i live in south jersey and we just got 3 inches about a week ago and the traction control helps, but weight also does. i'm not sure of an optimal weight but had a pretty heavy TV in the back and did notice a difference!

 

I am going on 3 winters driving my fire in Wisconsin. DO have Conti's on it, never had to put weight in the back, but may try it this year. I wish I was in the position to put it up for the winter, it sure breaks my heart to see her covered in snow, and ice, at least she can warm up at night in the garage. I have a very short drive to work, but could not see taking her too far out of town.

 

Prowler, I think some people are comfortable driving in snow in a crossfire and some others are not even it they are in a 4x4 and for god's sake a crossfire!!! No way!!! To each his own but I am with you. I haven't has the slightest problem since I put some weight in my trunk and that is on the AS Conti's which I don't consider near as good as the GY F1's in the snow. I am having an acute case of tire envy!!! lol. I hope the snow lets up for you. I have been getting a little almost daily. Just a dusting for the most part. Only got 3 inches once so far.

 

Thanks and the same to you. Hopefully I will "see" you around in the spring. I am considering that for next year I will do the same as you and get a winter beater. Can't this year as I just purchased a new house 2 months ago and the crossfire 2 weeks ago, and my girlfriend would shoot me if I came up and said I want to buy a truck now for the winter!! LOL.

That is why I am figuring out how to best deal with the snow for this winter. The weight in the back really does help.

 

Looks like we got our first real snow today in buffalo. I got stuck on a hill, BMW in front of stopped their car going uphill and was blocking traffic (car ended up going sideways). Took three of us and thirty minutes to get it going again. Once the BMW moved, put it in second and traction came pretty fast. Not bad for starting on a steep incline midway up a hill in the snow!

 

l tell - you the Yokahama Advan S-4's are NOT all-season tires... I love them for summer spring and fall, but even real light snow - absolutely no traction!

 

Okay Winter Driving people... I just took this picture at the end of my driveway. Anybody think they can make it five feet in a Crossfire?

 

Actually you would be surprised. Mine was not much better this morning. About the same amount of snow but a few more cars had driven through it before I did. Made it in with no problems. I was watching people spinning their tires and giving it too much gas. They had front wheel drive and were having difficulties. W mode on the transmission, weight in the trunk, light on the gas and I moved right along.

 

Well, so far this month, we've had 23" of snow (7" on Saturday). Six speed with Goodyear F1AS tires are amazing in snow. I've got no weight in the trunk (other than the gas in the tank) and this car drives as good in snow as any car I've had. Obviously it's not all wheel drive, but after all the horror stories I'd heard about this car in snow, I was expecting disaster. I will not think twice about going anywhere in this car this winter. I hate having to drive it year round, but the Prowler is not a winter car by a long shot, so this will have to do for now. I love this car and am thrilled the wife agreed that we should trade in the '07 Caliber to get it.

 

4" cinder blocks are only $1.13 at Home Depot and 4 fit perfectly in the trunk! I bought a cheap door mat to go underneath to prottect the floor... That should help, too.

 

We would die in Texas (DFW Area) if it snowed/ iced like that becasue cities would shut down and people would crash into each other. I would be one that perishes in my home from lack of food . Don't know how you guys/ gals do it becasue buying one set of tires is enough for me$$$$ .

 

I think the reputation of the Crossfire in the snow is based on people foolishly trying to drive with Pilot Sport PS2's in the snow.

PS2's get slick when the temperature falls below 40 degrees, they have almost no cross tread, and have a tread pattern that is pretty close to rain-day race slicks.

Any car on ultra-high-performance summer-only tires would be a horrible choice for trying to get around in the snow or on ice. The Crossfire simply had the misfortune to get captured on video while doing it and then someone put the video up on YouTube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=b-KUESYmF-Q

 

I have driven a lot of cars in snow - including a number of rear-wheel drive vehicles, and I think the Crossfire is the worst I've ever driven in snow. I know tires are an important part of the equation, and my disatisfaction may be more with the Yokahamas than the Crossfire; I certainly hope snow tires will help.

 

Takes up alot of space and I don't even want to think about what would happen if you had a serious accident and those things were flying around in the back. 60 lbs Tube sand costs just over $3 a tube and hardly takes up any room in the trunk. I haven't tried it yet but I think if you took out the foam that is under the trunk lid you could probably fit the sand bags in there and have your whole trunk space available.

 

I added 2 60# sand tubes (about $3 at home depot) 1 on each side. also provides sand for traction. Keep the bags inside of a contratctor bag or you'll "love" spring clean up It seems to help.

 

my first car was a Alfa 75. I understand totally you! I was driving on Alps road to go sking with concrete block in the trunk!
Mayb next year I'll buy winter tyres for my Xfire. This year I'll not use it for most of the winter.

 

Don'tcha just hate people who say "Oh, but it looks so pretty."
Well, not without someone with a snowblower directly in front of me! BUT, I would try it in my '99 Cougar just to see if I could knock down some of that snow after the plow comes down the road! It would good for plenty laughs.

 

You have the same two cars as I do? That's pretty damn cool - neither of them are all that common. Anyway, the Cougar made it no problem. It even punched through the two feet of snow left by the plow at the end of the street.

 

You need this bad boy to clean that mess up

 

maybe we should try these.