No matter where you live in Maine, you should use winter tires during the cold season. And that includes areas where it does not necessarily snow!

Of course, we all want to find the best quality winter tire for the best price possible. But in many cases, an inexpensive winter tire might not do the job. Granted, it will be better than the average allseason tire, but a slightly more expensive tire that has better surface contact is likely a better investment.

Even winter tires are not all created equal. Some of them are specially made for rear-wheel drive cars, other for light trucks, while some are designed for deep snow driving or for ice. If you think you will be driving all winter on mostly dry pavement, ask your tire dealer for a tire specifically designed for ice or cold pavement. Those kinds of conditions are some of the trickiest: no driver can predict when ice will cover the pavement to make the dangerously invisible “black ice”.

If in doubt about your exact needs, ask your tire dealer what he recommends. Even if the product is a little more expensive than you expected, remember that your life and those of your passengers depend on those four small patches of rubber rolling on the roads!