Debunking winter tire myths 

I'm on my 3rd. Subaru and have always used winter tires for them. Here in Saskatchewan the tires are on my Forester for 7 months, minimum. I agree to the statement: AWD doesn't mean all-wheel stop.

I was the same. Always thought all-season tires were fine.... Until I got a set of winter tires. It was a game changer

Under 7 degrees C, even the dry/wet grip of winter tires will exceed summer/allseason tires. Anyone will notice the huge difference in ice/snow traction and handling, but it is also important for emergency braking/manouvering even on wet/dry surfaces (90%+ of the time in most places in the winter).

⁠@@philojudaeusofalexandria9556Winter tires make too many sacrifices to wet/dry performance that there are still many all-season tires that will simply outperform a winter tire down to about freezing and even beyond. Summer tires on the other hand, absolutely, down around 7 degrees performance degrades and even starts to gets dangerous as that rubber hardens approaching freezing. For these reasons, I’m surprised an all-weather tire which can truly be used all year round was not mentioned. A tire like the Michelin CrossClimate2 is extremely well-reviewed and has the 3PMSF symbol but still works without excessive wear into the hot summer months. It’s very highly rated for its wet/dry performance in both cold and hot months. Sure, for extreme conditions in either winter or summer, a dedicated seasonal tire would be better but for the everyday driver who lives in a mild region year-round, like those of us in Vancouver, I think an all-weather tire is the best all-in-one solution, all without seasonal tire changes! Don’t take my word for it, there’s plenty of reviews that test the CrossClimate2 across different conditions and against dedicated winter tires, summer tires, and all-season tires. Likewise, plenty of reviews that show how a good all-season tire can outperform a winter tire in the dry/wet even when it’s cold.

@@philojudaeusofalexandria9556 All weather tires (with the snow flake) work better below freezing.

It’s not about how fast u can drive, it’s about how fast u can stop. This is what people still don’t seem to understand after god knows how long

I plowed snow working for a local school district for 35 years and so many times I would be traveling between schools in the plow truck and people in their SUV would go flying past me and sure enough down the road they would be in the ditch, or in one case upside down. I know they were thinking, I have four-wheel drive, so I do not need to slow down. They may go a little better, but they do not stop or go around corners if you are driving too fast just like a regular car. Winter tires and sensible driving go a long way to winter driving.

@@scrambler69-xk3kv Agreed, this folks do not know the difference between ability to go and stopping/traction.

Oh God save us......what are your statements based on?

Yes that is true, because with winter tires you can drive LOT faster ;) Here speed limit is 80 and some places 90km/h and we pretty much drive at the same speed summer and winter. Also here if you drive with summer tires in winter on snow and ice here you will loose your drivers license and get a huge fine for every summer tire on your car.

winter tires with bad driving habits is a lot better than all-season tires with bad driving habits.

It’s not what u drive but how u drive.

100%

Depends on the tread depth and how old the used tires are. Once you see any cracks (i.e. the rubber has significantly lost its elasticity) or the tread depth gets below 4/32nds, you can be sure that a new set of all seasons will outperform the used winters.

Unfortunately m+s tires count S wonter tires here, but they are not winter tires by any stretch of the imagination. There is no comparison between tires marked M+S and the tirex with the mountain/snowflake symbol. Better yet, if you drive in an area that gets frequent freezing rain, studded tires are like driving on gravel instead of ice. No winter compound comes close.

Ahh yes Ottawa, the left wing dump of Canada.

It does indeed 👍

Trouble is, you cannot get that through young people's heads. they see winter tires as a pain, and the sad thing is they will never know the massive difference they make. How much is your life worth? And think about the other people on the road. I think living where winter tires are mandatory from this date to this date would be awesome.

also... instead of just running the engine to circulate the oil and warm it up... drive slowly around a quiet block or parking lot for awhile to warm everything else up and get the vehicle ready for the road. Check tire pressure too, as a drop in temp is a drop in tire pressure... and a potential blow out.

What about 'all-weather' tires? (With the mountain snowflake symbol)

@@c.s.herman860 3 peak is considered winter tire

Yes, im in ontario and always remebered quebec being the only one to mandate. I would say atleast 80% of people get winter tires on here

Winter tires are mandatory in BC.

@@elizabethheinrichs7187 the designation M+S (all seasons) is accepted in BC which is not a real dedicated winter tire like the 3 spike snowflake designation

Sounds like a rebranding of no-season tyres.

I have all weather tires on in Vancouver. They are great. I don’t have space to store winter tires, either.

@@unclemick-synths Thats not true, its a different technology. Tires are actually quite sophisticated

Yes, exactly!! Just found your post after replying to the OP mentioning the same thing.

Trigger Ok but run some Blizzaks in bad weather, the difference is well night and day.

arent studed ties ilegal in southern ontaio

@@randomrazr I'm in central Alberta and they're definitely legal here (thank goodness considering how much snow and ice we deal with) Wasn't aware they were illegal anywhere tbh! I can see why though if a large number of people drive around on studded tires when there isn't much or any ice to protect the pavement

@@randomrazr Are studded tires legal in Ontario? In Ontario, studded tires are allowed between September 1st and May 31st each year, but only on vehicles that are registered in Northern Ontario. This area includes Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Temiskaming.

true, but studed tires have come along way in how they are designed so they dont tear up roads. either that or they jsut want more organ donors with more accident s@@ninkapoop

they are illegal in southern ontairo. well if u get caught of course ;) i think they should make em legal though. that law was put in place back in the 70s or 80s and studed tech have come along way that they wont tear up the asphalt@@titusmccarthy

I run the Blizzaks , when traction is the absolute priority they are without peer.

yep, I believe 5/32 for the treads is the minimum. If you're buying used, bring something to measure!

And they still are asking a lot for bad used tires.

Caveat emptor

Silicon (Silica) content

Tread block design (as noted in the video) is also a key difference. Difference in compound *plus* the tread design work hand in hand. True summer tires of far fewer cuts and sipes (the extreme being high performance/racing tires that effectively are just flat rubber). All season is really the mid point between Summer and Winter.

No, it is NOT JUST the compound that is being used, there is very many other factors

Studs for ice they work great

not true

Roddy you know your tires, the cross 2 and 4S2 are some of the best "all weather" tires out there but I run Blizzaks ws80s in the winter, bullet proof, snow , wet, ice, come what may~!

@@MM-tf5gg Like I said, I get snow here, but not enough to justify full winter tires. I have three sets of full winter tires, and I no longer use 2 of them. The one I still use is the Pilot Alpin 5. The Alpin 5 shines when there is now snow, or when the roads are wet. You should not use winter tires all year round. They will get destroyed, and they can't keep up in dry and hot weather. I know the WS80s (now WS90s) very well. You will get no argument from me on their winter performance. Those are not cheap tires, but you get your money's worth. That is why it is important to buy products from the best-known brands, and you chose wisely. 👍👍👍👍 Again, I recommend the RU-vid Channel "Tyre Reviews", and he also has a a website.

@@Roddy451 I watch that channel all the time! I live in the mountains of northern Jersey and travel even further into the mountains of NY for work everyday hence have to have snows.

@@MM-tf5gg Oh yes... you get a lot of snow. The Tyre Reviews recommendation was not directed at you but for anyone who bothers to read my long post. Sorry for not being clear about that bit. The first time I tried winter tires, finding out how much of a difference it made when braking was amazing. Those were Michelin X-Ice (the original of that model).

Studded winter tires are recommended in Newfoundland and Labrador due to the rugged terrain, harsh winters, and slippery road conditions.

Eh, it's good to challenge your own assumptions from time to time. You never know when you'll learn something new. For example, I didn't know until watching this video that tires are date stamped with the week/year of their manufacturing.

@@Alex-js5lg it’s very important to look at the manufacturer date when buying used tires. Most people selling them don’t even realize they’re selling super old and unsafe tires. The general rule of thumb is after 6 years a tire is at a higher risk of hidden damage and potential blow-out at high speeds. Anything close to 10 years and that risk goes waaay up, even if the tire is in good shape, it can deteriorate quickly when exposed to harsh elements or rough driving, and you never know when you’ll need to perform an emergency maneuver

BS

google dry rot tire blow outs :)

If you watch those Russian car videos they use their tires till they're bald it looks like. They crash everywhere in snow conditions

Have they changed the title since you watched the video? Or are you presenting information for possible debunking?

I wouldn’t say that they did. It doesn’t seem like it anyways. All weather tires are a great option for some consumers. This option of tire does have a three peak snow flake designation on it. This comment is to inform people of this option.

Not at - 10°C, 4 seasons tires are a danger for yourself and others.

@@Babine125 the tires I am referencing are called “all weather”. Different then all or 4 season. Check consumers report or go to a good tire shop.

​@speciallevo3170 all weather are slightly better than 4 seasons but never like good quality winter tires. If you're in Canada, it's winter tires in the winter.

@@Babine125 mostly correct. In milder areas the best all weather can be rated better than the poorest winter tires. And no switching tires.

​@@speciallevo3170no one is talking about Chinese winter tires, all seasons tires will never be as good as winter tires for the same quality. On average you have only 1 square foot of rubber touching the road!

Proto, yes their are some cross climate 2 comes to mind but unless you are a very skilled driver just go winter tire.

I get by on my all-seasons just fine when I have to. My winter tire set is preferable, though…

"All weather" (with the alpine snowflake) tires are now available that will work year-round in Canada. ("All season" tires are designed for California).

Yeah. You’ll get rocks and pebbles stuck in all kinds of tires. Just makes noise, and even a ‘stuck’ rock will wear down to the rubber surface pretty quickly.

Not as good as a pure winter tire as the thread pattern and compound is a compromise. Although they are among the best all season tires and a lot better than they used to be. Don't forget it's no longer good for snow under 4mm of thread, with 3mm being the very minimum for winter use as opposed to 2mm for other seasons.

Date codes are only printed on one side genius. Maybe look on the other side of your car

@@4859carcar unless they are directional tires all four can be mounted with the date code on the inside, genius, which is what tire shops started doing after the media ran stories about how they were selling tires that were a few years old.

Many tyres can only rotate one way. Many are marked outside and inside. Some people aren't fussy about their tyres and buy the cheapest. If only they had neon sign on them saying caution cheap tyres avoid me.

@@robi4387 Westlake lol

Studded tires are better in areas where you get an ice or snow ‘pack’ surface on the road for an extended period of time. The studs bite into that surface for extra traction. In areas where the road is cleared to pavement quickly, or there’s a lot of slush or loose snow, they don’t do anything extra.

@@musiccalgary Incorrect. But I don't have time to argue this. I've been living with two sets of tires for years.

Or just buy Blizzaks....................

It’s actually a smart move working in that industry

into the thrash it goes!

They work pretty good! Worth the extra cost if you can’t easily change and store a set of tires.

In my country cars have a technical document which specifies which size of wheel and tyre are legally compatible for that car. I always buy tyres online and take them to the shop to be fitted. Also consider a second set of rims - makes swapping over easier and less likely to damage tyres.

@@beatonthedonis Interesting. Good advice too.

Whoa whoa whoa... This is from a Canadian news agency. I know we share a continent but the US has kinda tainted the term "American" and we'd rather not be lumped in on that.

@@prototypedenNIS a canadian friend of mine once said: ,,Canada is the only good country in this part of the world". Was he right?

@@TheoDeum we've got our problems but we are constantly worried if our neighbors are ok.

The rubber in winter tires is specially formulated for colder weather. While you can use them in the summer, they will wear out extremely fast in hot weather, so it's not really worth it for most people to leave them on all year long. With that said, I kept winter tires on my Ford E350 based camper van year round because the tires were also good offroad, and it wasn't a daily driver that I put a lot of miles on.

Winter tires are softer rubber, so they wear faster in the heat and are less fuel efficient

Winter tires can be damaged quite easily and they are not cheap. You don't want to replace it every 3 years. I mean if you drive it all year round it may it burnt in one year.

Breaking distance of a summer tire is quite less than a winter tire in hot conditions. The soft rubber of a winter tire is a is a bad factor in high temperature.

Murphy’s law, but you’ll be thankful when that huge storm comes and the side roads haven’t been plowed yet

They are against the law in Ontario except for northern Ontario.

only if u get caught right@@shawnjdm7064