Less than a month left to change tires: cooler weather prompts earlier preparations

With the cold season approaching and the first signs of frost appearing, Kotryna Sabauskienė, marketing manager at Melga car service centers, notes that the situation repeats itself every year – as November 10 approaches, when drivers are required to change to winter tires, the flow of customers at car service centers increases noticeably.

However, driver activity often depends on weather conditions – if the weather is warm at the beginning of October, drivers tend to delay changing their tires. However, due to cooler weather this year, more and more drivers are preparing for winter earlier than usual.

Donatas Mickus, head of the sales team at Inbank, a bank that offers tyre purchase financing, notes that the highest activity in tyre purchase leasing is recorded in October, especially during the first three weeks of the month. 

"Based on last year's data, this is when drivers were most active. In the last week of October, the pace usually slows down, and the number of customers purchasing tires on lease decreases. However, September and November remain active months, with sales volumes almost equal to those of the spring tire change season," he says. 

According to D. Mickus, the main age group willing to pay in installments accounts for 90% of all contracts – people aged 26-55, but there are also customers older than 71. He also adds that the average financed basket over the last three years is €440. 

All-season or winter tires?

Although the popularity of all-season tires is growing every year due to warmer winters, they are still not the primary choice for drivers during the cold season. Due to the changeable weather conditions in Lithuania, many still choose winter tires as a more reliable solution. 

K. Sabauskienė notes that all-season tires may be the optimal choice for those who mainly drive in the city in winter, on well-cleared roads, and can afford to stay at home when severe weather strikes. According to her, those who choose all-season tires often encounter poor driving conditions when unexpected snow or ice forms and ultimately return to winter tires. 

"In any case, all-season tires are not as good as winter tires in winter or summer tires in summer, because when manufacturing such all-season tires, tire manufacturers have to 'sacrifice' certain tire properties," says the marketing manager of the Melga car service center. 

Tips for choosing tires

As the season and weather conditions change, one of the most pressing questions for drivers is which winter tires to choose to ensure safe and comfortable travel. The expert reminds us that the first and most important step is to choose the tire size that matches the car manufacturer's recommendations.

Another important aspect is to assess the roads and conditions in which the car will be driven. As K. Sabauskienė notes, drivers who drive more often in the city, on well-cleared roads or highways, are better suited to hard compound winter tires – they have better grip on wet road surfaces and slushy snow. Meanwhile, those who drive outside the city on poorly cleared roads should choose soft compound tires, which grip better on snow and ice-covered road surfaces.

It is equally important to pay attention to the age of the tires, because over time, even unused tires change their properties, the rubber hardens, and they lose their elasticity and no longer grip the road surface as well. 

"However, there is no need to overdo it – tire production is a complex process involving the selection of raw materials, production and testing stages, so it is normal for buyers to receive tires that were manufactured a year or two ago. Such tires remain perfectly suitable and safe for use," says the marketing manager. 

Experts remind us that tires adapted for the winter season must not only be properly marked, but also have a tread depth of at least 3 mm. Studded tires are legal in Lithuania, but their use is only permitted during the cold season, from November 1 to April 10. Driving with studded tires after this date is considered a violation, as they can damage the road surface and increase noise levels. Unchanged or unsuitable winter tires can not only be unsafe, but also result in a fine of between €30 and €100, and insurance companies may refuse to compensate for damage or reduce the amount of compensation if it turns out that the driver did not have suitable tires.