Hey everybody. I just registered and am currently looking at purchasing the Cobalt SS. My only concern is that I live in Chicago so the car will see snow occassionally. Has anyone here driven their car in the snow yet? If so, how well did it handle? I will have to drive about 80 miles a day pretty soon when my company relocates and so I need something I can rely on in all weather situations. Thanks for any help and i'm open to any other comments.

Blue.

 

I'm planning on taking mine out in the snow when it comes around again. I know that the Pirelli's on the car now arn't gonna do **** in the snow. So I'm planning on gettin a Winter Tire and Wheel Package for my SS. It will probably be in the range of 500.00. Just gotta figure out what size of rims will fit nicely on the ss, besides the 18s. I'm thinking 16s should beable to fit fine. My buddy has a Neon SRT-4 and he put the winter tires on his car this past winter, and never had a problem.

 

if ur going to be able to drive snow then get winter tire and i would want u to get LSD on cobalt SS to get more tractions. my sunfire GT have LSD and i live west michigan which is hell lots of snow. so i didn't have any problem with suck or driving thick snow. so yeah
BTW im getting Black cobalt ss with LSD and recorco seat in this saturday! -kyle-

 

A second set of wheels for winter would be no problem. In fact its almost a necessity in colder climates. I have to go test drive one this weekend to see what they're like. Must hurry before the employee discount too.

 

hmm.....do u guys think that a 2.2 with P6 tires needs a set of winter tires?........not much snow here tho......10 to 12" at most..

 

I've got the michelins that came as part of the sports package on my LS and I'm intending to put snow tires and rims on mine...though Ontario typically gets more snow than BC . I'd rather not have salt and sand flying off my aluminum rims all the time not to mention I don't think the Michelins would work well at all in the winter and don't want to take a chance, not sure about the P6s though...I would assume you're in a similar situation.

Permafried-

 

I know people in Ontario that drive their Z28s and TAs in the winter and make it work so it must be easier with a FWD car. Like yourself though, i'd hate to find out the hard way.

 

...I thought briefly about getting 17" Pirelli winter tires and rims....then I figured I might be better off getting a Geo Metro to drive in the winter cuz it'd be cheaper. j/k.

I think the 16"ers are the way to go...I don't think it'll be a problem to fit over the brake setup....I hope.

 

whats lsd????

 

lsd - limited slip differential

 

Winter tires will do more than a limited slip differential. A car without limited slip will most likely get around better anyway.

 

If you get thee SS then make sure you have LSD and then when winter comes around get some winter tires and you should make it. Without LSD i don't think that any car would make it very far in snow.

 

You're full of it. A car with LSD would get around better in any type of snow where there is any traction whatsoever. You tell me how an LSD equipped car could get around WORSE than one without..

At the absolutely worst case, they would be equal.

 

I'm glad mine is going to sit in a heated garage and drive my 94 Cavailer Z24 w/triple tread good year tires on her

 

Thats what I have been saying, Duh.

The LSD alone will not make a car get around in the snow any better than one without. The only drawback from a good LSD in the snow is that both wheels easily engage around corners.

You need to quit talking about LSD as if it is traction control.

 

Heheh asking others to prove your point for you usually doesn't work out to well. At the very least I can say I don't know FOR SURE how a limitied slip diff would help or hinder somone in the snow.

I know that while moving in the snow with an open diff if one of the drive wheels slips you do retain some traction from the non driven wheel and that helps you keep control. With an LSD I can see both driven wheels slipping and losing traction and you would be in a heap of trouble. In my S10 with a locking diff if I punch it in the snow and the diff locks both wheels just spin and you lose all traction in the rear and you fish tail, in my S10 without the locking diff a single wheel would spin and you would still track down the road ok.

I am not sure if the LSD is better in the snow crowd is refering to driving in the snow/slick conditions or if they are refering to getting unstuck from a stand still. I would say that from a getting unstuck position the LSD would help, but for driving in the snow I would rather have an open diff.

This is just my experiences.

I would say that with a skilled driver a LSD could provide some benifit, however it can also allow you to get into a lot more trouble in the snow/slick conditions. I agree with CodySS than a set of snow tires is going to make your car a LOT better in the snow than an LSD would. And traction control and a set of snow tires would be the ultimate.

 

it snows, maybe once a year here and when it does, i am walking distance from work, I aint drivin

not that i have never driven in snow(origninally from MD)
but no one else seems to know how

 

I just moved to MD about 2 years ago from Syracuse, NY which got over 300 inches of snow last year. I know how to drive in the snow and it can be very fun until you get stuck in a snow bank.

 

Dude, I drove around w/o LSD or snow tires or anything through Houghton, MI for the past three years. Yes, thats in the U.P. Yes, thats near Canada. And yes, typical snowfall is 270-350" per year. Its never been a problem.

I also typically drive 12000 winter miles a year.

 

It can be very fun until your car starts rusting and looking like s*** in a few years, as all northern cars seem to do. I live in Texas now, but lived in Wisconsin up until 2 years ago. Driving a '93 from Wisconsin. My car sticks out like a sore thumb. NO ONE has rust in Texas. It doesn't matter what year the car is!

 

Ok...so I need winter tires.

I see pirelli has a set of 225/45 R18 winter tires.

I did the calc on tire diameter...the stock 18's are 25.618 inches tall. These puppies are 25.972 inches tall. Shouldn't wack out the speedo too much...i hope. I'm more worried about width. I know our rims are 18x7 so not sure if it'd work...the 225 series tire is roughly just under 1/2 inch wider than stock.