Alright, there isnt really anything wrong with the car, its driving in the snow that is worrying me today... I lost control of my car 3 times today, durning all of last winter, I lost control ONCE, and all it was was a stright forward slide ALMOST into someone rear bumper, I was smart enough at the time to stear twords the curb before collision could occur. As I did the same today twice. Comeing home on US-10 (nobody else on the road). I completely loose control and my car slides 90 degrees to the left (basically the front and rear end of my car are taking up both lanes.) LUCKILY nobody else was on the road, so no damage occured. I get back into midland, coming off the exit im doing about 15 miles per hour, I push the clutch in, and LIGHTLY tap the brakes to slow down, and BOOM traction compltely gone, HAD there not been dirt and grass after the pavement, I would have gone straight into a direction marker, and into a ditch. NO damage again, didnt get stuck. Continue on my way home, traffic is now getting heavier, Light turns red, I push my brakes down (definately to hard for the weather) and this time I Durfed and hit the clutch to late, My engine stalled. I had no power anything, I manage to miss the truck in front of me by about a foot, and go over the curb (using 2 tires) into a small vacant parking lot. I get stuck for 10 minutes trying to back out back into traffic, I then pull back out into traffic, THEN when making a turn down my residental road, I take the car out of gear and apply the brakes, and DEAD slide again twords the curb, Stop about 4 feet from the curb, and continue down the street, no more problems after that. I also noticed that even on take off, I couldnt for the life of me not peel out, Lightest tap of the gas peal would have those tires spinning forever, I couldnt even get into my driveway without spinning the tires. its an extremely wet snow.
Here is my inquery. Over the summer I bought SVT E1 Cobra style rims from Zoomin3L for 300$ with BFG Comp T/A tires on them, The main reason I didnt go aftermarket was because I wanted these rims to be yearround, so I didnt want to have to deal with swapping them seasonally. my 14 inch steelies have hankook (dont know the exact number) tires on them. Do the BFG Comp t/a Tires just absolutely suck for snow driving?
And any input on methods I can use to keep traction up? Any shift methods or anything?
i would recomend putting your steelys back on, because they are thinner tires they would cut through the snow instead of going over it. Also most summer tires suck in the snow, although i'd look them up on tire rack and see what others think. but as for driving tips, all i have for snow is don't break while turning especially when entering the turn. also ride the clutch through the turn and downshift when you have straightend out.
Today will be my first time with the Contour in the snow...
I hope 225/50/16 falken 512s are ok in snow.
I lost control alot today!!!!!!!!!
My ABS got a workout, my Traction Control got a workout, and fishtailing and doughnuts was fun
Your nearby, this is icy-snow, of course you may loose control easier than snow that isnt all icy....
Contours are bad in snow. We had about 6 inches since noon today. I had to go to the store, every left turn you lost it. I almost hit the curb and several cars several times, every time you took off it would like slip, but once you get to like 20 then it is fine WTF is with that, Contours arent good at all for snow.
Make sure the tires on the back arn't as worn as the front too. If the back have less tread than the front, your back end will want to come out, why I have no idea. My Comp T/A's are ok in the snow, they only slide if I make them or do something stupid. Mine have about a little less than 1/2 tread left too. As for brake lock up, good luck with that.
My Contour handles well in the snow. I have never really had a problem sliding or avoiding accidents. You can't drive your car like it's spring/summer where you can stop correctly with 100ft between you and the vehicle in front of you. It takes knowing your car as others have stated and the experience from previous seasons of driving in the winter.
Alias, you put a scratch on those rims and it will be your hide!!!!
Contours in snow... heres mine hehe...
Yes that is today tom and it still continues!!!!
i'm running well used all season tires and had zero problems. but then again, i've driven things like blown mustangs and lowriders in the winter, so a fwd is like riding a snowmobile.
aside from having either summer only tires or bald tires, the rest of it comes down to driver ability... which will come with age.
If you drive as though there is no snow you will run into trouble. Leave a bit more room between you and the car ahead, drive more cautiously, slow down, etc.......
A big thing is the tires. All seasons are "no seasons" as they aren't really great for anything. I run winter tires. It is more expensive, but I figure it's cheaper than my insurance rates going up because I rear-ended someone. It's also cheaper than a funeral.
my contour sucked in the snow until i put a set of snowtires on it. i have a set of bridgestone blizzaks ws-50 and these things are great in the snow. we even put a set on the wife's gtp. SNOW TIRES MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!!!!
Traction is okay with snow/muds on her. My only complaint is the wind picks up the Tour and tosses her around like confetti. Guess I need to get a few hefty passengers or load up the car for more weight.
On my old 5L mustang (yep, drove her through 5 yrs of winter), had Potenza Mud/Snows and they really were great. Couldn't find them last year in 205/60/15 so settled on the michelin ice rubber.
Anyone else find the wind, any wind for that matter, a problem or is it just me being 'newer' to the vehicle?
only time that I have noticed the wind is when it is gusting near like 40 mph or greater
i notice the wind in my mothers windstar well before I do in the contour
I agree with this guy. Contours are actually a decent car in the snow. its just the SVT e1 rim is a wide ass rim, and wide tires in snow are a no no. Half of my problem yesterday was the fact that it was Ice and snow, not just snow. Today after the snow had hardended, it was much easier driving. I just never had that hard of a time with my Steelies and Hankook tires.
I had my mom's Grand Prix GT today, I had a problem with my contour's door, appearantly the latch had frozen up, so I couldnt close the door. So I took my mom's car to work, her car has ABS and traction control. And I think ive fallen in love with traction control. I was testing it out in the parking lot at where I work, I couldnt spin that car out for the life of me. Its cool too cause you can turn off the TCS.
I've used my 17" Hankook (Ventus) Tires in snow and they are M+S so that made little difference between them and my stock Pirreli M+S All-Seasons. (Well, the stocks are only 100mm narrower)
If it weren't for the fact of curbage I'd leave them on.
god when I hoped that curb today (was pratically flush with the curb), I thought I had royally [censored] up my rim, I was afraid to get out and look. but I got so lucky, all it was was a bunch of dirt on it and stuff.. Shes goin to the car wash tomorrow and getting it all.
From the Great White North........
Steelies and FOUR studded snow tires....hey the tire can be cheapies , just stud them - barring any laws that prohibit the use.
Mud/Snow NOT All Seasons - yes the salesman lied to you...
Snow tires are designed to self clean the snow from the treads. Otherwise the tread fills with compacted snow and you are now driving on a slick.....
My Falkins are in the shed - the wider they are the farther and faster they slide.
Oh ya....drive like your brakes don't work - gently
Salesman was "Zoomin3L" I bought the rims and tires used from him for super cheap (deal I couldnt pass up). Im almost certain that studded tires are illegal here, because after a snow storm we plow/salt everything (god I hate salt).