Thanks everyone for the good advice. I have an extra set of wheels that I can use for snow tires. I can set her up with those. There are some tire shops near campus (Rochester, NY) where she can get the wheels swapped when the time comes. She'll also have AAA. Although she hasn't driven in the snow she has spent a little bit of time at the auto-x, which is at least some help learning car control at the limit.

-Ted

Where exactly is your daughter going? If she has never driven in snow and ICE and has to drive every day, she should get studded snow tires. Does she have AAA? She should. AAA can give you a chart that shows where and when she can use studs.

My daughter spent 3 years in Ithaca, and we saw more Volvos there than anywhere else I have ever been, except at a Volvo meet! If she is going there, she should be able to pick up a set of used wheels and new studded snow tires.

Chris used an indie shop in Ithaca and she said - Dad, they are hippies!

Her heater control knob broke on her 850, when she asked about a new knob, the owner took 3 knobs off a junker they had and gave them to her!

My tire guy (the owner of a shop that I have used since '64) told me that snow tires today are much better than years ago, and radial snows get nowhere near as hot as old bias-ply tires. He told me that I could run them all summer to use then up if I wished.

You should look for tires with high speed and load ratings - there are now high performance snow tires on the market.

You should make sure the tire pressures are set for a full load - PLEASE get good advice if you think what the sidewall says about tire pressure is advice on what pressure to use.

My shop has a book on car models, tire sizes, and pressures to use.

I would send her off with the proper pressure for the load she will carry, and tell her to stay under 60 MPH if the temperature is over 80.

My daughter, a budding wildlife biologist put 100k miles on her '88 745 GLE, traveling from Massachusetts to Lake Placid, NY, Ithaca, NY, Edenton, NC, Foam Lakes, Sasketchewan, Edmonton, Alberta (twice), and to Spokane WA where she went down the west coast with so much stuff that she had to mail two boxes home so that her sister could use the passenger seat.

Oh, yeah, she was snowed in in Buffalo, NY for 3 days a few years ago, when she had a job there!

Tires arte pretty great today.

I spent two years at SUNY Oswego on the shore of Lake Ontario, many moons ago when all cars were RWD. Studded Snow tires or Snow tires with a set of Chains in the trunk (and the knowhow to put them on). 100lbs of sand placed on the shelf in the trunk so it's over wheels.

get 4 used winters off CL and find some salvage rims and that should be good for college
doubt if she is going to be driving 1000's of miles during school year.

Mudgrips in Texas may not use the same rubber as snow tires in New York. Send money to buy a set of tires in New York. Tell her to make friends with someone at school who has room in the attic of their garage to store the summer tires.

Four studded snow tires would be the clear ticket if allowed.

Greg

Has your daughter had experience driving in snow?
Dan

Here in the Mid-West, I found that the Volvo 240 is a great Winter car if equipped with good tires and a full tank of gas and will drive circles around front-wheel drive vehicles. If equipped with snow tires and a few bags of sand in the trunk, it performs even better.
A good alternative to snow tires is an All -Weather tire like the Nokian WRG2 which can be used all year.
A reasonably price Winter tire like the the Firestone Winterforce or the General Altimax Artic could also be used year round, but I would not expect them to last no more than 2 years. (I have had a set of Firestone Winterforce tires on my Chevy S10 pickup and left them on year round with no problems).

I'm a Texan too now, but was born & raised in Ky. & Oh. so I've driven in my share of snow & ice. The best solution I found was "studded snow tires" (check local laws to see if they're allowed) and add about 200 lbs. of sand bags in the trunk. With this combo & a little practice you can go where most cars won't go.

Have your daughter establish a relationship with a quality indy shop. It would cost a few bucks but they could do the swapping over - and maybe store the unused tires. -- Dave