Does It Make Sense To Use All Season Tires In Snow? Cost-Benefit Analysis

Posted on:
December 12, 2022

Posted in:
Tires

Based on national data, using all-season tires in snow can save the average driver $1400 or more by:

Eliminating the need for seasonal changeover services—Save $120-240 per year by keeping your tires on through all four seasons
Eliminating the need for seasonal tire storage—Save $40-120 per year on professional tire storage
Eliminating the price of winter tires—Save $1000 or more by not purchasing winter tires

But while these benefits are impressive, using all-season tires in snow does come at a cost. To help you make the best choice for your local weather conditions and budget, today’s post runs down a few of the major drawbacks of using all-season tires in snow.

Read on to learn which option is the most effective and economical for you, or contact your local TIRECRAFT to schedule a free consultation and get personalized tire advice.

The ‘Hidden’ Costs Of Using All-Season Tires In Snow

1. Using all-season tires in snow makes you ineligible for insurance discounts. Since 2016, the Financial Services Regularly Authority of Ontario (FSRA) has required all Ontario insurance companies to provide discounted rates for drivers who install winter tires. But when you use your all-season tires in winter, you have to pay full price.

2. Using all-season tires in snow accelerates tire wear. Many all-season tires come with long tread wear warranties. For example, the Goodyear MaxLife is designed to work for 140,000km. However, when they’re always in use, with no “off-season,” you can really rack up the miles quickly. Moreover, all-seasons wear much faster in extreme cold, as their rubber compounds become hard and rigid, and low-traction conditions cause more sliding and spinning, which chews through treads much faster than smooth highway driving. In other words, winter takes a serious toll on all-season tires’ tread life, and you may need to purchase a replacement set sooner than you think.

3. Using all-season tires in snow limits your mobility. With their shallower tread patterns, lack of biting edges, less aggressive siping, and warm-weather rubber compounds, all-seasons provide much less traction and control in winter. Thus, while your tires might be enough to get you around your city, with its mild winters and modest snowfall, using all-season tires in snow means restricting you’re driving to “temperate” areas. This is acceptable for some drivers, but if you frequently travel for work or plan to visit family in snowy cities, these mobility restrictions can be problematic.

4. Using all-season tires in snow increases the risks of dangerous and costly collisions. According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, using all-season tires in snow can increase braking distances by as much as 25%, which greatly increases your risks of a winter collision or loss of control. In fact, according to the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, 80% of drivers feel their winter tires saved them from accidents in 2021. And even if you walk away from an accident unscathed, you’ll likely have to pay for it in terms of repairs, part replacements, and hiked-up insurance rates.

5. Using all-season tires in snow greatly reduces fuel economy. Traction tests show that all-season tires need 86 feet to go from 8km/h to 32km/h, whereas winter tires only need 64 feet. This helps to explain why fuel efficiently plummets when using all-season tires in snow—when the roads are white, all-season tires require more time, distance, and engine power to get you where you need to go. After multiple seasons, you’ll have paid significantly more at the pump.