Cold weather b!tching aside, I'll be going with my Blizzaks again this winter. Last winter was my first time with RWD in the snow, and after all the horror stories about the stock tires in snow, there's no way I was risking it. The stock tires in the snow are just plain unsafe...

Overall, I was very happy with the Blizzaks. I only got caught in one major snowstorwm this winter, and they passed the test with flying colors. There was about 2-3" of powder on the roads, and I didn't get stuck once. As long as you don't drive like an idiot, the snow tires should help u through. I don't have a garage available, so buying a beater and storing the Z just wasn't practical for me. (not to mention the major case of withdrawal I would've suffered in the winter).

 

No way my baby is going to see the snow....(or the salt and sand)

 

Hmmm, let's see....

Supercharged roadster.....winter.......I don't think so

 

Simple, the tires are harder; consequently, less traction. If you want to switch to a softer tire or snow tires fine, but also remember you have less ground clearance then most vehicles.

Finally, I will not drive my Z in the winter because I live in Wisconsin and they are heavy onn the salt use.

 

Who cares about rust? How many of you are still gonna be driving that same car in a decade? Come on. If you're driving nearly new cars now, you'll be driving other nearly new cars in 5 or 10 years. I highly doubt anyone here will keep their Z long enough to see any rust on it, no matter how much they drive it in the winter. Let someone else worry about rust a decade down the road and enjoy your car. I don't understand how you can put up with being stuck in a beater for 4-5 months.

 

The Z should not be any worse than other high performance RWD in snow. Good winter tires make a big difference. It's not the best car for winter, but do-a-ble. It's a choice. I baby mine and choose to store it over the winter for 3 reasons:

1. Salt / Rocks - the sanding trucks spray rock/sand/salt/unknown chemicals mixture on the road, really bad for the paint, body, any metal parts, and windshield. Washing cars in the winter is not easy.

2. Idiots that believes ALL SEASON tires = winter tires, worse if they have a SUV.

3. No fun - AWD with 4 winter tires is much more fun than RWD w/ winter tires.

 

I opted for the "Winterization package" when I bought my Z. It included a 1997 4-cyl Ford Probe. FWD, no power, little skinny tires, the thing never gets stuck (unless it's just too deep to move it, then I use the Navigator).

It's not the driving the Z that I worry about in the winter, it's all the other a-holes on the road who don't realize that snow is slippery. I'd much rather they total out my Probe than my Z on Blizzaks (not to mention the fact that my car would make a great snow plow what with the drop and the new front bumper

 

The only thing I'm worried about is getting stuck on hills. I think I should start in second gear ...

 

I hope all those people who opted for a beater do realize that they need blizzaks anyway. Snow or clean road, stock tires are not designed for cold temperatures, period.

 

Uh, yes. But...
(1) I’d rather be in an accident in my daily driver than my Z.
(2) I’d rather my daily driver collect the road grim, salt, and chemicals, than my Z.

My Z stays nice and warm in my garage in bad weather.

 

then there are those with out garages, or the money to pay for the insurance for 2 cars.

winter tires are fine, there is such thing as a rust protection under coating.

man the way you guys talk you must think i'm compeatly crazy, i use my stock 18's with winter tires, and have a body kit, and drive the car year round. Snow is not an excuse for not driving this car. do you all take your daily drivers if it rains as well. this isn't a 100,000 sports car. it's a 30-40 (depending on the mods) sports car they were ment to be driven. just wash them once and a while and it won't rust. as for other azzholes on the road i have been hit in the summer on the express way in stop and go traffic. it doesn't matter where you are the azzholes will find you and hit you just be a little more attentive when driving to what other people are doing.

 

amen to that!

 

winter driving is not bad. i have driven from New Hampshire to Colorado, and abotu 100 times between chicago and ames, IA in the 2 in the dead of winter. probably over 30000 winter miles in the 2's. (only recently got the maxima's because i drive 80 miles a day to and from work and got sick of putting all the miles on the 2)

slap on the all season's turn down the boost, and i have only been stuck once, and that is because my friend's completely buried my car in the snow, and pulling out of it, i got high centered in my parking lot.

yes, the rocks and salt and sand do suck, but ***** about driving in the snow makes you sound like a bunch of women. just stay alert, and if you have never driven in the snow in a RWD car, go to a parking lot, and fishtail, swerve, and spin out to your hearts delight. then you will learn how to drive your car in the snow.
i personally think it is much easier driving the 2's in the snow then the maxima's. much easier to predict, and they don't plow around the corners.

 

You beat me to this post. Unless you have tones invested in mods or you plan on driving your Z for 10+ years, then what is the concern? My 78 Civic (my first car) didn't start rusting until it was 15 years old.

With snows the Z stops & corners better than any car with all seasons. The only thing it doesn't do better is accelerate with the predictability of a FWD.

IMO, its not like this is a Ferrari, in 5 years I will probably have my heart set on some other car (C7 vette?).

 

i tried the Z in the winter last year, and its not worth it again. i cant count how many times i got stuck, or spun out on roads, or couldnt go anywhere because of the z. this yr its garadged and i bought an 800 dollar minivan. ghetto i know, but i saves the Z from salt and snow, and makes it that much more fun to drive the 8 months out of the year when i can drive it. also saves on insurance for 4 months

 

 

Did you have snows on it though?

Maybe, but sell the winter car any by a motorcycle...

 

Huh? How does that work? You un-insure your car for 4 months?

 

the winter is always heiped up to what its not...just be easy..dont drive like you do during every other season...cause you bound for trouble no matter what....just be easy with what you do...and dont worry about rust if you all took care of your cars you would know at the end of winter season you should alwyas have the underbody cleaned no matter what...from salt to sand kicking up on it....just take care of the car and it will last....i always get under the car and look for rust...i clean it off the rust with a wire brisstle and then take this can of spray "tar" and it coats the peice of metal...no problem though...just take care of it and it will last...only reason i check underneath the car often is because i do hear scrapes sometimes when i go over a those damn speed bumps... good luck though winter is not fun especially with a car that has alot of power...except for empty parking lot donuts alot of those around this area...good luck though and dont make the winter sound like life is coming to an end here guys...cause its not...its only what 3 months out of the year...the rest is beautifull for most of the time...and damn you TX's people for having such great weather year round :-p jk good luck

Ben

 

Yeah, winter driving woes are over hyped. I lived in Buffalo, NY for 5yrs.. At that time had a Acura Integra GSR. Some said get snow tires, others not. I didn't. I just went to parking lot and learned how to handle my car in snow. Also, I just got use to the feeling of sliding all the time.

As for RWD cars, I've spoken to many who've said that driving them is no big deal as long as you drive safely.

The best thing to do in the winter is to have PLENTY of distance between you and the car in front of you-this is by far your best friend.

I do agree that on a RWD car, blizzaks is good and adding weight to the rear is good too.

As others have stated, the only thing that would stop me from driving the Z in the Winter is the clearance. I was in your same predicament and bought a beater. But having two cars and more insurance is a pain.

This is what I would have done differently:

1). Buy Blizzaks and winter set of rims.
2). Buy coil-overs like Tein Flex with height adjustability. Withe the Teins, you can raise the car above stock clearance.

As for rust, cleaning the car regularly in car wash with underwater spraying is a must-more important than rust protecting the underbody.

FYI, the cars that cause the most accidents in winter in Buffalo are 4x4's because of overconfidence of the driver. When you hit ice, it doesn't matter what you have!

I also agree that driving the car for only 'sunny' days is ludicrous. The car is meant to be driven. Yes, it's more slick in the rain, snow, etc.. But if you learn it's limits in those conditions, no sweat.

One last word, don't depend on TCS/VDC to save you. I honestly believe that these devices may cause over confidence and therefore overreliance on their ability. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR LEARNING HOW TO HANDLE THE CAR YOURSELF! That is your best defense and safety.