No Matter What The Season Is, Come To Ott's Auto For Quality Tires
Seasonal Tire Change and Alignment Pricing
Tires on Rims
$54.95 + HST
Tires off Rims
$99.95 + HST
(Plus Weights and Valve Stems)
Alignment on all vehicles *
Front End Alignment
$99.95 + HST
4 Wheel Alignment
$124.95 + HST
* (additional charges will apply if the
Suspension Mechanism has worn or seized parts)
Note: Prices may change without notice.
Ott's, We're Here To Help
Just as it's important to ensure that your vehicle is in top mechanical shape before you set out, tires are equally as important as they are the only thing separating you from the road. With so much riding on your tires, it's important to make sure they are always reliable and up for the challenge of everyday driving no matter what the road or weather conditions.
If you're unsure about the state of your tires, drop into Ott's Auto. We can help.
Be Tire Smart - Play Your P.A.R.T.
Pressure
Maintaining proper tire pressure is important for many reasons other than reducing the potential of a flat tire or a blowout. In order to achieve optimum handling from your vehicle, from everyday driving to making emergency maneuvers, tire pressure needs to be at the proper inflation level. Even a tire that doesn’t appear to be low on air can result in reduced vehicle handling and excessive tread wear. Tires that are not at the correct air pressure will also increase the rolling resistance (the friction that occurs when an object rolls) of the vehicle. Under-inflated tires, for example, result in increased rolling resistance and therefore require more energy (or fuel) to move the vehicle, which negatively impacts fuel economy.
Alignment
Proper alignment is an important part of tire maintenance. Poor alignment will cause your tires to wear unevenly and you may experience handling problems, such as "pulling" or vibration. Poor alignment will also increase your fuel consumption. Common practice is to have your alignment checked annually, or every 25,000 km.
Rotation
Regular rotation will minimize wear and prolong the life of your tires. Rotation will also reduce the risk of sudden tire failure.
Front tires work harder than rear tires as they must bear the scrubbing action of steering as well as rolling wear. You can prolong the life of your tires by rotating them. Full size spares should be part of the rotation pattern. Rotate your tires according to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation, found in the owner's manual. Or, talk to your tire professional to find out how - and how often - the tires on your vehicle should be rotated. Common practice is to rotate tires approximately every 10,000 km.
Tread
Tires are designed to grip the road, allowing your vehicle to start, stop and go around corners safely in any weather. The treads accomplish this wear-out over time, but drivers can take precautionary steps to prolong the life of their tires.
It is extremely important to check your tire treads for signs of wear. Proper treads allow for normal handling of your vehicle and help prevent skidding and hydroplaning. Tires are manufactured with a "wear bar" that tells you when there is less than 1.6 mm (2/32 inch) of tread depth remaining. When you see this wear bar, the tire must be replaced. Drivers can also check their tire tread by placing a dime in the tire’s groove with the top of the sailboat facing down. If you can see the top of the sailboat, the tire needs replacing.
Definition of a Winter Tire
Install Four Winter Tires
To assist you in controlling your vehicle in winter conditions, Transport Canada recommends that you always install winter tires in sets of four only. Vehicle handling will be dramatically improved when identical tires are installed on all four wheels.
When shopping for winter tires, it is important to look for a tire that displays the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake Symbol (also referred to as the ‘Alpine’ symbol) on the sidewall. Transport Canada acknowledges that tires displaying this symbol meet the specific snow traction performance requirements, and have been designed specifically for use in severe snow conditions.
Winter tire testing is innovative, reliable and sophisticated. All winter tires that are marked with the Alpine symbol (pictured to the right) undergo the ASTM F 1805 tire test on medium-packed snow in standardized testing conditions to ensure their snow traction performance meets the minimum industry requirements to be considered a winter tire. Importantly, tires that are manufactured for medium-packed snow are required by law to perform this test and may display the 3PMSF symbol on the sidewall.
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Tires For Winter Driving
In the beginning, there were summer tires and snow tires. Then, several decades ago, the all-season tire was introduced into the marketplace, providing motorists with better winter driving performance than a summer tire and the opportunity to avoid the cost and inconvenience of the biannual winter tire changeover.
Many Canadian motorists still choose all-season tires because those tires meet their personal needs based on driving habits, where they live and their comfort level with winter driving.
The tire industry recommends winter tires for those wanting the very best, safest winter driving experience. Tire technology advances in tread compound and tread design have improved driving performance across the entire spectrum of tires, but especially with respect to winter tires. All tire rubber will begin to stiffen as the weather gets colder, but the latest generations of winter tires maintain their elasticity even at extremely low temperatures approaching -30°C and below, thus providing superior traction and grip.
Instead of thinking of winter tires only as "snow tires" you may want to start thinking of them as "cold-weather tires".
Tips for Safe Winter Driving
Driving in a Canadian winter can be a challenge. The best way to meet this challenge is to equip your vehicle for winter driving and to drive with caution in cold weather.
Winter tires handle winter driving conditions so well because they provide the best possible contact between your vehicle and the road. Whether the road surface is snowy or icy, wet or dry, winter tires offer optimal traction in all cold-weather conditions.
Who Needs Winter Tires?
Even if you drive an SUV or live where the streets are cleared of snow regularly, installing winter tires on all-wheel positions will improve surface grip in every type of road condition at temperatures below 7°C.
Even though all-season tires can provide safe all-weather performance, winter tires are more efficient once temperatures start to fall. Modern winter tires offer up to 50% or more traction than all-seasons.