Impressed with how the bonnieville handles snow.

[bobjones003]

Well it is good to say that my Bonneville handles snow ice roads just like my old 92 did. I would actual say better then the 92. The road in gr,mi have been very poor condition. Put 250 miles on it seems not have very much trouble with traction at all or stopping. The front end is complete ice covered.

[yourgrandma]

Your SE doesnt have stabiliwhack like my ssei. Most irritating thing in the world when a bunch of nanny systems tell me how to drive.

[99BonnevilleSE]

Your SE doesnt have stabiliwhack like my ssei. Most irritating thing in the world when a bunch of nanny systems tell me how to drive.

Yes, screw Stability Control. I've put almost 2500 miles on the mothers Buick Terraza recently for some unforeseen circumstances that haved left me without a car temporarily. And my #1 complaint about it is the Stability Control. I don't like when the car reacts to something. It throws me off. Not to mention how bad the DBW is, or the awful gas mileage. The list of complaints goes on... But back on topic. Every H-Body I've driven has been wonderful in the snow. My 99 also without Stability Control was probably one of my favorite things to drive in the snow. Can't speak for the 07 Lucerne as much, as I've only driven it a few times in crappy weather.

[00Beast]

With snow tires and Stabilitrak not working, my car is fine, till the idiots here at school let it turn into an icy mess...

[bobjones003]

Yeah I had 99gl intrigue with that seems to annoy me more then help. Actually what I really like about the car is how well the I can tell what road like though acceleration and steering wheel. Just general road noise as long as my stereo is turn down which it was the past few days. The intrigue had magentic steering a did not like that very much the car like basic steering I can feel the road. I had tendency to overdrive the car I did not realize it was at limit tell it was over it or very close. My dodge 00 es neon(steering was to much assistance) was like that well. Bonneville that I have driven I tend be able to better "feel" how the car is handling road condition as it make more comfortable with the car.

[99BonnevilleSE]

Yeah I had 99gl intrigue with that seems to annoy me more then help. Actually what I really like about the car is how well the I can tell what road like though acceleration and steering wheel. Just general road noise as long as my stereo is turn down which it was the past few days. The intrigue had magentic steering a did not like that very much the car like basic steering I can feel the road. I had tendency to overdrive the car I did not realize it was at limit tell it was over it or very close. My dodge 00 es neon(steering was to much assistance) was like that well. Bonneville that I have driven I tend be able to better "feel" how the car is handling road condition as it make more comfortable with the car.

Definitely couldn't agree more. The Bonneville is definitely a "driver's car" no doubt. Especially a fan of the cable driven throttle, nothing quite like that feel.

[04Bonnerville]

My 95 and now my 04 have been fabulous in the snow around Chicago and now South Bend. (Gotta love lake effect snow) I will drive in the left lane on the highway that nobody else will dare go in. I can usually go 10-15 faster than others, too. When I feel the wheels getting a little squirrelly, I back off the throttle a little. Sometimes I feel like others think I'm crazy, but after 18 years, I know how my car handles in the snow. Big, heavy, front wheel drive, 3800 -- just wish GM comes out with something comparable when it is time to retire the 04.

[nos4blood70]

I love having FE2 and no stability control because I get lift off oversteer to impress the ladies. Also, if it snows like last night, empty parking lot, traction off, and there I go snow drifting with the best of them. Take that Stabilitrak.

Anyone else think that having the Stabilitrak kick on mid corner feels a bit awkward too? Guess I haven't had enough seat time in an 00+ SSEi.

[bobjones003]

Still kind rather have supercharger. If my car had supercharger it would have smaller pulley for sure

[crash93ssei]

Really any vehicle with good suspension components (not worn out) and good tires (actual winter / snow tires preferably) will drive amazing in winter. Any car you own, if it handles like crap in the snow, give the suspension a good look and replace anything wore out and throw some Blizzaks on it then be amazed!

My '03 feels unstoppable with 215/65/16 Blizzaks on it, like driving on Velcro compared to any all season tire. I haven't had the '02 in much snow yet, but I don't imagine it will be nothing too impressive with the all seasons it has.... next year it will have snow tires.

[gweg_b]

This is how I feel about my Buick. Many years ago, I put BF Goodrich Traction T/A all season's on it, and I swear, those things worked as well as snow tires. In that car I could plow through the worst slush on the road, and not have one issue. As long as I didn't hit ice, I had nothing to worry about.

I can't speak for the nanny systems on the Bonneville, as I've never driven it in the snow (first winter I had it, it sat due to a blown valve cover gasket - oil was everywhere). Doesn't really matter now, as I haven't had Stabilitrak or ABS for almost 2 years now (wire corrosion), and the car has performance all season tires, which are useless in the snow.

Next year, I might get a set of snow tires for the Bonneville. Just couldn't pull it off this year, as buying a G8 cancels out the ability to purchase snow tires.

[Hotwheels]

Yep, tires make a world of difference in the snow. Traction control can sometimes be more of a hindrance than help....and sometimes the same can be said of vehicles with auto AWD when you put them in deep snow. Sometimes you need to be able to spin a bit to get yourself out of the deep stuff!

Another case in point: had to rescue my boss this week, who was driving the company vehicle - '03 Honda Element AWD. Has fantastic hookup in the snow with good tires, but he took it in a parking lot with 6" of snow, stopped, and got stuck. The auto AWD couldn't figure out what to do with itself, while it spun one tire and another. Pulled up to him in the '03 Grand Cherokee with lockable multi-mode 4WD with not a single issue. Didn't spin a single tire. This is why I love the more old-school SUVs/trucks with lockable 4WD and not just an auto mode for soccer moms.

My wife's previous DD was an '02 Sonata GLS V6....fun car to drive, peppy, light, great MPG. But it had the oddest snap oversteer out of nowhere...on a FWD VEHICLE! It would fishtail as if it was RWD, but of course you couldn't steer with the throttle - you just had to hang on and hope you weren't going to wreck it. Tried new tires, and that didn't help either. Neither of us have ever spun out a vehicle in snow until that car....happened 3 times where it did a 180 out of nowhere. That, coupled with several other spendy problems led to it's dismissal from our garage. Got the '08 Fusion V6 instead, and that thing is so stable in the snow. Can't seem to get it bent out of shape even playing around with it. And oddly enough, being an SEL loaded with gadgets, it doesn't have traction control. I guess it was a standalone option, and this one didn't get it. Which is ok I guess, but 1st gear is so low (4:58:1 I think) and it has an abundance of power, it will spin easily on slippery stuff....wish I could override it into 2nd gear starts (bummer is it just has PRNDL), or have the SelectShift that the 2010's have.

[BonneMe]

Tires make all a huge difference, but a car has to have decent suspension and weight balance. 92-99 have a bit of rear end snap in them because they're very nose heavy. Fast and responsive suspension is important on ruts and bumpy surfaces.

Stability control isn't bad on its own, but it needs to be a good system, and fully defeatable. My last two cars have been great with stability control, they allow the car to make turns, and respond in ways where a single brake and gas pedal cannot.

Stability control needs grip to work though, the more you give it (winter tires) the more effective it can be. My GTI was ok with all seasons, but it and the BMW have amazed me with how they perform.

Older GM systems like stabilitrack and their older traction control setup, both really big an engine down, and aren't as advanced as modern systems.

[BonnieBoy08]

My old '95 Grand Prix took on snow like no other! I just had on Mastercraft LSR Touring all seaon tires. My parents live on a back country gravel road which is always the last to get plowed. But we had about 18" of snow one day and that thing just kept chugging along through everything! You could watch the snow push off the front bumper. My Alero was worthless in the snow, brand new tires and I buried it in only about 6", was just too light I think. When we towed it we caught a brake line along the frame rail and that put her outta commission for awhile. The Bonnie has done ok in the snow, traction control isn't much help usually turn that off. The tires are not that agressive as they have a lower profile? Seems the bigger the rims the less options you have for an agressive tread pattern. OH and the Grand Prix had a 2nd gear start button which was awesome in the winter! Why GM ever quit doing this is beyond me!

[38kronik00]

After reading all of this, I miss snow. One year I will be back in the north during winter. Woo hoo lol, glad your impressed with the snow handling!

[bobjones003]

Yeah I was it did good this winter. Now that is spring it got couple of maintenance issue repaired. Run like champ