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!

 

Get a set of snow tires and you should be fine. Although, if you're going to be driving in some deep snow, you may want to rethink using the Z.

 

I am sure that you searched snow and read some of the 503 results. Opinions are varied:

Yes you can drive a 350Z in the snow.
You can drive a 350Z in the snow under some conditions.
Driving a 350Z in the snow is stupid.

So take your pick.

 

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.

 

 

Dedicated snow tires on a set of wheels are definitely recommended. But... how are you going to carry your skis?

 

Thats what he could use on the mountains. Just strap em to the tires and then slalom down the mountain Z style

 

LMAO!

350Z + Snow =

 

My options are, buy a 350Z and live with it a few months out of the year ~or~ buy a 4wd suv.

 

You know what happens when you drive the Z in the snow.

You DIE

 

190cm skis will fit inside the 350Z.

 

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.

 

i was going to get my z in a few months but decided to wait till march of 07 to get it. RWD and snow is such a bad idea. Especially with 300 hp. lol

 

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...

 

I live where it snows...a lot. I get snowpack in my yard for months at a time. I drive my G Coupe (and 350Z before that) all year round, just putting the Pirelli Snowsport 240's on today.

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.

 

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.

 

Seeing as the stock tires have N/A for snow traction, sage advice.

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.

 

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

 

You don't live in place where it snows other than a wet dusting once or twice a season; Salt? Last I lived in Oregon, salt was also not used even in places like Govt' Camp or the Cascade passes. Your car in more in danger of drowning than rusting...and it rains a lot, maybe that's too dangerous too? Exactly how many months a year do you park your Z and not drive it? Maybe we should all just shrink wrap our cars and park them, so they don't get scratched?

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.