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Winter driver

3K views 10 replies 10 participants last post by  RATTOP 
#1 ·
Does anyone here use their Impalas for winter/snow driving? I know the newer fwd cars would be alright, but I was wondering more about the RWD cars. I have a 1980 4 door that the previous owner put snow tires on the rear because he said that was the only way he could keep tires on it. I was considering driving this car over the winter but if it isn't worth the trouble, i'll look for a different winter car.
 
#2 ·
My wife and I use our Impala all year long. Though only a few days in the winter do we get snow but mostly ice. Just add about two bags of sand or about 150 to 200 pounds of weight in the trunk, ideally on top of the spare tire shelf, which would put the weight right on top of the axle.
 
#3 ·
i tried driving my 94 imp SS in the winter with all season tires and the fastest i could go was 25 without the rear end sliping out and stoping was hard and acceleration was even harder.
 
#5 · (Edited)
RWD winter driver.

JK,

I have had mostly RWD cars most of my years driving. My 95 wagon that in the avatar i run the Impala SS wheels and Kuhmo ASX 255/50ZR 17 tires in the summer months April till December. In the winter I run Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice tires 225/70R15 on the 9C1 police rims.

I have been getting e-mails from Tire Rack and Discount Tire with winter tire sales. Going with a winter tire on all four tires is the way to go. The winter tires are a softer tire compound that grips better in cold weather. Discount tire also offers a sipping service to help in cold and wet weather. I got started with this winter / summer tire thing back in the early eighties with My 1981 Toyota Corolla SR5 Liftback with a set of Contential Winter Contact tires in a 185/70R13 they worked great in the snow when I had to drive 45 miles one way to work.

Have a look around here there other posts on winter tires. Another tire choice is the Hankook I-Pike W409's in a 225/75R15.
 
#6 ·
RWD is fine in the snow, just needs a competent driver, which is a BIG problem as there are few of us out there.

I too use a wagon as my winter car, used snow tires for awhile but last winter just went with aggressive all season and ran them all year. Snows will harden up and stop working long before they wear out for most folks. So I figured I would just wear out one set of tires rather than have two go hard and useless from age with tread left.
 
#7 ·
Stewart, do you add weight over the back axle on your FWD's that you use in the winter? Though I have only driven in OK and TX snow and ice even when I drove the FWD's I added weight to keep the rear axle stable.
 
#8 ·
i live in colorado although this is my frist year in a b body for the winter ive also never had a 4wd thru the whole winter.....

that being said i jsut got a set of 215/75/15 that are studdable ill see if i like them and post later there going on stock 9c1s, the ultimate test i would like to try is taking my 95 9c1 all the way to breckenridge colorado this season to snowboard ( somtimes the roads are crazy other times there insane )
i got my season pass and will prob be looking for an awd subaru soon for safety reasons lol :eek::biggrin:
 
#9 ·
Last winter I had an outback, I put chains on the front and there was nowhere I couldn't go. Then I decided I didn't need it anymore in april so I rolled it over in a ditch. This year all I have is my caprice, I haven't driven it in the snow in about 7 years, but it was never very good at it. Good tires, chains, and like Kenny said, some weight on the axle, just take it easy and you'll do fine.
 
#10 · (Edited)
a

I have driven in snow 3 months a year my hole life.All my cars have been caprices,1984,1988,1989 and now my 9C1.Quit a few between the 4 also.
Like Dwayn said a compitent driver is all it takes,some common sence wich is in demand nowadays.
Just dont be in a hurry.
Mass.gets bad at times with snow, if its over 3 inches and not plowed
I would try to find another mode tho.
Now I try to get to FLA. before all that chit comes.
And upgades with no momentum with a light at the top are ruthless.
I still have fun drivin in snow!
I have never tryed studs but im gessing it would make it a bit easer.
DRIVE THE WHEELS HER.......then put new ones on.
Drive Safe All.
 
#11 ·
snow my favorite lol, we have some decent snofalls and i have drove everything to date,

and i have to say my weapon of choice is my awd van, the absolute best there is,

however i had a pontiac parisienne and that thing was a tank all you had to do was not remove the snow from the roof, it was a moving snobank lol

my father in law lives on a cliff and has a matching driveway, only the rich sons with 4wd could make it up, one year i brought my iroc, can you say wheel speed, they shit theyre pants seeing that, i was at the bottom and looked like i was in a drag race, it was scary going back down lol.
the van is no problem haha
 
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