Tires repair in Toronto

Stop-and-go traffic on the Gardiner, the DVP and the 401 is the hardest possible duty cycle for brakes — far harder than the same distance driven at a steady speed.

The road salt used through winter attacks brake lines, callipers and fasteners. It is one reason a repair that looked simple sometimes needs more work once the wheel is off.

Freeze–thaw cycles open potholes in spring. A hard impact can warp a rotor, knock a wheel out of balance or damage a strut — symptoms that often get blamed on something else.

Ontario does not require winter tyres, but insurers are required to offer a discount for them, so the changeover is a choice here rather than an obligation. That changes what a garage is likely to recommend.