I was wondering if anybody has any experience with driving the Z in winter weather? Now before anybody starts bashing me for asking about driving such a beautiful car in slush and salt :: the reason I ask is because I'm in the market to buy a new car, and the Z is the only car out there that impresses me. The only thing keeping me back is the fact that I live in Wisconsin, where winters can be absolutely brutal at times. I don't have the option of driving a "junker" because the Z would be my only car - and I would need to drive to school and work everyday, so I wouldn't have the option of just staying at home when the weather gets bad. Does anybody have any advice/input?

 

with blizzaks you can function in it. without your dead in the water.

not sure Id want to function that much tho.

sure you cant stretch an OLD toyota 4x4 or something for winters? I mean 1000$ or less, POS.

 

Come winter I am in the same boat. Think of it this way... I've read that with a set of Blizzaks the Z will function pretty well in the winter (at least for my drive, as it's ALL interstate highway)

What I found out was that for the price of a set of 18" Blizzaks and a set of cheap winter rims, I could buy a POS old beater 4X4 and not only get to work, but also not be concerned if some OTHER driver lost control and crashed into me.

It's not MY driving that concerns me, it's the other crazy people on the road. Just imagine someone in the dead of a winter snow storm seeing you in the beautiful Z. I bet he / she'd would stare at you and while wondering WHY you were driving the Z in the snow, would crash his / her car while pondering your decision to drive the sports car in the winter...

 

Other than the clearance from the snow. It drives quite well on frozen surface with a set of good snow tire. When the snow piles more than an inch or two, it is not the vehicle of choice. When it is cold or when the road is slick, it will drive well with winter tire. Contols, and brakes well. Traction is excellent. I did see a few Z on the road last winter here. Mind you, last winter Z was not that common.

 

im was/am in the same boat.

I just moved here (Cincinnati) from Mississippi where we wore JACKETS in the winter for the past few years. I came up here in the middle of winter, so I know how bad winter here can be. I bought the Z anyway. I've been searching online all this morning and all day yesterday for a beater for the winter. There are a lot of options below $1K (or at least around here) I dont care WHAT I drive really. I Just dont want to be in the Z - blizzaks or not.

 

Ok, I've been pondering this for quite some time ... I live in a mountainous region in NW New Jersey. Last year we got like 25 inches in one storm! Would I be crazy to drive this thing in the snow on an incline at a red light? These hills get me nervous even in the summer. (I'm afraid of rolling back). Would I even get moving? So a good set of snow tires will be $600 - $800 I think ... I can get a beater for $500 - $1,000. But I would have to pay insurance on this crappy beater, and I'm not sure if i can have 2 parking spots while living in an apartment. So many decisions!!

 

hmm... good advice so far... thanks guys.

So none of you have actually tried driving your Z with stock tires in the winter before? Cuz I wuz thinking maybe buying aftermarket rims and tires for summer and then using the stock rims and tires for the winter...

I know it isn't the best option (since the stock tires aren't winter tires), but I was just wondering if anybody actually tried using the stock tires in the winter just in case by some freak miracle they actually work.

I actually considered buying a junker for the winter time but insurance would already be killing me considering that I'm a 20 yr old male driving a friggen Z. One big middle finger to the insurance carriers!

 

Stock tires are useless in the snow. Ive been there,learned a good lesson! I'm getting Michelin Pilot A/S. Anybody had any experiences with these tires in the snow?

 

Just trade the Z for an Alty.......

 

Never mind the snow, the stock tires are nearly useless just in the cold.

 

Silverstone_350, you GOT to get a beater! For the price of tires PLUS wheels to put them on, you can afford a beater. You just get liability insurance on the beater, it'll be cheap, even for a 20 yr. old.

I can't even imagine driving my Z in bad weather, plus all the salt & chemicals, ugh, I shutter!!

And like 03 Z for ME said, it's all the other morons driving out there (especially the clowns in SUVs) you have to watch for.

Just store it for 4 months, if you can possibly afford it. It's just another cost of driving a fine sports car. As discussed on another thread, sports cars are not practical, especially in winter!!

Good luck.

Peace

 

there was a multitude of " I spun and crashed" threads last winter. so no, stock tires are useless. they work decent in the winter, I mean Im in GA, generally 30's but no snow, I never had any problems, but you were certainly limited, but if you drove like a normal person, your fine.

its not totally the brand of tires. its the size as well, 245s are quite wide by any standards. and they will ride right on top of the snow and get zippo traction, unless you like chains or studs(Illegal I think).

 

We got our Z Nov 19th. Dec 2nd we went away for 10 days. Came back to snow and it never stopped all winter! We had trouble moving the Z from one place to the other to plow snow on the driveway!

Yet Bob from SportZ magazine has 19"snows on his Z in Colorado and does just fine! Don't know what kind....

After my husband had a slide into a snow/ice bank that caused over a $1,000 in damage, we don't drive even after the snow is plowed.

LadyZ

 

ahhh....

So I guess I have no other choice but to buy a junker too if i want to get a Z huh. Does anybody wanna help a "Z to be" driver out and donate a junker to me?

Kinda off topic - what do you guyz think of the Lancer Evo? I know it isn't a Z... but at least I know for sure that it'll drive in the Winter. The thing I have against it is the fact that it looks so damn ricey - especially with that cf spoiler as tall as a sky scraper. Think it evokes the same amount of respect as a Z? I don't know if I want to be seen inside a little "high school boy soup up" toy car.

Reason I ask is because the local Mitsu dealer here has friggen THREE Evo's in their inventory. Isn't it supposed to be a limited production car? Then why does Milwaukee, of all places, have three of them? It almost makes me want to have one......

 

same problem here...

but i live in Boston..

i dont know if i want a wrx or a Z though


stupid boston roads and snow

maybe i should just ask my brother to drive me in his impreza when its snowing outside!!

 

I donno, the evo certainly has the potential to do well in the snow, but even in rally racing, they run real narrow snow tires. so that means you still need a second set of tires and rims. and always your biggest concern is salt on your nice car, and other drivers.

tho if I HAD to drive one of the 2 in the snow, the evo would be my choice. but all cars are limited by the traction they can get, and tires are the only thing that touches the road.

 

The Mits dealership here had 6 Evolutions, and all were $7000.00, thats right $7K over MSRP. They had one on the lot that listed for $42. Can you believe that. Too overpriced if you ask me. BTW, I live in Colorado Springs, and the Nissan dealer here, Academy Nissan is stickering the 03 Z's at $2000 over MSRP and the 04 ragtops at $10K over MSRP.

On a short note, don't ever buy from Academy Nissan in CS, Co. They are the most greediest people I have ever met. And if you decide to buy from them, don't get the clear bra installed like I did, they razor bladed my entire fron end, headlight covers, and both mirrors. Needless to say, $2K later, its all fixed.

Chas, Colorado Springs
03 Pearl White 6spd, 35% tint.

Future mods (will be installed 04 Aug 03),

Pioneer 9300 Cd Player with steering wheel remote
Pioneer 6 disc changer
Focal 165K Utopia mids/tweets
Focal 165K Poly's mids
Rockford Fosgate Power 10 (50 + lbs)
Rockford Fosgate Power 800.4 (mids/highs)
Rockford Fosgate Power BD1000 (lows)
Rockford Fosgate Power link
Pyle 2 farad capacitor
Dynamat, Dynamat, Dynamat

 

I cannot believe what wimps you people are!! It is only a car. I love my Z but I refuse to let it sit all winter collecting dust. I drove my Z from the day I got it till now. I put on some Pirelli Wintersports 210 on some cheap 17" rims. The car was like a snowmobile. The stock 18's are a joke get some winter tires and enjoy your Z.

 

ooh..how much does winter tires and rims usually cost?? 1000?

 

WHAT? ONLY A CAR? ONLY A CAR?

IT'S A Z.

My baby WILL NOT BE DRIVEN IN CRUD, SALT, CHEMICALS, & THRU ROADGRIME! SHE WILL NOT GET HER UNDER SIDE DIRTY! SHE WILL NEVER RUST!

Only a car?

I have to go calm down. Must take my meds.......now......