Buyer’s Guide For Winter Tires

Choosing the right tires for your area and your expected weather patterns is extremely important to your winter driving safety. You wouldn’t go walking around the snow in your flip-flops, and if you are driving on your summer tires this winter, you can almost guarantee that your car will lose traction at some point. Choosing the right tires for your weather patterns can be extremely difficult. Luckily, you never have to guess which tires are right for your vehicle. Stop into a local Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers to meet with one of our knowledgeable tire experts who will take the time to answer your questions, and explain which tires are the best options for your vehicle, and which ones will handle the weather well, as well as last as long as possible.

All-Season Tires

If you live in an area where the worst winter weather you are expecting is a few rainstorms with maybe one or two very light snowfalls each year, all-season tires could work for you. These universal tires work well in most conditions, but do not specialize in any specific weather patterns. These tires are generally affordable, but that affordability does not come without its costs. All-season tires will quickly lose their grip on wet and icy surfaces. If you have even the slightest freeze over in your area, your car might quickly be ice-skating.

Winter/Snow Tires

There are two main types of snow tires: studded and studless snow tires. Each of these types of tires come in a variety of sizes, brands, and compositions, making it even more difficult to choose the right set of tires.

Studded tires are exactly what they sound like, tires with small metal studs embedded in the tread itself. These small studs are designed to dig into the snow and ice and are extremely durable and strong. If you expect high levels of snow and ice in your area, nothing beats a strong set of studded snow tires. The metal studs on these tires are so strong that they can actually dig into the pavement and cause some serious damage if there is no snow or ice on the road, which has caused them to be banned in some states and most states monitor which months they can be used. These tires will also create a much noisier ride than normal, but that noise is well worth it if you are expecting serious winter weather in your area.

Studless tires have become the most popular winter tire option as they can work well past the snow and ice of winter. Studless tires are built with deep ridges in the treads to actively push snow, sleet, and ice away from the surface of your tires, giving you a substantially stronger grip on the road. These tires are also built out of a much more flexible rubber than traditional tires to retain flexibility during the cold temperatures of winter. Regular tires become extremely rigid during the winter and create a much slicker surface area whereas snow tires contour and grip the road with ease. The huge advancements in winter tire technology have made it possible to use studless tires almost anywhere in the nation with little to no threat of losing traction.

If you are looking to get the best tires for your vehicle regardless of the season, visit one of your local Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers. Our teams of experienced tire technicians will help you choose the perfect set of tires for your car to help you drive safe all year long.