[obermd]

Problem: Car has no traction with OEM Michelins.
Pertinent part of problem: Michelins
Solution: Dump the Michelins for Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continentals, or just about any other tire brand.

Seriously, other than the Michelin X-Ice tires you can kiss your winter or even wet traction goodbye on Michelin passenger car tires.

 

[RichLo1]

With anything less than half tread on all-season tires, yes. its a lightweight car.

However, after one winter with half-tread all-seasons on it I got a set of winter tires/wheels and will never look back! It does better than my 4wd pickup truck in most conditions besides 6+"

 

[froyofanatic]

Snow tires? Any car not on snow tires will be terrible compared to a car on snow tires. All seasons are not good in snow or ice.

 

[snowwy66]

Traction Control isn't working.

Mine is sucking today also. Worst storm yet for the car. I wasn't all over the place but the traction was defenitly not there like it was last year.

Last year it was a beast. My Hyundai was also a beast untill it also broke.

You can put any tire you want on it. If traction control isn't working. It'll still suck.

Have to call the dealer and see if loaner car is available. Or wait till summer and use the bike while the car gets fixed.

 

[boraz]

tires and ground clearance are the only issues the car has

 

[Orangepeelmobile]

Tires have about 12k on them and still look new so I guess they just suck. It will turn and stop OK, but literally not move if in 3 inches or so

 

[snowwy66]

I don't see how tires would have anything to do if the car was a beast before. On it's original tires. My car just turned 11k. No problems last year. This year it sucks.

 

[Ma v e n]

Traction Control isn't working.

Mine is sucking today also. Worst storm yet for the car. I wasn't all over the place but the traction was defenitly not there like it was last year.

Last year it was a beast. My Hyundai was also a beast untill it also broke.

You can put any tire you want on it. If traction control isn't working. It'll still suck.

Cars were made for about 115years before electronic stability control became mandatory. I'm sure you'll do just fine without it if you drive with skill and winter tires. The problem most people have is a lack of skill and winter tires.

 

[Ma v e n]

I don't see how tires would have anything to do if the car was a beast before. On it's original tires. My car just turned 11k. No problems last year. This year it sucks.

365days and 11,000 miles can change things. Tires, shocks, bushings, all wear and age. These things can affect performance, or beastness.

 

[Ma v e n]

My 2018 HB handled the recent 3"+ of snow just fine for a car with 225/40/18 fuel economy tires.

I made it through a winter with over 30" of snow in a no ABS, no TC, manual trans Cobalt on Continental SportContact3s. Never got stuck, never in an accident. Never bitched a lack of electronic goodies impeded my progress in the winter.

We need to retest drivers, require improved driver education, and mandate winter tires in places where there are cold /snowy winters. I'll work on that as soon as we secure that 200 mile section of our border better.

 

[RichLo1]

Cars were made for about 115years before electronic stability control became mandatory. I'm sure you'll do just fine without it if you drive with skill and winter tires. The problem most people have is a lack of skill and winter tires.

AMEN BROTHER!!! :th_dblthumb2:

I turn stability control off for certain circumstances.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

The tires make the car in the winter.

75,000 miles now and my Cruze can get anywhere, snow, slush, and even ice. I'm currently on 16" steel wheels with Nikian Hakkapeliitta 7 (which is now the Nordman 7) winter tires, which I swap out twice a year.

 

[snowwy66]

Cars were made for about 115years before electronic stability control became mandatory. I'm sure you'll do just fine without it if you drive with skill and winter tires. The problem most people have is a lack of skill and winter tires.

Traction control makes a big difference. Has nothing to do with skill.

My last 2 cars were a beast in the snow when brand new. They both drive as bad as my 97 cavalier with studs on now.

Skill doesn't compensate for 1 wheel pulling you all over the road and spinning out. Skill also can't get you up the slightest climb with one wheel.

Those of us that drive semi's for a living have more skill then those of you that don't. We drive in the snow all day long for work. We find that traction is the key. And if we don't have it. We flip on the divider AND the interlock traction switches. If need be and we're not one of the lazy truckers. We chain up. And go drive with 4 wheel traction.

I'll take traction control any day over 1 wheel.

So don't come back with skills. I have way more then you. Driving is what I do for a living. And I drive upwards of 14 hours and 500 miles on snow and ice. And I pull close to 100,000 lbs.

I have skill. Sorry about your luck.

 

[Eddy Cruze]

Traction control makes a big difference. Has nothing to do with skill.
Those of us that drive semi's for a living have more skill then those of you that don't. We drive in the snow all day long for work. We find that traction is the key. And if we don't have it. We flip on the divider AND the interlock traction switches. If need be and we're not one of the lazy truckers. We chain up. And go drive with 4 wheel traction.

I'll take traction control any day over 1 wheel.

So don't come back with skills. I have way more then you. Driving is what I do for a living. And I drive upwards of 14 hours and 500 miles on snow and ice. And I pull close to 100,000 lbs.

I have skill. Sorry about your luck.

I find that many Semi Truck Drivers have limited skills when it comes to following the basic rules of the road even if they do know Snow.

 

[mechguy78]

The tires make the car in the winter.

Agreed. My in-laws previous car, a 2001 Mazda 626, would not go anywhere in the snow with anything less than a snow tire whereas their current car, a 2014 Equinox, goes everywhere with all seasons. I have yet to run into a car as bad or worse in the snow than their previous car was.

 

[boraz]

Traction control makes a big difference. Has nothing to do with skill.

My last 2 cars were a beast in the snow when brand new. They both drive as bad as my 97 cavalier with studs on now.

Skill doesn't compensate for 1 wheel pulling you all over the road and spinning out. Skill also can't get you up the slightest climb with one wheel.

Those of us that drive semi's for a living have more skill then those of you that don't. We drive in the snow all day long for work. We find that traction is the key. And if we don't have it. We flip on the divider AND the interlock traction switches. If need be and we're not one of the lazy truckers. We chain up. And go drive with 4 wheel traction.

I'll take traction control any day over 1 wheel.

So don't come back with skills. I have way more then you. Driving is what I do for a living. And I drive upwards of 14 hours and 500 miles on snow and ice. And I pull close to 100,000 lbs.

I have skill. Sorry about your luck.

100,000 lbs, cute.

i got 100,000 lbs in the boxes....let alone the weight of truck and trailer

you can do the math of how much is my boxes with the additional trailer on

so yeah, im a trucker

the car is just fine w/o traction control.

my traction control is off, so is my abs cuz its winter and abs takes longer to stop.


3 sets of drives, 2 steers, dropped the quad wagon for this site

me tryin to make a hill w/o chains....key word TRYING

we get a lil bit of snow where i live

sometimes the car wont make it into the driveway...but CMON....

 

[jmlo96]

I can't speak for the Gen 2, but I've run dedicated winter tires and wheels on my Gen 1 since I bought it. I basically can drive anywhere in my car. I'm not sure how some others commented about traction control, I find it to be totally useless. The only time I started to have issues was in about 5 inches of thick brown slush. Even then, the problem wasn't getting stuck but rather the car being thrown around in the ruts.

I did drive the car once in about 2 inches of snow on my Conti PureContact all seasons when it snowed in the spring. I found the car was still very controllable. My hunch is the stock tires are garbage on the Gen 2, just like all stock tires seem to be.

 

[snowwy66]

I find that many Semi Truck Drivers have limited skills when it comes to following the basic rules of the road even if they do know Snow. View attachment 268921

YOu'll also find that there are that many truckers who are rookies. With all the regulations and what not. The veterans have literally hung up the keys.

Car does just fine without TC. But does better with TC.

I don't know you all can argue 1 wheel is better or just as good as 2.

 

[MP81]

Problem: Car has no traction with OEM Michelins.
Pertinent part of problem: Michelins
Solution: Dump the Michelins for Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continentals, or just about any other tire brand.

Seriously, other than the Michelin X-Ice tires you can kiss your winter or even wet traction goodbye on Michelin passenger car tires.

I legitimately have no idea how my buddy with another '17 Volt has managed to get through two Michigan winters (this will be the third) on the stock Energy Saver A/S tires (tires that are basically worn out as of this past fall) - which are virtually useless in anything except dry, not-cold weather. There's a reason I couldn't wait to buy Xi3s for the car (on 15" Sonic 5-spokes) so I won't instantly die in snow. I may very well switch to Fuel Maxes come time to change the all-seasons, but they do weigh more - but they should also last significantly longer.

We run Xi3s on the Cruze, too, because I wanted nothing to do with my wife (or myself) driving in snow on the Fuel Maxes.

The Pilot Sports are supposed to be an excellent all-season, but you're spending an assload of money there for something you could perform as well as or out-perform for less.

The Pilot Sport/Super Sport/Sport 4S are an excellent tire - so basically the opposite of Pirelli - great performance tires and mostly overpriced, underperforming regular tires, whereas Pirelli performance tires are absolute trash, but their normal tires seem to be fine.

To the OP: get set of smaller wheels and a larger-sidewall and/or narrower winter tire and you'll do good in winter. Then, when the stock tires wear out, you can go with something more performance-focused, if that's your thing, on the 18s.