I am about to take delivery of this awesome car. What are people using for decent snow performance? Do I need to buy a second set of wheels or just new tires? Any suggestions are welcome

--Jeffrey Steinberg, Scarsdale, NY

unfortunately, there are no 16" available for you. 17" is the smallest u can go due to the brake clearance. them 4-piston calipers from brembo will do that. however, the good news is...the 17" is equiped with 235-45-17 tires. u can put 225-45-17 snow tires, which albeit expensive, can be had from various tire manufacturers. u should consult the owner's manual when u get ur car for what it recommends for snow tire sizes...

I don't have the zippy model, just a na 2.4 in mine. I bought 16 inch steel wheels with 205/55 16s. The steel wheels are the only thing to run in winter, in my opinion. Go back to the dealer and bend over again. They will be glad to set you up with a winter package. Despite the higher HPs your car has I don't think that you want to go any wider. Narrower tires will sink in and bite better, and if you go too wide you will float in slush and snow.

there are a very few manufacturers that now make 17" car-scale, not truck-scale performance snow tires. Bridgestone is one, Dunlop is another. Also useful will be a second set of alloys to mount the snows on, because the alloys will get scratched every time the tires are switched. Nobody seems to offer studded tires in that size and the hydrophilic compound wears out after just a few seasons, The H-rated Bridgestones are $154 ea. at Tire Rack, plus the cost of the second set of Volvo alloys, so this all adds up.

"Winter Beaters"

-Punxsutawney Phil

What size tires do people get for snow tires.

Dealer recommended 225/45/17 but I have heard others mention 235/45/17. Which size is best?

--jeffrey steinberg, scarsdale, ny