[bjrosen]

We've just had our first real storm and as I feared the Volt is awful in the snow. I haven't owned snow tires in about 20 years, my last couple of cars were AWD and didn't need them, not only were they much more sure footed in the snow than the Volt but they never got stuck. I was just at the winter farmers market at the local Agway and I couldn't get out of their driveway without a running start, the Volt just sat there at the top of the driveway and wouldn't move, had to back down the hill a few feet and get up a head of steam. So it's clear I need snow tires. My questions are,

1) 2 or 4 tires?
2) Extra rims, should I buy them from the Chevy dealer or is there another source?
3) Recommended tires?

Talked to the Chevy dealer, aluminum rims from Chevy are $515 each, that's a non starter. So recommended rims please.

Costco is selling Velox Nordica rims for 122.49. Anybody have any experience with them.

Also can I buy sensors anywhere or do I need to buy them from Chevy. The dealer quoted me $87 a sensor

 

[IATSE]

1 - 4 tires
2 - TireRack
3 - Blizzak

 

[Joe67]

We've just had our first real storm and as I feared the Volt is awful in the snow. I haven't owned snow tires in about 20 years, my last couple of cars were AWD and didn't need them, not only were they much more sure footed in the snow than the Volt but they never got stuck. I was just at the winter farmers market at the local Agway and I couldn't get out of their driveway without a running start, the Volt just sat there at the top of the driveway and wouldn't move, had to back down the hill a few feet and get up a head of steam. So it's clear I need snow tires. My questions are,

1) 2 or 4 tires?
2) Extra rims, should I buy them from the Chevy dealer or is there another source?
3) Recommended tires?

So many threads here on the topic.

Start by searching on winter and review the results.
Browse the tire/wheel sub-forum- http://gm-volt.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?41-Wheels-amp-Tires-Chevy-Volt

1. Buy four matching tires - always.
2. Some just have witter tires swapped to their OEM wheels. Some buy wheels for winter tires. Dealer is the last place I'd buy OEM wheels due to the price. Search local salvage yards, wheel/tire shops, ebay or craigslist for OEM wheels. I ordered black steelies from a Canadian seller for $75 each shipped just this week.
3. Blizzak and x-ice are the heavy hitters. There are others as well.

 

[canehdian]

Always 4 tires. It should never even be a question to get 2 or 4.

I plan to get x-ice3.

 

[llninja]

1 - 4 tires
2 - TireRack
3 - Blizzak

I actually drove my volt through snowageddon 1 and 2 without incident, but as year 3 was coming, the OEM tires were slipping and sliding even in rain so they had to go. A pebble in the tread causing a leak sealed the deal. I ended up buying new 18" wheels and lower profile tires for summer and putting a set of Yokohama ICEguards on my OEMs. I know this doesn't work if you think you need snow tires now.

We just had an ice storm last night, and I'm actually in the garage right now swapping my all season for snow and ice. I can't wait to get out there to see just how much traction I get from these as last winter was terribly disappointing. The snow tires were on the car for a total of 36 hours through one March snow storm.

One downfall to the 18" wheels, the look of the car changes dramatically when I put the OEMs back on. I got Sport Edition P4's plus a new set of TPMS sensors and a relearn tool. The whole setup was about $2000 (new wheels, new 18" tires, new TPMS, new snow tires for the OEMS) but this is a small price to pay for great looks and safety. I don't want my wife to have to cash in on the life insurance policy because I was too cheap to get great tires.

 

[hellsop]

I just put four Blizzaks on the stock rims. Tirerack didn't have anything cheap enough to be attractive in stock when I ordered last week, So I may end up getting some pretty rims in spring and putting the Ecopias on those, or I'll just keep moving rubber on and off. It'll take about eight swaps before the hassle of moving the rubber (vs swapping wheels, retraining TPMS etc) costs more than even steel rims, so...

 

[llninja]

I just put four Blizzaks on the stock rims. Tirerack didn't have anything cheap enough to be attractive in stock when I ordered last week, So I may end up getting some pretty rims in spring and putting the Ecopias on those, or I'll just keep moving rubber on and off. It'll take about eight swaps before the hassle of moving the rubber (vs swapping wheels, retraining TPMS etc) costs more than even steel rims, so...

I like the fact that I can swap the tires on my own terms without the hassle of waiting in line at the tire shop. Plus if I paid someone to do it, I would have wasted the money I spent on a nice impact wrench...any excuse to buy more tools.

Here's an interesting phenomenon. My rear wheels seem to have lots of rocks wedged between the treads while the front tires barely have any. The fronts are obviously wearing faster on the edges than the rears. I am contemplating doing a front to back rotation after not rotating for about 30k miles, but then the advice on this forum is to put the better tires in the back. That might mean I leave them where they are and when the fronts wear out, then put the rears onto the front and new ones in the rear. Given the current wear, I think I can reach 50-60k miles on these tires (Yokohama Avid Ascend), but longer than the OEM goodyears. Alas is came with an EV range penalty, but the wet/dray traction around curves is outnstanding.

 

[llninja]

Some advice, tell your significant other BEFORE you start messing with the relearn tool. My wife heard the honking and freaked out that I was trying to get her attention (worried I might have dropped the car on my foot or something)

 

[Steverino]

In 2011 I bought 4 Blzzak WS70's premounted with TPMS on $99 alloy rims from TireRack. They make the Volt into a tank on snow. Zero regrets, they are awesome.

Here's an interesting phenomenon. My rear wheels seem to have lots of rocks wedged between the treads while the front tires barely have any.

Yup, the rear's always pickup more than the fronts. The rear's also tend to get the nail punctures more as well. The front tire set's it up, the rear take's the abuse.

 

[viking79]

What is your commute like? Winter tires will probably take 15% off your range. I think they are worth it in any area that gets significant snow.

Others have answered most of the questions, and I concur, always replace set of 4, only replacing fronts on a FWD ends up with the back end spinning out to the side on you, oversteers easily.

Unfortunately, it looks like Tire Rack doesn't list a 16" wheel for gen 2 Volt, only 17" For gen 1 it can take 16" and tires are only $80 to $100, for Gen 2 they are closer to $130. A full set of gen 1 wheels, tires, and sensors (16") is less than $900 where a set for gen 2 (17") is closer to $1500. Not sure why.

I am not what other cars are compatible with the Volt, sometimes you can find a used set cheaper if you want to save some.

Discount Tire Direct has smaller wheel/tire packages for Volt starting cheaper:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/searchForWinterTirePackageSizes.do?yr=2017&vid=034145

 

[llninja]

In 2011 I bought 4 Blzzak WS70's premounted with TPMS on $99 alloy rims from TireRack. They make the Volt into a tank on snow. Zero regrets, they are awesome.



Yup, the rear's always pickup more than the fronts. The rear's also tend to get the nail punctures more as well. The front tire set's it up, the rear take's the abuse.

So prophetic. As I was prying rocks out, I found a staple and a screw in the right rear tire. I guess I'll be spending some time between now and spring at a tire shop to get this one plugged.

 

[llninja]

What is your commute like? Winter tires will probably take 15% off your range. I think they are worth it in any area that gets significant snow.

Others have answered most of the questions, and I concur, always replace set of 4, only replacing fronts on a FWD ends up with the back end spinning out to the side on you, oversteers easily.

Unfortunately, it looks like Tire Rack doesn't list a 16" wheel for gen 2 Volt, only 17" For gen 1 it can take 16" and tires are only $80 to $100, for Gen 2 they are closer to $130. A full set of gen 1 wheels, tires, and sensors (16") is less than $900 where a set for gen 2 (17") is closer to $1500. Not sure why.

I am not what other cars are compatible with the Volt, sometimes you can find a used set cheaper if you want to save some.

Discount Tire Direct has smaller wheel/tire packages for Volt starting cheaper:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/searchForWinterTirePackageSizes.do?yr=2017&vid=034145

As an added bonus, by volt g1 and g1 Cadillac CTS can share wheels/tires with each other, though putting Chevy rims on a caddy seems wrong on many fronts.

 

[bjrosen]

I've ordered 4 rims from Costco, they are aluminum but Costco is selling them for $124 ea, 1/4th the price of Chevy rims. I'm probably going to put Michelin X-Ice tires on them, Consumer Reports top rates them although they give good marks to the Blizzaks which are on sale at the moment.

 

[peevee]

I'm running general altimax arctics because I got them back in august for something like $300 after rebates. They've been spectacular, but the range hit is rough.
The volt on snows is better than my a4 quattro was on all seasons.

 

[mr_raider]

The gen 2 volt will.take 16 inches wheels. I'm running 16 inch steelies on mine, they came from our previous care 2012 Cruze. Gen Cruze has exactly the same wheel.

 

[llninja]

I've ordered 4 rims from Costco, they are aluminum but Costco is selling them for $124 ea, 1/4th the price of Chevy rims. I'm probably going to put Michelin X-Ice tires on them, Consumer Reports top rates them although they give good marks to the Blizzaks which are on sale at the moment.

Don't forget to add TPMS modules, though for me that was an extra $200 expense for the sensors and $80 for the relearn tool.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

1: all 4
2: extra rims help keep your nice rims for summer, and simplify things if you'd do your own swapping. Tirerack sell rims.
3: I'll leave others to recommend. You're probably more dealing with slush and ice than me.

 

[mr_raider]

I've ordered 4 rims from Costco, they are aluminum but Costco is selling them for $124 ea, 1/4th the price of Chevy rims. I'm probably going to put Michelin X-Ice tires on them, Consumer Reports top rates them although they give good marks to the Blizzaks which are on sale at the moment.

Don't forget to add TPMS modules, though for me that was an extra $200 expense for the sensors and $80 for the relearn tool.

Purely optional. I'm not using TPMS. Other than the dash warning the car runs fine.

 

[Joe67]

Don't forget to add TPMS modules, though for me that was an extra $200 expense for the sensors and $80 for the relearn tool.

TPMS can be had for well under $100 for 4 on ebay. New to new take offs.
No programmer necessary, I'll hand them to Costco with my wheels when they install the tires

 

[bjrosen]

Ive'd ordered the Blizzaks from Costco, the Michilins are backordered but the Blizzaks are in stock so that made the decision for me. I'll let you know how I like them.