Summer Tires In Toronto

Winter is gone, and it’s time to switch your tires. Whether you have a GM vehicle or a different brand, we will find the best set of tires that fit in your price range. If you’re not sure what kind of tires your vehicle needs, we answered the most common questions we are asked by our customers to help out. If you have a question that isn’t answered please call our parts department at any time for help! We’re experts at dealing with the common issues that summer tires have driving in the Toronto area.

What’s better: summer or all-season tires?

In short, the choice between all-season or summer tires comes down to whether you want better all-round performance in all conditions, or better performance for normal, dry and warm weather conditions. All-season tires have a better overall balance of grip for times when the road is wet, cooler, or even with some snow. That’s because they have deeper tread and are made to be more durable. Summer tires, meanwhile, have treads that are more shallow and tend not to last as long, but offer better grip for steering, braking and cornering during your typical hot and sunny day. So whether you buy a set of summer or all-season tires for driving in Toronto should depend on what you value more.

When should I replace my current set of tires?

There are two reasons to get your current set of tires replaced. First, if they become damaged beyond repair thanks to a puncture or tear that is too large to be sealed, or if the tire develops a bubble, bulge or irregularity in the sidewall. Second, if the tread has been worn down to the point that they are no longer able to effectively grip the road as your drive. You can test the tread depth with a coin or a special tool — if the tread is shallower than 1.6mm or 1/16^th of an inch, you should have the tires replaced as soon as possible.

Is it better to use the same set of rims for my summer and winter tires?

When you have two sets of tires — one for the winter and one for the rest of the year — you can choose between having one set of rims with the tires being swapped at the start and end of the winter, or you can have a different set of rims for each set of tires. In general, it is better for each set of tires to have their own rims for the following reasons:

• The rims for your summer or all-season tires don’t get worn or rusted by the road salt, ice and snow in the winter to make them last longer — a big advantage for the heavily salted roads in Toronto
• It is just as easy to store your tires on their own set of rims
• It is both easier and cheaper to swap the tires on rims as it is to swap the tires on one set of rims
• Changing the tires on the same rims will wear both the tires and rims quicker

The main reason to have one set of rims is because it is cheaper to buy new tires without rims, but eventually those initial savings are wiped out by the shorter lifespan and more expensive changeover service.