Buying snow tires might seem tempting right now, but read this first

Should I buy snow tires for my car in Texas?

Texas is a wonderful state filled with great people. However, we are not set up for snow. If our northern friends want tips for beating hot, humid days, we can help. Drop a few inches of snow and ice on us and we are unprepared. After dealing with a week of these nearly unprecedented conditions, a lot of people have been asking us, ‘Should I buy snow tires for my car in Texas?’ This is an interesting question because snow tires are absolutely outstanding at doing what they are designed to do. However, given the general infrequency of meaningful snowfall in Texas, going this route might be overkill. Our team did a little homework to be able to give people the best possible information on this subject. Let’s take a look at what they found.

Unless you regularly travel to places that regularly have snow on the ground, actually equipping your vehicle with snow tires in the state of Texas is likely going to be a bit much. Most passenger vehicles, sedans, crossover SUVs, etc., will come from the factory with what is known as all-season tires. Even if you purchased a pre-owned vehicle, there is a better than average chance it will have all-season tires. Our team believes all-season tires are a better choice for drivers in Texas because they are designed to provide traction across a wide range of conditions, including snow and ice.

You may come across a vehicle that is equipped with so-called summer tires. Those are fine for, well, summer, when the roads are warm and so is the temperature. A lot of people found out this year just how utterly useless summer tires are on snow and ice. If you’re determined to keep your summer tires, consider having a set of all-seasons to switch to in the winter.

What exactly are snow tires?

If you are still stuck on the idea of getting a set of snow tires, you should at least understand the basics. First, snow tires use a special rubber compound that will remain soft and pliable in the coldest conditions. Also, snow tires will have deep and aggressive tread patterns that will provide as much grip as possible on slippery surfaces.

Feel free to reach out to a Carizma Motors product expert if you’re looking for another vehicle option that will make driving in uncertain conditions a little easier.