[ceegar]

I am planning on driving my CC coupe year round in New England.
Call me crazy, but if it sucks I will get a winter beater.
I looked at Tirerack and the only tire that comes up is a 18" with or without wheels.
Anybody here buy snow's for the winter? Any suggestions?
Thanks.

 

[RickBullotta]

You can usually never go wrong with Blizzaks.

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

I'll chat with my service manager tomorrow.

We've put snowtires on coupes, but I don't remember what we used.

- Mark

 

[M!]

i doubt there is too much fun driving a CC in the snow... there was a thread a winter ago with a gent in quebec who bought a coupe and drove it around in the snow and seems happy with the performance.

no problem with that, if he enjoys his coupe all year long. i personally have no interest in exposing my maserati to the elements and other careless drivers. (no matter how good a driver you are or how excellent your snow tires are).

may i suggest getting something like an audi as a winter beater?
i heard their RS4, S6 or S8 are quite the performer in poor weathers.

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

Blizzaks are available in a 265/35 R18 which is a direct fit for the coupes. This is the tire we ordered for customers that wanted them. The QP is a bit trickier - I think the 18's may be easier, but for people with 19's, which is every car we order - we used front wheels on the rear as well.

And in the Audis, the S6 etc are still scary in snow without snowtires. They do have the quattro, so gettin going isnt an issue, but hit the brakes or try to steer, and you'll have the same issues as a Coupe with summer tires.

- Mark

 

[M!]

mark, i think if anyone drives an S6 you would understand you need snow tires in snow. as for steering, i am fairly sure a quattro (with snow tires if you need to be obvious) will provide more traction than a rwd coupe (with snow tires again).

 

[RickBullotta]

It also goes without saying that 150 lbs of sand in the trunk will help a great deal with traction, too...

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

*needing* awd in snow is a myth perpetuated by the awd manufacturers. I started in our lot department - and have driven literally hundreds of cars in every conceivable weather condition, some with proper tires, many without, and I don't care what the setup, the tires are the deciding factor, not drivetrain.

The Quattro, while being an immensely good drivetrain is not better in the snow, just different. I actually prefer rwd in the snow, not just because I can drift every corner, but AWD can understeer just as bad as FWD if you're not careful\panic\get surprised. Especially with Audi's tending to be nose heavy. Plus most of the Quattros now days are automatics, which get pretty easily confused in quickly changing traction conditions.

Granted, being in Minnesota we get some of the worst of the possible wet\snow\ice combinations, and you spend as much time dodging the idiots as trying to keep 'er straight..

I know theres plenty of argument to be made over keeping salt out, dodging the less skilled and bald-tired-beaters, but if you want to throw snow tires on and drive the car all winter, go right ahead.

just my $.02

- Mark

 

[Steeldream]

I lived in Chicago for 10 years and drove AWD FWD and RWD during that time. To me it's no big deal. Most people know how to drive in snow and ice since there are a couple of months each year to gain experience. Also the city has the snow removal equipment to deal with the problem - you're actually very seldom forced to drive on a snow covered road.

The bigger problems occurred living in Dallas. People had no idea how to drive in the infrequent inclement weather and there was nothing in place to deal with an ice or snowstorm. The scariest winter moments I've had were in the South.

 

[M!]

*needing* awd in snow is a myth ... and I don't care what the setup, the tires are the deciding factor, not drivetrain.

...Plus most of the Quattros now days are automatics, which get pretty easily confused in quickly changing traction conditions.

... but if you want to throw snow tires on and drive the car all winter, go right ahead.

not a myth or anything, but everything being equal, same driver, same snow tires, same city roads, same highway, same mountain roads, same icy driveway, an awd car (such as an audi quattro) is going to get you from A to B more uneventful than a CC Coupe all winter.

as i also mentioned, the quebec coupe owner does this and he likes it.

btw, with you experience of "have driven literally hundreds of cars", you should know the auto on quattros are tiptronic and can hold a gear reasonably. also, traction control systems intervene before the automatics get confused, not unlike those in the CC.

 

[thebimbo]

Useful info removed.