Discussions

Just switched my vehicle and it doesn't come with winter tires but all season. I do drive out of town now and then. Is it too late to install a new set of winter tires? Don't want to spend all that money and switch them over to summer/all season in a couple of months.

I usually take mine off mid March beginning of April. Winter tires are a softer rubber and expensive. No use burning them off needlessly. It's personal preference though:

Really it's your choice but personally I would wait it out for what's left of this winter.

That’s just me though! We haven’t seen much snow this year, I think we are still going to get it. Never fails.

I would still get winter tires now. They help in the city and certainly are a smart choice for highway driving - I appreciate mine this week. It is only mid February so we could still get a few weeks of crappy driving conditions.

It costs about $100 just to switch them over and another $100 to switch them over to summer/all season within a couple of months, plus I have to buy new winter tires. That's my dilemna.

Typically February and March are the coldest when everything is iced over and when the frost comes out and can get very slippery. kal tire has a great deal of $150 off on a set of remaining winter tires until the end of the month and offer tire storage for the all seasons!  
 
Edited by Liquid wrench, 2018-02-15 22:08:11

Left in winter and we still not had our normal 4 blizzard for the winter season. Flip a coin - Heads you win, Tails you loose.  
If you do buy winter tires and you like the brand of your all season then buy the same brand for a winter tire. Might as well buy a set of winter rims too.Most tire shops don't charge for flipping tires of the same brand that they sell and they must already be on rims.

And it costs less than $50 to get them changed over.

Its up to you. Personally I have never bought into the "winter tire" hype. Unless you are driving a sports car with low profile tires you can drive just fine with all seasons. You have to adjust your driving habits. I love the people that put winter tires on and think they can drive like they do in the summer. Any tire on ice is going to suck unless you have studs. And lowkey not sure where you are flipping tires but every shop is going to charge to swap them, regardless of brand unless you are buying new tires from them at the time.

and bought my first set of winter tires this winter...you'll survive if you wait until fall.

This year is an exception certainly because of the lack of snow. Even studded tires will have suffered big time this year being that they are being driven on basically pavement. Personally I would tough it out if you can till next winter.

I would wear out the ones you have and then buy winter tires and keep them on all year. Such a joke to think your winter tires won't last in the summer. that's all I've used since 2005, and wouldn't ever go back to all season again. I drive 50000KM a year and replace every 2 years.

I drive on Cooper m/s tires for spring, summer and fall. For winter I run Cooper Discovery m/s with studs and winter steel rims and usually get 4-5 years out of them before I buy replacement tires. I've not paid the cooper tire dealer shop anything for taking off and flipping my tires. It's a customer service perk for having 8 tires of the same brand.

artsylikes said "That’s just me though! We haven’t seen much snow this year, I think we are still going to get it. Never fails. "

Snow has nothing to do with the need for winter tires. The rubber on winter tires is softer and remains flexible below 7c so you still have grip. All-seasons tend to stiffen up at colder temps and you lose grip even on bare roads. If you know how to drive in the winter, you'll probably be fine until next fall, but there's no real reason to not get winter tires when MPI will finance them for you.

Replacing winter tires every two years!! How can u say that keeping them on in the summer doesn’t wear them out faster! I have two sets, travel the same distance as you per year and my tires both summer and winter last me at least 4 years.

You are getting the same mileage out of each set that kevun gets out of his. He replaces 1 set every 2 years...you replace 2 sets every 4 years. Same thing.  
 
I run my truck in winter tires all year round. My car gets winter tires swapped out every year. My truck tires do not wear excessively in summer. I was getting 3 years put of 1 set when i drove it daily. Now I get 5 or 6 years out of a set because I drive it less.

and to top it off I buy them all on kijiji or ebrandon with almost no miles because people sold that vehicle and the new one has different size.  
get them for under $400 for a set. The last ones were 15 inch $350 had 240 miles on them.

kevun said "and to top it off I buy them all on kijiji or ebrandon with almost no miles because people sold that vehicle and the new one has different size.   get them for under $400 for a set. The last ones were 15 inch $350 had 240 miles on them. "

Sounds like you got it made! 4 brand new winter tires every other year for $350. Heck of a deal. I'd burn them off in the summer for that price too. My tires are almost $300 a tire. I wish I was as lucky as you.  
 
Edited by Ms.Daisy, 2018-02-16 22:28:16