Once the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius, it’s time to switch to winter tires. No matter what make of vehicle you drive, Rivercity Motors offers affordable winter tire packages to get you through the coldest months of the year.
All-season or all-weather tires may provide enough grip during the warmer months, but once the temperature drops they tend to slip. Switching to winter tires improves your car’s acceleration, braking, handling, and even fuel consumption in cold weather. It also keeps you safer in snow and ice, which is especially important in Alberta’s harsh winters
Winter tires offer:
Winter tires are made from a softer rubber compound which retains greater flexibility in cold temperatures, giving you better grip. They also feature deeper (3.5mm minimum), single-direction treads, which help push snow and ice away. With ordinary tires, the rubber tends to harden up when it gets cold, and snow tends to get stuck and accumulate. This can lead to dangerous driving conditions.
Many people avoid swapping their tires for the winter because they are concerned about the expense. However, changing your tires out actually prolongs the life of both sets, spreading the cost out over a longer period. You will also save on fuel economy — not to mention reducing your risk of costly accidents. So although the price may be higher up-front, it’s not as much of a difference as it seems at first glance.
Ask about our selection of winter tire packages to find out how affordable winter tires really are!
We wouldn’t recommend it. Having different tires on the front and back of your car can make your handling inconsistent. You will notice a greater tendency to oversteer or understeer, which can defeat the purpose of changing tires.
Changing only one pair for the winter will also cause your full set of all-season or all-weather tires to wear at different rates, making it more complicated to rotate or replace them later. For maximum performance and road safety, it’s best to change all four tires.
Different tires have different strengths and weaknesses. While winter tires offer superior performance during cold weather, they wear down more quickly at higher temperatures. Although it may seem like a bigger hassle at first, it’s more efficient and cost-effective to swap your tires out when the seasons change.
If you live in Quebec or British Columbia, you are required to swap your tires out for the winter season. If you live in Alberta, it is optional. But with the freezing temperatures and harsh weather we often encounter here, it makes a big difference in the safety and performance of your vehicle. At Rivercity Motors, we offer full service on top winter tire brands, including BF Goodrich, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, and more. We offer full service for your winter tires including inspection, mounting, balancing, and swapping to get your car ready to perform its best during the winter months.