On October 15th the seasonal tire change period starts again and millions of Italians will have a month to replace summer tires with winter ones. For many years, however, there has been another solution that motorists can adopt and it is all season tires.
All-season or 4-season tires are a cross between summer and winter tires and can be fitted all year round without having to replace them until the end of their life. But what characterizes these tires? When is it advisable to use all-season tires and when is it better to opt for the double train?
Let's find out together.
All-season tires are an excellent solution for all those who travel less than 10,000 km a year and live in geographic areas that are not subject to harsh winters or particularly hot summers.
On the other hand, if these tires avoid the disturbance of double gears during the year, on the other hand, it must be said that they do not reach the performance standards achieved by either summer or winter tires.
During the warmer months there will be higher fuel consumption and greater noise while driving.
During the winter, especially with snowy or icy surfaces, grip to the ground will not reach the levels of winter tires which, unlike those 4 seasons, have deeper sipes that allow the snow to get stuck inside while maintaining grip unchanged. .
The all-season tread design differs from both winter and summer tires for obvious reasons. This tire must adapt to the temperatures and the road surface throughout the year, and therefore ensure grip on both slippery and wet and hot road surfaces.
The all-season tires also bear the M + S marking, or Mud + Snow (mud and snow), which also indicates the homologation for the winter period. For greater safety in the snow it is better to opt for thermal tires but if the symbol with the "mound and snowflake" is shown on the tire then it means that the tire has been tested on snow.
The tire model is also shown on the shoulder of the tire, which commonly specifies the type of tire, in this case with the wording 4S.
The current legislation in Italy provides for "the obligation to use snow chains or snow tires in the presence of the specific mandatory sign" but all cars equipped with all-season tires can circulate as long as they have a speed index equal to or greater than the one declared on the registration document of your car.
The Type of the car is a code that the producer assigns to each vehicle in order to distinguish it from similar models.
You can find this code in the italian registration certificate in two places: At point D.2, Vehicle type, or at point E, vehicle identification number.
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