Can a SW2 handle snow?
 

Hi-
I may have to do some serious winter driving with my 98 SW2 this year. I have some low mile "all season" generic tires which have marginal traction when its wet:eek: Does anyone run real snow tires on their SW2? If so does your Saturn handle the snow well? Up to now I have only made short white knuckle trips in the snow.
Thanks!

Unfortunately, your SW2 is not equipped with a limited-slip drive system, so I certainly wouldn't plan on trying to follow any jeeps or other AWD vehicles around in the mush. As for "real snow tires", I've not had any experience with them, so I cannot comment

Having driven a multitude of vehicles in the snow, although not recently I would say that any Saturn handles snow better than an AMC Gremlin with wide oval tires, rear wheel drive and no snow tires.
So if you are experiancing "white knuckle" snow driving go buy some better tires and if snow is heavy, make them snow tires and don't worry about being laughed at. Your car, your life and your concerns.
They are cheap insurance. I don't think a Saturn handles snow any better or any worse than any other typical front wheel drive car on the market with or with out limited slip option which on mine stays turned off.

Yeah an SW2 can handle snow just fine if you have good tires on it. I've driven mine('98) in snow up to the rockers multiple times, and I don't use snow tires just tires with good tread. It won't accelerate fast in snow, but if you know what you're doing you'll be fine.

Great advice. The roads I will be on have some long moderately steep hills and I will be driving 100+ mi /day in NY winter. Looks like I will hunt for my first set of snow tires. Is there anything I should look or watch our for in a snow tire?

Do I need snow tires on the rear?
Thanks
Ken

Ken, I just finished reading your answer and started to laugh. Sorry been there done that. Dunno what part of N.Y ur talking about but I cut my eye teeth driving winters in the upstate area around Buffalo Rochester and Syracuse area where the roads and the hills and the winters brought back chills to my memories while watching ice road truckers on T.V. Some scary long distance sections at times requiring Snow Blower Snow Plows to get the roads passable in time to get to work and the yearly effort to get a SALT CAR through inspection so you get drive it and have it rust up rather than what you are paying money for in the hopes it would last a little longer.
Snow tires on the rear? Funny!!! But a smart thought anyway. Up to you on that one.
I had a 1960 Ford pick up truck I bought once for $175.00 that had come for San Diego. A story in itself but had Snow tires, studded on the back, they were legal than so I could drive anywhere with out getting stuck and regular on the front (2wheel drive) so I could steer the danged thing. 4 wheel drive vehicals were not overly available then and those that were were not known for the high speed cruising. I took a lot of grief with that truck, it had been rolled and looked it. but that was the first time it had ever seen salt. I had to put a heater in it. They were optional.
I was driving about 60 miles a day at the time using country 2 lane, a whole lot younger and driving fast. Never ran it off the road and never got stuck. but would get flagged down to tow some one out of a field often because everyone thought it was 4 wheel drive. Of course I couldn't, no 4wd, but also they were well out in the field and I was still on the road. I always attributed that to all 4 snow tires.
Again, ur car, ur call. If you are doing a lot of secondary road driving and driving way too fast it ain't ging to hurt to have snows on the front and back to help keep the dirty side down. You are probably going to wear out a set of snows a season, I used to anyway, it was part of living there. At least off the front. I'd stay away from something with big heavy lugs on them as they will be noisy and probably a lousy ride and something affordable.
Damn, in my minds eye I can still see a brown corvete comming down a hill to a stop light, spinning and bouncing off the cars in front of it as it caromes down the hill.
Or getting sideways on ice at 65 mph on I 490 in rush hour traffic and not hitting anything.
Free way rules, don't turn, don't change lanes and don't hit the brakes. You can't steer on ice.
Out here where you have to drive to see snow, the highway patrol closes the road unless you have chains.
Why?
You can't drive over 15 mph with out tearing fenders off with chains.
O.K. I rambeled,
Merry Christmas

Wow what a story. I am tracking down some snows for my car. I am not looking forward to driving in the winter but you do what you have to. At least until I can move and/or get a small suv. I hope I can find some wheels with snows and just store the regular wheels in the garage.

Try the local wrecking yards to pick up the rims you want for your snow tires. Just remember to put some tire dressing on them when you store them for the summer