With seasonal changes throughout the year, there's also a case for changing the tyres on the wheels of your car. In this section, we will discuss how and when a driver should switch to summer tyres, winter tyres, or all-season tyres. There are fundamental differences between the three, and it's helpful to know what they are.
When, for example, is the best time of year for summer tyres? Ha, yes, that sounds like a ridiculous question. The name of the tyres is self-explanatory, isn’t it? But in reality, summer tyres are recommended for use from Easter to October, which spans seasonal conditions of spring, summer and autumn as well.
Summer tyres provide superb grip and handling when driving on wet and dry roads. But when the temperature falls below 7 °C it's time to change over to winter tyres for better grip and traction on snowy, icy roads.
Need to do a wheel change? We have produced this helpful how to video that shows you the ins and outs. Motoring expert and TV presenter Jonny Smith demonstrates how to deal with a puncture, from jacking the car up to the safety do's and don’ts. Prevent a flat tyre in the first place by following these tips from us on how to check your tyres.
In another section, we will address a common problem regarding the use of winter tyres in summer, and summer tyres in winter. It's incredibly important for you to know why it's counterproductive to drive on winter tyres in warm weather and vice versa. It's not a lecture, folks, just a simple primer on how dedicated rubber compounds work in different temperatures. Using winter tyres year-round is not a good idea.
How long does it take to have a tyre changed? That's a good question; the process can be made quicker or longer depending on a couple of factors. You could try doing it yourself, but to loosen the lugs on the wheel might take up a fair chunk of your time. If you were to schedule a visit to your local tyre retailer, however, they might require as little as 20 minutes of your time to do the job. The key approach is preparedness, and we have some excellent tips on how to rotate from summer to winter tyres without any fuss.
Finally, we will talk about things to consider when braking with new car tyres. Whether they're winter tyres, summer tyres, or all-season tyres, fitting a brand-new set to your wheels is like trying on a new pair of hiking boots. Both require a little bit of time and patience to break them in. We'll explain how and why.
