you approximately 100,000 kilometres. Your summer tires are going to last you for 100,000 km and your winter tires will, too.” You’re still getting 200,000 km out of the two sets but with much better traction along the way. Yes, there’s an upfront cost, but it’s worth it over time.
Two winter tires are all you need. “That’s a dangerous myth,” he says. “You’re going to have a false sense of security from that one set, and the second set will let you down.” A front set of winter tires may corner more quickly, but then the back can fishtail, he explains. With just two winter tires on the rear of the car, you can get moving but may not be able to brake well in slippery conditions.
There’s no need for winter tires unless there’s snow on the ground: `I would actually say that black ice is worse than snow,” he points out. “You can get some traction on snow — it’s slippery, but you can get some resistance to slow down. Black ice is like a roller coaster. It can be much more dangerous than snow by itself.”
You don’t need winter tires if you have four-wheel drive. “Four-wheel drive is great for getting you going, but once you’re moving, it doesn’t help with braking or steering, and that’s when you need snow tires the most,” says Peterson. A 4×4 or all-wheel-drive-equipped vehicle may get you out of the driveway easily, but when you need to stop or turn, you can start to slide — that’s when you realize there are no substitutes for snow tires.
