Winter tyres fitted by us at your home or work
Recognisable by the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, winter tyres provide optimal performance below 7°C.
About Winter Tyres
What are winter tyres?
Also known as ‘cold weather tyres’, winter tyres have rubber compounds designed to stay flexible in low temperatures below 7°C. This provides better braking and handling performance when it’s dry, wet, snowy or icy. At colder temperatures, the silica in a modern tyre begins to harden and become rigid. Unlike summer tyres, winter tyres have deeper treads which displace slush more easily and provide grip on hazardous surfaces.
Read our guide for more information about how winter tyres work.
Why should I buy winter tyres?
Winter tyres improve braking and cornering in areas which experience heavy rain or very cold weather. This maximises your safety on the road and reduces the chance of running into another vehicle or overshooting a Stop sign.
Other benefits of buying winter tyres include:
- Improved stopping distances (an average car with winter tyres needs around 10 metres to come to a stop from 30mph).
- Tread pattern is designed to collect snow and build grip.
- Natural rubber and softer compounds increase tyre flexibility in colder temperatures.
- Increased surface area improves traction and helps to prevent aquaplaning.
- Deeper grooves make winter tyres more effective at displacing water and slush.
When should I change to winter tyres?
Here in the UK, the weather isn’t considered severe enough to warrant the same kind of tyre legislation as other parts of Europe. This makes it difficult to define exactly when to change from summer to cold weather tyres. There is, however, a general rule of thumb which states the best time to fit winter tyres is when the air temperature consistently drops below 7°C. This can often be in mid-autumn and is the crossover point where summer season tyres become less effective. Therefore, the term ‘winter tyres’ is a slight misconception and, instead, you should think of them as cold weather tyres.
Are winter tyres OK to use in the summer?
Tyres are designed just as carefully as any other part of the car. This means that a ‘summer’ tyre will perform better in warm conditions than a ‘winter’ one and vice versa. While winter tyres are fine to use on dry surfaces, the pliable rubber is likely to wear down more quickly as it gets warmer. Therefore, it’s generally not recommended to use winter tyres all year round.
Want more advice about when to use winter tyres? Speak to our friendly advisers today by calling 0333 016 6550.
Popular Winter Tyres
From Bridgestone to Michelin, we stock winter tyres from a range of reputable brands. Learn more about the industry’s best winter tyres below. Alternatively, use our tyre search tool at the top of the page to find the best tyre deals.
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