Yep, reading the manual is an amazing way to learn about one's car!

 

If all the answers are in the manaul, then why are you on this forum??? If you arent going to say anything of any value, then dont speak at all.

 

I considered using the SS/TC as a winter car, but decided against it. I would have to buy a second set of wheels and snow tires, that is a logistical nightmare. A good set of all-seasons should get you through most snowy conditions unless you are encountering 8" or more most of the season.

 

I use some cheap winters called "Winter Hero" but they worked awesome last year....

 

Lol, okay junior. By the way I did say something of value. Read your manual. You'll be amazed at the things you'll learn.

 

For those of you running 17" snow tires, what rims were you able to find? I've been looking around and can't find much out there. I don't need (or want) anything fancy for the winter. Just some 17" rims to slap my snow tires on for ~4 months out of the year. Tirerack doesn't even list 17" tires as available for our cars

 

I did quite a bit of research on this and there simply aren't a lot of options. If you can find the SS/NA 17" rims and a 3mm spacer, you are golden. Everything else will be an alloy of some kind and won't be anywhere as cheap as a steelie. The Brembos are great brakes but become a pain when it comes to finding winter options.

Ultimately one of the cheapest (if not most annoying) answers is to just get winter tires put on your stock rims and get them switched out in the spring. Or get all season performance on your stock rims and call it a day. The stock 18" wheels will hold up really well to winter, in case you were worried about that.

 

Well, I wasn't thinking steel rims, some kind of alloy's in the <$150/rim range. There's gotta be some aftermarket rims that fit. I'm not crazy about the SS/NA look myself and I am not crazy on the idea of re-mounting/balancing tires on a single set of rims every year...

 

Last year I had on my MS3, Goodyear Eagle Grip gw3's. They were #1 rated by Consumer Reports for winter performance. They did fantastic. I got through a couple blizzards here in MN. Even raced a subie up a hill and he couldnt outrun me

 

TR has a 17" rim that fits. Borbet LV5.

 

This link has some options.

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/08-10-ss-turbocharged-general-discussion-152/2008-cobalt-ss-brembo-brakes-min-17-wheels-100376/

 

I have dunlop wintersport m3's (don't know if they make them in your size) and they are phenomenal. My buddy left his 07 pathfinder at work when we had an ice storm last year and drove with me instead lol. Drives like it's dry out.

 

Yep and MB Wheels is coming out with a version of their Seven X for our cars as well.

A lot of SUV and truck guys don't realize what their vehicles would do with winter's on. I'm actually looking for a cheap set for my wife's Vue. It doesn't have much trouble getting going but braking is where having all season's can be brutal.

 

I just got an escape...my winter MS3 setup cant support the load for the escape..lame. So I'll be on all seasons for this winter...not sure how I feel about that.

 

I had those on my old BMW in 16" form and I must agree, they were amazing tires.

 

there's benefits to having separate setups. First off, since you have 2 sets of tires,they will last twice as long, which cancels out the cost. (not of the rims of course) 2nd off, you will never have as good traction at any point of the year with all seasons as opposed to dedicated summer/winter tires.

 

Mmm once you go snow tires you wont go back. They make all seasons feel/look like hard plastic. I only will use all seasons on my 4x4 escape now. In all my fwd cars I had a snow tire setup.

 

All-season tires are overrated. Most people never drove on snow tires in the winter and feel all-seasons are good enough. Once I bought my first set of snow tires, they go on all my cars now.

 

the only people that think that all seasons are good are the people that have never had good summer/winter tires. Like others have said, once you use a good set of winter tires, you will NEVER go back to using all seasons.

 

All seasons are okay when they are still fairly new and the tread is still good. Watch the stopping though because they simply are crap on icy/slushy roads.

 

this is what I am most worried about... I live in duluth and its cold as hell and big hills....Everyone else with them seems to do fine...but my escape has a 2.3L I4...which being torqless may help hahah

 

Getting up the hills may not be an issue, coming down from them though...

 

I change my work hours so theres less traffic when I drive...and found a easier route down the hill. I just worry about sliding through a stop sign or someone hitting me...Hmm brush guards

 

I just put on some Goodyear Eagle GT's which are all seasons. But in case the snow gets out of hand like it always does in NY i have my little Mercury Topaz from my grandma LOL that is a 1990 with 54k miles lol. just fixed it up a bit, body is in really good shape and im gonna throw some blizzaks on that and it will be a beast because its riding on 14's lol with its 2.3L to get me along. Little cars like that are bears in the snow serprisingly though

 

I had a set for my old Cavalier Z24 . The car went from a POS in the snow with the RSA's on it ......to a winter tank overnight with the Wintersport M3's . Seriously ....I used to laugh my ass off as i was passing 4 wheel drive SUV's cause they were holding me up on the way to work lol.