I've been following this Forum for a short while now. I bought an 04 Crossfire a few weeks ago. Nice little car and it has only 12k miles on it.. I Bought it for the gas mileage, and plan to park the F150. Everybody on the Forum said the gas mileage is pretty good.

My question is how do these cars handling driving in winter conditions, especially with snow?? Does this car have a Sure Grip or Posi Trac rear Differential??

Thanks!!!

 

If you are going to be driving it in the snow, it will need snow tires in the rear at minimum. Depending on how much snow you have on the roads, you might need sand or some form of weight in the trunk to help get traction.

...and in answer to your differential question, no the crossfire does not have a posi trac rear differential.

 

With my 2004 auto coupe I've found that the wetter the snow the better the car does. I've had problems with the car in light or compact snow that isn't slush, ice is a disaster. Snow tires do make a difference but it in no way turns it into a snowmobile, plus they are expensive. The traction control is annoying and can keep you from going anywhere and the winter driving mode is useless beyond eating extra gas. Good luck this winter.

 

Winter Diving?? I don't know if I'd try a swan dive into a frozen lake.

 

I drove my 05 every winter since I bought it in 07. Put a good all-season set on there and you should be fine. The biggest challenge will be ground clearance in deep snow of course. Otherwise I was very pleased with the performance here in Michigan winters. I put it away this year because the Goodyear Assymetric Summer tires I have on her would be disastrous in the snow and I can't currently afford the Conti DWS all-seasons I want. Besides I have a Saab I want to run again this winter.

But if I had the right tires on her, I'd keep the XF out and drive it. Good luck.

 

Owners manual says that the best thing to do for winter driving is to replace the stock 19" rear wheels with a second set of 18" front wheels, with the stock front tire size.

That will save you a bunch of money on finding a winter tire for the stock rear size.

BC.

 

TireRack still has some 265/35/19 Blizzack LM-25s....they were only $105....raised to $136....Tireseasy wants $396 each for this same tire????????

After >5,000 miles only 1/32nd (of original 11/32nds) has worn down.....amazing!!!!

 

I dumped beaucoup bucks on my stock-sized Dunlop 3D winter tires, but I don't regret the purchase. On ice, it's pretty sketchy business, but on snow and in slush, it's just awesome.

 

I live in Buffalo where we get to much show and I have 265/35/19 Blizzack LM-25s and love them!!!!! Bought them three weeks ago from tire rack 298 delivered.

 

I went through a full chicago winter with a pretty bad negative camber and stock tires, and it was TOUGH! And I am an experienced driver in the snow. I definitely recommend snow tires or if you are going to have stock tires, at least have 80+ tread on them.

It was worse than my a lot more powerful mustangs.

 

Dont do it get a winter beater !!! Better to have someone hit the beater than your crossfire !!!! Just my thinking !!!!

 

Drives fine here in Chicago. I've driven through places that SUV's have gotten stuck, as long as I had some tread left on my A/S's. Now the rears are bald and I don't have the money to replace then. Don't know what I'm gonna do.

 

Thanks fellows,,,, I was hopping the rear end was a Sure Grip,, I stll plan to add weight to the back end. I've got several cast iron wheel weights I can add.
Ed, I really dont have a beater any more,, Just sold my 83 D150. Needed the shop space & just got to where I didn't use the beater anymore.

 

This is my second winter on the stock Crossfire. I have never had any trouble driving the car in the winter. Of course, I have never had any trouble driving any car in the winter since I moved here from Michigan.

 

Honestly you would be much better off driving your F150 safety wise. I drive my car year round and you can drive it.... but you got to take it slow and be careful. I would honestly turn your traction control off cause it will get you stuck. I agree with MuscleFan about Mustangs being better in the snow. The more weight you got in the car the better.

 

Funny story once. I helped push a mustang that stuck while driving in my XF. Didn't really have a problem driving away. Just gotta make sure the T/C is off and spin the wheels a little and off you go.

 

Instead of cast iron weights, visit a big box hardware store and pick up a couple tube bags of sand. They weight 60 lbs each, no hard edges, and you can always dump the sand under the wheels if you need traction.

 

Their is room for 3 tubes.

 

That is pretty funny but Mustangs would generally do better in the snow cause they weigh more. The more weight in the snow the better. The person probably didn't know how to keep his foot off the gas.

 

Not with the top down