The Pilots are worthless, no matter what the weather. That's why I'm trying to wear mine out ASAP! 
Since Syracuse is world-famous for the s-word, I knew the Pilots weren't going to cut it during the winter. So I purchased 4 16" steelies with Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 winter tires from Tirerack. The combo (two years ago) ran me about $650. By far, the best purchase I ever made for the 6. The Michelins, unlike the OEM tires, pulls me through 6" of snow like a tank. I've driven on a packed-snow-covered highway with NO traction problems, even passing SUVs with their "high and mighty" 4WD. Plus, the PA2s are H-speed rated, and are considered Performance Winter tires by Tirerack, meaning they give up a slight amount of ultimate snow traction for better performance on dry pavement. Unlike other snow tires, they don't feel rubbery or squirrely on dry pavement at 75 MPH, but still have excellent traction through snow and slush-covered roads.
My recommendation: Get a dedicated set of 16" wheels (steelies or something inexpensive) and 205-60R16 snow tires. That's the OEM size for the 16" wheels, and having a dedicated wheel set means less wear-and-tear on yout rims from changing tires twice per year. Yes, you'll pay extra for the wheels, but 16" tires are sometimes 2/3rds the price of 17" tires, and if you get charged $20 per wheel to swap out the tires twice per year, you'd pay off a set of steelies in two years, and have more to show for it. Plus, if you have a floorjack and jackstands, you can even swap the winter wheels/tires out yourself, instead of making an appointment with the local tire shop two days AFTER the first blizzard hits.
Next spring, get a GOOD set of 17"rubber. Trust me, just about everything else out there is better than the craptastic Pilots.
Since Syracuse is world-famous for the s-word, I knew the Pilots weren't going to cut it during the winter. So I purchased 4 16" steelies with Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 winter tires from Tirerack. The combo (two years ago) ran me about $650. By far, the best purchase I ever made for the 6. The Michelins, unlike the OEM tires, pulls me through 6" of snow like a tank. I've driven on a packed-snow-covered highway with NO traction problems, even passing SUVs with their "high and mighty" 4WD. Plus, the PA2s are H-speed rated, and are considered Performance Winter tires by Tirerack, meaning they give up a slight amount of ultimate snow traction for better performance on dry pavement. Unlike other snow tires, they don't feel rubbery or squirrely on dry pavement at 75 MPH, but still have excellent traction through snow and slush-covered roads.
My recommendation: Get a dedicated set of 16" wheels (steelies or something inexpensive) and 205-60R16 snow tires. That's the OEM size for the 16" wheels, and having a dedicated wheel set means less wear-and-tear on yout rims from changing tires twice per year. Yes, you'll pay extra for the wheels, but 16" tires are sometimes 2/3rds the price of 17" tires, and if you get charged $20 per wheel to swap out the tires twice per year, you'd pay off a set of steelies in two years, and have more to show for it. Plus, if you have a floorjack and jackstands, you can even swap the winter wheels/tires out yourself, instead of making an appointment with the local tire shop two days AFTER the first blizzard hits.
Next spring, get a GOOD set of 17"rubber. Trust me, just about everything else out there is better than the craptastic Pilots.
