AWD or good tires: what a Spokane winter really needs
All-wheel drive helps you go. Tires help you stop and turn. On the South Hill in January you need both, in that order: tires first.
Questions about a car on the lot? Call (509) 555-0134 and a person answers.
Every October someone asks whether they need AWD. The honest answer depends on where you drive and what is on the wheels.
Tires first
A front-wheel-drive car on winter tires stops and turns better than an AWD car on worn all-seasons. Grip comes from the rubber, not the drivetrain.
When AWD earns its cost
Steep driveways, the South Hill, the passes to Idaho and unplowed rural roads. If that is your week, AWD is worth the price and the small mileage penalty.
Check the tread
Below 6/32 in, all-season tires lose most of their snow grip. Every car on our lot has its tread depth written on the inspection sheet.
Shopping for one like this? A person answers, six days a week.
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