Winter Driving Academy Jan 10
No Comments
There hasn’t been much snow in Toronto due to above average temperatures. This doesn’t mean there won’t be snow this season though. When it does snow, it will mean challenging driving conditions for drivers. With snow and ice on the road, cautious drivers slow to a halt as confident drivers become reckless. On January 10th, Richard Spénard, a professional driver and driving instructor for Michelin Canada, will be in Toronto to demonstrate how to drive safely on winter roads, no matter the weather conditions or driver personality. Find out what type of driver you are here.
What: Media demonstration of winter driving techniques
(Taping and interview opportunities)
Who: Richard Spénard, professional driver
When: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Time: 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, on appointment
Where: Parking lot, Ontario Place
955 Lakeshore Boulevard West, Toronto
For additional safety driving tips, please visit the Michelin Winter Driving Academy.
Tag(s): Winter Driving, Winter Tires
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged driver, drivers, driving, ice, lecture, lesson, school, snow, winter
Leave a comment
Tires Deteriorate Regardless of Use Dec 30
Recently, it has been reported that car tires deteriorate even without frequent day to day use. This includes spare tires too. According to Ronald Montoya, consumer advice associate at Edmunds.com, “People often rely on a tire’s tread depth to determine its condition, but the rubber compounds in a tire deteriorate with time, regardless of the condition of the tread.”
“Like an old elastic band, a tire’s rubber can eventually develop cracks on the surface and on the inside wall. This cracking can cause the steel belts in the tread to separate from the rest of the tire.” Most tire manufacturers state that a tire can last up to 10 years though, provided that annual inspections are done.
As a consumer, you can perform a visual inspection as it can offer clues to the degree of your tire’s deterioration. You can also take it to the garage every couple of months to get a tire professional to give you their expert evaluation of the state of your tires. There are many factors that can increase the speed your tire deteriorate including excessive heat and erratic driving. Nothing lasts forever so evaluate the state of your tires today because it may be time to buy a new set.
OK Tire Promotion Dec 12
Check out the latest promotion on OK Tire! You can get $80 rebate on a set of 4 Toyo Tires. Act fast as this deal ends on Friday!
Research: Winter tires can save lives Dec 2
Research conducted by The Government of Quebec in the two years since winter tire use became universal in the province has proven conclusively what tire makers have long known, driving on winter tires saves lives and reduces serious injuries.
The 2011 study, which compared Quebec road accident statistics before and after winter tire use became required, shows that in the past two winters there has been a five percent reduction in road accident injuries that can be directly attributed to winter tire use. The research concludes that winter tires prevent about 575 road-accident injuries per winter in Quebec. The study also found that vehicle accidents resulting in death or serious injury declined by three percent.
Read more: http://www.sharenews.com/local-news/2011/11/18/research-proves-winter-tires-can-save-lives
Tag(s): Winter Driving, Winter Tires
Posted in Car tire news
Leave a comment
Should snow tires be mandatory? Nov 25
Everyone has seen commercials for snow tires, most notably, the ones with two cars stopping at a stop sign. One car skids and the other doesn’t. You can guess which one has snow tires. There are provinces such as Ontario where snow tires are not mandatory. There are some areas of the province which are warmer and thus making snow tires mandatory doesn’t seem to be very practical. Cost is also a factor as a set of winter tires can start from $600 and this does not include the rims. Southern parts of Ontario experience very little snow as well, making it not very practical for the province to make snow tires mandatory.
The government of Saskatchewan recently announced they will not be making snow tires mandatory. Saskatchewan’s minister responsible for the car insurance corporation is not convinced that by making snow tires mandatory, that this would reduce collisions. “There’s no substitute for safe driving,” the minister added. “There’s many things you can do to make your cars safer. Winter tires is one of those things that people can do and if that’s a choice people make, that’s great.” Quebec and parts of British Columbia are the only provinces that requires winter tires.
Tag(s): Winter Driving, Winter Tires
Posted in Car tires
Leave a comment
2 Winter Tires versus 4 – What’s the difference? Nov 4
It is a common misconception that having two winter tires on the front of the vehicle is as effective as having four winter tires. This is not true. In fact, front wheels will only affect the car as starts moving, but overall you will not have optimal traction for handling. Having 2 different tires on your car decreases its handling ability. With different tires in the front and rear of the vehicle, you will find that it will not react and perform optimally under varying weather conditions. This can be particularly risky when driving during challenging weather conditions where snow, black ice and rain are dangerous factors that can impede your control.
It is important to have the same level of traction on all four corners of the car. Installing four winter tires allows you to maintain the most balance and control over your car which can make the difference between life and death. For maximum safety, it is recommended that you install all four winter tires at the same time. In some provinces like Quebec, it is actually required that winter tires be installed on all wheels.
For more information, visit Calgary Winter Tires and GT Radial Canada.
Posted in Car tires
Leave a comment
Tire Rating System Oct 28
Below are types of tires and their seasonal attributes. You may decide on certain types of tires depending on weather conditions in your area.
Summer tires: Best for summer, fair in spring and fall, poor in winter
Winter tires: Best in winter, fair in spring and fall – but wear heavily, poor in summer.
All-season – Fair in spring, summer and fall, poor in extreme cold conditions
All-weather – Good in winter but not as good as “winter” tires, fair in spring, summer and fall.
Posted in Car tires
Leave a comment
TireStarz Dealer Locations Sep 14
TireStarz is located in every province across Canada! The Dealer Finder also lists OK Tire locations as well. You can find Bridgestone and Firestone tires locally at a TireStarz. Put the power of TireStarz to work for you!
Watch the latest Bridgestone TV spot right on Tirestarz.ca!
Canadians spending less on vehicle maintenance Sep 7
J.D. Power and Associates reports that Canadians are spending less on maintenance and repairs for their vehicles. Maintenance on vehicles from 4 to 12 years old has dropped from $9.0 billion in 2010 to $8.4 billion in 2011. Canadians are spending less per service visit (averaging $23 less) and also visiting less (9% decrease).
This study looked at both new-car dealerships and aftermarket facilities. Aftermarket facilities were visited more than dealerships for service by owners of 8- to 12-year-old vehicles. 39 per cent said they were attended to immediately at a dealership, while 58 per cent said they received immediate attention at an aftermarket facility.
Do I need tire dealer software? The question every car tire dealer should be asking Aug 15
At some point, every car tire dealer needs to get with the times. My local OK Tire dealer does a great job staying updated, but a lot of the time, many dealers don’t. Small towns, or even Toronto-area car tire dealers often have to divert their resources elsewhere.
The point, of course, is that having great resources begets great profits. A well-organized business is a lot more profitable than one that is disorganized.
There is a great article from tirereview.com that goes into more detail. It lists specific software programs, and provides links to them to purchase.
Have you tried any? Pro or con, let us know in the comments.