First... I was torn between starting a new thread or joining an existing one. But I started a new one I suppose because this isn't ONLY about the ESC.

One quite important piece is that I have the BFG G-Force SuperSport A/S on mine.

Tonight we had snow... which became slush... which later in the night became ice. It's difficult to explain how this is but it has to do with a church and mission center. Anyway, their parking lot which remains empty all but for a few hours of each week joins with my driveway. So it was no problem at all to go out there and see what was what.

The ESC was impressive. I should point out that it's not going to make up for carelessness though. Take a corner too fast at an intersection and it will get you pointed in exactly the direction you want. However, it may not do that until you've first bounced off another car. So yes, it is remarkable in how it will get you in the right direction but there still is SOME sliding.

Traction Control was also pretty good. It still allows for a fair amount of wheelspin but certainly keeps you from overdoing it.

The limited slip was good as well. It was particularly noticeable if one tire was on ice and the other on a patch of pavement. It was as if you weren't on any ice at all.

The ABS (and the tires mostly) were absolutely phenomenal!! I hit the brakes doing about 25 on what was pretty much ice with a little snow and it stopped REALLY well. In my past experiences the ABS on cars would keep them straight and the distance was still quite a bit. This ABS and tire combo is awesome!!

Getting traction to start off is the only sort of tricky part. Traction control (standard) and LSD (optional) are pretty much a must!

 

Did you try any 2nd gear starts? I'm wondering if that helps the snowy launch?

We had a few inches of sloppy slush & ice today so I took the wife's AWD Torrent mallcrawler instead. I don't have any a/s or winter tires on the Cobalt yet.

 

I have had mine now in 3 pretty good snowstorms. The car did well, except in one circumstance. I am using Dunlop SportMax SP all season radials. I used these on a Celica before and I thought they did pretty well. Anyway, the car has done great. Although in a storm the other night we got about 8" in an hour (lake effect squall). I drive 25 miles each way to work. I live in the boonies. I was on my way home from work and the car was doing ok, poor traction light came on a few times, but I was doing ok. When I got to my road, which is 7 miles to my house, the road was horrible. It was a deep slushy stuff (they plow my road last) and it pulled the car every way imagineable. I could only go 15mph max. Several times the car just went completely sideways in the road. The "esc active" came on and it did straighten me out. The most disturbing thing was it was like I couldn't go forward. When I got home it looks like I was actually plowing slush with my front bumper! I have driven in snow like this every winter for 30 years, so I know how to drive in it. The car has done well, I just wish I'd gotten Blizzaks. As soon as spring gets here I'm throwing out the Dunlops. On the dry they have no grip, I can spin all the way through 2nd just by flooring it, even with Traction Control on! Also they are very harsh...if you paint a line on the road, I'll feel it. So, basically, thumbs up for the Cobalts snow manners, but I'm not happy with the tires. When it's all said and done, it's still a high-powered-low-weight sport compact! HOWEVER...nothing was worse in the snow than my 06 Civic Si was. I would not have made it home at all the other night in it!

 

i just drove today in the snow it sucks ass idk wat to do i need a decent rim set and some good snow tires too

 

Yes, you need wheels and snow tires. With proper snow tires these things are pretty damn amazing in the snow.

 

In conclusion, snow is gay and should be treated as such...

 

Yes it sucks in the snow without winter tires. Your in an ice ring without ice skates.

 

what do you recommend??

 

Fucked in the ass?

 

I just drove and the rain is freezing on the ground. ESC turned on the first corner I went around and at least let me know **** was frozen w/o me sliding. Have ContiExtremeContacts on the stock rims, they are working. FWD + all-season = easy driving.

 

i agree completely

i agree completely

 

I got my BLIZZAKS waiting in the basement....

BLIZZAKs + LSD = TANK in the snow

 

what rims are you using?? i'm having a hard time deciding what to do for the winter and from what i hear everyone loves the BLIZZAKs

 

im curious too...i want the blizzaks for the stock rims but the load rating is only XL for that size. Anyone put tires with a higher load rating on their cobalt? I want to know if the ride is really that much more harsh...

 

My setup is in my signature, I'm just running 3mm spacers on the front. They fit otherwise, but I threw the spacers on to give some breathing room over the calipers.

I'm sure you could source Blizzaks in the same size as my Gizlaveds... You'd likely have a tough time getting your hands on a set of my tires since they're imported. The tires are 225/45R17.

 

I am running Goodyear Ultra Grip, stock size on the stock rims and after 1000 miles on them here is what i can tell you. They are higher load rating than whats specified for the car but they were about the cheapest winter tire i could find and the reviews seemed decent enough (see tirerack.com, who also provides a warning that these tires are a higher load rating and ride may be harsh) Anything above 25 degrees and they feel about the same as stock maybe slightly harsher. Below 25 and they feel noticably harsher but just about every tire will when it gets this cold but its very tolerable really. Luckily GM did the dampening right on this car so it doesn't crash over every road imperfection and pot hole and feel like something on the car is going to break. I can't judge this against say the dunlop's that you can get from tire rack for a little more $$ that don't have the load warning but all in all they seem good so far. But they do emit a noise like something is really out of balance or a slipped belt but the tires have done well in rain, slush, and really wet snow so far. And i keep the tires inflated cold psi on about 34-35psi.

 

you haven't driven in the snow unless your driving a 05 SS/SC (Non-LSD) with Sportlines and Nitto NT555's with no tread. I was coming back from a meet and all the sudden it went from dry to hell broke loose. Even 2nd gear starts the blower would get me in trouble. Come back and bitch about the snow after you driven on absolute horrid tires.

I do feel others pain though. it sucks.

 

I am running 205-50-17 General Altimax Arctic tires on Ion Redline 17in wheels with 7/32' spacers in front.

The tires are OK but nothing to write home about. Therefore I am glad to have LSD, ESC, ABS brakes and TCS. All of these make for a very safe & stable car.

Should've spent a couple more $$$ to get some Toyo Observe Go 2. I hear those suckers are amazing.

 

blizzaks ftw

 

what's the average price on a set of blizzaks and did you use the same rims or did you get diffrent rims??

 

Blizzaks are good if you only do city driving. Put those babies on a dry snowless highway for an hour a day and see how quickly they wear.

 

thanks for taking the time to respond silverT/C. I ended up buying the dunlops, I figured the ride quality would be much better and would also save me some $$. The reviews were great for the most part, so I dont think its a big deal that I missed out on the blizzaks.

 

You will regret getting the Dunlops. I do.

 

Exactly. Blizzaks use a multi-cell, soft compound that wears super fast on anything but snowy roads. In addition, they lose most of their effectiveness by only 50-55% wear.

For people who need snow tires for good grip and good wear ratings, look elsewhere. The ones in my signature are good, as are Nokian Hakkipilettas (Swedish tires).

 

I just put on 4 Goodyear Ultra grip Performance winter tires. Now accumulating snow around Boston yet, but theres supposed to be this week. I tried to find winter rims cheap but gave up and just put some winter rubber on my stock wheels...that coupled with the LSD, trac. control, and ESC and I think Itll be good. Ill let you know what happens.

+1. Im a mechanic, and installed my Goodyear Ultra Grips myself so I know theyre balanced right. Theyre just very noisy tires, mainly around 40mph. The fact that the tires themselves are noisy, couple with a lack of insulation in the rear wheel wells, equals a noisy winter.