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Photo: iStockWhether your region requires you to install snow-rated tires during the cold months or you simply want to sport them for added safety, you should know how much a winter tire costs. Many car owners just don’t install winter tires because they believe they’re unaffordable.
While winter tires are typically known to be more expensive, affordable options from growing tire brands like Sailun Tire don’t compromise on the quality and performance drivers expect on the icy roads.
But even the pricer ones are more affordable than your rising insurance premium, likely medical bills, and automotive repairs (not covered in the insurance policy) that you must endure due to an accident in harsh winter conditions.
Here, we will explain the cost of different winter tires and the additional expenses associated with them. If you’re in the market for new winter tires — from value-based to premium — check out our full buying guide here.
Many factors affect the price of winter tires, including brand, type, quality, and size. Since every brand has its own criteria to evaluate the price for its rubber, we would avoid commenting on it. However, we will specifically discuss type, quality and size to give you a fair idea of winter or snow tires.
For a compact car with a famous 205/55R16 size, below are approximate prices.
The three main types of winters you find in the market include studless, studded, and winter performance.
Studdless Tires
For most people, studdless winter tires are a perfect companion in cold conditions. These incorporate biting edges and soft rubber compounds, making them flexible for winter. A standard studdless tire will cost you anywhere between $60 and $550, each.
On average, for a typical compact car, expect to pay around $100-$150 per tire or $400-$600 for all four. For an SUV or light-duty pickup, the price goes up to $200-$400 each or $800-$1,200 for a set of four.
Studded Tires
For extreme weather conditions like freezing rain, sleet and wet ice, studded tires are ideal for a safe driving experience. The metal studs fixed on these tires bite into ice, giving you improved grip and handling. A studded rubber would cost you around $75-$550 or more per tire. For two pairs, you can expect to pay between $300 and $2,200.
There are also studdable options, like the Sailun Iceblazer WST1 studdable performance winter tire trusted by over 1-million drivers in Canada alone, which won’t break the bank yet designed for drivers that demand maximum traction in severe weather conditions.
Sailun IceBlazer WST1 studdable winter tireSailun IceBlazer WST1 studdable winter tireWinter Performance Tires
For guys who do not want to leave their sports cars or performance sedans in their garage in winters, they should put on winter performance tires.
They are designed to offer excellent traction at high speeds on wet and dry roads. However, they are not your perfect companion for ice or snow-packed roads. A regular high performer is available at around $100-$500 each or $400-$2,000 for all four.
For all the prices we mentioned above, the smaller the size, the lower the cost. However, the price variation also depends on the tire brand, with American tires selling higher than Chinese-made tires.
The prices we shared above are purely for snow tires; they do not include installation charges. For installation, you have two choices. You can either mount the winter rubber on the existing wheels or buy a new set of wheels for all tires.
On the other hand, you can buy new wheels for all tires, making it effortless to put on winters when the snow, ice, and slush appear. The four new wheels will set you back $120-$500 or more. You can always try secondhand wheels; they may cost as low as $40-$80.
Some retailers provide direct discounts, while others may give you mail-in rebates. You may find them in the shape of gift cards or prepaid cards. The discount amount may vary as per size and model. Consumer Reports says that winters tires increase the snow traction by 34%, thus making it easy for you to stop and maneuver the vehicle. These tires actually cut the braking distance by around six feet. That six feet distance is often the gap between you rear-ending a car or drifting into a crossing against carefully coming to a halt without causing a mishap.
Buying the snow tires also enables you to enjoy insurance savings as well as better fuel mileage (if you maintain them well).
Of note, 76% of all Canadians change their all-season tires with snow tires to enjoy better traction and control. Most car owners say that these tires have saved them a possibly dangerous condition.
When temperatures drop below 7°C in Canada at the end of fall, it is time to switch to winter tires. When it rises above 7°C in the spring, it’s time to switch them back to the regular, typically all-season tires.
While this gives you the best gives you the best traction and control year-round, the cost of changing winter tires twice a year adds up.
Changing tires that are on rims (basic swap) costs $40 to $60 for a set of 4 – or about $10 per tire.
For tires that are not on rims, it costs an average of $80 to $120 for a set of 4 – or about $20 to $30 per tire.
In this short guide we’ll summarize how much service providers are charging and how much people are paying to change, mount, balance and store tires and outline how keeping your winter tires on a separate set of steel rims can save you an average of $150 over their lifetime.
Changing a set of 4 tires that are already mounted on rims (basic swap) costs an average of $40 to $60 or about $10 to $15 per wheel, not including balancing.
Balancing costs an extra $32 to $48 per set of 4 or $8 to $12 per wheel and should be done every 1 to 2 years or if you notice signs such as vibration at high speeds, increased fuel consumption or uneven treadwear.
Pricing from service providers:
| Service Provider | Cost |
|---|---|
| Canadian Tire | $75 |
| Tirecraft | $55 |
| Kal Tire | $52 |
| Mr Lube | $55 |
| Jiffy Lube | $55 |
| Costco | $40 |
| CAA Mobile | $80 to $120 |
| Tire Changers | $60 |
| SimplyTire | $60 to $100 |
| 1010Tires | $50 |
| BMW dealership | $85 |
Prices reported by vehicle owners across Canada:
| Service Provider | Location | Price Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | Markham, ON | $45 |
| Independent | Cannifton, ON | $45 |
| Independent | Belleville, ON | $40 |
Having a set of 4 winter tires mounted on rims, balanced and installed costs an average of $80 to $120 or about $20 to $30 per wheel, based on prices we collected from service providers:
| Service Provider | Cost |
|---|---|
| Canadian Tire | $150 |
| Tirecraft | $105 |
| Kal Tire | $152 |
| JoyCity Tires | $75 to $105 |
| Genuine Auto | $125 |
| Fountain Tire | $139 |
| Tires23 | $80 |
| 1010Tires | $160 |
| Costco | $80 |
| SimplyTire | $140 to $240 |
Prices reported by vehicle owners across Canada:
| Location | Price Paid |
|---|---|
| Vancouver, BC | $120 |
| Winnipeg, MB | $140 |
Tirecraft) or first-come-first-served while you wait (longer wait, cheaper – eg. independent shop)If you live in an apartment or condo, you may not have space to store the set of tires that aren’t on your vehicle. The average cost to store your tires is $60 to $100 per season (6 to 9 months). Fall/winter counts as 1 season, spring/summer is another.
| Provider | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Kal Tire | Winnipeg, MB | $90 to $100 |
| JoyCity Tires | Markham, ON | $75 |
| Dealerships | $100 | |
| #10 Storage | Brampton, ON | $40 |
| Genuine Auto | Nepean, ON | $60 |
| Canadian Tire | Ottawa, ON | $70 |
| Waterloo, ON | $80 |
$100 per change x 2 changes per year x 5 years = $1000
To have the tires removed and swapped onto the same rims twice a year for an average of a 5 year tire lifespan, costs $60 to $80.
This comes out to $160 a year on average just on the swap. If you consider that price over the span of 5 years, it amounts to a stunning $800.
$240 for 4 steel rims ($50 to $80 per rim)
+ $80 to have winter tires mounted onto the new rims and balanced
+ $80 to have summer tires mounted onto existing rims and balanced
+ $50 per change x 2 swaps per year x next 4 years = $400
= $800
The average cost to have the wheel (tire and rim) switched is half as much ($50 vs $100), but if you factor in a couple of tire balances ($50) over 5 years your maintenance costs are from about equal to $100 less.
However, using a second set of rims means it takes much less time to change tires, you can change them yourself, you own 2 sets of rims instead of 1 and limiting the number of times a tire is removed and mounted to a rim reduces the chances of damaging the bead.
If the tires have already been mounted and balanced and you are able, have the space available and can stay warm enough while changing tires, you can save $80+tax or more per year on the labour costs by doing the swap yourself.
You also save the hassle of booking an appointment, dropping it off, waiting or having to go back.
All you need are a few tools and the time and money savings will make up for their initial cost in 3 years or so:
Total startup costs: ~$250
It is highly recommended that you mount one set of tires onto a set of steel rims and keep your main set of tires on its own set.
With aluminum rims, the road salt used to melt snow and ice will eat away at the metal and significantly decrease their stability, structure, and lifespan.
In addition, the process of mounting and unmounting tires onto a set of rims requires applying a considerable amount of stress on the bead and sidewall. Doing this twice annually year after year increases the risk of distorting the sidewall or tearing the bead.
Opting for steel rims will help to preserve your tires and rims and keep them in good condition longer.
Plus, if and when you plan on reselling the vehicle you have an added set of rims and tires that will add to the overall value of the vehicle. If needed you can sell the rim separately, as rims in good condition hold value.
During the summer when you are not using the tires, store them in a clean, dry (away from solvents, lubricants, fuels, chemicals), dark (in tire bags to limit their exposure to UV radiation) and cool (below 15ºC). Basements and temperature-controlled garages are ideal. The temperature and humidity in most garages, sheds and attics fluctuate considerably, which you want to avoid.
Maintain the vehicle manufacturer recommended air pressure and if they are on rims, stack them on each other, no more than 4 high. If they are not on rims, stand them on end and turn them a bit once a month. Maintain the vehicle manufacturer recommended air pressure.
Victoria Umanets
26, 2020
November 26, 2020
, Since there are no legal norms at what time to do this. And although we are not promised snow yet, I would not recommend waiting for it in order to change the shoes of your car. It is a bad idea. After all, on a slippery road it is very easy to lose control of the car. And then you have to go to the service station not only to replace tires, but also to repair the body.
Everyone knows that it's time to change tires when the average daily temperature has reached 7 degrees.
It was then that summer tires no longer “work”. It is very dangerous to ride them. So how much does it cost to change a car in 2020? How much will you have to pay for replacing summer tires with winter ones in Kyiv, Dnipro, Lvov, Vinnitsa, Zaporozhye and other cities of our country. From this article you will find out the prices in each region.
Pick up tires and rims for car
Usually, car owners turn to tire fitting when they have one set of wheels and two sets of tires. That is, the tires need to be reboarded. This procedure implies that the tire fitting worker will remove the summer kit and put on the winter one. It also needs to be balanced. This is standard procedure. It happens that even the disks need some kind of repair or cleaning. You will have to pay extra for this separately. If you only stopped by to “change shoes”, be prepared to spend about 40 minutes of your time. True, if you come by appointment.
On a first-come, first-served basis, time can stretch for several hours.
Is there a price difference depending on the tire diameter?
Yes. I will give statistics on the example of Vinnitsa car services. Having taken an interest in prices, I can say that on average it turns out like this:
Statistics given for passenger cars - tire change on light alloy wheels (R16) plus balancing.
By the way, the price also depends on the class of the car. For SUVs, SUVs, minivans will be more expensive. It turns out that the larger the car and the size of the wheels itself, the more expensive. But from the type of disks - casting or steel - the price practically does not change. If your tires are on steel rims, the price remains either the same, or the difference fluctuates around minus 20-50 hryvnia.
Below on the chart you will see the prices in the regional centers of Ukraine.
They are average for passenger cars on alloy wheels (R16). That is, you need to understand what can be a little cheaper or a little more expensive. There are cities that stand out with the highest prices. But in principle, plus or minus is the same throughout Ukraine.
Somehow, unexpectedly for me, it turned out to be the most expensive thing to wear a winter set in Lviv and Zhytomyr - 500 UAH and 490 UAH, respectively. Khmelnitsky also stood out - 460 UAH, Kyiv - 450 UAH, Dnipro - 430 UAH. The cheapest is in Chernihiv - 340 UAH and Sumy - 350 UAH. However, see for yourself:
| City | Price (UAH) |
| Vinnitsa | 380 |
| Dnipro | 430 |
| Zhitomir | 490 |
| Uzhgorod | 360 |
| Zaporozhye | 370 |
| Ivano-Frankivsk | 380 |
| Kyiv | 450 |
| Kropivnitsky | 360 |
| Lviv | 500 |
| Lutsk | 360 |
| Nikolaev | 370 |
| Odessa | 410 |
| Poltava | 360 |
| Rivne | 400 |
| Sumy | 350 |
| Ternopil | 370 |
| Kharkiv | 400 |
| Kherson | 380 |
| Khmelnitsky | 460 |
| Cherkasy | 370 |
| Chernivtsi | 400 |
| Chernihiv | 340 |
When calling service stations, some immediately offered discounts or some related services.
For example - a 20% discount on air conditioning maintenance in the spring, if they have their tires rebuilt now. And several tire shops said they could keep the winter tires for storage. In Vinnitsa, it costs about 100 UAH per month for 4 wheels without discs. Very handy if you have nowhere to store them at home. Because storage conditions are very important. It must be dry and clean. Tires must be laid in the correct position so that they do not experience uneven pressure and do not deform during downtime. And before that, they need to be washed and dried.
Pick up tires and rims for car
Well, friends, I hope the information was useful for you. If so, please like. I would like to know how much it costs to replace tires on wheels in your city. After all, I really hope that you have already done this. Share with us in the comments.
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The procedure for servicing cars at tire change stations can take a different amount of time.
The exact figure depends on the equipment present and the professionalism of the master. On average, changing the wheels of a car at a tire fitting stretches for 20-30 minutes, in the absence of a serious workload of personnel.
Contents
In some cases, the installation procedure can take an hour or more. The exact figure will depend on the type of work performed.
If you put new skates on the discs, you need to count on at least an hour of time. The usual replacement of finished wheels is faster. A savvy craftsman can change all discs in a few minutes.
The need for repairs also affects the efficiency of work. In some situations (vulcanization is required), the procedure may take a day.
Service stations and tire shops in Russia always try to work as quickly as possible. The salary of the master directly depends on the number of clients. Usually the procedure for changing a set of tires from summer to winter does not take more than one hour.
Waiting time can be increased by factors that do not affect the immediate speed of the specialist - this is the queue and customer requirements.
Installation of summer tires is more difficult for the master than winter models.
This is argued by the increased rigidity of the rubber. Dense sidewalls are difficult to put on discs, which requires great physical effort.
This difference will not be noticeable to the user. Experienced technicians know how to properly place a product on the machine for fast assembly.
To facilitate the process of changing tires and speed up service, you can foresee a few points in advance and not wait in a huge queue.
