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Question about winter

1585 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  XeroState
The one guy in my city (just me and him in our city own RL, only 8 in my whole province) says the car is fine in winter, but I would like your guy's input. How does this car like winter? Of course I will be buying winter tires and rims. And if anyone wishes to know, the temperature here drops to almost -50 C for nerely 2 weeks every year (without wind). Thanks in advance for the info.
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The stock dunlops SUCK uin the snow. I once got stuck on level ground in a inch of snow and ice. Also seem to loose grip in low temp. Bought a set of cheap rims in the stock size and mounted a set of Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2's. These are GREAT in the snow and ice. The Dunlops (and orig. rims) go back on in a month or so (I hope).

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Pilot+Alpin+PA2

vs

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...ch=true&partnum=145ZR79000LE&fromCompare1=yes
It may be a silly question, but would the LSD help in the snow at all?
Yes, it would. As long as you're easy on it. If you push it to the point where both tires are gonna break loose anyway, you're outta luck.

Yes, the stock tires, if they are the same stock tires that far north, are terrible in the snow. I would get snow tires before anything else. If it's just cold, and there's not much snow, you might be ok. Even then the tires get pretty hard, I can burn all the way through 2nd gear with ease when it's real cold out.
Thanks, and ya, in fall I am buying winter tires as with about .5 inches of ice I slide real nice. The other thing that I was wondering is that, how does the engine like the cold air (facing the wind it can get to -70 C). My Cavalier didn't mind it at all, and I don't know a lot about superchargers. Does it make a difference?
Yes, the redline does suck in the snow. The car has so much touque, that the low pro tires can't grip. If you do drive it though, stay in low gear, and take your time getting up to speed. It feels like driving a meat truck when snow gets caked in the rims and wheel wells. I live in MN and I usually live it it the garage now after a storm, and drive my girlfriends peice! :D
Keps the RPM's down, change the tires, and you will be fine. Trust me, I know.
Thanks, I am used to driving fairly powerful cars in winter (got drive a camero in 3 feet of snow..which wasn't mine :D ), but i'll have winter tires and rims on it. Well, I guess i'll just have to wait and see how she goes.
Hmm well i was gonna pay off my stang, get a redline and sell my sl2 by then, but since i live in ohio and the redline will be my daily driver..i guess i better keep the sl2 for the snow if it sucks that much. I only had this sl2 in the snow once, like 2 inches and it was fine, but my 92 sl1 before that with bald tires even was a monster, even in 6-8 inches of snow!!
Well today I found out why "Summer" tires are meant for summer conditions only. Travelling down a road with a speed limit of 100KM/H, I was doing 80 as I knew it was icy, and I have summer tires. A gentle, easy corner, and away I go. Sideways for about 500m until finally hitting some semi-dry road allowing me to straighten out. I don't think the world wants me to have this car. Before I bought it, it was nice and sunny out. Everyday, cept 2, since I have had the car, it has snowed. BAHZOR!!
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