Trading My Ls In...bad Snow Driver

[CougarSVT]

This car sucks in the snow. I have a family to protect and when i get stuck in 1" of snow and then my wife wrecks with 1" of snow on the ground the LS is gone....once the body shop and mechanic are done fixing it.

My advice...if you have snow...dont buy this car!!!!

[bigfreef]

I take it you never tried the car with real snow tires. I have Blizzaks on mine and I live in a snow Belt region off Lake Erie where we normally get snowfall in excess of 6-12". I never have problems getting around with my Blizzaks. My wife drives an '02 Expedition and I toss up a coin as to which car I'd rather drive in the snow. Does your car have the traction control? Try the snow tires.

[CougarSVT]

I have the best Michilen tires money can buy.....and yes we have the traction control (junk).

Not sure if new tire will help...but i will take your word for it and atleast research what you say.

[MercCougarXR7]

What kind of Michelins - winter, or all season?

I have FireHawks on my 17" factory wheels, and I agree 100% that traction sucks - at least with those wheels. My LS couldn't back up through 1" of snow on a cement driveway. Notice the Cougar wheels on my LS in the sig pic? They have el cheapo Canadian Tire "Nordic WinterTrac" tires on them.

If you have REAL snow tires - which you should because all-seasons are a joke, you will have noticed that the LS is one of the BEST cars on the road in snow. I'm not a fan of the traction control, because modulating the throtle manually works better for me. However, the advancetrac has saved my ass a few times already by keeping the car straight when I've stepped out to pass a few people on a slippery road (hey, I was impatient !).

Alot of your problems may be a result of inexperience in snow with this car. Get some decent winter tires, play around in a snowy parking lot, and you'll learn to really appreciate this car. Because you aren't likely to find anything in it's class that'll be much to any better - or safer in case schit actually does happen.

Best,

Kevin.

[CougarSVT]

yep...all season tires. And my wife just wrecked the LS"again" two days ago. Shes ok but the LS is not. We are getting it fixed ($3,900 damage) and putting "snow" tires on the back and trying that out. If that doesnt work then off the car goes. Thanks for the info!!

[MercCougarXR7]

Ouch, sorry to hear about the damage. At least the LS kept your wife safe, huh?

What'd she hit to cause $4k of damage?

[CGGorman]

Two wrecks and a recovery in one season!?!
No offense, but it sounds like the driver is the problem. Like the others here, I live in the snow/ice belt (NW Ohio) and I'm running on OEM Firehawks w/ only 50% treadlife remaining. I don't have any issues and I commute 60+ miles/day. I had a Cherokee before the LS and it was WAY worse than the LS unless I put in 4WD. 'Course then it made 11 MPG on the highway. My wife's front-driver isn't any better, either. The best tires on earth won't save a careless driver.


What'cha gonna trade into?
If you're hell-bent for leather, get yourself a 4x4 with locking diffs and studded snow tires. Pray you don't hit any ice, though.

[Russ Engs]

My 2001 LS V6 manual has Goodyear Ultragrip Ice winter tires on 16" alloys and Advance Trac and is one of the best cars I have ever driven on snow and ice. I live in Ontario and we have plenty of it right now - 3' snow banks and almost all roads snow-covered. I generally choose to drive the LS in the snow over my 4x4 Suburban due to its far superior steering and braking. The LS will also climb a steep hill of freshly fallen snow (4 - 6") from a dead stop and actually accelerate all the way up - with the advance trac on or off - it doesn't matter. With the manual trans the car is actually a blast to drive in the snow because it does anything you want it to and is very controllable with the rear wheel drive. My summer tires are 17" Michelin Pilot Sport A/S's but despite their all season rating they are not very happy on snow or ice. The only car I have driven that I like better than mine on snowy roads is my buddy's Audi A4 1.8 quattro with 5 speed manual and dedicated snow tires - that thing is all set for a winter road rally! So anyway, don't blame the car - just get some decent winter tires and remember that you can't drive on snow and ice the way you do on dry pavement. The Lincoln LS is as good or better in the winter as any front or rear wheel drive sedan on the road.

[Timbers]

Yes your right, I drove the LS through last winter and part of this winter with all season radials, half bald ones at that. It was a joke, Im a good driver and I couldn't get the fricking car to MOVE from an intersection, either sit there with the traction control doing nothing, or take it off and listen to the wheels spin while everyone honks at you.

Now, I spent $818 bucks two weeks ago and had some Blizzak LM22s put on. I tell you, and I'm not exaggerating, I have a 1000% different opinion about this car now. The thing is unstoppable in the snow. Up to a point, I wouldn't go through huge ass drifts, or 1 foot of slushy snow, but I pass SUVs, and every other moron out there with all-seasons on, simply because I feel safe with them now. Yes traction control has saved my ass too by preventing me from getting into a spin when I get a little agressive.

I can't brag loud enough about how happy I am with the Blizzak snow tires though. I live in Wisconsin, and I almost got rid of the LS as well just because it was worthless in the snow, until now...

...Tim