Canadians springs are unpredictable. So when is the ideal time to change your tires?
It is a good time to change to summer tires once the average daily temperatures rise above +7 Celsius. Winter tires lose their grip as temperatures start to rise. CAA tests showed that drivers took longer to stop and had less control when driving with winter tires in the summer. Conditions worsened as speed increased. Winter tires also performed poorly on wet roads. Winter tires are designed with soft, flexible treads for below-zero temperatures.
The soft treads get worn down more quickly in hot summer weather. This impairs your ability to brake; it decreases your gas mileage and wears out your tires more quickly. Using winter tires in the summer increases your chances of an accident, shortens your tire life, and costs you more at the pumps.
Summer tires are designed for summer conditions. A summer tire has a tread pattern with less grooving, designed to have more rubber in contact with the road. Summer tires improve the overall performance and handling of your car and give a quieter and smoother ride.
Change your tires to suit the weather.
And, living in Ottawa, we are almost always guaranteed to experience some freak winter conditions after you’ve changed you tires. If this happens, just give yourself some extra time and extra following distance.
Be safe while saving money!