When the warm summer weather gives way to the chill of an incoming winter, the majority of you are possibly thinking more about the lost summer days and the fading tans than you are thinking about your car care. We all understand that anything, which relates to chilly conditions might be a sore subject for many. However, winter tyres, tremendously crucial for the ultimate safety and control of your car and it is critical to know when it is the best time to change from summer to winter tyres. 

Winter tyres are created from rubber compounds that are designed to stay pliable when temperatures are lower thereby retaining grip. Even the best of the best summer tyres become more brittle as the temperature decreases and when that happens, the tyres tend to grip less and braking distances increase. However winter tyres are not suited for UK roads all year round.  Winter tyres are created of soft rubber that doesn’t hold up well onto hot road surfaces. They are not designed for summer usage or when the mean temperature is above 7C. ; the rubber may become weaker and your winter tyres may wear out extremely fast. Softer tyres also create more friction and drag, calling on for more power to make the car move, therefore effective the fuel economy as well.  

So, when is the best time to change from summer to winter tyres and chage back to summer tyres?

When the cold weather season approaches, the majority of people may ask this single question; “When is the best time to change from summer to winter tyres?” One important thing you need to keep in mind concerning this is that during winter, summer tyres lose their elasticity, and when it so happens, it decreases your car’s traction and this results in longer braking distances which under severe weather conditions, might lead to an accident. 

The fundamental guideline, therefore, is to replace your tyres when the mean temperature gets into the 5-7 degrees Celsius range. There is no set rule, however, on exactly when to change over, but there are several critical factors you need to consider before making a decision. 

Primarily, winter tyres should be fitted before winter settles in. Waiting for so long until all the roads are frozen means you are most likely compromising your safely. In the some Eruopean countries where the use of winter tyres is a requirement during the cold weather, majorities of people fit the tyres around October and then removes and replace them with summer tyres around March.