So my beloved 2007 A4 suffered some vandalism on one of my doors. Being fully covered, I dropped it of at the body shop and they gave me a Pontiac Grand Prix for the time being. I hated the thing for the first few hours, it's very large, the steering is too big and very unresponsive, the seats are not very comfortable, the automatic tranny is, well, boring, and the interior is very meh. I was not impressed.

However, is the last few hours, Quebec City has been getting a lot of snow. Close to 30cm. Lots of accidents, roads closed, it's a complete shit show. I had places to go, so took the Pontiac. I have to give GM credit because the car did just fine in the snow. The traction control did it's job wonderfully and kept me going. I didn't get stuck anywhere, not even coming in my drive way which is extremely impressive, my mom and brother did with their Focus's, as did my sister with her Corolla.

I gotta admit, I enjoyed driving this one hell of a boat over the last few hours in snow. GM isn't that bad after all. lol

click to view

do either of the focuses have traction control as well?

Pretty early to jump to conclusions, dont you think?

The Gran Prix is a W-body which are legendary in snowy conditions. Even if you had shut the traction control off, that boat would've gone anywhere you wanted it to, fearlessly.
My two Lumina's and one Monte Carlo were AMAZING in the snow, ice and slush, and none of those cars had traction control. As I recall, the 93 Lumina and 99 Monte Carlo had ABS, but the 98 Lumina didn't.

My 1979 280zx 5 speed was AMAZING in the snow. Thats an engine, trans, and a driveshaft. Whats the point here?

The 2000 Buick Regal ain't half bad either, even without the traction control, since it's busted and will remain that way till I get rid of it. I'm not spending a small fortune on a wheel bearing because of a stupid probe.

My sister drives one of the last Grand Prix's, an 06. If she can make it up the hills around here in 8 inches of snow in that thing with her lousy driving, I think anybody can in it. Only time she's buried it was last winter when they didn't plow the other end of my street, that was on the flat part, she made it up the hill onto the street just fine.

Shael

Posted by big dave My 1979 280zx 5 speed was AMAZING in the snow. Thats an engine, trans, and a driveshaft. Whats the point here?

well, good for you. do you want a cookie?

I've always been impressed with the traction control in GM cars. When I used to drive Uplanders and Impalas in my previous job, it never failed me in the snow.

The Ford traction control on the other hand, I think its purpose was to tell you there is not any traction. And you would think it might be useful since its on a E350...

Actually, my moms Focus has traction control. But it's completely useless. I don't know why they even bother with it.

I don't know what i'm trying to prove... I've driven a lot of cars in snow but little were impressive, other than the RDX and my A4, which is somewhat obvious. We even took my friends Mazda 5 last night to go to the mall, and we got stuck twice. And it had TC. This is the first GM i drove in snow and it was a blast.

i was wondering if anyone had gotten it to work properly. i just dont think the sampling rate or the reaction time on the focus is quick enough for it to do its job. by the time the brakes start to crunch ive already backed-off the throttle. thankfully i only have to drive this car during the few winter months and it's back in the garage again til next year. my common sense and snow tires have always kept me out of trouble, so i'm not that concerned. perhaps i'll try one of the w-bodies out when it's time to retire the focus.

What's with the traction control orgasm this morning? just because a vehicle is equipped with traction control doesn't guarantee good snow performance.... especially in a two wheel drive. If it can move some power from wheel to wheel, sure it will help but there's a bunch of other important factors. The tires, weight of the vehicle digging into the snow, skill of the driver.

I'm not saying TC is a bad thing... it's just not the snow saviour it's being made out to be.

Posted by Samurai well, good for you. do you want a cookie?

i want a cookie
mmmmm cookie

Posted by steponmebbbboom i was wondering if anyone had gotten it to work properly. i just dont think the sampling rate or the reaction time on the focus is quick enough for it to do its job. by the time the brakes start to crunch ive already backed-off the throttle. thankfully i only have to drive this car during the few winter months and it's back in the garage again til next year. my common sense and snow tires have always kept me out of trouble, so i'm not that concerned. perhaps i'll try one of the w-bodies out when it's time to retire the focus.

GM's system is crude... it's tied through the anti-lock system and most people hate it.
It's the cars themselves that are so good in the snow. To tell you the truth, every GM i've ever had has been exceptionally good in the snow, despite NOT having snowtires.
Even this Beretta I have now on tiny Korean mystery tires of no clear origin has yet to get stuck.

...try driving an h-body in the snow...

Posted by steponmebbbboom ...try driving an h-body in the snow...

i had a Pinto and a Capri RS 5.0L... more fun than a venereal disease in the snow.

prof chaos, the W body rocks, the 3.8 is rock solid, my dealer used to joke you can run em on kerosene. my grand prix is summer only though... the cavalier is my winter car, and like my sunfire, the traction control has stopped me from being stuck many a time, even on bald snow tires!

My '94 Tercel with a 3" suspension lift, P195/75R14 Yokohama IG20s and 7" Hella Rally lights is better in the snow than my Durango was. And the Durango was good...

I'll say this much, I never see that style of GM in a ditch or spun into the median. And I have been driving in many a snow storm the last couple months. (seems thats where all the freight is, dammit) But what I do see in the ditch ALL the time are 2wd SUV's of all makes. People, if you buy a SUV and get the station wagon version your may as well buy a Taurus, it will do better in the snow. I never understood the concept. If you want a station wagon, buy a station wagon. If you want a SUV check the 4x4 option. Otherwise don't get pissy when I call it a station wagon. Lets see, body on frame, V8, RWD, and a trailer hitch. I could have just described a new Chevy Tahoe, or Ford Explorer. Or a 1972 Olds Vista Cruiser. Guess which one is cooler ( and better in the snow)

Posted by jeepdave I'll say this much, I never see that style of GM in a ditch or spun into the median.

They must be good at it here. And the tow truck drivers seem to like towing them out by the rear control arms... I get a lot of suspension/alignment work out of those cars!

one of the best cars i have ever seen in the snow were GM's.
My friends' 78 Buick LeSabre was madness in the snow... it felt like a four wheel drive. Amazing car.
you know what else was a fucking tank in the snow, my mom's Escorts over the years. She had an 85 5-door sedan, an 87 Pony 3-door and her boyfriend had a work beater 89 5-door sedan... there wasn't ANYWHERE those cars wouldn't go.

Posted by Samurai one of the best cars i have ever seen in the snow were GM's.

Thats because thats the only damn car you drive. Of course its going to be the best snow car youve ever had.