The tires of your car should always grip the road firmly, but maintaining traction on wet, icy, slippery roads during winter is a very different ball game to gripping the warm, dry tarmac of summer roads. That’s why most drivers are recommended to switch to winter tires as the cold months approach. Here’s a brief guide on when and why you should visit your local Acura dealer to have snow tires installed.
Does Your Acura Need Winter Tires?
Switch When the Cold Begins
It’s not only the condition of the roads that determines when a driver needs to install snow tires. Tire rubber is affected by the temperature, too. The special rubber used in snow tires is more supple and pliant, staying flexible even in sub-zero coldness, which allows more surface area to grip the road at all times.
It’s generally considered wise to switch to snow tires when daily temperatures fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit on average: the temperature at which normal tires become less effective. In New Jersey, this change-over point will usually be sometime in November. State laws permit tire studs from November 15th to April 1st, which serves as a good indicator as to when it’s time for a change of tires.
The Benefits of Snow Tires in Winter
Summer and all-season tires are ideal for warmer weather, but coldness tends to harden the rubber used in these tires. This loss in flexibility means less surface area in contact with the road, which increases the risk of skids, especially on water, packed snow, or black ice. As previously mentioned, pliant snow tires don’t have this hardening problem, which allows them to generate significantly more traction on any road surface during the winter months.
Tires designed for winter also have deeper voids between the tread lugs, which allows them to scoop up snow and stay closer to the tarmac underneath. The treads also have sharper corners that dig more effectively into packed snow and ice. Optional tire studs can further enhance your vehicle’s ability to grip wintery road surfaces. These many design factors combined reduce braking distances by as much as 30% with snow tires during winter.
Ask Your Acura Dealer To Winterize Your Car
It’s best not to leave it until the last minute to prepare your vehicle for winter. Along with installing appropriate snow tires, the technicians at your local dealership can also winterize your car in other ways to help protect it from the cold, road salt, snow, and even potential hail.
Have a set of top-notch snow tires installed on your car today at Open Road Acura of Wayne. We offer a fine range of new and pre-owned vehicles along with consistently excellent customer service.
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