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  It’s late fall and you know that winter’s on its way. Winter tires can give you a real advantage in traction so that you can get where you need to go! At Van’s Tires & Service, we have a few tips for winter tires. There’s no such thing as a universal tire that performs equally well in any weather condition. There’s always a compromise involved with tires. At temperatures below 30 degrees, the long-wearing all-season tires that are on most cars tend to stiffen up and give you all the trac...

If you’ve been in northern Ohio for long, you know what winters can be like here. At Van’s Tires & Service, we’d like to answer some questions and hopefully dispel some misconceptions about winter tires: Q: Can’t I get by with all-season tires? A: There’s a compromise involved with any tire. An all-season tire that’s designed for 80,000 mile warranty life uses tread designs and compounds that wear for a long, long time. Unfortunately, many of those tires harden up and stiffen at temperatu...

Where did this year go? Before you know it, it’s going to be time for the holidays, and that can mean travel in some pretty trying conditions (and we don’t just mean restless kids in the back seat). Is your vehicle ready for some interstate miles? Tires: It’s a good idea to have your tires rotated every 5,000-7,000 miles to ensure even wear. With that in mind, it’s easy to just schedule a tire rotation with every oil change, since the vehicle will be up in the air on a lube rack anyway. Ha...

So the holidays are right around the corner…is it time for an oil change? The answer is a conditional “that depends.” You probably know that motor oil cuts friction between moving parts and helps disperse excessive heat buildup inside your engine. It’s also designed to suspend tiny particles of carbon and metal shavings so they can be trapped in the paper pleats of the oil filter. If left too long, though, the oil filter will become too saturated to absorb any more impurities and sludgy dep...

If you’re past “a certain age,” you might remember when gas was $1.50 per gallon, or $1.00 per gallon, or 59 cents, or what-have-you…but the truth is that everything has gotten more expensive. After all, when gas was $1.00 per gallon, a nicely tricked-out Chevrolet Caprice Classic was selling for about $6,000 brand new.  Now that we’re well into the 21st century, gas prices are likely to fluctuate, but one thing’s for sure: gas is likely to never be “cheap” again. We know that everyone...

Everyone’s trying to make a dollar go a little farther these days. At Van’s Tires & Service in Akron, OH, we’d like to give you a few pointers on how to make your brakes last a bit longer: Coast whenever possible. For instance, if you’re coming off an interstate onto an exit ramp, just let off the gas or the cruise control as you leave the highway and let the car coast up to the stoplight for your turnoff, rather than waiting until the last couple of hundred yards to apply the brakes. Whe...

Some people love winter. They love the snow, the snap in the air, the short days and cozy nights at home. Others can’t stand it, for many of the same reasons. Regardless of whether you love it or hate it, though, chances are you’re going to have to get out and drive in it at some point. We’ve got a few suggestions to help you through the winter safely:  Make sure you’ve got a well-maintained car. This includes fresh windshield wipers, proper tire inflation, a strong battery, a properly m...

Your tires are a pretty big investment. Even with the cheapest set of tires, you’re going to be spending upwards of $400 on the tires, mounting, balancing, disposal fees and taxes. Since you laid down that kind of money, doesn’t it just make sense to make sure you get the most miles possible out of them?  Here’s some advice on long tire life:   • Regularly check your tire pressure. This one is really, really important. Underinflated tires will wear  unevenly and reduce your fuel economy du...

We sure do get attached to our machines and inanimate objects, and cars in particular tend to take a special place in our imaginations. In the case of something like a car or truck, we depend on them so much that they start to take on a personality and an identity, at least in our own minds. Why not show your car or truck how much you “love” it and care about it with a set of tires for Valentine’s Day? How long has it been since you got a set of tires? With the right driving habits, a good s...

Differential Service – Why Is It Important?    Of all the various things on a vehicle that need regular service and maintenance, the differential is too often neglected. But what exactly is it, and what does it do?    Visualize a rear-wheel-drive vehicle making a right-hand turn. As the car turns to the right, the left rear wheel will have to actually cover a longer distance and spin at a different speed than the right wheel. If the rear axle was delivering the same torque to both wheels, the...