A recent Avito Auto survey shows that drivers place tire switching and assembling a winter kit at the top of their cold-season preparations. A strong majority, 86 percent, view tire changes and winter kits as essential, while 63 percent deem them mandatory, underscoring a clear commitment to staying on the road when conditions worsen. The winter kit itself contains practical tools for maintenance and safety, including car brushes, an ice scraper, a compact shovel, and spare cables, reflecting a concrete plan for winter resilience.
Ahead of winter, oil changes are considered mandatory by 57 percent of respondents, and 52 percent also emphasize battery care through replacement or testing. These patterns point to a broader trend where preventative maintenance supports reliability and safety during harsh weather.
Beyond the basics, 47 percent of drivers emphasize checking the heating system, while 41 percent plan to replace antifreeze. More than a quarter of the surveyed motorists, 32 percent, intend to treat rubber door and trunk seals with silicone grease to prevent leaks and drafts. Additionally, 31 percent intend to install new wiper blades to ensure clear visibility in wintry conditions. Together, these choices show a layered approach to winter readiness, blending essential safety checks with proactive gear upgrades.
Who carries the responsibility?
Regional patterns emerge in how people approach winterization. Residents in colder federal districts show the strongest focus on maintenance, with attention to oil changes, battery checks or replacements, heating-system diagnostics, and overall vehicle diagnostics. These regions tend to prioritize reliability and performance when facing extreme cold and challenging road conditions, and the same mindset often informs winter practices in North American climates with similar severity.
Tire changes and timing
Geography influences timing decisions for tire changes. In some regions, a calendar-based approach to tire changes is more common, reflecting a planned routine aligned with local climate expectations and driving patterns. This approach shows up in a portion of respondents who set a fixed date for tire changes, indicating a blend of climate awareness and practical scheduling that many drivers across the United States and Canada recognize during winter preparation.
Looking at winter readiness broadly, the survey highlights a few clear thresholds that trigger tire changes:
- 27 percent switch to winter tires when daily temperatures stay below freezing and precipitation increases
- 25 percent wait until the thermometer reads 2 to 5 degrees above zero
- 16 percent change tires when temperatures dip below freezing during the day, regardless of precipitation
- 16 percent act as soon as daytime temperatures hit 0 degrees
The study gathered insights from 6,000 car owners across various regions, offering a broad view of how winter readiness is practiced. The findings show that some drivers follow a strict calendar-based approach, while others rely on temperature cues and real-time weather patterns to decide when to change tires or perform other winterizing steps. The implications extend to maintenance priorities, driving safety, and the overall cost of vehicle ownership during colder months. The breadth of the survey makes these insights relevant for drivers in large cities and rural areas who must navigate snow, ice, and freezing temperatures, including audiences in Canada and the United States. (Avito Auto)