Tires

Maintenance/Repairs
1

We have a rear wheel drive 1991 grand marquie and a tire company told us they would not sell us 2 studded tires for the rear wheels, unless we bought 2 studded tires for the front end. I have been running studded tires on the rear end of all my vehicles since the early 60’s. I have never owned a front wheel drive car. Are they telling me the correct information or am i being scammed?

2

Ideally, you want equal traction at both ends of the car, which is why they recommend 4 studded tires instead of two, but lots of people mount studs on the rear of a car like yours and not on the front. I’m surprised they refused to sell you what you wanted. Go to another tire dealer.

3

I could certainly see why they would hesitate to put studs only on the front of any car, but I really can’t see the issue with them being only on the back. You will have less chance of loosing control on ice and if RWD you will also have better traction on ice.

Note: I am not recommending studs for most drivers and they are illegal many places, but there are good reasons for some drivers to have them and they are legal some places.

4

I, like you mounted them only on the rear of my trucks. After sliding through an intersection and surviving, I decided to mount them all the way around. Your car is bias to the rear accelerating but to the front when stopping. You need equal traction both ways. You’re lucky to still be alive, like me.

5

PS
If it’s slippery enough to require studded tires on the rear to start, it’s certainly slippery enough to have them on the front to stop and corner.

6

It’s important to get rolling when driving on ice.

But it’s also important to be able to stop. Which do you think it more important?

I am sure that the tire store would have put only 2 studded tires on if you had agreed not to sue them if you had a bad accident because you couldn’t stop - say by signing a waiver - oh… that’s right… you don’t give up that right simply by signing a waiver!!!

So it doesn’t matter if the info is correct or not. It only matters if a sharp lawyer can convince a jury that the tire shop knew this was a problem and did it anyway.