Driving in the snow
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Driving in the snow
I plan on moving to Colorado next year to transfer to Colorado State in Fort Collins. How does the 350Z handle the weather conditions? I plan on skiing a lot so would the Z be capable of making it up the mountains in the snow? I remember seeing on this forum or another, a guy putting chains on his tires and making it up just fine. I wouldn't have a problem buying a set of winter tires.
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the help!
#4
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Tires are one thing, ground clearance is another. Even if you have heated metal spikes sticking out of your tires, your Z won't want to move once it floats up onto 4-5 inches or so of snow (or whatever the ground clearance is). That being said, I am living in PA and I plan on driving my Z all winter using snow tires, and if the snow is deep enoug to cause further hazard then I probably shouldn't be driving at that time anyway.
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Originally Posted by Barmats
Dedicated snow tires on a set of wheels are definitely recommended. But... how are you going to carry your skis?
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i never bought snow tires but did drive my car through one winter in NJ and with the little amount of snow we got; i will never do it again. I ended up buying a beater for the winter. I had a bmw 328i before my Z and it was ok in the snow but the z was all over the place, just dangerous. I do hear that snow tires make a world of difference.
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From reading past threads, the large majority of people who say it is stupid to drive in the snow, don't live where it snows. And the large majority of people who live where it snows, say I will be fine...
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Originally Posted by MurcielagoR-GT
From reading past threads, the large majority of people who say it is stupid to drive in the snow, don't live where it snows. And the large majority of people who live where it snows, say I will be fine...
When it looks like this, no worries, fresh snow with 4 dedicated snows:
See:
http://homepage.mac.com/stracy01/G35...oAlbum105.html
When it looks like this, forget it:
Someone else already hit on the biggest problem - clearance. I can handle 4-6" of fresh snow, but that's about the limit before it packs up and start having problems. Crust (frozen rain after snow) can be a problem here, not so likely in CO.
Driving around towns and even rural CT is no big for me (which makes me fine, or stupid, or I forget third choice). Ski areas are another story - I would not want to be held hostage to the idea that I head out to ski and end up stuck until the plows hit Vail Pass. It can snow an awful lot in a really short time up at Breckenridge, A-Basin, Copper, etc. More than the plows can keep up with. Plus don't forget the primary route out of Denver to the ski areas is a high-speed nutcase derby, do you want to be the only guy out there w/o FWD or AWD? There are some seriously crazy drivers on the weekends on the roads to the ski areas.
I guess from my time growing up in OR and living in AZ I just think back to the really crazy sh*t I drove through in a FWD GTi, or a 4WD Bronco or Blazer, and I would tend not to rely on a Z/G for getting me back and forth to the slopes - just IMHO.
Works great for me around here, but I take my 4WD RAM or FWD Alty with 4 Hankook snows when I head out to the slopes. Based on the beating the Alty has taken from skis hitting the finish, ice chunks breaking things underneath, I'd say drive it the snow, sure, take it out to the ski areas, not so sure. Your Z will take a beating, between the sanding and the ski area lots, etc.
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If I lived in an area where it snowed, I wouldn't drive my prized car in the snow. For multiple reasons, but the top 2 of which being 1) Safety (RWD + Snow can be tricky if you aren't a good driver) and 2) Salt + Water + Metal = LOTS of rust.
At the very least, get a full set of snow tires.
At the very least, get a full set of snow tires.
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Originally Posted by ouch1011
If I lived in an area where it snowed, I wouldn't drive my prized car in the snow. For multiple reasons, but the top 2 of which being 1) Safety (RWD + Snow can be tricky if you aren't a good driver) and 2) Salt + Water + Metal = LOTS of rust.
At the very least, get a full set of snow tires.
At the very least, get a full set of snow tires.
As for RWD, you have to wonder how people managed for 60 years with mostly RWD cars, eh? If some isn't a good driver, park the sucker - they have no business behind the wheel of the Z33 or V35 in ANY weather.
Just look at the number of people who can barely handle their Z's in the rain, with TCS, with VDC...pathetic.
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Man I live in Michigan, and this winter I have to drive the Z, at least for a little while. My old accord has a fawked up trans, Once its fixed, Ill have my beater
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Originally Posted by ouch1011
If I lived in an area where it snowed......Salt + Water + Metal = LOTS of rust.
I find it ironic how so many people are so negative about driving in the snow...when they don't have to deal with it, likely have zero experience doing so, and don't have salt + sand on the roads. So easy to give advice on something you don't deal with...like saying don't take your car and park in the sun if you live in AZ...yeah, right.