What up people!? I just bought my 2009 SS/TC about a week ago. I was wondering how the car handles the snow... Do you guys switch out your rims and tires for winter? Any recommendations? I have stock, low profile tires on my car right now. They are Continental tires 225/40R18 92Y. I thought about buying some nice aftermarket rims and putting those on for the warmer months and using the stock rims for winter with some other type of tread. I'm not even sure if this would work. One set of summer rims/tires and one set of winter rims/tires. I should probably mention I live in NE Michigan, right near Lake Huron. Any information would be appreciated. WOOT TO FIRST POST!

 

I bought my SS/SC in January of last year. Snow on the ground, Running 215/45/ZR18's. Absolutly Horrible!!!. Would have been better off to walk. So Winter just passed I bought 4 steel wheels. 16 inch, and 205/55/R16 Nexen Winter tires. 100% better, but these vehicles are way overpowered for snow conditions. Nice feather gasing and low rpm shifts will get you around, but ya if you planned on running your's in the winter, your best option would be to get those winter change over's. It'll save ya a ditch visit.

 

Much Agreed!! Especially way up in MI. There is no substitute for a good set of snow tires.

 

So, do you think I should just go with a larger tire on my stock ss/tc rims or buy something completely different? I mainly don't want to have to worry about the spedometer being off. I had that in my last car, and it was a pain. I never knew how fast I was really going lol...

I'd really like to buy some nice aftermarkets rims and use the stocks as the winter rims. But if I must I will go the other way around. Thanks for the info. If anyone has anymore input, let me know!

 

Still isn't too much out there for aftermarket TC rims. I haven't really researched, so not 100% on that, someone may chime in with more info on that. Just saying it might not be easy to find some that clear the Brembos.

 

Well downgrading from 18' to 16'. It only threw my spedometer off 1km per hour. So if I was doing
100k, I was actually doing 99k. Once you figure out exactly what your doing, like what size you decide to drop down to or whatever. Google a tire size calculator, then you will know for sure how much if any your spedometer will be off. The Tire Size Calculator will also let you know what size will work for an alternate tire and everything.
The only thing I didn't like dropping 2 inches for a winter tire was ground clearance. You don't really have much of a difference, but it is lower. I Myself couldn't find a 18' winter tires, but then again, with how wide you would have to go to accomidate an 18' rim. I wouldn't want to run such a wide winter tires. The Narrower you can get for winter, the better, it cuts through the snow better. You don't want a wider tire because your tire then starts to act like a plow pushing the snow, and you don't want that, you want your tire to drive over the snow, not push it.
Great luck with my 205-55-16(Actual Tires size of the z24 Cavalier package tires) for winter
dropping from a 215-45-zr18(Actual Tires size of the Cobalt SS/SC 2006 Edition)

 

The smallest wheels available that fit on a TC are 17" I think. I bought all seasons and mounted them on my stock TC wheels. I was very satisfied with how they did in the Michigan snow:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....ExtremeContact

And since they're all seasons I don't have to bother with swapping out wheels/tires come warm weather.

Generally if you get a set of dedicated snow tires, you want them to be as narrow as possible, so they cut through the snow instead of 'float' on top of it.

Tirerack.com has some wheels that fit the SS/TC if you want a dedicated winter set, but most of them look like poop, and they aren't too cheap.

 

I'm putting blizzaks on my stockers.

 

15 billionth time stock tires are THREE SEASON TIRES NOT WINTER TIRES.

moved.

 

Correct...drive on the stockers in the snow and good luck not wrapping your car around a pole. The tread pattern quickly fills with snow, it becomes hard packed and they cannot push water off to the side resulting in super slick conditions (even beyond controllable) on ice. The summers are NOT meant for snow, the manual states this and no "performance" tire (unless it is strictly labelled "winter") will EVER function well in the snow. When temperatures hit sub 7C (I dont feel like converting to F) they turn into hockey pucks.

The smallest wheels that will fit a TC are 17" and even then for 99% of the wheels out there you'll require a shim. I had to go with the following on my TC so long story short, be prepared to spend an arm and a leg to winterize your car:

Wheels: Ikon Visions
Tires: Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 (Tirerack

I only had to drive through one substantial load of snow and the tires did cut through and get me home. Oddly enough I got on ice more than once and NEVER felt the ABS kick in on my TC...on my LS those bastards kicked in every time I hit the brakes with 16" Michelin X-Ice.

 

ugh what a PITA to get a snow setup...

I talked with my TR salesman quick and he said the Borbet LV5 17" should fit (about $154 a wheel). I need to get back in touch to talk more about it though.