There are many tire brands. But a good part of the drivers do not know that there are also different types of tires, and we are not referring to the dimensions or the speed index. Read on and we’ll tell you.
Perhaps you are one of those drivers who does not worry too much about tires and tends to look for the cheapest. Or that, at most, only well-known and proven brands are mounted on your car.
Well, the truth is that selecting the best tire for your car It is not as simple as that, because the variety offered by the market not only allows you to choose between multiple brands, sizes and characteristics. It also ‘forces’ you to decide between three main types of tires depending on the season of the year in which you circulate.
tire types
To be more precise, the types of tires we are referring to are arranged according to the seasons, but the truth is that it is somewhat more complex than that and we will delve into it later.
For now, we start at the beginning. That is, mentioning the three types of tires to which we have referred:
- summer tires
- winter tires
- 4 season tiresAll Seasons or All Time.
summer tires
The first type of tire we focus on is the most common on Spanish roads. It is the one that they put us by default when we buy the car or when they change them in the workshop and that, although it is designed to perform optimally with heat and dry asphalt, we usually use throughout the year and in any circumstance.
It is true that it is a tire that meets acceptably most of the year in a country like ours, but it is also true that it is probably not the best choice based on our personal circumstances. That is, usual routes, place of residence, etc.
But this you will understand later, when we delve into what defines a winter tire.
winter tires
This type of tire has been designed and manufactured to perform at its best in winter conditions. But it is not worth it if it is cold or rainy. Specifically, winter tires have a rubber composition, carcass structure and tread design that allows for the following:
- Maximum grip below 7 ºC
- Drive on snow and ice without chains
- Drive without chains with the red level of the DGT safely and legally
This is possible thanks to several peculiarities. On the one hand, the drawing is specific to these conditions (and deeper). On the other hand, the material with which they are made adapts to the cold and maintains its propertiesinstead of hardening as is the case with summer tyres. Finally, the rubber is flexible and therefore provides more grip.
One important thing to know is what tells us that a tire has been approved as a winter tire. This is the signage located on the outer flank of it: the inscription M+S (Mud+Snow). If you don’t, it’s not winter.
TIP Tyres.co.uk
Whatever tire you use, always do it at the correct pressure to maximize performance, durability and safety.
In addition, there is another more advanced winter tire that offers even better performance. It is the so-called 3 Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) and is indicated by the icon of a mountain with a snowflake inside, accompanying the name M+S.
This type of winter tire is approved in a certified laboratory according to standard regulations. This ensures that it offers the necessary performance to drive on the most demanding snow or ice.
4 season tires
Also called All Seasons or All Time4-season tires are those that have been designed to offer intermediate performance, but suitable for all year round.
While summer tires perform perfectly on dry asphalt and in high temperatures, winter tires are exceptional below 7ºC, with rain, snow and ice.
However, neither offers excellent performance in the opposite conditions. The summer tire is more prone to aquaplaning and needs snow chains. The winter tire, as soon as the temperatures rise, degrades very quickly and, as a result of its flexibility, it does not offer the stability that the summer tire does.
The intermediate solution is the 4-season tire, which not outstanding in summer or winter, but noticeable in all conditions. It can even be approved for driving in snow if it bears the acronym M+S, although it can never be classified as 3PMSF.
What tire should I choose?
You already know what conditions each of the types of tires on the market is best for. Now it’s your turn to analyze which one best suits your circumstances.
The ideal is to have two sets of tires, one for summer and one for winter. But let’s not fool ourselves, that’s very unlikely because it’s expensive and because it also requires you to make several changes a year (and have a place to save the second game). In addition, winter does not guarantee you permanently suitable conditions for the winter tire either.
So that, if you live in a hot and dry area, surely the best thing is to opt for the summer tire. And, in winter, be cautious when driving and always carry the chains in the trunk.
If you are from one warm, cold, rainy zone -or at least variable (relatively common storms or copious rains) -, the clear option is the 4-season tire (if it is M+S, better). This way you will get out of trouble and you will have a good grip and performance all year round.
do you live in the mountains and you inevitably have to deal with frost and snowfall? It is clear that you need a winter tire, even if in the less cold season you have to switch to summer or 4-season tires.