A Calgary tire shop that tells you what you actually need

Replace them when the tread gets down to about 4 mm, or sooner if you see cracks, bulges or exposed cords. Tires have wear bars in the grooves at roughly 1.6 mm, but by then grip on slush and wet roads is long gone. Age matters too. Check the four-digit date code on the sidewall (week, then year). Rubber hardens with time, so an old tire with deep tread can still be past it.

It depends on the size, the type and the load rating your vehicle needs. A set for a compact car costs a lot less than a set for a heavy SUV or truck, and winter tires are priced differently from all-seasons. Call 403-454-7500 or stop by with your tire size and we'll give you a free quote with a few options, plus any manufacturer rebate that applies.

We strongly recommend them. Alberta doesn't require winter tires, but all-season rubber hardens below about 7°C, and Calgary spends months well below that. Winter tires stay flexible in the cold and have tread designed for snow and ice, so they stop and turn noticeably better. All-wheel drive helps you get moving. It does nothing to help you stop.

No. All-weather tires carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol, meaning they passed a standard snow traction test, and they're built to stay on year-round. All-season tires usually don't carry that symbol and lose grip in real cold. An all-weather tire is a fair middle ground if you don't want to swap sets, though a true winter tire still grips better on ice.

Sometimes. If two tires are worn and two are nearly new, replacing a pair is fine on most two-wheel-drive vehicles, and the new pair should go on the rear axle for stability. Many all-wheel-drive vehicles need all four tires close in tread depth to avoid stressing the drivetrain, so check your owner's manual. For winter tires, always run four.