Garages and mechanics will always recommend fitting your car with winter tyres during the colder months of the year. While car owners may be able to see the benefits that winter tyres can bring to their driving experience, some may be hesitant to make the purchase for something they see as only being useful for a short period of time. But are you able to use winter tyres all year round?

Benefits of Winter Tyres

Before we delve into whether winter tyres can be used all year round, we must first look into why winter tyres are useful in the first place. Winter tyres are specifically designed to track tarmac when it is covered in snow and ice, providing the car with enough traction to drive safely even when the roads are seemingly treacherous.

Winter tyres are also made using a different material to other tyre types, preventing them from going rigid and being easily damaged in cold conditions. They are also built with rubber blocks that are designed to vibrate whilst driving, shaking off any snow, ice and anything else that could lessen the tyre’s traction. 

Can They Be Used in Warmer Months?

In short, yes. There is nothing stopping you from being able to drive on winter tyres even during warmer parts of the year. However, you may see a noticeable difference in performance and fuel consumption as a result.

When being driven on warmer tarmac, winter tyres provide a lot of resistance. This means that your car will use more fuel to travel when compared to cars that use other tyre types. You may also notice a slight drop in your car’s handling when using winter tyres in warm conditions. This is not only because the tyre is built to be driven in winter weather, but by proxy of winter tyres being used during the summer, they are likely to have been driven on through the winter, spring and summer. This means the tyre tread will be thinning, decreasing the amount of friction 

Contact FRM Automative

In conclusion, you are able to drive your car all year round with winter tyres, but for safety and efficiency, you will be better off equipping your car with tyres that are made for specific weather types.

If you would like to get in contact with FRM Automotive about replacing your tyres, you can get in touch with us by filling out our online contact form or by giving us a call on 01733 333838.