Every fall, Quebec drivers play the same game of chicken with the weather. The sun is out, the roads are dry and the December 1 deadline still feels far away, so the winter tire appointment gets pushed back another week.
According to one tire shop owner, that’s a mistake.
“Please don’t wait until the last minute,” said Sam Singh, owner of OK Pneus Terrebonne, an independent shop that’s part of the OK Tire network.
Singh says his shop is already fully booked for November, and the first week of December is full too. Some customers calling now are being offered appointments in the second week of December, after the deadline has passed.
“We tried to call some customers, and they said, ‘No, the weather is too nice. We’re going to wait,'” he told MTL Blog. “And the same people, we are giving them an appointment in December, because other customers took the empty spot. So they regret it.”
When should you switch to winter tires?
Singh says drivers shouldn’t wait for the first snowfall, or the deadline, to make the switch. Instead, he says temperature is the best cue.
“Whenever it’s a little cold outside, seven degrees and below, change your tires,” he said. In his opinion, that usually means sometime after mid-October.
That lines up with what a meteorologist told us last year, and with the advice from the SAAQ, which says the rubber in summer and all-season tires starts to harden and lose its grip once temperatures dip below 7°C.
According to Singh, the issue comes down to traction. “There’s not enough grip. The car is going to stop, but it’s going to go far. Probably, it’s going to spin,” he said.
He also hears from plenty of drivers who waited too long. “They come to us and say, ‘I don’t know why I waited so long. I should have gotten it done before,'” he said. “It happens very often.”
Can you put them on too early?
Some drivers worry that installing winter tires too soon will wear them out. Singh says that’s not something to stress about.
“Some people think if they install winter tires before the winter, they’re going to damage the winter tires. No, this is not true,” he said.
Driving long distances on winter tires in summer-like heat every day can affect them, he explained. But a few weeks of mild weather won’t cause any real damage.
The same goes for spring. While winter tires are required from December 1 to March 15, Singh says there’s no harm in keeping them on a few extra weeks if it’s still cold out. “It’s not the end of the world. It’s better to be safer.”
Is last year’s set still good?
Before you book that swap, it’s worth checking whether last year’s tires have another season left in them.
The easiest way is to ask your mechanic to measure your tread depth. Singh says tires worn down to around 4/32 of an inch aren’t safe for another winter, since there won’t be enough grip on snow. The SAAQ recommends at least 4.8 mm, or 6/32 of an inch, across the whole tire.
Winter tires are generally good for about six years, Singh said, but that can vary a lot depending on how much you drive and how you brake.
You can also spot some warning signs yourself. Look for cracks or dry-looking rubber, which can happen if tires are stored somewhere hot, like in a shed or outside in the sun. Uneven wear is another red flag.
Are winter tires worse on gas?
They can be. Singh confirmed that winter tires can be less fuel efficient than summer tires, but it depends on the model. He said some brands design tires that are easier on gas, pointing to Continental’s VikingContact line as one example.
So if you’re shopping for a new set this year, it might be worth asking about fuel efficiency.
The deadline is coming up fast
In Quebec, all passenger vehicles must have winter tires from December 1 to March 15. Drivers caught without them could face a fine of $200 to $300, plus costs. Quebec is the only province where winter tires are mandatory everywhere, though B.C. requires them on certain highways.
With the deadline less than four weeks away, it’s probably time to make that call.