I've never owned a rear wheel drive car in my life (35yrs old). Two weeks ago, I purchased a 2005 300c with 24K on it. I live in ohio and winter is coming. Has anyone had trouble with the C in the snow?
Mine was fine last year with the exception of deep snow (if you live on side roads with no plows it can get tricky). The stock continentals are junk but they managed. I'd replaced with the all-season goodyears and you should be fine. I too came from front wheel my whole life and expected the worst. As long as you respect the car (and its power) and be gentle, it goes like a tank!!! Stopping then restarting on inclines (my driveway) were the only issues, but if I kept a slow, but constant forward motion I had no problems.
If I hit the gas in my base 300 around a turn when the roads are wet I will start going sideways! Boy I cant wait til it snows!!!
__________________ 2006 Bright Silver Metallic 300 Mods-Painted to Match--(Pillars, Side markers, Wiper Nozzles, Fog Bezels, Back up sensors, Side Mirrors, K2 head lights) Dual Exhaust, Tinted Tails, Spoiler, 20% tinted windows, Molded radio bezel, JBL 8" sub in rear cup holder, 20" Milano M702's wrapped in Toyo Proxies 255/45/20. 4 Boston Acoustic 6x9's, Eclipse Cd2000 HU, Painted Calipers, Billet Shifter (Deeram), SRT8 Door Handles, Chrome CAI, Dropped 2"
Get some good (real) snow tires and you should be fine. Pirelli sottozeros, blizzaks, and Contiwintercontact 790Vs (not available in the US, apparently) are all we really have to choose from in the exact 225 60 18 size.
RWD on the 300c is helped by the traction control but there are times - starting off in deep snow - when switching it off can help. In most cases, a snow tire equipped 300 is as good in the snow as a FWD with all seasons. The only time this isn't the case is when turning the front tires in a FWD to redirect the the traction would help - usually when your are parked in very deep-snow conditions.
The other thing is that RWD's without traction control fishtail in poor traction. Lots of fun in an empty parking lot, not so much on a steep, narrow uphill grade with oncoming traffic. I own an AWD, so I cannot comment on whether the 300 with the Traction control turned off will do this or whether the computer will still intervene.
The other thing is, and you probably already know this, in a fishtailing situation you steer in the same direction that your rear-end is going.
For the record, I grew up in Western Newfoundland where we got 200 plus inches of snow per year and some of the roads were so steep they had steps for sidewalks. I learned to drive in the winter with my dad's RWD pontiac laurentian (bonneville in the US)and my mom's VW rabbit. They were daimetric opposites when it came to how you drove them in winter. The Rabbit would go through practically everything but could be treacherous - understeering or oversteering uncontrollably at the limit. Got to play rally driver lots in it - going into four wheel slides to go around a corner in order to keep up enough momentum to get up the hill (barely). The RWD pontiac was not nearly as capable, but far more predictable and fishtailing was part of the package going up hills. And of course, parking lot spins were a blast.
Good luck, and might I suggest that after the first snow you try and find an empty parking lot to test out your 300's capabilities and limits in a safe environment. You owe it to the other drivers on the road to do so, and who knows, it might be fun.
I have troubles getting up the tiniest hills if they are covered with ice, the stock tires are total junk
That pic is hysterical! You should have used Photoblocker! Been using it for years and never got a ticket, so I really don't know if it works, but it hasn't failed!!
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Really you guys don't have the Conti 790V's in the US?? Strange, well i found some here if you guys need to get some www.tententires.com
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gord T
Get some good (real) snow tires and you should be fine. Pirelli sottozeros, blizzaks, and Contiwintercontact 790Vs (not available in the US, apparently) are all we really have to choose from in the exact 225 60 18 size.
RWD on the 300c is helped by the traction control but there are times - starting off in deep snow - when switching it off can help. In most cases, a snow tire equipped 300 is as good in the snow as a FWD with all seasons. The only time this isn't the case is when turning the front tires in a FWD to redirect the the traction would help - usually when your are parked in very deep-snow conditions.
The other thing is that RWD's without traction control fishtail in poor traction. Lots of fun in an empty parking lot, not so much on a steep, narrow uphill grade with oncoming traffic. I own an AWD, so I cannot comment on whether the 300 with the Traction control turned off will do this or whether the computer will still intervene.
The other thing is, and you probably already know this, in a fishtailing situation you steer in the same direction that your rear-end is going.
For the record, I grew up in Western Newfoundland where we got 200 plus inches of snow per year and some of the roads were so steep they had steps for sidewalks. I learned to drive in the winter with my dad's RWD pontiac laurentian (bonneville in the US)and my mom's VW rabbit. They were daimetric opposites when it came to how you drove them in winter. The Rabbit would go through practically everything but could be treacherous - understeering or oversteering uncontrollably at the limit. Got to play rally driver lots in it - going into four wheel slides to go around a corner in order to keep up enough momentum to get up the hill (barely). The RWD pontiac was not nearly as capable, but far more predictable and fishtailing was part of the package going up hills. And of course, parking lot spins were a blast.
Good luck, and might I suggest that after the first snow you try and find an empty parking lot to test out your 300's capabilities and limits in a safe environment. You owe it to the other drivers on the road to do so, and who knows, it might be fun.
Last edited by Ben Dover : 11-03-2006 at 02:58 PM.
Really you guys don't have the Conti 790V's in the US?? Strange, well i found some here if you guys need to get some www.tententires.com
At least that's what I found - Tirerack won't have them until next winter.
I'm getting a set put on next week - 1100 all in at the local goodyear agent (fountain tire). Saw a set that was going on another 300c owner's car. They look a lot less aggressive than the sottozeros and they are, conti claims, the only v rated (up to 150 mph) snow tire on the mkt. (i think nokian might have somethindg to say about that)
Tread pattern looks to be quieter one than on the Pirelli and Blizzak options. Seems to be the best option for those who have mostly bare pavement conditions in the winter interspersed with a few sphincter-puckering days of black ice and blowing snow.
If you are in a really snowy area I would think the sottozeros would be the best, if a little noisy on dry pavement.
As for treadwear, well they are contis, so i am skeptical to say the least.
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