Festivas and snow

[Evil D]

How do these cars do in snow? I'll be running almost new radials...no snow tires. Anything i should worry about or do that might help? Most FWD cars do ok in the average snow we get around here. If it gets really bad i can drive my Cherokee. I figure it can't be much worse than my Merkur was.

[econoaddict]

Mine did great in the snow with basic radials, the ice was not fun.
This year I grabbed a set of 13" studs.

[TominMO]

FWD normally works well because there is plenty of weight on the drive wheels. Uphill from a standing start, not so much, because the weight is then on the rear wheels.

I would recommend adding some weight in the trunk, to minimize the chance of the rear end sliding out. And either good all-season tires or actual snow tires, depending on where you live/how much snow you expect to get. The more "open" the tread pattern (like snow tires), the more the snow in the treads can stick to the snow on the ground.

[Safety Guy]

If you have good tread on all-season tires, you should do fine for most winter driving. (I live in Columbus, FYI.)

If you can afford a set, Nokian "severe weather all season" tires are rated for snow and can be driven year round. Smallest you'd get would probably be 175/70-13s. I have them on my automatic and they were exceptional.

If your tires are bald or for summer only, you may not like the snow driving at all.

Karl

[fastivaca]

I would highly recommend some kind of snow tire. I ran Hankook Winter I-Pike on our old Astra and I'm running Continental 155-70-13 Contact Viking 3’s on Mazda alloys on the Festiva.

The Festiva did really well in the snow with all season tires. The difference with winter tires is very noticeable. The car is much more "sure-footed" both in the snow and on ice. When the Conti's wear out I'll be looking at the Winter I-Pikes as long as I can get them small enough.

[bhazard]

Firestone winterforce 175/70-13 going on the '92 here real soon, and I'm gonna try to fit 195/60-15 on the b6t.

[Darlo]

Mine is so AWESOME in the snow! I have studded tires (12") that I found online for $120 on aluminum Festiva rims including a set of chains! Yesterday I was up at Manning Park Ski Resort, and was driving through snow that was about a foot deep (deeper than the car could clear) and had no troubles at all! I love my Festiva!

[blkfordsedan]

Mine always did really well, until I lowered it with FMS springs. Now it drags the bottom when the snow gets deep and gets high centered.

[Evil D]

You Canada guys probably see more snow in one season than i do in 10 LOL. Snow around here is really hit or miss...some years we'll get pounded once or twice, other times it's just a dusting every few days. I've never felt the need to buy snow tires in the past, but my Merkur came with a set on another set of rims and they were about 50% but they made such a huge difference i was very impressed. Right now it's probably not in the funds so we'll see how the regular radials do. They're pretty meaty as far as tread goes.

[Safety Guy]

If they're all seasons you'll do fine, barring an exceptionally bad snowstorm like we had a few years back. The day after that one my '93GL automatic with the Nokian Ws got me out of the city and on my way to Milwaukee for the trip I had planned the day before. About 50 miles out of Columbus, 70W cleared up and it was sweet sailing after that.

I had shovelled a "runway" from my backyard "driveway" and for about twenty feet in the alley. I did get stuck at the alley turn which took about ten minutes with the shovel and I didn't get stuck again. That was a BIG snow! The night before Saturday, March 8th it dumped many inches and I think it kept snowing most of the day Saturday. I left Sunday morning instead.

Karl

[Evil D]

Eh, with mine being lowered so much if it gets that bad i'll just drive the Jeep. I think it'll do ok though. I have about 100lbs of tools in the trunk with me at all times so that should help.

[lessersivad]

With studded 155 80 13 winterforce tires I was pushing snow with the front bumper and packed the turn signals with snow.

This is with an Aspire spring/strut swap front and rear.

With the regular all season radials I didn't have any problems either. Was just playing around on the backroads with the studded tires.

[neanderpaul]

I drove in bumper deep snow with regular 12 radials. That was in the blizzard of the century. I drove from Athens GA up into the mountains of VA. No problems. Festivas are beast in the snow.

[Darlo]

Evil D ----- "You Canada guys probably see more snow in one season than i do in 10 LOL"

NOPE! (and thats Canadian guys, you America guy, :p)

In Cincinnati an average season will see just above 20 inches (51 cm) of snowfall.

In Vancouver average yearly snowfall is 48.2 centimetres (19.0 in) but typically does not remain on the ground for long.

Source ----- Wiki!

[graywolf_14]

I thought my festiva did really well with all seasons. The only problem I had was starting out on a hill. I drove one day in my festiva than drove my moms car on the same road trying to go same speed and lost it. I honestly think the low hp of the festiva hellps to.