‘When’s the best time to swap out my winter tires?’
The Car Doc weighs in.
Boston.com Cars is your go-to resource for coverage of local car news, events, and reviews. In the market for a car or truck? Check out our new car specials and used car specials curated by our local dealer network.Q. I have a BMW with four winter tires and am wondering when I should change them over to the summer tires? Do I really need to wait until the summer? When I asked at my local garage, they told me to keep them on longer because they are better than summer tires in wet weather.A. Winter tires work as well as they do for two major reasons: tread design and composition of the rubber. The rubber compound has much more grip when the temperature is cold. Summer performance tires change from sticky to hard rubber when the temperature drops below 40 degrees. Since we are well on our way into some warmer weather in the Northeast (I hope!), it’s safe to switch to your summer tires. Most performance tires work well in wet weather, but keep in mind that even the best tires can lead to hydroplaning when there’s heavy rain on the roadways.John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years experience in the automotive business and is an ASE certified master technician. He answers readers’ questions each Saturday. You can tune in to his radio program Saturday morning from 8:30-10 a.m. on 950AM WROL or wrolradio.com. Email your car question to [email protected].
