Hi guys. I'm just curious to see if anyone has actually used the Z over the winter in the snow. I've heard that it's pretty much undriveable but has anyone ever done so? I was thinking about throwing on snow tires onto my stock rims. Will that allow me to drive it or is that just a pipe dream?

 

I drove on stock tires last year, and in the snow it isn't bad...ice it gets a bit hairy, but it is all about know what and how to react to certain situations. I think you will be fine, just no racing ...blizzaks are supposedly amazing...i might give them a try, i don't know.

 

I drive it in winter all the time... snow? what snow?

From what I read on the forums most people tend to get a beater for the winter season, others get snow tires and have no problem.

 

I recently got some Avon Tech M550s...and I must say that so far I'm impressed! My Z handles like a champ in the slushy snow, and on light ice. But mostly I believe that because my Z is a manual I can control my driving much better, especially accelerating from a stop.

Throw it second, feather the clutch and don't drive like an SUV and you should be fine.

Good luck!

 

Just get the sickest winter tires you can find and mount.
Take you’re time to learn the car all over again.
Expect some shoveling.

I drive my Impreza with good snow tires. I won’t let the Z touch snow again!


I’m surprised. We had a couple inches of snow at MidOhio last year. My Z on OEM tires wasn’t going anywhere. Just spun the rear wheels on idle…

 

I got my winter beater up and running but when was forced to before drive on stock tires, not impossible but was difficult for me, although I do not have much snow driving experience, I was able to make it thru as long as the snow doesnt build up too much.

 

winter driving, don't ferget to increase your tire psi

 

Usually, lower pressure will improve traction on snow and ice, at the cost of increased tire wear.

 

Snow tires, snow tires, snow tires
My experiencewith the OEM tieres is they are NOT safe on snow. Yes you can 'get by' if you enjoy being on the edge at all times, but.....
I drove my '03 through 2 winters on snow tires and it was just fine. I plan to set the '05 on snows this weekend.

 

I drove it last winter with bald stockers and it was pretty bad, but only after some intense snow that hadn't been plowed. Once the streets are cleared off it's drivable and I'm sure that with some snow tires and caution you'd be fine.

 

Frtitzman (name on this site) drives his Z up here in Ottawa... and yes we do have some serious snow!!!!

 

Higher pressure gives you better handling in the snow and ice. The less surface area you have the "stickier" you are are going to be. Think about what is better on ice, skates (thin small area) or sneakers (big fat area). You only want to let you air out of your tires when you have just soft powdery snow and you want to stay on top of it.

 

Ice skates are cut concave to hold the melted ice under it so it can glide. Try and aquaplane your car and see what happens then.

Driving with a higher pressure in your tires, in winter, goes against all my rally driver training (I’m from the province of Quebec and have done over a dozen TRD rallies on ice and snow). I want the thread of my tire to bend and get into as much crannies in the ice/snow as possible.

The “cut through the snow” factor is valid and important. Thinner tire (running 185 vs 205 for example) do help to get traction down. But the tire itself has to be as flexible as possible.

 

up here in Seattle we dont get too much snow... i live in the Woodinville area... last year we only had a few snow days... and a few icey days so i just get some hot chocolate and sit by the fire that day... haha play some madden or something.. and hit up a friend with an SUV!!!!

 

i find that extremely hard to believe...in even a quarter inch of snow you'd have to drive at around 10mph just to safely stop...those Bridgestone Potenzas are absolutely HORRIBLE in the snow, forget about going up a steep incline or not sliding down one with an inch of snow on the ground, i guarantee it's impossible

i then changed to blizzaks and the car was very driveable, almost like driving with stock tires on wet conditions...tires make all the difference in the world

so no, i absolutely advise against driving with stock tires in snow...being able to react to certain situations doesn't play into factor when your car doesn't respond to what you need it to do

 

Move to Florida

 

Hey all,
I'm new to the forum. I live in MN and just put on my Dunlop SP Wintersport tires for the snow season. Amazing tires. I highly recommended any Winter tires if you plan on driving in snow and slush. Driving on stock Bridgestones is not recommended for winter or icy driving. The compound in these tires is not made for adverse conditions. There is a reason they are - performance summer only - tires.

 

i say drive it...
with summer tires...
have some fun sliding

 

i'm driving mine with my stock wheels back on, but no winter tires...it'll be an adventure to say the least...i'm not going to drive it too too much, so we'll see

 

I have Goodyear F1 GS-D3 on my Nismo wheels and I drove my Z last year.
Virginia doesn't have much snow as New York or Canada but we do have enough snow.

It wasn't fun driving on the snow but still if you drive safely/slowly, its still ok to drive. But not recommended.

I wish I have extra money to buy beater or set of snow tires.... (my biggest mistake is that I SOLD my stock wheels... I wish I didn't...)