fatboydeepak

of course it is all speculation at this point, but i thought i'd bring this up anyways. I will be buying a car this year, and i've narrowed my options down to 2 cars: the honda s2000 (with hardtop) and (obviously) the nissan 350z. both are rear wheel drive sports cars, and i don't have much experience driving a RWD car. In the winter, you always see bmw's and other RWD cars slipping and sliding all over the place. If i get the s2000, i'll definitely be investing in winter tires. from what i've read, an s2k + winter tires = no problem! but my question to you all is this...how well do u think the z will fare with stock tires in the winter time? it is also RWD, but it has a traction control system (lowering engine power and applying breaks automatically if the car slips) as well as viscous limited slip differential (which would detect the car is slipping and automatically divert more torque to the wheel with the most traction). I know it all sounds good, but does anyone have any practical experience with these options on other cars? Would a Z with traction control and limited slip differential drive with as much control as a FWD car under snowy/icey condition on the stock tires? discuss!

z350z

I've driven rear-wheel drive sports cars in the winter where it snows. My advice is: don't do it! Get a crappy winter car (FWD) and save the Z for when there's no white stuff on the road! Even if you don't spin out and hit something, the salt will eat it.

brackethead

I don't have any wisdom to add here, but I have to say.... "fatboydeepak" is the best user name I've seen in a while!

D C

Hey, the way I see it, If people can do it in a Toyota MR2, it is possible in a Z. The MR2 weighs soooooo much less.

john0213

if S2000 can do it with a winter tire, a Z can do the same too, remember that they both are front mid engine car. which they have the same weight ratio between the engine and the driver(50:50)

and tell u what, forget about the VDC and traction control, they don't work in winter, my dad had his E320(the ESP which is almost the same as the VDC) slipped like hell in those snow day in Vancouver which he needed to drive his van.............

Jim Reichard

I have an S2000 and it is totally worthless on snow or ice.

The 350Z will be better I would think but not nearly good enough.

If you are going to use your car as a daily driver you will need to get snow tires.

Get high performance tires comparable to your OEM tires. The two most used by S2000 owners are the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22 and the Michelin Pilot Alpin.

tbcz

The 350Z will be my fourth RWD car in a row ('91 300ZX, '95 240SX, '00 Z3, '03 350Z) so I have been through it. There's no way around it...driving in snow in a RWD sports car isn't easy (I was gonna say "isn't fun" but that's not entirely true!) Traction control will help, but as the name implies, your tires need "traction" in the first place. With high performance tires on snow forget it. Snow tires will make a huge improvement. I am not one to shy away from driving in snow (I used to drive my 300Z to Vermont to go skiing), but if I lived in Rochester I'd seriously think about a second car for the winter (note I didn't say seriously think about not getting the Z!). Having only the Z will affect your ability to get around. Just my two cents...

fatboydeepak

well, while i could easily afford the z (or s2000), i don't think i could manage 2 cars. I don't mind paying alot for 1 car, but i couldn't start pumping money into a second car too...they depreciate too much! Besides, I just graduated and am still paying student loans off! I really don't want to get a piece of **** car as a winter driver, since i'll be making frequent trips back to toronto (where i'm from) from rochester...about 3 hours away. I was starting to lean towards the z, since it seems more like an "all season" car compared to the s2000 (I am planning on buying my car in Canada, where the z comes standard with an engine block heater and heated seats). but like a previous poster said, if and s2000 with winter tires is ok, then the z with winter tires should be no problem too. Even if i put my money down on the Z right now, i probably wouldnt get it until early winter, and i'm not planning on buying my car until nov/dec. So by then I bet alot of people in this forum will have plenty of 1st hand experience with the Z in the snow!

perfectlyfrank

I had a '95 BMW M3, with no traction control and I basically had to call in sick to work anytime there was a light dusting of snow. I recently had a '00 Lincoln LS8 with traction control and it was driveable in the snow, but a little tricky.

As for me, I bought a Subaru Outback to drive in the winter.

knihc2008

sun sun sun in so cal los angeles!

perfectlyfrank

Is that what you guys call that dim light behind all that smog?

bobbyz

iTrader: (1)

You guys are all wimps. I just sold my 1994 Porsche 968 that I drove through 3 winters. IN CANADA. Just put on snows and I was fine. I assume the 350 will be even better with all the traction controll and so on. Just havent been able to find winter tires that fit the 18's yet.

NJZ

I ordered the base model which doesn't come with the traction control or limited slip. Would it be a definite no no to drive it in the snow or rain?

perfectlyfrank

But after the exchange rate, Canadian winters are only about 64% of a US winter.

EnthuZ

iTrader: (2)

Good one Frank, now, put that beer down and behave......

My first winter driving was in Chicago in a 1965 Triumph Spitfire ( all of 1400lbs) in 1968.....Put Sears finest snow tires on it(155-13's), and learned the hard way....It's FUN steering with the right foot.

Now, scraping ice off the inside of the windscreen is another story.....

rouxeny

I'm actually pretty worried about the winter driving ability of the 350Z. The winters here in CT haven't been that bad, but one bad day is really all you need. I'd love to keep my Accord through this, but a single guy with two cars just isn't practical.

I guess snow tires will be in my future.

bobbyz

iTrader: (1)

Guys, I'm serious. As long as you put on good winter tires and do not drive in feet of snow, you will be fine. My Porsche 968 with great winter tires was just as good if not better then any sedan with all seasons...barring ground clearence. True, you will not be able to go out when there is a huge dump, but so what. isn't that why your wife/fiancee/girlfriend drives a 4x4 Most winters you will only need to keep the 350 in the garage a few days. You know, those days when schools are closed and stuff. But seriously, anyone know if any of the big tire manufacturers plan on bringing out winters for the stock 18" rims? I mean the car comes standard with the 18's in Canada and most of us will be getting the car just before winter. I think Michelin should come out with a Pilot Alpin in the stock sizes (assuming the car comes with pilot summer tires) and they would own the market for this car.

fatboydeepak

well, i'm sure that driving it in the winter with the appropriate tires would be easy. Like I said, i've read that an s2000 with Blizzak snow tires is no problem to drive in the winter, so i think a 350z with winter tires would be just as easy, if not easier. My whole deal was whether I'd be able to run the stock tires during the winter, since the z comes with traction control and limited slip differential (both absent on the s2k). But I guess i'm gonna have to get snow tires, whichever car i end up getting! hmmmmm....18" winter tires may be hard to find though. All of us winter drivers may have to invest in a smaller set of rims with winter tires for the snowy months....

Zay

fatboydeepak (what's the meaning behind the name?)

Put a few more pennies away and get a little hoopty to kick around in when the weather is bad. I know... easier said than done. But, it just might be worth it.

Zay

BTW, a sports car with snow tires has got to be one of the butt ugliest things you can lay eyes on!!!