Winter Tires vs. All-Season Tires

All Bartow drivers know that as the weather changes, how you care for your new vehicle changes as well. Below, we’re going to give you an introduction to winter tires vs. all-season tires alongside the various benefits and drawbacks of each. Learning more about the tires your car requires ensures you and your passengers stay safe on the road, so read on for more information, or feel free to contact our service center team with any questions you may have.

The Benefits & Drawbacks of Winter Tires

While winter tires are great for driving around Brandon when winter hits, there are certainly some drawbacks you’ll want to consider. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using winter tires:

Advantages

• Unique Rubber Compound: Many all-season tires are made of a rubber compound that can freeze and get brittle when temperatures drop. Winter tires utilize a special rubber compound that stays flexible during the cold to ensure you’ve got maximum grip.
• Specially-Designed Tread: You’ll often notice the grooves in a winter tire are different from an all-season tire and that’s because they’re specially designed for winter driving. The grooves reduce the amount of snow and ice build-up so you’ve got better traction when driving in inclement weather.
• Biting Edge Design: In addition to the ability to reduce snow and ice build-up, winter tires also have a biting edge design that digs into deep snow and ice to allow your vehicle to easily drive in winter conditions.

Disadvantages

• Wear: If temperatures climb back up and the roads are dry, driving with winter tires can cause significant wear on the tires, meaning a decreased lifespan.
• Swapping Out: While you can drive on a winter tire during the summer, it’s not recommended so you’ll have to have a second set of summer tires to swap to when the weather gets warmer.

Winter Tire Storage Information & Tips

As we mentioned, you don’t want to keep your winter tires on year-round because they’re not necessarily made to tackle summer roads. As a result, there are some winter tire storage tips we want to provide you so that you can keep your winter tires in excellent condition. Additionally, driving in the winter comes with some nuances you’ll want to be aware of for maximum safety. Here are some winter tire tips and driving information to keep in mind:

• Store Clean Tires: It may seem obvious, but you’ll want to clean your tires before you put them in storage. Storing tires without cleaning them could lead to corrosion and decrease the lifespan of your tires. Make sure you cover your tires after you clean them.
• Clean & Temperature-Controlled Storage: You’ll want to keep your tires in a clean and temperature-controlled space so that they don’t experience increased wear. Additionally, you’ll want to stack your tires and rotate them occasionally to avoid any spots or unusual deformities on your tires.
• Tire Pressure: Your tire pressure in the winter will almost always drop as the cold temperatures cause air to become less dense in your tires. We recommend you add the correct tire pressure to your tires when they’re still cold as you don’t want to have low tire pressure when you’re driving.
• Tread Wear: Just because you have winter tires doesn’t mean you won’t experience tread wear. It’s best to regularly inspect your tire tread wear to ensure you’ve got the proper tire tread for when roads do become hazardous.

Get Professional Winter Tire Information at Cadillac Lakeland

Need additional details on winter tire storage? Explore our Cadillac research or schedule an appointment at our Lakeland service center for more tips. Our team of professionals can help you properly care for your car, no matter the weather. Don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance with your vehicle and we’ll be happy to help you get back on the Winter Haven roads as soon as possible.