Understanding Winter Tires

There are several types of winter tires, so we wanted to take some time to talk about winter tires with our readers. This is the time of year when lots of people in British Columbia are putting on winter tires.

All-Season Tires

Tires with a “M+S” symbol on their side are designed to be driven all year round. There are also all-season tires that have a snowflake symbol and are designed to be driven all year. The M+S stands for mud and snow. Even if the tires only have M+S, these tires are legal in British Columbia on roads that require winter tires. However, they will not perform as well on snow and ice as tires that are specifically designed for snow and ice.

Snowflake Symbol Tires

Winter tires that have a snowflake symbol on the side are specifically designed for driving on snow and ice, and they will perform better than M+S tires. These are the tires that are generally mounted in the fall and removed in the spring and used only during the winter.

Studded Snow Tires

Studded snow tires are special winter tires that are designed for studs. The studs, metal or rubber, are added later. Studded snow tires offer superior performance on ice and hard-packed snow, if that’s what you drive on, a lot. However, they are not for everyone and actually perform worse on roads that are wet with rain but have no snow and ice.

Other Information About Winter Tires

Winter tires stay softer in cold temperatures, and this helps them grip the road. Also, you will usually use slightly smaller (narrower) tires winter tires than all-season tires. This is because with a slightly smaller tire, more weight is concentrated on a smaller area, which increases traction.

Keep in mind that the right tires helps with traction while you’re moving and starting from a stop; winter tires don’t help you to stop.

The type of tire that you need depends on you, your vehicle, and where you drive. If you need some help choosing winter tires, you can always contact us and talk to us about it.

Gary’s Automotive has been providing honest and reliable automotive services in the Greater Vancouver area for over 30 years.

If you have anyg questions about this article or would like to schedule some service for your vehicle, give us a call at (604) 541-1818.