Give Your Car a Winter Tire Swap for Christmas!

Unsure of your all-season tires? Get them swapped for the snowy, icy season. We see what Alberta weather does to roads after the first freeze, and we also see what summer-biased rubber does to stopping distance once the thermometer drops below 7°C. Winter tires use a softer compound that stays flexible in the cold, along with deep siping and tread blocks designed to bite into snow and clear slush.  

That flexibility means more rubber in contact with the pavement, more control when you steer and shorter braking on ice-glazed intersections. If your traction control light flickers at every takeoff or you feel the front end push wide on a slow corner, that’s your car telling you it needs a winter-specific setup. 

Book your winter tire swap today: 587-802-5515 

We start every tire changeover with a quick inspection because winter magnifies small problems. Tread depth that felt fine in October can be marginal on packed snow in December. We measure each tire, check date codes and look for cracking, bulges and punctures that cold weather will make worse.  

Once your winter set is on, we torque lugs to spec, set pressures for cold conditions and recalibrate pressure monitoring if your vehicle has it. If you’re using separate winter wheels, we make sure hub faces are clean so wheels sit true and don’t work loose over the season. 

Choosing the right winter tire matters just as much as the swap itself. City commuters who mostly navigate plowed routes do well with a quiet, stud-less winter tire that prioritizes predictable braking and lane changes on slush. Drivers who spend time on rural roads benefit from a more aggressive pattern that churns through unplowed snow and grips hardpack.  

Electric vehicles appreciate low-rolling-resistance winter designs to preserve range on cold days. If you tow a small trailer or run a work truck, load-rated winter tires keep sidewalls stable so the rear doesn’t squirm when you’re hauling gear. 

Alignment is the unsung hero of winter driving. Even a slight toe-out will feather tread blocks and chew through the leading edges of winter tires, stealing grip when you need it most. If your steering wheel sits off-centre, the car drifts on a straight road or you notice uneven shoulder wear, a precision alignment protects your new rubber and helps the vehicle track true in icy ruts. We often see pothole hits from early freeze–thaw cycles knock vehicles out of spec, so pairing an alignment with the swap saves money over the season. 

Daily care keeps your winter set performing like new. Cold air drops pressure, so plan to check PSI every few weeks and any time temperatures swing by ten degrees. Underinflation softens steering response and lengthens stopping distance; overinflation reduces contact patch and can make the car skittish. After a storm, rinse road salt off wheels and brakes to protect finishes and hardware. If you do get stuck, avoid spinning one tire at high speed.

Gentle rocking and a light throttle protect the differential and keep the tread from burning. 

Rotating winter tires mid-season evens out wear from constant stop–go and cornering on slick surfaces. Front-drive cars often scrub the outer front shoulders in winter because steering inputs are larger at low speeds. A quick rotation restores balance and buys you the grip you’ll want in February.

When spring arrives and the daily high sits above that 7°C mark, swap back promptly. Leaving winters on too long in warm weather overheats the compound, wears tread fast and leaves you shopping for another set before next winter. 

We want you to feel the difference winter tires make the first time you brake at a busy intersection after a melt–refreeze cycle. Better grip isn’t just about confidence; it’s about space and time to react when someone ahead stops short on an icy bridge.

Give your car winter tires for Christmas and you’ll give yourself quieter commutes, calmer lane changes and fewer white-knuckle moments on Highway 2. Book your changeover, add an alignment if the wheel sits off-centre and roll into the season with a setup that works with winter, not against it.