Winter Tires

If you live in a region where snow and ice occur, getting snow tires on your vehicle is one of the best ways to ensure you’re safe on the roads in inclement weather. They are specially designed to handle extreme road conditions and provide a more stable and reliable grip on the snowy and icy roads.

Winter tires are made of a specialized rubber that provides superior traction in the snow and cold. The rubber on regular tires does not perform as well in the cold, compromising grip and safety.

Studded winter tires are traditional snow tires that are equipped with metal studs throughout the tread to provide enhanced grip in extremely slippery or icy conditions. Non-studded winter tires, just as they sound, are just regular snow tires without metal studs.

The cost of snow tires will vary greatly depending on a number of factors: the size of the tires, the manufacturer, studded vs. studless, and more. Contact VIP to learn more about your specific vehicle.

It is recommended that you use winter tires in weather 45° degrees and below.

This will vary depending on manufacturer and the size of your tires, but generally speaking, studded tires are slightly more expensive than non-studded snow tires.

For New England states, studded tires are allowed during the following timeframes (subject to change): Maine: October 1 – May 1, Massachusetts: November 2 – April 30, New Hampshire: Year round, Rhode Island: November 15 – April 1, Vermont: Year round

If you’re only installing two winter tires, putting them on the rear of the vehicle decreases your risk of throwing your car into a rear-wheel skid. If you installed winter tires only in the front of a FWD vehicle, you greatly increase the risk of losing rear tire traction while braking or turning because your back wheels would have less grip.