Sunday 6 April 2014

Is It A Good Idea To Buy Snow Tires?

By George Dodson


I moved up to the North East after college with my trusty truck. Living the most of my life in warmer climates, I really didn't know that much about snow and driving in wintery weather. The first winter was extremely bad. The truck did not have 4 wheel drive but I had always found the front wheel drive was more than enough to get you through most normal situations. The case was not the same in the first winter. Before the first snow fall I rented an apartment that was on top of a hill.

It was not a problem to get in and out of the driveway on normal days. However, when the second snowfall started it became difficult to drive the truck. Coming out of the driveway was not a big problem. Coming up the driveway was like a nightmare. I got stuck a number of times. The driveway was like an ice rink due to the ice and slick at the top. I took a running start to come up the driveway without even stopping once.I managed to reach the top of the drive without stopping in the middle.The driveway became more and more packed with the advent of the severe winter days. My truck would get stuck near the garage gate. At night I had to dig the truck to get inside.

My tires had worn down by the time of spring. The local tire shop offered a huge collection of tires to choose from. I wanted to make the best bargain as I was a budget-loving customer. Thankfully when this tire salesperson explained to me that all season tires really are not the best for driving in the snow. He suggested to use performance tires during the summer months and then shift to winter ones later.

I felt at first he was trying to pressure me into buying an extra set of tires. But after some research I found out that smart drivers actually keep two sets of tires: one for summer one for winter. Performance tires were great for driving on dry roads were useless in snow. The winter tires are specifically designed for the cold months. You can find the best bargain by switching back and forth.

No matter what tires all season tires you get, none will perform in winter as a well as an average set of cooper winter ones. This way you save a lot of money by not having to replace your tires every few years. The two sets of tire would last for a longer time than two single set used consecutively. The shop also gave me information about the rebates available online. I started waiting to get another rebate. The following year my truck was not a big issue.




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