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Imagine … You drive your babysitter on the front seat, your children put tightly in their car seats and you are approaching an intersection and … slides in the middle of it. Upcoming cars will fly past you like a chase scene in an action film. Fortunately, none of them touch you and you can continue with your day, except the spooky feeling that stays with you. You could all have been seriously injured, or worse.
For me that was a snowy day many years ago. The strange thing is, I didn’t even think I needed new tires. It snowed and I got it on the road on the road. But I was the only one sliding; Every other car on the road was fine. Fortunately, not long after, my mechanic recommended to replace my tires. I quickly agreed and bought them on the spot.
This story was 100% humanly investigated and written on the basis of actual knowledge of the first person, extensive experience and expertise about cars and trucks.
Know the condition of your current tires
My first mistake was that I didn’t know the condition of my ties. My second mistake was that I should have checked the situation. Although I got new tires, did I get the right one for my driving style and circumstances? Did I pay too much? Would they wear too quickly? All the questions I didn’t think about because … I didn’t know.
Well, now I do that, and if you keep reading, you will do that too.
Related: Michelin is safe when new, safe when worn: are tires better with wear?
Insight into what you need to choose the right new tires
I am sure that the service technician at the car dealer meant well when he sold me a set of tires. I am also sure that he made a nice committee and probably didn’t care much, which was important to me in a new set of tires. What I should have done was a bit of research and then looking at independent retailers as mentioned at eBay Motors. From there you can search for what you need, as you would do when buying a few sneakers or a vacuum cleaner.
Some things to consider are:
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Size recommended by the manufacturer
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Types of tires – The entire season, Touring, Winter, Run flat
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Speed and load rating – If you drive a lot of highway with a car full of children, or if you drag heavy equipment, this is important
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Long of wear/warranty – How long do you want your tires to last for a long time?
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Location of the installation program – You can buy tires and have them sent to an installation program in your area or in some cases
The service technician at my dealer has not asked me any of these questions, which is why I am pretty sure that I did not get the right tires for my car.
Read: Kumho Tyres Solus 4S Review: Unique design, quiet and trust
Next: choose the right new tires for your driving situation (s)
Ask yourself when buying new tires: in which circumstances do you usually drive in, and which circumstances are the most challenging or possibly even dangerous? Cold, snowy, maybe icy weather? Rainy, slick paving? Seasonal mud and gravel that spill on the road? A gravel driveway or paths? Steep hills? Occasionally floods and standing water on the street?
Where I lived in Connecticut, it was all the above for a large part of the year. Now that I live in Texas, I don’t have to worry so much about snowy or icy conditions, but rain-slick streets, mud, gravel and floods are common.
Related: What an eye -opener: Pirelli’s fantastic new P Zero as plus 3 tires
All wheel drive versus front -wheel drive
If you ask me, everyone needs AWD. Although that is not necessary and AWD can mean that it is added $ 2,000 extra to the price of a new car. For most driving situations, the front -wheel drive is great, even in snow and mud. Usually front wheels get a good amount of traction with the weight of the engine and the vehicle.
But for drivers who are confronted with hilly, smooth, icy, snowy or serious surfaces, All Wheel Drive offers extra options. It ensures that the rear wheels turn around with the front wheels, so that you have as much traction on the rear wheels as the front wheels.
Related: Hercules Tyres Review: Why these tires gave me new confidence
Winter tires vs all season tires
The entire season tires are a bit like a perfect sanding jacket: great for most seasons, but probably too much or too little in extremely hot or cold weather. However, the entire season tires on an AWD vehicle are probably good, even in very snowy climates. But only with FWD or RWD do you probably need winter tires.
I was able to try out the entire season tires and compare them with winter tires in a front -wheel drive Toyota Camry and in a rear -wheel drive Porsche 911. The camry actually did well with all the seasons as long as I went slowly, where they were where I was where I was Thought the snow wasn’t too deep and I would probably get stuck and my momentum kept stable. But with winter tires I was able to drive through everything, which of course was more fun. It reminded me of slowly going on the highway when a storm was just rolled in, but the teams are not over yet.
Related: Continental Tyre Review: These run bands will change your life. Real.
Rear -wheel drive with winter tires
Even more pleasure was the Porsche 911 with winter tires. I am thinking of a 911 as I do a great piece of David Yurman rgesties: if you make the investment, you have to wear it; Don’t just save it for great events. If you buy a Porsche (or, Miata or Supra or BMW 3 series) and live in a snowy climate, you invest in winter tires. You never have to leave your baby because of the weather and you will be completely capable of snowy roads.
All wheel drive with a heavy load
This surprised me. We took a round in a Ford F-150 equipped with all seasonal ties and with a heavy load in the bed. It was fine, but going slowly; I felt the load pulling the weight of the rear end of the truck, although all four wheels went fairly well. It was capable of incidental winter driving.
All wheel drive with winter tires
But for more challenging climates, such as regular ski weekends, frequent storms and those days that you have to go shopping while the snow accumulates, I would feel much safer and comfortable with winter tires. In the winter tires I was able to drive much faster and with much more control.
When winter tires are the right choice
Learning that drivers in Quebec are legally obliged to exchange their entire season tires for winter tires was an eye-opener. The idea that risking your safety and that of others is not an option is simply logical. But Quebec gets a lot of snow and the winter is a long season. But are winter tires logical for everyone who lives in a snowy climate? Maybe, and maybe not. You should consider them if:
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Winter temperatures, October to March, are usually on or under 40 F
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Snow, ice and ice occur regularly
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Terrain is hilly or uneven
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You do not always have the choice to stay off the road in bad weather
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You are responsible for the safety of others
Winter tires should not be driven at warmer temperatures; They will wear quickly and end just as unsafe in warm weather as the entire season tires are in the winter weather.
The good news is that most drivers buy a set of winter tires and change them in the fall and spring, which means that each set of tires lasts twice as long.
Don’t be like me. Get the right tires
In the past, buying tires was not easy or fun. Now you can buy online and have them sent to your installation program or to your house. You can choose exactly what you want and need and you can shop the price. And you can be sure that you get exactly what you need, so that you and your valuable load are safe on the way. Don’t mention it.
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