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Do you need winter tires?
6 B" G% C, H1 M2 KYahoo! Canada Autos Editor-at-large - Jeff Voth
"Tis the season to be jolly", or so claims the famous holiday song we know and enjoy at this time of year. But does it hold true as temperatures drop, snow starts to fall and winter shovels replace garden rakes at the side of the shed, ready for action as needed?

3 |" h( ~8 l; _* yWith each change of season comes the need for adjustment in driving habits and the equipment found on our vehicles. Although SUV’s offer greater traction and all-weather drivability in general, they can be just as hazardous as any other vehicle when equipped with regular all-season tires in the winter.
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& N* n% G" D  u1 j+ KAll-season tires are designed to perform best when the temperature exceeds -10°C. Below this and they start to lose grip. Winter tires are specifically designed to remain more flexible in cold weather. Plus, the deeper tread acts as a shovel to clear snow from the tread as the tire rotates. With more rubber exposed to the road or snow surface, traction is improved dramatically when compared to all-season tires.
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The following chart published by the Ministry of Transportation illustrates this fact.
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, P: s" j: B* Y. wStopping distances at 50 km/h
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Test Conditions:
-    -20°C with 3 to 5 cm of compacted snow and ice on asphalt surface
+ _/ l( q1 }7 N+ j& [-    Vehicles equipped with automatic transmission and anti-lock brakes
-    Tests in 4-wheel drive vehicle conducted in all-wheel drive mode
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* N& [* N. P3 v7 a3 ^4 l7 `7 e7 R*Fournier L., Comparative Evaluation of Performance of All-Season tires and Winter tires, Ministry of Transportation, Quebec, 2002.
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' F- }* P) X$ A$ g' r$ A1 A/ J3 @* OWinter Driving Made Easy

Winter tires can be very expensive. In fact, a full set of four tires (it is never recommended to use only 2 winter tires even on a front-wheel drive vehicle), can easily cost upwards of $500.00 plus mounting and set of seasonal steel rims. So how do you justify the cost?

Consider the amount of snowfall your area typically receives during the winter months and how much time you spend driving in situations where you are most at risk should the weather turn bad.

Let’s say you drive back and forth from the country or suburban areas to the city each day for work, plus taking the kids to hockey practice and running a few errands. Snow tires are most likely worth the investment.

$ `1 J( Z4 d" [8 j+ }6 A2 r  ]; rOn the other hand, should you live in the city with easy access to mass transit once the snow starts to fly, the added expense of winter tires is probably not worth it. Traction is certain to be improved, but if your vehicle is parked for much of the winter, save your money and spend it on bus or subway tokens. Leave the driving to someone else.
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To better test the theory of winter tires, we contacted Continental Tires of Canada and asked them to supply two different sets of winter tires for long term evaluation this winter driving season. The late model test mules used in our evaluation represent everyday vehicles, typical of what many Canadians drive. We’ll keep you up-to-date on the results.  
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The first set we will test are 215/55R16 Altimax Arctic tires from General Tire.  Designed to aid in cold weather driving, key features and benefits include the following:


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. K+ F& m" L% B# L& p' t* pFeatures:
- P$ G/ ~! W  e7 c( E8 L-    Multi-Angle Sipe System
-    Directional Pattern with Center Stability Rib
# q# k7 I) _6 |9 D8 Q/ v! F-    Reactive Contour Technology (RCT)
-    All-Weather Dual Tread Compound
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Benefits:
-    270 degrees of sipes with biting edges that enhance traction in any direction of travel.
-    Water evacuation is amplified and straight-line stability is improved.
-    Contour reacts to different road conditions to maintain optimum contact with road surface throughout the life of the tire.
2 g. y# @2 J2 ?6 s-    Exceptional cold-weather flexibility and excellent wet traction.
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9 d" U( g' o4 p$ _2 z3 b/ ~The second set to be tested over the winter are 195/65R15 ExtremeWinterContact Continental Tires.
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Designed to look and perform at the highest level, features and benefits found on these tires include the following:
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Features:
-    Compact outside tread with elevated lateral grooves
, ?. V- g" a  O& g/ ^8 \-    Inclined longitudinal grooves
! z# A/ O7 c: f* i3 s-    Maximum void and grip edges in center contact patch with traction ridges in grooves
# R7 S. E! A/ K, g7 ?, |-    High side density. Highly flexible compound

Benefits:
-    Improved dry handling
7 R' m1 o! G/ m6 r' u- a; [' e- C1 U# Z-    Swift removal of water
-    Excellent traction and braking on snow
+ f. a0 S6 k5 Y-    Reduced braking distance

Conclusion

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( C+ S# X' j. j, O% VWinter driving is a fact of life in Canada. That doesn’t mean we have to like it, but on the other hand, with the right set of winter tires, it can be a lot less intimidating and maybe even a little fun. Watch for our winter evaluation wrap-up story on these two unique sets of tires once the snow melts in Spring. Until then, drive safe!

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重要的图和表格没贴上, 给个连接:
http://ca.autos.yahoo.com/p/1660 ... er-tires-tests-on-2