The ritual of the seasonal tire swap from summer to winter tires is an annual one for safety-minded Canadians who do a lot of winter driving. Road conditions in Canada are subject to change thanks to snow, ice, and freezing rain, which makes driving on tires specifically designed for winter all the more important.
In recent years, tire manufacturers like Nokian Tires have been working on four season driving solutions that could eliminate the need for having two sets of rims and tires; one of the results of their efforts has been the development of a new category of tire – the all-weather tire. These tires offer great all-season handling and reliable winter grip comparable to a dedicated winter tire.
“We sell the line of tires from Nokian Tires,” said Vince Klimkosz, owner of the three area locations of Vinnie’s Mr. Fixit. “Their all-weather tires are very popular. They’ve got a really good rubber compound that gets softer when winter temperatures get colder. They’ve got the snowflake on them to indicate they’ve been certified for winter driving. They’re just an all-round good quality, top of the line tire.”
Nokian Tires (formerly Nokia Tyres Ltd) can trace its roots back to 1898, when the Finnish Rubber Factory was established in Finland. Innovating for safer driving has been a key contributor to the success of Nokian Tires, the company that invented the world’s first winter tire in 1934. With the introduction of the all-weather tire, Nokian has engineered a high-performance quality tire that offers an option for drivers who are tired of paying annual fees for swapping from summer or all-season tires to a dedicated winter tire.
“It is more economical to have one set of tires and rims rather than having to do the swap all the time,” said Klimkosz. “Nokian Tires are very comparable to Michelin or Bridgestone Blizzak tires. They also offer a very competitive price point when compared to straight out winter tires. And the advantage of driving on all-weather tires is you’re going to save by not paying for the swap out twice a year.”
The technology in the design of the all-weather tire has continued to evolve. While the depth of the tread is still vitally important, it’s the composition of the tire itself that makes it such a desirable choice for winter drivers.
“The tread design in Nokian Tires is very well engineered, but it’s also the composition of the tire. It gets softer in cold weather, so the tires don’t get hard. As a result, the grip is much better in snowy, icy conditions, which means the braking is better as well.”
For those still relying on the annual swap prior to winter, all three locations of Vinnie’s Mr. Fixit offer seasonal storage of your spare tires. Recently, Vinnie’s has also established a mobile tire service that offers convenient swap-out service at a time and location that’s convenient for you.
“We can come right to your house to do your tire swap,” said Klimkosz, who suggests you book your tire swap when temperatures are consistently below 7 degrees or when you find yourself scraping frost off your windows every day.
For the month of November, Nokian Tires is also offering special prices and rebates on their signature series of all-weather tires for cars, trucks, EVs and hybrids.
Book your winter tire swap or mobile service before the snow flies and avoid the rush. Visit any of the three locations of Vinnie’s Mr. Fixit and have the work completed by licenced technicians. Visit Vinnie’s online.
This article was sponsored by Vinnie's Mr. Fixit, a 2024 GuelphToday Reader Favourite.