MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The team at Hercules Tire Canada is accustomed to Canadian weather patterns and has already started preparing for the upcoming winter tire season.

“It’s too early to think about the winter months that lie ahead but if consumers are thinking about installing winter tires this year – we recommend they do not wait for the first snow flakes to fly,” said Rob Keller, vice-president, Hercules Tire Canada. “For us, winter tire season is around the next corner. When customers are shopping for a set of four winter tires, we recommend they make sure Transport Canada’s stamp – the snowflake symbol – is on every tire sidewall purchased, Keller added.

Consumers view winter tires as a pure expense. However, the smart consumers realize they are investing in eight tires and will have optimum tire performance for 12 months, said Keller. These consumers also tend to purchase an extra set of wheels to simplify the installation process. This means a quick changeover at the dealer outlet. This especially applies if you have an expensive wheel on the vehicle, typically alloy or chrome, which do not ‘winter well’ primarily because of the salt on our roads, Keller added.

“From a recommendation standpoint, a professional dealer/service provider will insist on putting on four winter tires. It’s a must for front-wheel-drive vehicles and it’s recommended for rear-wheel-drive vehicles as well. It’s purely a safety and handling issue," he added.

Hercules Tire Canada stocks 55 different sizes in our winter tire line-up under the Signet Winter Trax and Polar Trax brands. In terms of coverage, this number equates to 95 per cent of all vehicles on Canadian roads including passenger vehicles, light trucks and SUVs, Keller said.

“We consider it a solid piece of our business because these sales are based on pre-determined buyers. This means, vehicle owners who are already making arrangements to have their winter tires installed in September or October – not waiting for first snowfall. Actually, when the snow arrives, it becomes difficult for people to get an appointment with a dealer,” Keller added.

For more information, contact: www.herculestireca.com