-md- HHR

I have ran just ran two front winters on my cavalier after I lower it, and drove through chardon a lot. I would plow snow. It would have moderate to heavy over steer. My HHR has a little over steer now after it is lowered. I have driven through some very deep snow with pretty good results with the stock tires.

DreamHHR

If you can only afford two snow tires, they should go in the back of a FWD vehicule, unless you like the rear end to go first... Yeah, with them on the front, they get you going, but try to stop and keep it under control then...

I'd rather drive with 4 all seasons rather than have mismatched tires with the extra traction in the front.

You don't even have to believe me; just read on:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/winter/at_071212.htm

Yves

jonathanm

If you have road racing or drifting experience, and I mean real experience, not just playing, then a tail happy car is more fun and easier to control than a front sliding understeering plow of a car. If you can't handle a little trailing throttle oversteer, stick with a balanced or understeering car.

Myself, I drive a front wheel drive car by pointing the front wheels where I want to go and punching the gas, the back end can follow if it wants or not. MUCH easier than a RWD car that needs constant throttle balance to keep from totally swapping ends. Slowing down and stopping is a little trickier, but if you don't overdrive your traction it's not an issue. That usually means driving slower than 80% of the rest of the yahoos around here in bad weather.

I would much rather have the traction where the weight is on a FWD vehicle.

08 HHR LS never been to a track
86 IROC 12.15@114 1/4
99 T/A 12.9@108 1/4
80 VW Sirocco (previous snow car)

DreamHHR

Does that even apply to 1% of the population? You can't give out advice to people based on that.

I consider myself a skilled winter driver and can control slides, understeer, oversteer, you name it. But, when there is no (as in zero) traction and the back end decides to go, it's so quick that there's nothing you can do (yes, you can prevent it by not exceeding the available traction) about it; I've done it (a 360) a couple of times, luckily without hitting anything. I'm talking about the element of surprise here: the road is clear and then you suddenly get a patch of ice and everyone slams on their brakes so you have no other choice than to try stopping as well. I want (and most people would benefit from) extra traction at the back at that time.

Yves

JeffB

Sounds like excellent advise. If you can afford it, go with all four snow tires. It'll give you the best traction.

hyperv6

Keep in mind on FWD all the traction is in the front and 80% of the braking is also in the front.

The rear wheels on a FWD really just need enough tread not to hydroplain on snow and water. They just need to keep contact witht he road surface.

Your front tires do most of the work so it is key to have your best up front and make sure the rear have enough tread to keep in contact with the road surface.

4 winter tires are always the best policy but in most areas not required if you don't have very very cold temps and a lot of ice.

Most people that have trouble getting around just have poor tires or worn out tires. Look in a parking lot and just see how many do not have much if any tread. Also Tires are not all equal. The Firestones that come on most HHR's are just cheap OE tires and not leading edge technology when it comes to tread.

Also many just lack the basic winter driving skills. Drivers training in this country really is no to the standards we really should have.

Good car control skill is the most important factor reguard less the tire. Too few have it anymore.

There are many tires All Season and Winter that are just better. Many times you get what you pay for.

upnorthhhr

I sell tires and have lived and driven in the upper midwest all my life. I would almost! never put just 2 snows on a FWD vehicle. Ideally, you want all 4 tires to have similar traction and handling characteristics. I feel you're better off with 4 good all season tires than with only 2 snows. MOST drivers have difficulty controlling the back end of a FWD vehicle once the back end gets loose. I get people (customers) all the time wanting to mix performance ratings, tread types, all kinds of weird stuff. Best to stick with all 4 tires as close to the same as possible.

I just changed my wifes HHR to 205/60/16 Goodyear Assurance Comfortreds in an H rated tire snd it's like a whole new vehicle. Front end noise is down, I can actually hear the radio, and the snow traction is quite good. I can actually pull away from a stop sign now!!

hyperv6

Even on RWD it is recomended by the tire companys to put 4 snow tires on and not just two on the back if your going to do it.

Few if anyone does this as you can normally get by but that is what they recomend as it gives the best perfromance.

I have the Assuance Triple Treads on and the performance has ben great on some horrible roads here. Winter tire will just be a little better on ice but with the perfromance of the HHR if you have stability control and traction control the tires are less a factor.

I have 3-4 winters on these same tires on the wifes car and never had a issue with them.

Winter tires are a good option but you not going to fly off the road and end up in a ditch with a good set of all season tires either. The key is to make sure you have a good set of all season tires. THe factory Firestones are an example of some poor tires. In no way are winter tires bad but they are not required by most people or vehicles as they will do fine on just a good All season tire. The differeance is not as dramatic as some would like you to think.

The HHR with all the electronic controls is a very good car on a bad road in capable hand. We need to give the car more credit than we do.

If I can make it through a 4 harsh winters in a 1972 GMC Sprint SP [El Camino SS] with a big block, Open diff, and no weight in the rear on just Dunlop GT Qualiers you can make it through anything.

MGMsHHR

I am running 4 Goodyear Ultra Grips on my HHR and they make a big difference fron the firestones. I have had just 2 on other fwd vehiches and what happens is you get the dirt track effect. The backend wants to pass the frontend in turns and the rear locks up easier in the straight line stop.
In my opinion 4 is the best way to go. I bought 4 extra wheels on ebay delivered to my house for $235 with tpms and four more hubcaps and 20 lugnuts. Now i dont change just the tire but the whole assembly. Set the tpms and im done. It cost about 60 to 80 dollars to get 4 tires mounted at snowtire time so these wheels will pay for themselves in about 2 years.

Fueluser

Ok, I'll jump in on this. Ok, first I'll say I am older and drove a lot of rear wheel drive cars on which I put snow tires in the rear. When it finally came time to buy a front wheel drive car it never occured to me to put snows on the back so I only drove with snows in the front and all season in the rear. The cars ran fine. It seems now-a-days tires vendors are not only recommending putting snows all the way around but refusing to sell to customers if they don't (Walmart for one). (I am not totally convinced this is not a selling tatic) But I have to admit it makes since to have good control with the snow tread in the rear so the car does not whip around. So being a new HHR owner I bit the bullet and ended up with Blizack (spelling) all the way around and have had no problems yet (this winter).