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Should I Put Studded Tires on My Car This Winter?

With winter on its way, you will want to start preparing for the storms now. While the weather now does not seem very wintery, the snow will be upon us quickly. So, it is the perfect time now to start preparing before the storms arrive and everyone is clamoring for winter tires. However, the question remains, when should you use studded tires and when should you use non-studded tires? 

Ice vs. Snow 

If you drive on icy roads more than snowy ones, you will want to have studded tires. Studded tires have strong pieces of metal embedded into the tire which are designed to dig into the ice and provide extra traction. When the surface is not covered in ice, studded tires can damage the roads. Studded tires are even useful on hard packed snow and wet ice, allowing your tires to dig in where non-studded cannot. 

Credit to Nokiantires.com

Sound 

While you will encounter icy road conditions, you will also encounter bare roads that have either been plowed or the snow has melted. On these roads, studded tires will be extremely noisy. If noise bothers you, you will want to have non-studded tires.  

Changing Weather 

Non-studded tires can be equipped early during the autumn and stay late into the spring. The only thing stopping a person from keeping winter tires on all year is how much wear they’ll take in warmer weather whereas studded tires are only legally allowed in Ontario from October 1st to April 31st 

Come talk to us at Barrie Honda if you are confused if you should put on studded or non-studded tires or if you need your tires to be stored for the season. We are happy to help!