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158 Old Vernon Rd. Kelowna, BC  |  Monday - Friday: 7:30AM - 5:00PM | Closed for Lunch Hour 12:00PM - 1:00PM  |  Call 778-753-5339

WINTER TIRES - FOR YOUR SAFETY

GET ON TRACK FOR THE WINTER AT VALLEYPRO AUTOHOUSE

ONCE THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 7 C, WINTER TIRES ARE BETTER FOR YOUR CAR THAN ALL-SEASON TIRES - AND HERE'S WHY

All tires have a temperature range they like to work in to give you their best performance. Summer tires like it hot, all-season tires like all things moderate, and, of course, winter tires like it cold.

As temperatures drop below 7C, winter tires develop more grip, whereas all-season and summer tires lose grip and almost become useless.

As we approach November, when temperatures in the morning will be just above freezing, you can bet that the pavement will be very cold. Winter tires have rubber compounds formulated to stay soft and pliable for better traction in cold weather, something that all-season tries don't have.

If cost is a consideration, remember that winter tires wear less in cold weather than all-season tires. All-season tires wear considerably faster when driven in winter. A Swiss auto club study showed that total tire costs for a sedan after five years were less when the car switched between winter and summer tires. 

WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN WINTER TIRES

  •  A car's stopping distance with winter tires can be up to 30 to 40 percent shorter than one with all-season tires.
  • The soft rubber treads of a winter tire are able to splay and wrap themselves around minute protrusions on cold pavement or ice roads.
  • What you get is traction that may be up to 15 percent better than economy-model winter tires.
  • It's about temperature, not snow. Winter tires should be installed when you expect temperatures to fall to 7 C or below.
  • Winter tires should be narrower than summer models– this helps the tire slice through snow and reduces hydroplaning.
  • Winter tires are designed to move water.
  • When you're trying to stop or turn, the limits are determined by the traction capabilities of your tires, not the number of driven wheels.
  • Black ice is not a death sentence. Good winter tires can stick to glare ice, but only if they are within their traction limits.
  • The performance of winter tires has been significantly improved over the past decade by advanced rubber compounds.
  • Current winter tire technology focuses on shallower treads with closely spaced grooves that carry away the water film created when the tire presses down on ice or snow.
  • Although testing makes it easy to see the performance advantages of a winter tire (you stop faster), the technology behind it is deceptively complex.
  • Although they offer an advantage on glare ice, studded tires are far less effective than non-studded models on cold, bare pavement .
  • The most important factors in a winter tire's all-round grip are the quality of its rubber compound and its tread design.