It’s that time of year again! The snow has started to fall and you’ve likely seen advertisements in your area or probably heard that winter tires are a must-have for winter driving. We’re here to discuss whether or not snow tires are worth it and what types you should be looking at, living in Grande Prairie, AB we think it’s important to own a set of winter tires. However, if you live in an area with mild winters and haven’t paid close attention to the news lately, their importance might not seem so clear.

Winter tires can offer significant benefits over all-season or summer tires—from better traction on ice and snow to improved handling during heavy snow—and they pay for themselves after just one winter of use, making them the most cost-effective way to ensure your safety on slick roads. You owe it to yourself and your family: buy winter tires this year!

Learn more about this below.

What Are Snow Tires?

Winter has arrived and winter tires are a must if you’re living in Grande Prairie. But what exactly are winter tires?

If you live in an area that experiences snow or ice, winter tires will provide a better grip on slippery surfaces than all-season or summer tires. This means they’ll help you stop more quickly when it counts most, whether it be when your car is hydroplaning on ice or snow.

Beyond stopping power, winter tires also have special tread patterns for increased traction in snow and slushy conditions, as well as a softer rubber compound to prevent snow from packing under the tire.

Sounds pretty good so far? The rub is that while winter tires typically cost more per tire than their counterparts for each set of four wheels, some people aren’t convinced winter tires are worth it or not needed when ultimately it’s been proven time and time again with driving tests that they do. Of course, you can also consider studded winter tires but we’ll focus on the basics for now.

How Much Are Winter Tires?

Winter tires are an essential wintertime accessory if you live in a place that gets snow or ice. They’ll make winter driving more comfortable and safer for everyone on the road as well as ensure your vehicle is ready to handle winter weather. But what do winter tires actually do? And how much should I expect to pay for them?

As mentioned winter tires offer better grip than all-season or summer tires, which means they can cut through snowy conditions without risking skidding off the road, losing control of the car, and crashing into other vehicles or objects.

This makes winter tires especially important when encountering icy patches of roadway because it prevents cars from slipping and sliding like hockey pucks across frozen rinks. The treads on winter tires are specially designed to grip the ice, packed snow, and winter’s slushy puddles. This is an essential function because winter conditions, unlike the dry asphalt on summer or all-season tires, can make driving extremely treacherous.

That being said not everyone is convinced that it’s a necessity or is willing to purchase new winter tires. Prices on a set of new winter tires can start as low as $80 per tire (as of this writing) and instantly provide the necessary safety and avoid potential future damage to your vehicle from an accident.

The price of the tire will vary depending on who the manufacturer is, the size, and of course the type.

Still, the best part about buying tires from Windsor Ford is our Price Match Guarantee, get a quote and we’ll match or beat it just by coming into our dealership!

Can You Use Winter Tires All Year?

We know how great winter tires are for the 6-8 months of tough driving conditions here in Grande Prairie, but what about the rest of the year? Do winter tires really last that long? And more importantly, do they make your vehicle perform better during the other seasons too? Let’s find out!

Winter Tires: They Make Driving Safer in Winter but not So Much in other seasons.

Typically made from materials designed to do a better job in colder temperatures we don’t advise using winter tires all year long. With these materials, they usually only last up to six yearsThe Question “Do winter tires really last that long?” can be answered quickly by looking at how winter tires are made. They’re typically made from winter sports gear, materials that do a better job gripping frozen surfaces compared to traditional rubber tires.

While winter tires do wonders in winter, they’re actually harder to handle during the other seasons. Softer winter tires are also less fuel-efficient, produce more noise, and provide poorer handling in the dry compared to regular rubber tires, which is why winter tires aren’t recommended for use during Spring, Summer, or Fall. In those seasons we suggest you stick to All-Season Tires which leads us to ask…

Are All-Season Tires Good For Snow?

All-season tires are designed to provide a smooth, quiet ride in most conditions. Many all-season tires do great during rain and bare pavement year-round as they can handle traction on light snow or winter storms but are not as effective in deep snows or icy conditions when lots of traction is needed (typically experienced in cold temperatures below 0° C).

Some common misconceptions of all-season and winter tires include the following:

Do all-Season tires provide better traction on wet roads than winter ones?

All-season is fantastic in summer and cooler climates. Their patterns and grooves may work in wet, humid road conditions but their thickness isn’t a match for frozen surfaces or dry ice. Without winter tires you are at risk of losing control on an icy patch – especially if your all-seasons aren’t able to stay flexible when below-freezing temperatures call! All Season Tires also have substantially thinner rubber which means they lack traction during extreme cold weather events such as -30 °C). While these types can still be used year they are no match for winter tires.

Winter Tires Are Too Expensive

Winter tires are a must for those who live in colder regions. They cost the same as any other type and they provide extra safety during harsh winters, not to mention how much easier it will be when you have an accident because your all-season ones had frozen treads!

A lot of people believe that since their car has All Season Tires on them now then winter won’t affect performance or handling at icy roads but this couldn’t be further from reality with newer models coming out every year having improved grip capabilities thanks primarily by using studded rubber compounds which offer superior traction.

I have Four Wheel Drive So Don’t Need Winter Tires

Four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive has nothing to do with your winter tires. Sure, 4WD can help you move forward if you’re in a compromising situation like being buried in a ditch full of snow, but it does not come into play when stopping as those who use them will find out firsthand that their effectiveness decreases significantly on ice and frozen pavement. On these types of surfaces, you rarely get enough traction for AWD systems so drivers should be prepared regardless no matter what type of tire is being used by driving safely at all times – even during slippery conditions!

All-Season Tires Are Just As Good For Winter Use

All-season tires work great in hot and mild weather, but when conditions get extreme they can’t handle the Canadian roads. Winter tires provide thicker rubber and grooves, making them more durable which lets drivers drive safer in freezing temperatures with deep treads that won’t break down or crack.

Are Winter Tires Worth It?

Winter is winter, but winter tires are a different story. That’s because winter tires have some significant advantages over all-season or summer-only tires. Winter tires grip better in wet and snowy conditions than all-season or summer-only tires, giving you more control of your car on slippery roads.

They also provide better braking performance than the other two types of tires when it comes to stopping distances on snow and ice.

If you live in an area that has long periods of winter weather like Grande Prairie does, then winter tires could be worth the extra expense for your vehicle.

Where To Buy Winter Tires In Grande Prairie?

Are you looking to shop for winter tires in the Grande Prairie, AB area? Look no further than Windsor Ford, we’ve got a large selection of tires from most major manufactures and best of all we offer a Price Match Guarantee…meaning if you find cheaper tires you can bring your quote to us and we will do our best to MEET or BEAT that estimate with what we have available at our location.

Don’t delay today, get your vehicle outfitted with winter tires today!

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