Michelin X-Ice Xi3 Tire.

It’s that time of year: switching from summer to winter tires

In Tires and Wheels by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

The weather is getting colder, and any day now there’s going to be snow on the ground. You know that driving in the snow can be a hassle, and sometimes even dangerous. And just like you change over from your summer wardrobe to your winter wardrobe, you need to swap out your tires for the season.

Summer tires

Summer tires have a lot of advantages. If you have a performance vehicle, like a BMW or an Audi, then you’re going to want a quality set of wheels to get more traction and tread for the best response when turning and braking on the road. And while summer tires are created to handle rain, hot pavement, and other summer weather factors, they’re not going to be able to perform nearly as well on slick and icy roads.

All season tires

BF Goodrich performance tire.

BF Goodrich performance tire

Many drivers opt for an all-season tire, because – as the name implies – they are built to be used in all seasons. All-season tires are designed to stand up to many weather conditions, across the seasons, but they’re no substitute for winter or snow tires, particularly if you’re in an area where there’s a moderate to severe amount of snowfall each winter.

Winter tires

Winter tires are created to perform in icy and snowy driving conditions, and provide the maximum amount of traction and grip on the roads. When you need reliability and you want to ensure safety out there on the roads this winter, the best way to make sure that happens is to have a set of quality winter wheels on your vehicle. They have the ability to perform on drive pavement, but they’re designed with inclement weather in mind. That extra traction is going to give you extra stopping time when braking, and when you’re driving around other vehicles, and you start to slide, those extra couple of feet can make a major difference in the outcome.

So when it comes to the safety and reliability of your vehicle in every season, making sure you have a set of summer and winter tires to alternate between the seasons is an excellent idea. At Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire we have technicians and staff that can answer all of your questions about the different types of tires, and which ones work best for your vehicle in all seasons, and all weather.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.