Any year round V drivers?

BooYaKa · #1 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 02:11 AM

I'm currently an owner of a 06 sts awd and was thinking about snagging an 07 stsv. I live in Chicago and would be driving it year round...am I nuts? Is it drivable In a few inches of snow?

leija_01 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 02:58 AM

i drive mine year round.... but then again, we get NO snow down here in south texas. haha

dhemrick · #3 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 10:32 AM

I drive mine year-round, but I live in eastern NC where we rarely get snow.... and I have a 4x4 pickup to drive on those rare days where we do have bad weather.

I don't think I would EVER want to be dependent solely on a powerful rear-drive car in a snow belt city, but that's just me.

WillySTS · #4 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooYaKa

I'm currently an owner of a 06 sts awd and was thinking about snagging an 07 stsv. I live in Chicago and would be driving it year round...am I nuts?

Is it drivable In a few inches of snow?

Well, here in Southern Kali, I wouldn't have it any other way. But, I would think the V is quite undrivable in the snow as it is pretty delicate in the rain here. I guess if you got some winter tires is should be tolerable...but, what do I know??? I still haven't figured how anyone would wanna live where it snows!!!

Bee iLL · #5 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 01:28 PM

I live in Chicago and do not drive mine in the winter. However, there is a forum member who lives in Naperville or somewhere, and he drives his year round, just puts snow tires on in the winter... Still, even with snow tires, I can't say I would WANT to drive this car in the winter. I would think you would have to baby it and whenever I am driving the V, I always get the urge to use the power this beast has. I don't think I would be able to control myself. Something about this car just screams FLOOR IT!

CIWS · #6 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 03:51 PM

I wouldn't want to drive it in the snow even with snow tires.

bobs-sts-v · #7 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 05:04 PM

I am the one here in Chicago that drives year round. I have a second set of rims with snow/AS tires that works quite well 95% of the time. Only problems I have had are after a very heavy snow or ice. The ice you would have trouble with no matter WHAT car you drive, so the only real issue is the deep snow. Luckily here in the burbs, it hasn't been that much of an issue. I set the traction control off - so I don't get it kicking in at every little slip - and I don't use the sport mode (sD). On the back roads, it gets kind of fun giving it the gas and getting the back end to drift - without worrying about burning up tires. I have a couple of regular roads that I actually look forward to punching it around the corner or bend when it snows. Not quite as much fun as donuts in the parking lot, but pretty close. Winter tires are Yokohama Advan S4. The Pirelli run-craps are worthless - leave it in the garage if that is what you have on it. Same for ANY summer performance tire - ZERO grip. Had the same problem with the wife's Mercedes - came with Continental summer performance tires, and she couldn't get out of the parking lot! Switched her over to the Michelin AS performance tire and she was MUCH happier.

Good Luck!

Bob (Naperville)

Gusteve · #8 (**permalink**) 09-11-09, 02:42 PM

I plan on doing it myself. In another thread I listed the snow tires I found that appear to fit the factory rims. There was about a 3% difference in size front to rear from stock, so I think I need to find out if that's gonna freak out the ABS or anything.

A set of real snow tires (not "all season" tires) and two 50 pound bags of sand in the trunk should set me right up. I did the same thing in my Mercury Marauder and it went like a tank in the snow. I realize there's far more torque in a V, but you just have to not be an idiot with the throttle.

Ya know - there was a time when pretty much all cars were RWD, and we drove them in the snow, regardless of whether it was a 6 cylinder or a big block.

Redxped1 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-11-09, 03:43 PM

im out in bloomingdale ive got cought out in a early spring dusting i could not even go 10mph in the car good thing i was just a mile from home let alone i had summer tires on it.

inurok · #10 (**permalink**) 09-14-09, 07:32 PM

I will not drive my V in the snow. My bmw 745 was undrivable in the snow so I imagine the same for the V.

Gusteve · #11 (**permalink**) 09-15-09, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inurok

I will not drive my V in the snow. My bmw 745 was undrivable in the snow so I imagine the same for the V.

Did you have real snow tires and weight in the trunk?

inurok · #12 (**permalink**) 09-16-09, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusteve

Did you have real snow tires and weight in the trunk?

No..but my towncar did and it was not much better in the snow. Not just sliding but TCS keeps the car from going anywhere.

bobs-sts-v · #13 (**permalink**) 09-16-09, 09:55 AM

TCS is a pain in the --- in the snow. Turn it off. On the rare occasion I get caught in a particularly snowy situation, starting in second or third gear helps quite a bit.

Bob

Kadonny · #14 (**permalink**) 09-22-09, 11:34 AM

STS-V with summer tires on, caught in a small snow storm, car not drivable on even the smallest of road inclines. Parked it and let it sit overnight until the roads were cleared.