Cons of Using Winter Tires All Year Round

Posted November 27th 2014

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Most car owners prefer using winter tires all year round. This is because they think winter tires are tough and will easily withstand warm weather as well. This cannot be further from the truth. As all-season tires cannot withstand the cold weather and will cause problems, similarly tires developed for the cold weather cannot stand the warm weather. To make sure you do not make the mistake of using these tires in the summer, let’s look at the con of using winter tires all year round:

Driving Noise From Winter Tires

The first issue with using tires designed for used in the winter in the summer is the driving noise. Most winter tires are fitted with metal treads to enhance traction. These tires can cause a lot of noise on the road while driving. Even standard tires meant for cold weather have the same issue. You will feel the difference yourself. Of course, you will have to deal with the traction issue. The traction of these tires in the summer is reduced.

Material

The material of winter tires is special. The material is supposed to keep these tires soft at lower temperatures. This way, the tires maintain their elasticity even at low temperatures. If these tires are used in the warm weather the rubber will wear quickly. This is because the elasticity of these tires increases when the temperature is high. When the rubber heats up, it wears out faster. You can go through a set of tires within a year if you use them all year round. Lastly, winter driving tires are not even meant for use all year round. They cannot withstand the harsh conditions during the summer.

Storage

To make sure your winter tires last for years to come, you should store them properly. Store them in an area that is cool and dry. Also, keep them away from sunlight. The best way to store them is to stack them on top of each other with the wheels intact. You should get a separate set of wheels for this purpose.

Now that you are aware of the cons of using these tires in the summer months, you should avoid this at all costs.