Tell me about snow tires

[Anonymous]

DS is taking a car to Northern NY State for school this year. It has 4 wheel drive. He mentioned putting snow tires on the car. Do we do that in August before he leaves (assuming he even goes)? Can you leave them on all the time?

[Anonymous]

No one I know uses snow tires. Family all over New England and we live in Boston and ski in Vermont a lot in the winter.

All weather tires are fine. New England and New York know how to plow their streets and he will likely wake up to bare pavement any night in snows.

[Anonymous]

He knows his campus does a poor job of plowing (unfortunately)

[Anonymous]

Snow tires help. PP is right that many people don’t use them, but for a young driver not used to snow they’re a good idea.

A local shop can handle everything, including storage of the all season tires. Just have your son handle it up there in November.

[Anonymous]

Don’t leave them on in the summer. You CAN, but you’ll hurt your fuel economy and handling and why wear out snow tires during the summer?

[Anonymous]

PP poster from Boston. One issue he will have is where to store the office season’ tires. And, as pp pointed out, it’s really going to hurt his fuel efficiency

[Anonymous]

I don’t know if he actually needs snow tires.

When I was growing up in Buffalo, we definitely used them—and chains—but I don’t think modern cars need them.

[Anonymous]

I have my snow tires put on in the first week of Nov and removed mid-April. That said, since your son is in a dorm and won’t have a place to store tires, I would recommend all-weather tires (not all-season, there is difference).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Snow tires help. PP is right that many people don’t use them, but for a young driver not used to snow they’re a good idea.

A local shop can handle everything, including storage of the all season tires. Just have your son handle it up there in November.

[Anonymous]

I went to college in Vermont and few people had them.

Is he actually going to drive a lot? Skiing every weekend?

I’ve lived in the north for ten years and have driven many cars and types of tires. You can get where you’re going without snow tires, but the times I’ve had an awd car with snow tires I was really happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to college in Vermont and few people had them.

Is he actually going to drive a lot? Skiing every weekend?

I’ve lived in the north for ten years and have driven many cars and types of tires. You can get where you’re going without snow tires, but the times I’ve had an awd car with snow tires I was really happy.

Yes he does ski almost every weekend..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to college in Vermont and few people had them.

Is he actually going to drive a lot? Skiing every weekend?

I’ve lived in the north for ten years and have driven many cars and types of tires. You can get where you’re going without snow tires, but the times I’ve had an awd car with snow tires I was really happy.

Yes he does ski almost every weekend..

Then he (and you!) will not regret the snow tires. It will come out to less than $200* per year, a trip to a tire place in the fall, and another trip in the spring. That's it.

*I don't know how much storage costs. I never needed to pay for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to college in Vermont and few people had them.

Is he actually going to drive a lot? Skiing every weekend?

I’ve lived in the north for ten years and have driven many cars and types of tires. You can get where you’re going without snow tires, but the times I’ve had an awd car with snow tires I was really happy.

Yes he does ski almost every weekend..

Then he (and you!) will not regret the snow tires. It will come out to less than $200* per year, a trip to a tire place in the fall, and another trip in the spring. That's it.

*I don't know how much storage costs. I never needed to pay for that.

Since snow season is long up there, I am guessing we will just store the tires here for him and deal with reduced mileage for a month or two longer then needed.

[Anonymous]

Yes to snow tires. They make a huge difference. I would want them as a parent. The hardest thing is storing the extra tires. You do not put them on in warm weather. No, no.

[Anonymous]

I'd just get all weather tires and keep chains in the vehicle in case it gets really dicey.