Locations in South Dakota: 2
First South Dakota location opening date: Sioux Falls SDS01 | October 22, 2018
Common vehicles: mix of sedans, crossovers and AWD/4WD vehicles like SUVs and pickups
Major regions/cities: Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings, Watertown, Mitchell, Yankton, Huron, Pierre
Road conditions: Extreme winter weather with ice, snow and below zero temps; increased traffic during tourist season; flat and well-kept paved roads, occasional potholes and plenty of dirt and gravel roads to go around!
Although it has a small population (less than a million residents), South Dakota makes up for it with a big presence. Known for its marvelous natural wonders like the Badlands, Wind Cave National Park, great plains, open spaces and the iconic Mount Rushmore, the state certainly has its own unique landscape.
Though there’s ample space, South Dakotans have a lot to contend with when it comes to their roads. Huge swathes of agricultural areas, frequent and severe year-round weather like ice storms, thunderstorms, cyclones and blizzards, plus an endless stream of tourists (Have you heard of Sturgis?) make selecting the right tires for your vehicle very important.
We’ve asked our stores for a frontline take on their recommendations for the best tires for South Dakota. Check them out!
Jake Rarick in our Rapid City Discount Tire location wants South Dakota to know: “Come say hi! We’d love the opportunity to earn your business!”
BEST CAR TIRES FOR SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota has four distinct seasons with cold, dry winters and warm, semi-humid summers. With frequent and occasional severe thunderstorms, high winds, hail and thunder, it pays to invest in tires that can tolerate it all. This of course, means that many South Dakotans turn to all-season tires for their warm-season tire choice.
According to Bryan Coursol from the Sioux Falls Discount Tire store, South Dakotans put quite a few miles on their tires, so longevity is inevitably an issue. Many customers are from rural areas that require a lot of driving to do daily activities. That means tire treadwear is a big concern.
Bryan’s pick? The Continental Control Contact Touring AS Plus. It’s a great option for your car or crossover thanks to its Eco Plus™ tech that improves fuel efficiency and reduces wear. It offers confident all-season traction and on-road comfort. It also features up to an 80k-mile limited warranty!
Jake Rarick at the Rapid City Discount Tire store suggests the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady. He says it’s a great choice for South Dakota because it features a severe weather service rating, a 60k-mile warranty and is very durable. It’s an all-weather tire that offers boosted traction and protection in a wider range of temperatures and extreme weather conditions compared to already dependable all-season options.
Another all-weather tire that both Jake and Bryan agree is a great fit: the Nokian Encompass AW01. It also features a severe weather rating, 60,000-mile warranty and a host of weather features like 3D Centipede Sipes and Snow Claws to keep your car planted on the road (where it belongs). Plus, its Aramid Strong Sidewalls, which are more common on LT/SUV tires) offer rugged cut and puncture resistance!
Jake says that often customers come in looking for Michelin brand tires, like the Michelin Defender 2 (huge warranty, fantastic all-season grip and stopping distance and long service life) or the CrossClimate2 (severe all-weather competence with a quiet tread and 60k-mileage warranty). However, when considering their vehicle and personal needs (such as long wearing mileage and weather protection) they tend to opt for the Nokian or Goodyear.
BEST TRUCK TIRES FOR SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota is a pretty rural state with small cities. It’s no surprise then that a majority of vehicles on the road are AWD/4WD SUVs and pickup trucks. With agriculture, severe weather and off-roading (for work and play) making up such a significant portion of South Dakotan life, all-terrain tires are definitely the go-to.
In Rapid City, the favored truck tire is the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W. This tire works very well on dirt, pavement and snow. Great for your 4x4 CUV, SUV or truck, its three main draws are its focus on wear, wet weather and winter performance. It’s a good option for close to year-round utility.
Bryan’s most popular truck tire is the Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT because the tread looks really good and it offers great all-terrain performance without the loudness of a mud-tire. It also features a three-peak-mountain snowflake severe weather rating, durable tread compound, and self-cleaning tread to keep traction in mud and sand. He finds it’s preferred over the Falken Wildpeak as it does well in winter, is more affordable and customers are happy with its performance.
Another superb option is the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2. With maximum grip in mud, snow and rocks (especially when aired down) and a severe weather designation, you can see why the BFG KO2 is a South Dakotan favorite. You’ll like the stable handling, both off and on the road with a bruise and split resistant sidewall. If you live in the rugged west side of South Dakota, these will stand up against the terrain, no problem.
Jake also notes that, in the tourist season, his number two selling tire category are trailer tires. Whether you’re an out of state visitor, a motorist passing through, or an SD resident, if you’re towing a camper or toy hauler, we’ve got the trailer tires you need in South Dakota.
DO I NEED SNOW TIRES IN SOUTH DAKOTA?
Yes, you should equip your vehicle with winter tires in South Dakota. South Dakota experiences a true winter season with heavy snowfall and freezing conditions that result in ice and black ice. Winter tires are the safest option to navigate winter roads.
You should change to winter tires when the temperature consistently drops below 45F. All-season tires don’t perform as well as winter tires do and unfortunately, they also don’t brake as well, either.
A little more bad news for our truck and SUV drivers: your all-terrain or mud-tires also don’t perform as well as winter tires.
Luckily, we offer a fully stocked selection of winter tires with winter tire changeover services!
The most frequently recommended winter tires are from the Bridgestone Blizzak family. With over 25 years of proven reliability, the enthusiasm from our customers is understandable. The Blizzak WS90 is a good option that offers amazing traction in ice, snow and low temperatures for your passenger car.
Bryan also recommends Nokian Hakkapeliitta winter tires. When extreme winter is a reality, these tires are a life-saver. Engineered to handle the worst winter weather on the planet, they’re a top of the line option. These tires come with studded and studdable models. Check out the Hakkapeliitta 9 or 9 SUV for a studded option to keep you safely in control when South Dakota’s snowy season hits.
ARE STUDDED TIRES AND TIRE CHAINS LEGAL IN SOUTH DAKOTA?
Studded tires are legal in South Dakota from October 1st to April 30th. School buses and municipal fire vehicles are allowed to use studs anytime. Tire chains are allowed when required for safety during snow, ice or other conditions that may cause slippery highways.
Tire chains are not a common choice for most drivers as they limit your top speed to under 30mph. However they are available for order at your Discount Tire location. We also offer tire chains for sale online.
Bridgestone Blizzak tires are often recommended because they feature studless tire options. Since the winter season can last longer than the legally allowed time frame for studded tires, it’s often simpler to use a non-studded tire.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with too many good options, try Treadwell. It’s our smart tire buying guide that’s designed to help you find the right tire based on your unique driving needs.
When your wheels are warped, look to us! Some of our stores offer wheel services and repairs! Plus, we always have the largest and best priced stock of aftermarket wheels in the industry to outfit you when yours are ready to retire!
And with South Dakota’s extreme weather conditions, it’s a good idea to check your windshield wiper blades before you hit the road. We recommend changing wiper blades every 6 months, but if you need new wiper blades, you’re in luck! We have a full supply of high-quality, low-priced windshield wipers for sale right here and in store!
If you have other questions or want to upgrade your wheels or tires, just give us a ring, drop by or make an appointment online! Customers who buy their products online and book an appointment ahead of time wait less time in-store!