Winter Tires vs. All-Season Tires
Many of the cars that you buy from Sport Cadillac near Baltimore, MD, are fitted with all-season tires. This article details the advantages of these year-round performers and when and why you should change them for winter tires.
All-Season Tires
As the name implies, all-season tires are good for the entire year.- Whether the roads are wet or dry, and even if there’s light snow, these tires offer good performance and a quiet ride. They’re generally less noisy on asphalt roads.
- They provide sufficient traction on wet roads because of complex tread patterns that remove water from the underside of the tire.
- They typically work in temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit and have longer lifespans than season-specific tires, sometimes up to 80,000 miles.
- They are also less expensive than season-specific tires and you don’t have to spend money changing them when seasons change.
Winter Tires
Winter tires are specifically designed to brave the harsh conditions of the year’s coldest season and will outperform all-season tires when it’s icy, snowy, or rainy. They deliver the best traction whether you’re driving on black ice or heavy snowfall. Among their unique features are the following:- Tread Rubber. Extreme cold weather can stiffen the tread rubber of all-season tires, reducing their ability to provide enough grip even on dry surfaces. The rubber in winter tires is formulated from softer compounds that remain flexible enough to provide good traction even when the temperatures drop.
- Tread Patterns and Depth. The unique tread patterns of winter tires are designed to channel away snow, slush, and water. Deeper treads minimize the build-up of snow while providing optimum traction on snow.
- Biting Edges. Thousands of tiny saw-toothed slits (sipes) on the tread provide plenty of biting edges. The result is better traction on ice because these small holes suck water from the road and expel it as the tire moves.
What to Choose
The type of tires that you choose depends on the environment that you live in. If ice and snow are rare where you live, then go for all-season tires. When a snowstorm does hit, you can attach tire chains to your wheels to provide better traction through snow. These chains provide necessary traction by preventing wheel spin and improving control. But you shouldn’t drive faster than 30 MPH and avoid driving on bare asphalt, which can diminish the durability of the chains.If you're looking for more information about which tires your vehicle should have for the winter months, contact the experts at Sport Cadillac today!