As winter approaches, you’ll want to start prepping your vehicle for inclement weather. The National Highway Traffic Administration recommends several steps to prepare for winter driving. These include having an emergency kit in your vehicle, ensuring that your windshield wipers are in top shape, and replacing your summer tires with snow or winter tires. Having specialized snow tires made by a reputable tire brand installed on your Lexus can give you peace of mind that you’ll have grip and stopping power when you need it most while driving on snowy and icy roads when the temperature plummets.
What Are Snow Tires?
Snow or winter tires are specialized tires designed to grip snowy, icy, or slushy roads, which may occur when the temperature falls below 45 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tire manufacturers use a different type of tread rubber called hydrophilic (water-loving) rubber for winter tires. This type of rubber stays soft and flexible during cold weather and grips the road’s surface more readily than summer or all-season tires.
Winter tires also have a different tread design than all-season tires. Snow tires have larger grooves between the lugs, which are irregularly shaped parts of the tire tread pattern. The tread depths are deeper on winter tires, and you’ll find more slots and sipes (tiny slits) that can more easily bite into the edges of ice and snow.
The tread rubber on winter tires helps with extra traction and grip on snowy or icy roads; the deep tread patterns help the tire dig deeper into the snow and ice, while sipes and slits help channel water out and away from the tire. This combination helps you control your Lexus when driving on unpredictable winter roads.
Even if your Lexus has all-wheel or four-wheel drive, you’ll get optimum grip, stopping power, and performance when you have winter tires installed.
When Is the Best Time To Switch to Snow Tires?
When you see consistent temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, schedule a time to have your winter tires installed. The time frame will vary depending on where you live, but you should generally consider changing them out in mid- or late fall. You can bring your Lexus to our Lexus dealership and have us install new winter tires. You’ll bring your summer or all-season tires home and store them during the winter.
To save time and effort, consider having your snow tires and all-season tires mounted on dedicated wheels that meet your Lexus’s specifications. You can then bring your mounted tires to our Lexus dealership, and we’ll simply take your summer tires mounted on wheels off. We’ll then install the mounted winter tires and wheels on your Lexus and send you home with your all-season tires and wheels to store.
In reverse, when the weather climbs above 45 degrees Fahrenheit, bring your Lexus into the Lexus tire center to have the winter tires and wheels removed and your all-season tires and wheels installed.
As part of our service at Lexus of Stevens Creek, we put your winter tires on in the fall before the storms roll in, and when the winter weather stops, we put your summer tires back on.
How To Care for Winter and Seasonal Tires
Once installed, keep your winter tires at the manufacturer’s recommended psi. Having the proper psi increases your Lexus’s stability and control and helps extend the tires’ life span. Ask one of our tire experts at Lexus of Stevens Creek about the perfect psi for the specific tire brand and your Lexus model.
Before storing your seasonal tires, clean them so they’re free from dirt, debris, and any tire dressings. Allow them to dry thoroughly before storing them. Once dry, place each tire in an airtight plastic bag, such as a lawn or leaf bag, and seal the bag tight. Be sure to remove any extra air from the bag.
Next, place the individual wrapped tires in a cool dark location, preferably indoors. If the tires are mounted on rims, stack them on top of each other. If the tires are off the rim, stack them standing upright. Avoid placing the tires in direct sunlight or near furnaces or water heaters to avoid exposure to ultraviolet rays and ozone, which can cause cracks and deterioration of the tires.
Top Tire Brands for Your Lexus
At Lexus of Stevens Creek, we carry tire brands designed to fit your Lexus for optimum performance. We can get you the perfect winter tire from the following reputable tire brands:
Bridgestone
Bridgestone carries Blizzak tires for optimal winter driving performance. They come in various sizes, so we can find the right one for your Lexus.
Continental Tire
Continental offers three brands of winter tires based on the type of vehicle you drive and the severity of driving conditions:
- VikingContact 7.
- VanContact Winter.
- Continental WinterContact TS 830 P.
Dunlop
Dunlop and Goodyear recently merged, and the brand offers several winter tires based on the type of driving you do and what type of Lexus you drive. Snow tires include:
- WinterCommand Ultra.
- Winter Maxx 2.
- Winter Maxx SJ8.
- Eagle UltraGrip GW-3.
- Grandtrek SJ6.
- UltraGrip 8 Performance.
Michelin
You have seven winter tire choices from Michelin:
- X-Ice Snow.
- Pilot Alpin 5.
- Pilot Alpin 5 SUV.
- X-Ice Xi3.
- Pilot Alpin PA4.
- Latitude Alpin 2.
- Latitude Alpin.
Yokohama
Yokohama also offers seven winter tires, including the following:
- BluEarth Winter V905.
- BluEarth Winter V906.
- BluEarth Winter V906 SUV.
- iceGUARD G075.
- iceGUARD iG51v.
- iceGUARD iG52c.
- iceGUARD iG53.
Get the Right Seasonal Tires for Your Lexus
When you live in a cold area with snow, ice, and slush, winter tires are essential for your safety. At Lexus of Stevens Creek in San Jose, California, we carry a wide range of high-quality seasonal tires, including snow tires, to help you navigate icy and snowy roads. Stop by our dealership’s tire center to browse our inventory of snow tires. Our professional tire experts will help you find the perfect tires for all your winter travels. Contact our team to schedule a time for service and to have your tires installed.
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