Put your best tire forward and prepare for spring driving conditions

By Drew Stremick

As we start to see more above-zero temperatures across Saskatchewan, it’s important for people to ensure their vehicle is properly maintained for changing conditions.

Dave Obed, the service manager at ENS Toyota, says with the warmer weather, people might be ready to step on the gas and swap out their winter tires. But they should hold off for a few more weeks.

“Typically, (it should be done) when we start getting positive temperatures overnight,” says Obed. “When temperatures reach below seven degrees, (summer tires) aren’t as effective, so I would wait until we have positive temperatures, because if we end up getting some more snow, you’re going to want (winter tires).”

With the snow melting, Obed says something drivers should shy away from is driving through bigger puddles.

“If you do see a large puddle, do your best to go around it because you really don’t know what’s in the middle of that puddle,” he said.

And what could be lurking below the surface of some of those bigger puddles? One word: Potholes.

Hitting one, the damage can range from minor to more serious.

“(It could result in) rim damage. You can take out a sidewall on a tire with some of the bigger potholes (and) it can cause quite a blowout,” Obed said. “You could do some damage to your shocks depending on how severe the pothole is.”

Another issue that could arise from hitting a bad pothole is wheel alignment.

Poor alignment isn’t a very serious issue, but it can hurt a driver’s wallet.

When a vehicle’s tires aren’t properly aligned, fuel efficiency will suffer, which means more money spent on gas.