Have a 06 Chrysler 300C with the Hemi,haven't driven it through a winter yet? Does anyone own one, and what kind of traction does it have? If I have to get snow tires do I really have to buy four? Thanks for all replies....
Snow Tires needed for 300C?
- Thread starter SigShooter
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Can't comment on the 300C in winters, but my understanding is that if you get snow tires, you should get four. I'm not too far south of you and I ended up getting a winter tire with all season capability (Yokohama W.Drives). That way, I have the option of leaving the winters on if it ends up not being a very nasty winter and/or I get lazy and don't take them off before summer. I think Nokian WRs also have all season capability but they are $$$.
I'm guessing winters in Michigan are as bad, or worse, than here in Iowa. In my experience a decent set of snow tires will be a night-and-day difference from all-season tires. If I were you, I would get a set of steel wheels and mid-priced snow tires. Discount Tire Direct and Tire Rack have good steel wheel selections. Might be something to look into.
The type of vehicle you're driving doesn't matter as much as the road conditions and your tires. You don't need snow tires, but your car will accelerate, brake, and steer better on snow and ice with them. You could safely install only two snow tires on the back, but your car will brake and steer better on snow and ice with four. Sorry to sound so simplistic, but only you can decide if it's worth the money/hassle for you!
Everyone who drives in the winter needs winter tires IMHO. You only have to lose control on the ice once to convince yourself that it's a lot cheaper to spend a relatively small amount to avoid a potentially serious accident that could have a serious affect on your physical well being not to mention thousands of dollars in property damage. I get 4 seasons from a set so they cost less than beer.
AWD or RWD?
Seems rather like the wrong vehicle for a Western Michigan winter - especially the rear-drive version on 20 inch wheels. Do you have another car? A good set of winter tires on steel wheels would work, but what comes close to that size?
Maybe the old tricks. Get a set of chains (diagonal type would be ideal for ease of installation), and carry a bag of kitty litter or oil absorbent to sprinkle on the ground when you're stuck and need more traction.
Seems rather like the wrong vehicle for a Western Michigan winter - especially the rear-drive version on 20 inch wheels. Do you have another car? A good set of winter tires on steel wheels would work, but what comes close to that size?
Maybe the old tricks. Get a set of chains (diagonal type would be ideal for ease of installation), and carry a bag of kitty litter or oil absorbent to sprinkle on the ground when you're stuck and need more traction.
As said above the low profile tires are not that great in snow. Just looked your car up and it looks like it rides on 17s?
Might want to see if 15s fit over your brakes, as said above, get some steel wheels and tall tires. The sidewall deflection will come in handy for the inevitable potholes and frost heaves. Steel takes abuse better or is at least cheaper if you smash something. Skinny tires dig through the snow well.
As long as you're going through all this get some cheap snow tires... store brands with the mountain/snowflake rating molded into the sidewall will do you pretty darn well. Don't forget the requisite sandbag in the trunk.
Might want to see if 15s fit over your brakes, as said above, get some steel wheels and tall tires. The sidewall deflection will come in handy for the inevitable potholes and frost heaves. Steel takes abuse better or is at least cheaper if you smash something. Skinny tires dig through the snow well.
As long as you're going through all this get some cheap snow tires... store brands with the mountain/snowflake rating molded into the sidewall will do you pretty darn well. Don't forget the requisite sandbag in the trunk.
JHZR2
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I'd agree with Pluto's comment above. they always help, and always provide some benefit, which is non-trivial.
Thing is, you have to keep the mindset that it doesnt make you a better or more capable driver, because then youll push the boundaries too much. You need to justremember that it helps you to avoid the idiots, if needs be.
My father has a 96 MB E300D. Same basic car from what ive heard... His car (and my 83 and 85 300D, same 'level' of vehicle, two iterations back) are all quite impressive in the snow, at least on relatively flat terrain, in the snow. Snow tires do still help a bitto make you even more able to get through thebad stuff with as much traction as possible, as quick and consistent as possible.
JMH
Thing is, you have to keep the mindset that it doesnt make you a better or more capable driver, because then youll push the boundaries too much. You need to justremember that it helps you to avoid the idiots, if needs be.
My father has a 96 MB E300D. Same basic car from what ive heard... His car (and my 83 and 85 300D, same 'level' of vehicle, two iterations back) are all quite impressive in the snow, at least on relatively flat terrain, in the snow. Snow tires do still help a bitto make you even more able to get through thebad stuff with as much traction as possible, as quick and consistent as possible.
JMH
Personally I would see how your car performs carefully in a winter storm with the existing tires. All-seasons vary greatly in their abilities to give grip in winter conditions.
Beyond the tires grip is your driving skills in winter conditions. Our current car has abysmal in the winter OEM tires, yet my wife who is a seasoned New England driver(20 years) has no issues. She does drive very slowly, carefully and methodically in the worse conditions.
That being all said winter tires(four) are typically much better in stopping and lateral stability than all-seasons. The trick is to not get over confident in them and gain too much speed.
Beyond the tires grip is your driving skills in winter conditions. Our current car has abysmal in the winter OEM tires, yet my wife who is a seasoned New England driver(20 years) has no issues. She does drive very slowly, carefully and methodically in the worse conditions.
That being all said winter tires(four) are typically much better in stopping and lateral stability than all-seasons. The trick is to not get over confident in them and gain too much speed.
I live in west MI and prefer snow tires. I think they would be especially useful on your RWD vehicle. I have had mixed tires on cars before and it makes the car less stable. 4 winter tires are the way to go. I always buy an extra set of rims. Go to the tire rack and see what rims they offer for your car. Some cars don't have steel rims available but typically you can get rims for $125 each if you buy cheaper aluminum rims. There are lots of those cars driving around the area without winter tires but like someone else said, everyone would be better off with them. Buying an extra set of rims is no big deal if you keepo your car long enough and makes it easier to switch back and forth. It is hard on your rims to have the tires remounted 2 times a year. They get scratched up and corrode faster on the bead area and will leak sooner in my experience around the bead. Winter tires don't handle as well so you could always buy performance winter tires which aren't as good in the snow and ice but handle better in the wet and dry.
Snow tires FTW. although with todays traction control systems, a good set of all seasons might suit you just fine.
Thanks for the replies,my car has 18 inch tires. 225-60-18,right now I have the Goodyear Assurance Comfort Tread tires. I may try them first to see how they do before I purchase snow tires.If I do get snow tires I think I will go with the Cooper Weathermaster. I can get them for 119.00 each locally.
Calling them snow tires is misleading since the greater need IMHO is ice traction. They are winter tires for challenging conditions. One accident avoided with a $500 collision deductible pays for them. There is no such thing as an "all season" tire.
Originally Posted By: SigShooter
Thanks for the replies,my car has 18 inch tires. 225-60-18,right now I have the Goodyear Assurance Comfort Tread tires. I may try them first to see how they do before I purchase snow tires.If I do get snow tires I think I will go with the Cooper Weathermaster. I can get them for 119.00 each locally.
The Comfort Treads are rated quite high by Consumer Reports for snow and ice. It might be worth giving them a try. I don't believe they rated them very highly for dry/wet braking and handling though.
Thanks for the replies,my car has 18 inch tires. 225-60-18,right now I have the Goodyear Assurance Comfort Tread tires. I may try them first to see how they do before I purchase snow tires.If I do get snow tires I think I will go with the Cooper Weathermaster. I can get them for 119.00 each locally.
The Comfort Treads are rated quite high by Consumer Reports for snow and ice. It might be worth giving them a try. I don't believe they rated them very highly for dry/wet braking and handling though.
Spend the money, and buy a set of steel wheels with a set of snow tires mounted on them.
Put some OEM hub caps on there.
You will need it in the michigan winter with that vehicle.
You have a $35000 vehicle, spend the money on winter tires, especially since its RWD.
I agree with the above post, one accident will cost 500 and more insurance rates.
I drove a RWD f150 in the buffalo winter, and hit someone during the first snowfall. Not ruled my fault, but I kick myself in the butt for using those firestone "all seasons" during the icy winter.
Put some OEM hub caps on there.
You will need it in the michigan winter with that vehicle.
You have a $35000 vehicle, spend the money on winter tires, especially since its RWD.
I agree with the above post, one accident will cost 500 and more insurance rates.
I drove a RWD f150 in the buffalo winter, and hit someone during the first snowfall. Not ruled my fault, but I kick myself in the butt for using those firestone "all seasons" during the icy winter.
I know about Buffalo winters, having gone to school here for the past several years. My small little FWD car sits and spins without the winter tires on it. $300 and well worth the cost.
You'll get years out of them, also. This upcoming winter will be the third for my snows, and they are not showing much wear at all after many thousands of miles.
It's not so much the tire design as it is the tire compound being engineered to grip in the cold temperatures, versus all-seasons that stiffen up so they cannot flex to properly grab the surface.
You'll get years out of them, also. This upcoming winter will be the third for my snows, and they are not showing much wear at all after many thousands of miles.
It's not so much the tire design as it is the tire compound being engineered to grip in the cold temperatures, versus all-seasons that stiffen up so they cannot flex to properly grab the surface.
I think I got the answer. I guess it wasn't the SRT-8 version with the 20 inch wheels.
I looked on the Tire Rack website, and they recommend either 17" or 18" wheel/tire sizes. You might just try getting 17 wheels specifically for installing winter tires. There seem to be decent options, and most aren't that expensive as long as you stick with 17" tires. Something like a Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 235/65QR17, which is really designed for pickups/SUVs.
If you go up to 18" wheels, your tires are going to be more in the performance winter tire category, with lower ice traction. I don't know how fast you drive, but if I had a powerful rear-drive car in a Michigan winter, I wouldn't push it.
Again - I'll just say again that maybe the original poster might want to reconsider driving this car when there's snow on the ground and a decent chance of ice. I remember seeing that Youtube posted video of sub-zero temps in Portland, Oregon. With ice on the ground, many cars just skidded on an inclined, icy surface. The Volvo AWD SUV got moving somewhat, which made it even worse because the driver couldn't control it. There was a rear drive BMW (probably w/ summer tires) that kept on slipping and sliding when power was applied.
I looked on the Tire Rack website, and they recommend either 17" or 18" wheel/tire sizes. You might just try getting 17 wheels specifically for installing winter tires. There seem to be decent options, and most aren't that expensive as long as you stick with 17" tires. Something like a Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 235/65QR17, which is really designed for pickups/SUVs.
If you go up to 18" wheels, your tires are going to be more in the performance winter tire category, with lower ice traction. I don't know how fast you drive, but if I had a powerful rear-drive car in a Michigan winter, I wouldn't push it.
Again - I'll just say again that maybe the original poster might want to reconsider driving this car when there's snow on the ground and a decent chance of ice. I remember seeing that Youtube posted video of sub-zero temps in Portland, Oregon. With ice on the ground, many cars just skidded on an inclined, icy surface. The Volvo AWD SUV got moving somewhat, which made it even worse because the driver couldn't control it. There was a rear drive BMW (probably w/ summer tires) that kept on slipping and sliding when power was applied.
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