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It's your tires. I have turbo sways, and Bilstein Touring struts on my 87, and it handles very well- they seem to be a benefit, not a hindrance to snow traction. I am running Gislaved Nord Frost II's in the rear only on steel wheels, size 185/70R14, with my Michelin MXV+4's in the front, my year-round tires on my Virgo rims. Yes, the tire sizes are mismatched. Doesn't matter- the NordFrosts are so good that they go and stop in the snow. The car feels stuck to the road, or at least capable of getting up those hills and stopping coming down them. The car is stuck to the road.
My neighbor, who has brand new Pirelli P4000's, 185/70-14, on her 88 745 wagon, can't get going to save her life- they're all seasons and they are AWFUL in the snow. They simply will not bite.
Weight in the rear is a good thing- I add about 150 lbs to the trunk of each car for a little extra traction. I still drive cautiously, and I expect that conditions will be worse "just around the bend" as I go, but I can go and I can stop. I can usually spin the tires or slide if I want to- but I feel I can safely keep up with anything else on the road. We've just gotten our second round of miserable winter weather, and I drove home through about the worst of it. No troubles, even backing into my driveway, which is always entertaining when it's slippery.
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 225K, 88 744GLE- 209K, 91 244 183K. Also responsible for the care and feeding of: 88 745GLE, 229K, 88 244GL, 146K, 87 244DL, 235K, 88 245DL, 236K
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