Hi all,

I'll be relocating with my job from Atlanta, GA to Denver, CO at the beginning of August. I'm hoping to get advice on whether to keep my STR or try and sell it.

The car:
- 2003 with 92k miles (I've had it since 78k)
-Forgestar wheels w/ summer performance tires
-Runs well (tranny 1-2 isn't very smooth, but otherwise all is well)
-The knock sensor (high bank 1) has gone bad and results in a restricted performance/CEL. This code will blink and turn on anytime from idle to normal driving. There is nothing that makes me believe it is real detonation (definitely don't hear any). I believe I would need to fix this to sell the car (I'd like to fix anyway).

The way I see it, if I keep I need to pay for moving the car (looks like $800-1100, any recommendations?) and purchase and store snow tires ($1k+). My GF has a crossover, so I will have access to that for going to the mountains, but I will still need to drive to work on a daily basis during the winter. Do I need snow tires or will switching to all-seasons suffice?

I'm leaning towards keeping, but I'm hesitant to spend $2k. What are your thoughts?

Also, sell or keep, how can I go about replacing the knock sensor? From my reading it looks like the supercharger must come off? Is this accurate? I'll have access to a garage until I move...when I'll then be in a condo with a parking garage instead.

Thanks guys! This is the one part I have not figured out for my move, and as such it is the main source of any stress.

 

I would not like to drive an STR on ice , sleet or snow.

 

People do that all the time, such as in Canada, but snow tyres are needed.

 

You'll need snow tires no matter what car you buy. Selling the present car and buying another similar vehicle will give you a net loss of more than the cost of transportation.

I'd keep it.

 

I drove my STR one winter here on all-seasons before I got a beater car. It got around, but if I did it again I would get Blizzaks. The roads are plowed and prepped a lot better than out east, so there are only a few days a year where snow tires are really needed unless you plan on doing a lot of mountain driving.

 

Snow isn't that bad in Colorado. I drove my S Type (not an STR) last winter with all seasons. Typically you'll get a few days a year where you don't want to take it out. Just call in sick

Oh... and I'll add that most of the probs driving here in the snow can be SUV owners, not RWD cars.

 

Love it, great advice!

 

Hey there treese88. In regards to driving in the snow, I did so for three years before I bought a second car (due to long commute rather than the winter itself). Over the course of those three years, there were only a handful of times where I could not drive the STR on snow tires, mostly due to the snow just being too deep. Otherwise, turn off the traction control and the car handles just fine in the white stuff with snows on it (I have Yokohama W*Drives). Smaller width tires will fit just fine on the stock rims (hopefully you still have yours, hate to ruin the Forgestars); I ran 255s this winter on the 275 rim with no problem. I had 245s previously, but those wore fast over the four winters I had them.

In regards to the other mechanical problems, I hate to say it, but these will only start increasing as the car gets older. I am in exactly the same boat with mine, so I know the feeling. It is much better to stay on top of it now than to let them compound. As mine is no longer a daily driver, I can let it sit if I don't have the inclination to fix something immediately. However, as your's is a daily driver, just be aware of the need to fix the problems sooner rather than later.

 

If you go into to mountains with your Jag skiing etc. I might get worried though. Then again I remember the 80's driving a Mercury Cougar on a 8 hour ride over Vail pass in a huge storm... I made it safely and counted quite a few SUVs off the side of the road. As always in the snow, the most important things are the tires and driver IMO.

 

Thanks for the info guys. It looks like it will be snow or switching to all-season for me. Now to start parts shopping so I can get that supercharger off and get this car ready for a long trip.