Winter handling/traction
Winter handling/traction
Is it just me or do these cars handle like crap in the winter? this is my third winter with it and it has winter tires but it gets no traction and thanks to the posi it fishtails. Has anyone come up with any ideas to make their car more user friendly in the winter? I bought my Caprice because I figured a Camaro would not be a good winter vehicle.
Re: Winter handling/traction
I have driven mine some in the snow. I have very new "factory equipped" brand and model tires. Yeah, I'd say it sucks. The stopping isn't as bad as I would have expected. I leave my traction control on and take it easy. Better still is to banish it to the garage until you get dry streets :S
I have had a number of cars that were worse if it makes you feel any better (in no particular order): '70 Nova, '70 Chevy pickup, '89 Mustang, '75 Nova, '75 Camaro, 69 Camaro, 2004 Dodge Ram, 1999 Dodge Ram, 2006 Dodge Ram. If my memory serves me, I'd say they were all much worse (except the 2wd posi Dodges?!). Many of my "other" cars were front wheel drive and I'd say they were a lot better. The best I've ever had is a '17 Ridgeline AWD. Stops, Goes, all business.
I have had a number of cars that were worse if it makes you feel any better (in no particular order): '70 Nova, '70 Chevy pickup, '89 Mustang, '75 Nova, '75 Camaro, 69 Camaro, 2004 Dodge Ram, 1999 Dodge Ram, 2006 Dodge Ram. If my memory serves me, I'd say they were all much worse (except the 2wd posi Dodges?!). Many of my "other" cars were front wheel drive and I'd say they were a lot better. The best I've ever had is a '17 Ridgeline AWD. Stops, Goes, all business.
Current: 2013 9C3, deeper trans pan, 12VoltSolutions Remote, Class III hitch, Android Auto capable radio
Re: Winter handling/traction
My car came with Ultra Grips on the steelies so that is what went on for winter use. They advertise being for winter use, so I expected reasonable performance. I was not impressed so I left them on for this summer to get a little more use out of them before retiring them. I've now installed the Michelin X Ice XI3 (discontinued) on G8 rims and am hoping for better results. They ride quiet and smooth, but so far we have just seen some snow flurries and wet roads so I don't yet know what traction will be like.
I did find that turning off traction control so that I could control the amount of tire spin seemed to help some. The ultra grips seemed to want to spin a little bit to find traction.
Fishtailing doesn't bother me a bit. I'm happy to be spinning both tires. I know a lot of people don't like tail happy cars, but my wife and I seem to do just fine.
My '95 Caprice wagon is a tank in the snow with Blizzaks. I was expecting similar out of the PPV - maybe not quite as good. But have so far been disappointed.
I did find that turning off traction control so that I could control the amount of tire spin seemed to help some. The ultra grips seemed to want to spin a little bit to find traction.
Fishtailing doesn't bother me a bit. I'm happy to be spinning both tires. I know a lot of people don't like tail happy cars, but my wife and I seem to do just fine.
My '95 Caprice wagon is a tank in the snow with Blizzaks. I was expecting similar out of the PPV - maybe not quite as good. But have so far been disappointed.
CapriceX2
2011 Caprice 9C3 - TSP 220R W/ DOD delete, 10.8:1 Compression, Custom Stainless Exhaust
1995 Caprice Classic Wagon
1996 K2500 6.5L diesel
2011 Caprice 9C3 - TSP 220R W/ DOD delete, 10.8:1 Compression, Custom Stainless Exhaust
1995 Caprice Classic Wagon
1996 K2500 6.5L diesel
Re: Winter handling/traction
thanks for the replies....I guess it was not just in my imagination that these are not good winter cars.....I assumed they would be especially since mine was an upstate New York cop car...I can only imagine the fun they had trying to chase someone with the way they handle...I am in Minnesota and bought it for a year round hotrod....I think next winter I will go back to a front wheel drive.
Re: Winter handling/traction
I haven't driven my '12 or '13 in the snow. Both are too low. They get to spend salt season in a shed.
My winter car is a '96 Roadmaster sedan.
To prepare it for this duty I put a new posi in the rear and bought SNOW tires.
If I get caught with the summer tires the car goes nowhere. Real snow tires are like day and night. I can stop with the snow dragging on the underside and while it will spin....it always moves again. And stops. Snow tires on all 4 corners.
Rear wheel drive won't act like front wheel drive(thank God). The Buick will do awesome doughnuts and hang the tail out any time I want for fun but still inspires confidence when I lay off the go-pedal.
My winter car is a '96 Roadmaster sedan.
To prepare it for this duty I put a new posi in the rear and bought SNOW tires.
If I get caught with the summer tires the car goes nowhere. Real snow tires are like day and night. I can stop with the snow dragging on the underside and while it will spin....it always moves again. And stops. Snow tires on all 4 corners.
Rear wheel drive won't act like front wheel drive(thank God). The Buick will do awesome doughnuts and hang the tail out any time I want for fun but still inspires confidence when I lay off the go-pedal.
Re: Winter handling/traction
For sure! I have spare rims and snow tires for all of my (4 wheeled) vehicles. All season tires are a joke.
AMEN!
CapriceX2
2011 Caprice 9C3 - TSP 220R W/ DOD delete, 10.8:1 Compression, Custom Stainless Exhaust
1995 Caprice Classic Wagon
1996 K2500 6.5L diesel
2011 Caprice 9C3 - TSP 220R W/ DOD delete, 10.8:1 Compression, Custom Stainless Exhaust
1995 Caprice Classic Wagon
1996 K2500 6.5L diesel
Re: Winter handling/traction
It snowed lightly all day here (about 4” on the ground) so I just went out for a test around town. I’m currently in a river town on the Mississippi, so the whole town is a hill. Had no trouble getting up or down any of the streets. The PPV still won’t come anywhere near my wagon’s snow abilities, but it did just fine with the X Ice tires.
CapriceX2
2011 Caprice 9C3 - TSP 220R W/ DOD delete, 10.8:1 Compression, Custom Stainless Exhaust
1995 Caprice Classic Wagon
1996 K2500 6.5L diesel
2011 Caprice 9C3 - TSP 220R W/ DOD delete, 10.8:1 Compression, Custom Stainless Exhaust
1995 Caprice Classic Wagon
1996 K2500 6.5L diesel
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Re: Winter handling/traction
Mine sits in the driveway. But have u tried blizzaks?
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Reno/Tahoe, NV
2011 Caprice
2018 Toyota Tacoma Turd offroad
1978 yamaha xs750
2021 yamaha YZ250
2011 Caprice
2018 Toyota Tacoma Turd offroad
1978 yamaha xs750
2021 yamaha YZ250
Re: Winter handling/traction
I do have winter tires on it now but the guy at Discount Tire said that what I have on there is the best I can get so in a nutshell these cars are pretty worthless in the winter.....mines going up for sale, I might as well have bought a Camaro
Re: Winter handling/traction
I remember driving my '78 Camaro in winter and it was just garbage. Drove a lot of RWD cop cars and they were also just as worthless. Was a step up when my '94 Caprice was retired and replaced by a Lumina. Now everything is either 4x4 Tahoes or AWD Ferds.
Don't buy these cars expecting it to drive like a tank through snow. Probably was one of the reasons that they never were very popular with PDs.
Don't buy these cars expecting it to drive like a tank through snow. Probably was one of the reasons that they never were very popular with PDs.
2011 Caprice PPV, former RCMP test vehicle, never put into service
Build Thread: http://www.newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2419
Build Thread: http://www.newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2419