Yesterday was the 2nd time in 2 months, I got stuck on a hill 3 blocks from home. I think the car is too light and/or the low-profile tires suck. I've owned front-wheel drive cars before, and they've done great in bad weather. My HHR hasn't.

I know previously, a lot of owners here said they have no problems. Perhaps they live in a flat area, or have better tires, I don't know.

0 for 2 in the snow and I'm not impressed !

 

Like this?

 

Old Ray, you got some nice ones in the back ground.

 

Do you have the Firestone Firehawk GTA-03 Tires? Those things suck in the snow and ice. Actually suck is being nice. I have never had problems with a FWD car in the snow until this car and those craptastic tires. The replacement set will probably be Yokohama or Michelin.

 

I've had no issues in snow. I have the GTA03 tires, and while not great in snow I've dealt with worse.

 

I have the Firestones and I hate them. They are the worst tires I have ever had on a fwd car.

 

Check out this thread

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/tires-wheels-49/tomshhr-firestone-winterforce-tire-review-12218/

 

I see we were in the same snow and ice storm yesterday! (I live up in Germantown, MD, and work in McLean, VA.)

I have done some research on tires since I purchased my HHR Dec 14, 2007, and have learned that the Firestone stock tires (Firestone Firehawk GTA-03) have a horrible snow and ice rating, which you and I found out first hand yesterday!

If you want to have the "super best" studless snow tires for the HHR, and you are willing to spend the money, then consider Bridgestone's Blizzak WS6. THEY will do the trick. But once the weather turns warm...CHANGE them to summer tires that are excellent on wet pavement. (As you know, we get a lot of rain in spring and summer.) But since we don't get a lot of snow (like the folks in upper New York and Denver) I suggest we both move to some solid, proven All-Season Tires. After four weeks of study, I have narrowed it down to two tires:

Bridgestone Potenza G 009
Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S

The Michelin will give you a little stiffer ride, but Pilots are excellent tires; I had them on an SUV and they served me extremely well. I am seriously considering (especially after yesterday's snow storm) turning in my Firestones (with only 2113 mile on them) for the Michelins.

I have read and heard both excellent and not-so-good things about the Bridgestone Potenza. A friend of mine that sells tires, says the the Potenzas are "good all around tires", but he "swears" by the BF Goodrich Traction T/A V. You will note that I didn't have the Goodrich tires on my short list above. I have to admit, I don't like Goodrich tires because they tend to wear out quickly. So I am biased against Goodrich, but YOU may still want to check them out. Like I said, my friend thinks they are excellent. And I want to be fair and give you as much info as I can. My friend has been in the tire business for 25+ years. (He also says the Michelin Pilots are excellent but "pricey" compared to the Goodrich Tires - the Pilots are about $50 more per tire over the Goodrich.)

Also, see article: http://www.complaintsboard.com/news/...es-rating.html

I have found Michelins to always work well for me and will most likely order them within the week. They will cost me around $650 for four tires, but tires are one of the two "life-line" items that one should NEVER go cheap: Tires and brakes. Good tires and good brakes can save your life, conversely, poor tires and weak brakes can send you to the morgue.

I sincerely hope this is helpful. AND...I hope to see you May 17 at the G2G in Gettysburg, MD.

Sincerely,

MWG2

POST SCRIPT UPDATE AS OF 19-JAN-08 @ 9:04 AM: I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH MY MECHANIC (OF 21 YEARS) AND HE SAID THERE ARE REALLY ONLY TWO TIRES THAT I SHOULD CONSIDER:

THE MICHILEN PILOT EXALTO A/S AND THE YOKOHAMA AVID V4S.

YOU NEED TO KNOW, I REALLY TRUST THIS GUY. HE HAS BEEN THE BEST, MOST HONEST MECHANIC I HAVE EVER KNOWN. HE SAID THE AVID V4S WILL BE THE BETTER OF THE TWO FOR DRY PAVEMENT PERFORMANCE, THE MICHILEN IS THE BETTER OF THE TWO FOR WET AND SNOW PERFORMANCE. BOTH, HE SAID, ARE "PERFECT" FOR THE HHR. I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE BRIDGESTONE AND HE SAID THAT IS A "GOOD" TIRE BUT NOT AS GOOD AS THE MICHILEN PILOT OR YOKO AVID V4S. I THEN ASKED HIM ABOUT THE GOODRICH TIRE AND HE ASKED ME IF I WAS KIDDING. SO...

I HAD HIM ORDER THE PILOTS: TOTAL COST WITH INSTALLATION $808.00. EXPENSIVE? YES! WORTH IT? YES! (SEE "LIFE LINE" STATEMENT ABOVE.)

OH YES, BEFORE I TOLD HIM WHY I WAS CALLING, I TOLD HIM THAT I JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2007 HHR AND THE FIRST THING HE SAID WAS, "I KNOW WHY YOU'RE CALLING; YOU WANT TO REPLACE THOSE PIECE OF CRAP FIREHAWK TIRES, RIGHT?" I JUST STARTED LAUGHING AND I SAID "YOU KNOW ME ALL TOO WELL." HE THEN ASKED IF I HAD INSTALLED A REAR SWAY BAR. (MAN HE KNOWS ME AND HE KNOWS CARS!) AND THEN HE ASKED, "TELL ME BARRY, TELL ME THAT YOU DIDN'T INSTALL A K&N INTAKE KIT OVER THE ENGINE, PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN'T DO THAT." I SAID "NO" AND HE SAID, "GOOD." I ASKED HIM WHY AND HE SAID THAT CHEVY HAD DONE A VERY GOOD JOB AT DESIGNING THE COLD AIR INTAKE FOR THE ECTOTEC ENGINE AND THAT PUTTING AN INTAKE AIR KIT THAT SITS ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WILL SUCK IN WARM AIR - NOT GOOD FOR THE ENGINE.

OK, THAT'S IT. I WILL POST MY REVIEW OF THE PILOT TIRES AFTER I DRIVE ON THEM FOR A WHILE.

 

I've finally decided to select the following tires for my HHR.


costco


After driving through moderate rain and hydroplaning all over the place, even at 40 mph (in a 55 zone), I'm done with the p.o.s. Firestone Firehawk GTA tires that only have 15k on them. They just don't displace water well, much less snow grip. I really wish Chevy would have insisted on better tires, or at the very least, given us the option to purchase better tires from the start. These tires are just plain dangerous. Worst I've ever owned by far.

 

Guess I need new tires because I had the worst time ever getting out of my driveway this winter (uphill). My astro van which wasn't very good either had better luck than the HHR.