[Yury]

Hi All

We're getting a series of snow storms here and this was the first real winter test for the car.
I have winter tires and they work pretty well. There's some wheel spin but only at the worst possible conditions but in combination with the lower gear it works out pretty manageable. The paddles on the wheel do make it easier.

Also noticed that the trunk lid has a tendency to freeze over. I drove for about an hour with the rear defroster on and off and on arrival I found that the ice accumulated on the lower part of the window and the trunk lid gap. Not really a problem but something the engineers can keep in mind for the future perhaps.

 

[mpoczobut]

We had quite a nasty storm on Wednesday (we got about 5 inches of snow over the top of ice) and have to say that I was very impressed with my car in the snow with my new Blizzaks. I followed someone for a while in a Malibu 1LT that was obviously running their all-seasons, and they were all over the place and had trouble with small inclines. They at one point gave up and turned around. I started from a complete stop with minimal slippage. I LOVE SNOW TIRES!

The traction control worked quite well most of the time (even on inclines), however I was suprised to find out that while traction control was engaged I could not upshift while in manual mode until the traction control disengaged. There was an instance (which I frequently experienced with my CTS) that I was loosing momentum going up a hill because of the traction control. I hit the button and the TC disengaged without letting off the accelerator (very nice); this allowed me to control the wheelspin on my own while maintaining momentum. I then found that the stability control kicked in as I went around a curve in the road, and I maintained a steady line.

I tell ya, if it wasn't for this vibration / shudder issue, this would be the most amazing car that I have owned.

 

[Yury]

Btw, we also had snow on Wednesday, could have been the same system. Wasn't as bad as today though.

 

[mpoczobut]

We haven't received any snow yet today...

 

[Yury]

you're lucky. it was coming down since morning here....another storm is expected during the weekend too.

 

[Jevon]

Any experience with the stock Malibu all-seasons in the snow?

I'm picking up ma 'Bu tomorrow (yay me!) and THOUGHT I had worked out a deal thru the dealership to get winters included, but this guy in the tire shop @ the dealership said they wouldn't do 16" 215/60-16 tires on it... which should work fine as far as I know... I wasn't too impressed and felt I was being pushed by him to buy their 17" winter tires and I dont think he knew I and the salesman had already worked out an arrangement for them... but anyway I ended up getting the $2000 "value" of the tires that the salesguy kept stating them at taken right off the sticker so that's alright.

The problem is that once I pick it up tomorrow I'm stuck with the all seasons until after the Christmas break, ugh!

What are you guys using for winter tires btw? Size/brand?

 

[TMoneyR523]

I'm just using the standard all-seasons on my 2LT.. I have 14" of snow and have had NO problems navigating! Much easier than my old Cobalt! The only thing I don't like is how frequently traction control turns on and screws me up.

 

[Yury]

Any experience with the stock Malibu all-seasons in the snow?

I'm picking up ma 'Bu tomorrow (yay me!) and THOUGHT I had worked out a deal thru the dealership to get winters included, but this guy in the tire shop @ the dealership said they wouldn't do 16" 215/60-16 tires on it... which should work fine as far as I know... I wasn't too impressed and felt I was being pushed by him to buy their 17" winter tires and I dont think he knew I and the salesman had already worked out an arrangement for them... but anyway I ended up getting the $2000 "value" of the tires that the salesguy kept stating them at taken right off the sticker so that's alright.

The problem is that once I pick it up tomorrow I'm stuck with the all seasons until after the Christmas break, ugh!

What are you guys using for winter tires btw? Size/brand?

2000 value sounds kinda steep. Mine came just under 1500 Canadian tax included. 215/60R16 General Altimax tires with alloy wheels and pressure monitors.

Btw is dealer putting pressure monitors in those winter tires? Those are close to 200$ in price.

 

[Jevon]

They said they would put them in at $50 each (x4) so you're bang on with the $200, I hadn't decided if I would do that though or not yet. But the salesman kept saying I'd basically be getting the value of $2,000 if the dealership through in the winters - which like you said clearly wouldn't cost $2,000, he was just trying to make it sound good for me I guess. but when their guy in the tire office said they wouldn't do 16"... well I said screw that and asked for that $2,000 right off the sticker instead and that worked

So Yury, your 215/60R16's don't affect your warranty at all? This guy in the tire dept. said it was warranty issues that made it so they wouldn't do 16"s... Again I think he was just trying to force me to get the more expensive 17" winters, but I want to be sure too.

Good to hear your all-seasons are holding up! I'm picking the car up in about an hour and we got dumped on with snow yesterday so it's as good a time as any to test them out

 

[Yury]

Before getting the tires from an independed shop I spoke to a parts manager at my dealer and he was ok with that size. Indepent stores like tirerack actually recommed this package. Is far as I know the only issue is the difference in the wheel diameter. With 215/60R16 the diameter is between 2 and 3 % less than the stock wheels. Tirerack says to stay within 3 percent or you might have brake failure.

 

[Malibu Glow]

Before getting the tires from an independed shop I spoke to a parts manager at my dealer and he was ok with that size. Indepent stores like tirerack actually recommed this package. Is far as I know the only issue is the difference in the wheel diameter. With 215/60R16 the diameter is between 2 and 3 % less than the stock wheels. Tirerack says to stay within 3 percent or you might have brake failure.

Brake failure, where do they come up with that crap? I think they were feeding you a line when they said that. Main thing is to stay within a certain percentage of the circumference of the original tires so to not throw off the speedometer, ABS or anything else the computer relies upon with the original size tires. One way to see this is find out the circumference of the original tires and the replacements.

 

[Marshmellow_Malibu]

Here in boston we have a good 8 inches of snow and i have to say the bu has done great. I didnt expect it to be so good in the snow honestly. the main thing i may be concerned about is getting stuck. The bu is pretty low, guess ill have to wait and see but great 1st impressions with the snow

 

[09malibu]

we just had some good snow storms here the past week 10" one day, 4", and 4" others and the wife drove in all the storms with no issues. The car handles awesome in the snow. We went from an 06 Jetta to the 09 Malibu and it is a night and day difference. The jetta was really low and the traction control sucked and the malibu is a bit taller so it doesn't drag through the snow and it gets great traction with the stock tires and traction control.

 

[Yury]

Brake failure, where do they come up with that crap? I think they were feeding you a line when they said that. Main thing is to stay within a certain percentage of the circumference of the original tires so to not throw off the speedometer, ABS or anything else the computer relies upon with the original size tires. One way to see this is find out the circumference of the original tires and the replacements.

They weren't feeding anything to me personally. It's on their website. Why they are saying that I have no idea, maybe just to cover their butts. I couldn't understand that statement either.

They did say to stay within 3%. Maybe others did say that as well, can't remember. Overall the 16 inch package seems the preferred package. Maybe because it's the cheapest acceptable size.

 

[Yury]

we just had some good snow storms here the past week 10" one day, 4", and 4" others and the wife drove in all the storms with no issues. The car handles awesome in the snow. We went from an 06 Jetta to the 09 Malibu and it is a night and day difference. The jetta was really low and the traction control sucked and the malibu is a bit taller so it doesn't drag through the snow and it gets great traction with the stock tires and traction control.

could also be the added weight of the Bu compared to Jetta.

 

[mpoczobut]

Any experience with the stock Malibu all-seasons in the snow?

What are you guys using for winter tires btw? Size/brand?

It kind of depends on where you live and what type of elevations changes you need to deal with. Here in VT it is absolutely important to have not only snow tires but GOOD snow tires. As I mentioned in my previous post in this thread another 08 Malibu similar to mine was obviously running the stock all seasons, when they weren't all over the road, they were stuck and spinning on the smallest incline. I have 225 50R 17 Blizzak WS60's and I have to say they are awesome! They aren't quite as good as Nokia Hakkapellita's that I have had in the past, but since I decided to go with a 17" wheel package due to having the 18" wheels for summer, I couldn't afford Hakks this time around. They are very quiet on dry pavement as well!

 

[CYKEDLC]

I tell ya, if it wasn't for this vibration / shudder issue, this would be the most amazing car that I have owned.

So, I take it that snow pack in the tires causing the car to shake at highway speeds has been a problem for others?

 

[Yury]

So, I take it that snow pack in the tires causing the car to shake at highway speeds has been a problem for others?

no, it's not related to snow, just something in the drivetrain in some cars:
http://www.chevymalibuforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=906

 

[CYKEDLC]

no, it's not related to snow, just something in the drivetrain in some cars:

We have not seen a vibration issue other than this week after a big snow. Pulled inside to melt snow, problem went away. Obviously a different situation than mentioned in the linked topic.

 

[takoda]

Trunk freezes closed all the time on me too