Good winter beater? Or winter tires?
 

I live in Chicago and am strongly contemplating between shelling out $2000 for winter tires and wheels or paying a few more bucks and picking up a beater 4x4 for the winter. Thoughts?

get the 4x4, park the Camaro for the winter.

Agreed, get the 4x4. Drive your camaro on those salty roads and expect to have Rust on it 5 years down the road.

Go the beater route if it's in the budget.

Get a beater, preserve the Camaro!

El Camino.......j/k.......get a used 4runner or something. Those used Toyota trucks are pretty cheap.

Get a beater.

Ill be driving my Camaro all winter, except when there is snow on the street. In that case, Ill take the SUV

Snow tires and a DD Camaro!
Bought it to drive it.
My retired van has over 260,000 miles on it in 8 years, will see how the Camaro compares.

I live in Boston and went through that question last year. I bought a really nice 2001 Buick Century for $5,000.00. Buicks are old man cars and old men take care of their cars and do not beat on them and get them serviced. It pulls like a tractor in the snow. The best part of this versus snow tires is that my 2010 SS is still in pristine condition. Winter is tough on cars and no matter how good you take care of your car, a winter driven car is always scruffy around the edges. Also, when I must go to the mall or park in a questionable area, I can do it with serenity knowing that my Camaro is safe and sound.

beater...

beater, I drive a 2002 sunfire se in the winter and rainy days. you don't need a 4X4 just fwd and winter tires. I lived upstate NY for 7+ years of my life and FWD is all you need.

beater but figure its going to cost you more because your going to have insurance on two cars, maint etc. But I am from Grand Rapids and would not want to drive the car in the snow.

Chicago burbs here. I am about to pick up a 98 4X4 S10 blazer for $1400. As long as it has heat, is stable and doesnt rattle like a motherF'er. Im good. I usually put on new brakes all around, New trans filter/fluid, battery (sorry dont trust sellers) and check the shocks. Do a tune up on it and good to go for the winter.

If it need tires im off to tirerack. Buy 4 winterforce tires for $350 and im good.