3.3TT Michelin Primacy Tour A/S - Winter driving

[Daeric23]

Hello!

I’m currently planning on making a trip to Colorado - Keystone - and I’m curious how necessary it would be to buy winter tires or chains if I’m driving from Texas to Colorado (December/January)

Any thoughts, opinions? I’ve never made a trip like this before and I have AWD, but I understand that doesn’t help 100%.

It’s just for a trip and I’m just wondering how it would be if I just made the drive with my all-season tires setup - 225 & 255 in the rear.

Thanks for any suggestions!!

 

[JSolo]

Use a 4x4 (or awd) truck with either winter tires or chains. CO gets lots of snow, it melts fast (or so im told). If you get caught in a weather event, stinger won't do much good. Low ground clearance.

 

[bfglitch]

For the most part, yeah I'd recommend something with a little more clearance. Although with that said during a February snow storm I drove from Denver to Steamboat Springs in a rental Malibu in near white out conditions and made it with no problems. The day prior to my trip they wound up getting a couple feet of snow and it was still going during my drive. Got a little sketchy while going over the continental divide because the wind was blowing the snow so bad every now and then the vehicle in front of me would almost disappear. On the way back before I even left I heard the road was completely shutdown due to an avalanche so I just waited to leave. They do a pretty good job with maintaining the roads out there during the winter months, especially on the main arteries.

 

[Harshman]

I live in the Santa Fe NM area and have Conti DWS A/S tires on my 19 AWD GT2 and have had no issues with a bit of snow (~2 inches). I agree with others about ground clearance and the Stinger does make a good snow plow if it is powdery. I think you would be okay on roads with routine winter maintenance. There are some roads that are not plowed regularly and those are posted.

 

[MerlintheMad]

You'll be fine with AWD on A/S tires, until you get up into the mountains. Then it will be dicey and totally dependent on how well cleared the roads are; which of course depends on sudden weather changes. As already pointed out, ground clearance is the main limiter. If the snow accumulation is well over half a foot you are going to struggle even on snow tires. I think I'd try it: but then, I consider myself a superb/experienced winter driver. Hah. I would arrange with someone (assuming you are meeting other folks) to come get me and leave the Stinger in Denver or some place equally lower in elevation and where the roads are cleared.

 

[westcoastGT]

You'll be fine with AWD on A/S tires, until you get up into the mountains. Then it will be dicey and totally dependent on how well cleared the roads are; which of course depends on sudden weather changes. As already pointed out, ground clearance is the main limiter. If the snow accumulation is well over half a foot you are going to struggle even on snow tires. I think I'd try it: but then, I consider myself a superb/experienced winter driver. Hah. I would arrange with someone (assuming you are meeting other folks) to come get me and leave the Stinger in Denver or some place equally lower in elevation and where the roads are cleared.

Superb ................. Love it ! ................oh Lord its hard to be humble ! go brother go ! ..........you are definitely a superb procreator !

 

[MerlintheMad]

Superb ................. Love it ! ................oh Lord its hard to be humble ! go brother go ! ..........you are definitely a superb procreator !

Dunning Kruger awaits those who use the word "superb" too casually. Then there is the originator, who never misused it.

 

[westcoastGT]

Dunning Kruger awaits those who use the word "superb" too casually. Then there is the originator, who never misused it.
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Touche !