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I would never do without snows on my vehicles including my 4x4 truck. The way I look at it there is no extra cost other than used rims or black steel ones as my summers last twice as long seeing as they are only on for the 6-7 months of the warm season and my winters last just as long. I live in the country and my driveway has a decent slope and I rarely have any issues getting up with the car other than the odd time after a fresh heavy snowfall where I might have to take somewhat of a run at it. Most of the winter I just pack the driveway down with my truck.

Retired 16 years , had present vehicle 3 years and put 11,000 km on it, probably only 2000 of that in winter and last year the snowblower didn't get used so not in a snow belt, be damned if I am shelling out big bucks for snow tires here on the south shore of Lake Ontario . Never put snows on my first front wheel drive car either , a '76 Rabbit and I put that through all sorts of backroads and snow when I was younger hunting rabbits and coyotes. last snows I bought were bias ply and only on the back of a '79 GMC van

I am a firm believer in using winter tires and as far as I am concerned if you can't afford them you shoulden't go out on anything but clean dry roads! I just had a guy loose control and almost slide into me. If I hadn't had winter tires we would both have been calling our insurance companies. Fortunately I was able to pull out of the way enough to avoid the collision. When I lived out at Snug Harbour our driveway had quite a slope, people without snow tires often had problems negotiating that slope in the winter, we could drive up it with no issues under some pretty extreme conditions. I'd vote for mandatory or at least much higher insurance costs if someone doesn't have them. My insurance company does give a discount for having them it doesn't come close to what they cost but I think about what they save me!

Same with my brother, lives in Scarboro, goes out once a week for groceries when the weather and roads are clear.

My folks were the same once they retired. They lived in the city and could pretty well walk anywhere they needed to go or else I'd drive them. The car stayed home most of the winter and they save a pile of $$$$

I'd run rubber studs if I could. And I really think it depends on where you live if they should be mandatory or not. The entire province doesn't get the same weather.

looks like new! We are in the market for a used vehicle too as my son smoked a deer the other night. Hope I make a nice find like you did