Winter Tires
While regular or "all-season" tires, including wide and high-performance tires, may be adequate in some areas, they may not be suitable for driving in the snowbelt regions of southern Ontario and throughout the north. If you live and drive in these areas, consider using winter tires. They improve driving safety by providing better traction, braking and handling during frost, snow, slush, and particularly under icy conditions. Installing four winter tires provides greater control and stability. Never mix tires of different tread, size and construction. Also, consider adding traction control and stability control options when purchasing your next vehicle.
For excellent information about the importance of having winter tires, see CBC's MarketPlace reports on winter tires: Get a Grip and Winter Tires.
It is best install winter tires in sets of 4, regardless of whether you have front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or 4-wheel drive. Even the cheapest set of snow tires will out-perform "all-season" tires on snow or ice. Mounting and dismounting tires from your rims to switch back and forth between seasons doesn't do the rims or tire bead any good so get a set of winter rims for your snow tires. The going price for a set of used rims from the junkyard (recycling centre) is about $50/wheel. If you're going to keep your car for a few years, the winter rims will pay for themselves in mounting costs alone.
When buying new tires, check the service policy of the tire shop. Most tire shops will rotate your tires for free and this should happen about every 10,000 km. It doesn't hurt to rotate them more often and you might want to rotate them with every other oil change. Regular rotations ensure that your tires wear evenly and that all four wear out at about the same time. With regard to rotations, some shops include free balancing of the tires that are rotated to the front. This is a nice feature and should be given serious consideration if available from one of your local tire shops.
If your car was equipped with more than one size of tire, you will get better traction if you buy a narrower tire (eg, a 70 series tire rather than a 60 series), which usually means you need to get your vehicle's base model's wheels that are smaller (eg, 14" rather than 15" in diameter). Narrower tires provide better traction in the snow but follow the recommendations for size and pressure in your owner's manual.
Storage of out-of-season wheels
Often times, the tire shop will be able to store your wheels for you so you don't have to lug them back home. Sometimes the service is free but it is common for the tire shop to charge a storage fee ($5/wheel) until you switch your summer or winter tires back on. If you're short on space, this might be a worthwhile option.
RWD Ballast
For best fuel economy, you should not be carrying any extra weight. However, a little extra weight in the trunk (or in the bed if you have pickup truck) of your rear-wheel drive vehicle is recommended for winter driving. The extra weight provides additional traction and can be added with a pair of sand bags on each side of the trunk. Sand is also useful for spreading on icy surfaces. Make sure the ballast is securely fastened so that it doesn't become a projectile in case of a sudden stop.