I should get winter tires....how do I get winter tires?
August 30, 2023 7:15 PM Subscribe
It is my understanding I should get snow tires. I have a Nissan Versa. How do I buy winter tires? Where do I buy winter tires? Literally, just tell me the model and the name of the...garage? Toronto
I have a Nissan Versa. Do I need Nissan Versa tires or are they all the same size or what? I want wherever I buy them to A) PUt them on B) Hold on to the other tires C) Put the other ones back on in spring. That's a thing right? So who does that in Toronto?
How much do tires even cost? UGH...stupid car.
I have a Nissan Versa. Do I need Nissan Versa tires or are they all the same size or what? I want wherever I buy them to A) PUt them on B) Hold on to the other tires C) Put the other ones back on in spring. That's a thing right? So who does that in Toronto?
How much do tires even cost? UGH...stupid car.
You absolutely don’t need to know anything. Drive to a tire store. It’ll have “tire” in the name. Tell them you want snow tires. You want them to store your other tires. Then return in April and tell them your name.
posted by bowbeacon at 7:31 PM on August 30, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by bowbeacon at 7:31 PM on August 30, 2023 [12 favorites]
You don't need special Nissan tires, just tires that are the right size for your vehicle. If you get tires on rims, they are much easier/cheaper to switch out each season. (Easy enough that you could learn to do it yourself if you were so inclined). It is worth it to get good quality winter tires. They are what grips you to the road.
There are plenty of big chain tire places that will walk you through this. Some of them will store your tires for you for a fee. There are specialty tire places like Kal Tire or Goodyear. I hear a lot of people get their tires at Costco. And, of course, there's always Canadian Tire.
posted by jknx at 7:32 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
There are plenty of big chain tire places that will walk you through this. Some of them will store your tires for you for a fee. There are specialty tire places like Kal Tire or Goodyear. I hear a lot of people get their tires at Costco. And, of course, there's always Canadian Tire.
posted by jknx at 7:32 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Just about any garage will sell and install winter tires. If you have a place you go to already, they’ll do.
posted by rodlymight at 7:36 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by rodlymight at 7:36 PM on August 30, 2023 [2 favorites]
Any tire store will sell you winter or all weather tires. It's easy. They will help you...I know snow tires, being from Buffalo...
posted by Czjewel at 8:46 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Czjewel at 8:46 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you're going to spend the money, make sure you get true snow tires (they'll have a snowflake printed on them and be described as such) and not just all weather or 4 season tires. They are not the same and true snow tires are way, way better in actual snow driving.
posted by Pantengliopoli at 8:50 PM on August 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Pantengliopoli at 8:50 PM on August 30, 2023 [3 favorites]
I had good luck with tirerack.com. They shipped the tires to a shop near me that installed them for a reasonable price.
The snowflake logo mentioned above indicates that the tires are severe snow rated. All winter tires should have this logo, but not all tires with the logo will be winter tires.
If you get a set of dedicated rims, consider getting a set of TPMS for them.
When I swapped out my winter tires, I put tape on each one indicating its location on the vehicle. This winter I will probably have my shop rotate them from that configuration.
posted by alphanerd at 9:04 PM on August 30, 2023
The snowflake logo mentioned above indicates that the tires are severe snow rated. All winter tires should have this logo, but not all tires with the logo will be winter tires.
If you get a set of dedicated rims, consider getting a set of TPMS for them.
When I swapped out my winter tires, I put tape on each one indicating its location on the vehicle. This winter I will probably have my shop rotate them from that configuration.
posted by alphanerd at 9:04 PM on August 30, 2023
If you have a Costco or similar membership, you'll get an okay deal on tires. I have gotten tires at Walmart, nice to have national warranty service.
posted by theora55 at 11:48 PM on August 30, 2023
posted by theora55 at 11:48 PM on August 30, 2023
...Tell them you want snow tires. You want them to store your other tires. Then return in April and tell them your name.
AFAIK, no major tire store (Discount Tire, Belle Tire, Tire Barn, etc.) stores customer tires. Local independent tire shops might, but I wouldn’t count on it. I’ve never found one that does.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:55 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
AFAIK, no major tire store (Discount Tire, Belle Tire, Tire Barn, etc.) stores customer tires. Local independent tire shops might, but I wouldn’t count on it. I’ve never found one that does.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:55 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
Whatever garage you use will tell you what tires to put on your car. There will be options, because tires are sold by size, not specific to the model of your car. It is easy to search based on your car model though and get the list of what fits it.
Another choice you will have to make is whether to get rims. Buying rims is a bigger upfront cost but then it costs less to get them changed because they don't have to move the tires on and off your rims each time. I am not sure if they are more or less expensive to store if they are on rims. They take up no more space but are heavier to move, so it might make a difference.
If you want an all in one solution, unfortunately Costco won't work because they don't store tires that I know of but they are often a great place to buy them. There are mobile services (example) that will come to you to change the tires and store them, so you might consider buying them at Costco and then getting the mobile service to change and store them.
I don't have a specific recommendation on where to store because I just went without when I lived in Toronto because I worked from home so didn't ever really need to drive in the snow. If the roads were bad I didn't drive that day.
posted by jacquilynne at 4:29 AM on August 31, 2023
Another choice you will have to make is whether to get rims. Buying rims is a bigger upfront cost but then it costs less to get them changed because they don't have to move the tires on and off your rims each time. I am not sure if they are more or less expensive to store if they are on rims. They take up no more space but are heavier to move, so it might make a difference.
If you want an all in one solution, unfortunately Costco won't work because they don't store tires that I know of but they are often a great place to buy them. There are mobile services (example) that will come to you to change the tires and store them, so you might consider buying them at Costco and then getting the mobile service to change and store them.
I don't have a specific recommendation on where to store because I just went without when I lived in Toronto because I worked from home so didn't ever really need to drive in the snow. If the roads were bad I didn't drive that day.
posted by jacquilynne at 4:29 AM on August 31, 2023
Dude, Canadian Tire. They will do everything.
posted by warriorqueen at 4:34 AM on August 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by warriorqueen at 4:34 AM on August 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
One person above suggested getting a second set of wheels to mount your winter tires on. Others have suggested getting rims. To be clear, these are different words for the same thing (unless someone corrects me).
posted by fabius at 5:16 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by fabius at 5:16 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
Dude, Canadian Tire. They will do everything.
I don't think they do storage but maybe it varies based on location.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:27 AM on August 31, 2023
I don't think they do storage but maybe it varies based on location.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:27 AM on August 31, 2023
In my experience as a Toronto driver and car owner, it is worth getting a second set of rims. The tire is the rubber part, the rim is metal. There’s a greater risk of puncturing the tire if you don’t also buy rims.
In recent years, it’s made sense to get winter tires put on in late October or November and taken off in April.
Canadian Tire, my local mechanic, my car dealership would all store my off season tires for about $150
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 5:27 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
In recent years, it’s made sense to get winter tires put on in late October or November and taken off in April.
Canadian Tire, my local mechanic, my car dealership would all store my off season tires for about $150
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 5:27 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
I went to KalTire in Toronto and told them I want snow tires. On their website, you can look at available tires by car model. This is what I did.
They a) sold me the tires; b) installed the tires on my car; and c) store my off season tires at their garage. I get snow tires on in November and off in April. I know nothing about tires and never have - I just got the mid-range ones they suggested for my car. Thus far, no problems. I have had my car checked by other garages (Master Mechanic in Toronto - highly recommend!!) and they have checked the tire alignment and tread and all that and everything has come back fine. The tire store is used to people not knowing much about tires :)
posted by hepta at 6:32 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
They a) sold me the tires; b) installed the tires on my car; and c) store my off season tires at their garage. I get snow tires on in November and off in April. I know nothing about tires and never have - I just got the mid-range ones they suggested for my car. Thus far, no problems. I have had my car checked by other garages (Master Mechanic in Toronto - highly recommend!!) and they have checked the tire alignment and tread and all that and everything has come back fine. The tire store is used to people not knowing much about tires :)
posted by hepta at 6:32 AM on August 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
When I had to do this in Toronto, I went to Active Green & Ross. They told me what type of tires I needed, installed them with rims, and stored my other tires.
posted by TORunner at 7:03 AM on August 31, 2023
posted by TORunner at 7:03 AM on August 31, 2023
Check with your insurance agent about when they need to go on to qualify for a discount. Likely November 1, possibly the 15th.
posted by kate4914 at 8:01 AM on August 31, 2023
posted by kate4914 at 8:01 AM on August 31, 2023
Don't trust the model number for tires. If you bought the car used, the rims might be a non-spec size. Look at the actual numbers on your actual tires.
If you have to store your summer tires yourself, try to do it inside, ideally somewhere that doesn't freeze. Freezing is bad for the rubber.
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:39 AM on August 31, 2023
If you have to store your summer tires yourself, try to do it inside, ideally somewhere that doesn't freeze. Freezing is bad for the rubber.
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:39 AM on August 31, 2023
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you can also look on the side of one of your existing tires for a number that looks like 195/65R15 or 205/50R17 or 205/55R16 or something to that effect. that is the tire size
some people end up just getting a second set of the cheapest steel wheels to mount their winter tires on so they don't have to pay to have the tires unmounted and remounted twice a year. it's quicker and cheaper (less labor cost) to just swap out one complete set of wheels (the wheel and the mounted tire) than it is to take one set of tires off and mount another set to the same wheels.
posted by glonous keming at 7:28 PM on August 30, 2023 [4 favorites]