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I haven't swapped my winter tyres during lockdown - will they be fine in the warmer weather?

I usually drive a lot, including on icy country roads in winter so I had both summer and winter tyres. They're usually swapped in April and November. With lockdown, this hasn't happened and my mileage has been negligible, maybe 150 miles. Depending on how/when restrictions are eased, I'm unlikely to do much more than 1500 miles in the next five months. I'll arrange the swap to summer tyres when the garage can fit me in, but what advice would you give as to winter tyre use in the meantime?

Asked on 27 May 2020 by J Reed

Answered by Georgia Petrie
The rubber of winter tyres is much more flexible than that of all-season and summer tyres - meaning that although this adds traction in winter, it will wear down quickly in warm temperatures. Summer and all-season tyres are built to withstand warm temperatures, providing long wear life. If you keep the winter tyres on in summer, you'll end up having to replace them more quickly in the long run.

In warm weather, winter tyres also don't provide the same handling capabilities as summer or all-season tyres. If you end up making any sharp turns or doing any quick manoeuvres - you could find quite significantly decreased performance compared to how the tyres act in colder months. As long as you're careful, you'll be fine - but keeping winter tyres on year round isn't ideal.

Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.

Honest John's Guide To Winter Tyres
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