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Finally got a chance to test out the G4 snow/ice driving characteristics. Driving down the road, it did fine. I did notice that, even at low speed, she wants to slip and slide as I approach a stop sign, kicking in the abs along the way. I'm guessing its a lot to do with the low curb weight, but maybe the LRR tires contribute a bit also? Anyone notice this?
I took the wifes sorento for a quick drive the other day, almost slid through the second stop sign I hit. My car is light with snow tires, wifes is heavy with stock junk tires. Obviously tires plays a factor but I don't think being light is a bad thing, way less momentum to try and stop. At least that's my theory on ice. Oh and stock tires suck on ice. Most tires will suck unless they have a soft compound and lots of sipes, or studs. My stock dunlops were ok til I swapped them but no comparison to the cheapo snow tires I have.
The roads around my work have been pretty slushy lately with warmer temps(around 0C) I creep around corners and still have the stability control kick in making noises similar to bottoming out and scraping the entire bottom of the car. Took a few times to figure out wth that noise was. It is nice to not have the back end kick out into oncoming traffic on accident and looking like a goof.
Some experts will argue abs and stability control were created by satan, I don't find it too overwhelming on this car like I did on our prehistoric Armada. It will try to stop you from trying to pull a 180 by using the e-brake if you don't disable it first. So I hear.
Could be ice, could be snow, could be a factor of both. I know that anytime my 2015 'senses' a slide (go straight) while braking, the ABS will automatically go on. This happened with the stock tires and with my current snow tires. The ASC (Active Stability Control) also goes on when it senses the 'rears' are sliding out too. Which is actually really nice and super helpful if you don't know how to control the car during a situation like that.
Yeah I've had it happen a few times on ice. If it's a stop sign, I do what my mirage requests and keep going lol
I pull fuses when I know I'm driving on lots of ice, the ABS is much to sensitive and dramatically increases stopping distances. This is true of most vehicles on truly slick surfaces with a competent driver though.
You want to go on a TRULY terrifying drive on slick surfaces? Have 200lb of water jugs in the rear hatch. She uh... she swings pretty wildly. I had to move them to the rear seats on my drive home on Friday afternoon.
I find the car, on Dunlop Winters, to be quite bad compared to the other hatch on Cooper Evos.
It does well enough, but it's nothing amazing (no idea why everybody on the Mirage FB group praises them as crazily as they do in the snow)
In the States, 165/65r14 winter tire options are pretty much Dunlop Winter Maxx WM02 & Nokian Nordman 7 (offered in both studded & non-studded tires). Dunlop may get high praise, because of limited choices here?Quote:
Originally Posted by nickels
The other factory size (175/55r15) seems even worst for winter tire choices. Having 14" rims on my Mirage, I haven't look all that hard at 15" snow tire choices, but 175/55r15 snow tires choices appear to be lacking here, too. It may be worst than 14" choices?
Tirerack.com does offer the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in both factory tires sizes, & it's a somewhat well received all-weather (not all-season) tire that does OK in winter.
Obviously, jumping to a slightly different size like 175/65r14 creates more snow tire options. If members are sticking to 165/65r14 factory size winter tires, however, you're looking @ the Dunlop & Nokian.
Having dealt with winter ridge roads for decades, the Mirage is not spectacular in snow. It's not the worst FWD vehicle I have owned, but it's surely not the best either. My very, very basic 1990 Ford Festiva was awesome in snow with its 145SR12 tires. I never found snow tires for that car, but I never felt like I needed them either. My Mirage with Nokian snow tires up front isn't anywhere as good as the Festiva in snow. Why? I don't really know? A 1990 Festiva surely didn't have ABS, traction control, stability control, etc. & the 12" skinny tires surely didn't hold it back from climbing ridge roads. I drove the Festiva for 14 winters, & it always made it home in the winter. I can't say the same for my Mirage.
I drove to town today during a decent snow storm. The roads were pretty bad. Worst I have been on this winter. My Subaru Forester with its older style Cooper Weather-Master S/T2 snow tires is amazing in snow. My Mirage would not have made it home today. Ironically, the snow plow came by my house 10 minutes after I got home. Thus, I would have made it home with my Mirage eventually I guess.
Some people don't make it up the road I climb in the winter. I've helped stranded women in mini-vans turn their vehicle around in the road to go back down. The one side is a drop off into a large gully, & it is scary for them. I live in the driftless region of Wisconsin, & it is a bit more rugged terrain here. It justifies owning an AWD vehicle & using snow tires.
The Mirage is not a horrible winter car, but there are days when I appreciate my AWD vehicle. Today was one of them.
You guys getting the snow we are in NE WI? 7-12 due by this eveningQuote:
Originally Posted by Mark
It has tapered off at the moment, but it came down pretty good this morning. I haven't plowed out my driveway yet. Waiting to see if more is coming. We are more in the 4-8" range, but we are past 4" already today for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pryme
I get a good report form NE Wisconsin, because my parents live north of Green Bay. Be safe!
You guys MUST have the Pirelli in the states. 165/65/14. Killer little snow tire, but of course it's a Pirelli (we sell 4 of em for $650). Pirelli Cinturato Winter, sweet little tire.
I have never seen 165/65r14 Pirelli tires offered on any tire site that I look at, except for 1010tires.com.Quote:
Originally Posted by nickels
https://www.1010tires.com/Tires/165-65R14
I had contacted a Canadian tire vendor prior to purchasing a pair of Nokian Nordman 7 snow tires, because they had a good selection of 165/65r14 snow tires. They were not interested in selling snow tires to the United States. That was 3 years ago, however. I don't remember the vendor, or the tires I was interested in any more.
I would have to take your word on the Pirelli snow tires being good. I prefer a more open tread pattern for snow tires myself. I am not a big fan of directional tires (prevents tire rotations to both sides), but my Nokian are that way, too. Even Cooper snow tires (my favorite) has gone to direction snow tires. I preferred their older style snow tires.
1010.tires.com does seem to offer some alternative options, but they seem sold out of stuff most of the time. Seems like the Dunlop and Nokian snow tires are pushed/stocked the most in the States to me.
Eventually, I see myself trying the 165/65r14 Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires. If I like them, I will use two sets. Newer set for the winter months and older set used up during the summer months. I value traction over LRR, but the Vredestein may not be horrible for that either. The Nokian Nordman 7 tires are better than most snow tires when it comes to LRR, too.
If it's really nasty out like today, I still have my AWD Forester. I don't care what tires you put on a Mirage, it's not going to compete.