Snow problems I live in MN and the car isn't really great in the snow. Is there anything I can do to make it better other than snow tires?

About the only semi-solution to your problem is weight and good tires. I used to fill the pickup bed with snow. Snow is free, heavy and always around when you need it and melts away when you don't.
Good tires are essential as no matter which kind of differential you have if the tires can't grip you won't go anywhere.

Hello. Welcome to FixYa. Please allow us to assist you.

In a word, finding tires that will handle snow and ice, and last for 45,000 miles is a difficult task.

Tires that perform better in the snow are traditionally 'softer' tires, and are not going to last 45,000 miles, due to the inherently softer tread composition..

We here recommend Bridgestone "Blizzak" winter tires. We have found their performance on snow to be simply tremendous. I would get come Blizzaks installed if I were you.

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for all out traction on now and ice you cant beat a set of bridgestone blizzacks. They are a winter only tire but man are they great in the snow.

For all season tires I was impressed with the goodyear comfortreds that I put on my wife's van. I also like the assurance and triple treads, they would be worth looking at also. I have always had good luck with the higher end tiger paws. They make a touring tire that is pretty good in the snow.

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jeremy_d728a59f986299fa

Hello. Yes, snow tires will give you the best possible traction in winter driving conditions, better that all season. The size tire depends upon the size of your rim so go to a tire store and shop around. They will tell you what size your vehicle requires. As far as kind goes, I prefer Michelin but any brand name snow tire will work fine.
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Snow tires.

All season tires are jacks of all trades but masters of none. You might find that some all season tires are great in snow but then when you drive over wet snow or any ice it's like you're on your rims.

For your car I recommend Yokohama Iceguard. They aren't cheap but then body work and tow trucks aren't either.

Not a good idea at all! The speedo will be out, but that's the least of your worries. It will become harder to accelerate and will make the transmission and engine work harder. You will have reduced braking efficiency and more rapid wear as the brake system was not designed to deal with the higher mechanical advantage of a taller tire. The vehicle will not handle as well, besides having a taller sidewall and center of gravity, the suspensions scrub radius will change and it will make it feel twitchy to drive. Your gas mileage will suffer as the engine and trans were not designed around this tire diameter. The larger tire will have a higher rolling resistance and weigh more as well.
If anything, for a snow tire, you really need a skinnier tire rather than a bigger one. Skinny tires bite the snow and ice better. If it were me, I would be looking for a 215 65 16 Same ride hieght and slightly narrower tread.

Snow tires are better for Winter But, Change them back out for Spring or they will not last very long on Regular Asphalt. They are made from a Softer Rubber than all Season Tires. Please Rate My Response! Thanks!

This car is great in the snow. It has front wheel drive; however you should buy FOUR snow tires for safety's sake!

Well, this web site asks me to give people advice, so here goes. I was born and raised in the north and still live up near Wisconsin, so we get a lot of snow, EH. Snow tires for those of us living in the great north are a good investment. They create superior traction in the snow and that's what you need.

The reason you don't run them in the summer time is because of the tread design. The design is made to fill with snow, so they run smoother. Running them on dry pavement with wear them out prematurely and cause a rough ride.

Buy them at a tire store near you where you can get them changed over when summer time comes.
jetski

On the plus side, 2wd gets better gas mileage, is cheaper to operate over time (no 4x4 transfer case or any 4x4 components to wear out or maintain). With a good set of snow tires and weight in the back, winter traction should be ok. The mileage 63k, is good too. If u live in southern New England, as I do, u can probably get by w/out 4x4.
On the negative side, If you have a job that requires u to be there no matter what the weather, and u live where there's a lot of snow, then maybe 4x4 is really necessary. How many days over the last few winters did you REALLY need 4x4? Around here, I'd say maybe 6 days a year. Do you really need it for 6 days?(or however many for your area). It is great to have when u need it, but u have to justify the extra expense for occasional need.
On a personal note, my 1st truck was 2wd, and I hauled a lot of stuff to the dump when I purchased a run down house. After loading up to overflowing, I got stuck in the yard, and had to unload everything to get out. I swore I'd never own a 2wd truck again. But gas was about 45 cents a gallon then, and now, 2 4x4's later, I avoid driving the truck due to gas prices, (I do plow snow, haul firewood, lumber, etc, buts after all this blah blah blah, I probably have u more confused than ever! GOOD LUCK, and let me know what u decide. countrycurt0