When it’s time for new tires, the choices can be overwhelming for Kingston motorists. Let’s look at some common tire categories.
One category at Car Medics is known as “summer tires”. Summer tires are designed to be driven on ON roads when temperatures are generally above 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Their tread design is optimized for traction on dry Kingston roads and they’re also able to effectively displace water on rainy roads.
The rubber compound gets a little hard and stiff as temperatures drop below 45 degrees. And the tread which handles dry roads so well, can get packed with snow and mud – which provides very little traction for Kingston car owners in those ON conditions.
If you live where its summer all year round, these tires will work well for you. If you like maximum performance in warm Kingston weather, but still live in ON where it gets cold and snowy, you’ll want to change your summer tires for winter tires as the weather starts to change.
Winter tires are designed to work very well in snow and ice. Their tread is designed with many channels and grooves that throw the snow out of the tread as the wheel turns. This means the tire is always be able to bite into the snow.
The rubber compound used in winter tires is specially formulated to be flexible at temperatures below 45 degrees. This maximizes cold weather traction for Kingston car owners. When it gets warmer, the softer rubber will wear faster on warm dry pavement than summer tires, so change them out once the Kingston weather has turned.
Outside of these three main categories, some Kingston motorists with trucks and SUVs like a tire that is designed for both on-highway and off-highway use. They can handle the rocks and bumps off-road, but still work well on ON streets. Again, many options depending on the relative emphasis on on-road verses off-road.
Talk with your Car Medics tire professional and let him help you find the tire that’s right for the way you drive in Kingston.
Give us a call
Car Medics
37 Rigney St.
Kingston, ON K7K 6Z3
613.547.8473
At Car Medics we install quality NAPA replacement parts.
