I had always told people that the reason I have winter tires is for a "just in case" reason - in case I get caught in unexpected snow on my way home, or something.

Last week, I went to pick up my girlfriend and we hung out around her neighborhood. I always check the forecast out of habit, and it said there was a 10% chance of rain or snow. She lives a mere 9 miles from me, so I assume whatever goes for me, goes for her area too. Well, how wrong I was.

Her neighborhood is situated on the highest point of New York City, and so where as there wasn't a snowflake to be found in my area, it was as if I had entered another world the moment I crossed into her area. It started out somewhat calmly, and I thought nothing of it "they're just flurries they'll stop. It isn't supposed to snow."

A few minutes pass and I can hear the little bits of snow ticking against my car as I drive through it. "Uhhh...it'll stop any second now." It got much worse and almost instantly. By now my gf was in the car, and we were heading to Starbucks. Within a 20 minute span, there was half an inch of snow on the ground and it looked relentless. The snow was just pouring down.

I got scared that if I had waited any longer, my journey home would be a lot tougher. So we left Starbucks, I got in and started driving carefully. To my surprise the car didn't misbehave, and I never once saw the SLIP light come on during my driving. Granted I only had to drive a short mile, it was still pretty bad, and the car had to climb an ENORMOUS hill too.

When I was nearby her house, waiting at a light, I decide to see if I could try and break traction for just a split second. I didn't floor the pedal, not even close, but I did give it a quick little push to jolt the car forward - and nothing. It moved with no slip at all. (BTW: No worries, this road is extremely wide, and extremely empty, there wasn't a car in sight).

I was extremely impressed by the grip of the tires. I dropped her off and headed out home. Going down a steep-ish hill to a stop sign, the ABS never kicked in and the car stopped just fine. The kicker here...as soon as I merged onto the highway (which is just two blocks from her house), all of the snow had stopped.

In fact there wasn't a trace of snow anywhere, the highway was totally dry. It only snowed in her area. :|

 

Good story, and glad everything worked out. You were smart to have winter tires on. Here in Vancouver, I'm just keeping from driving out of the city until spring, because the weather is forboding as all hell if you try and get up into the mountains.

 

Damn man you lucked out. Good thing you invested in some nice tires. Good story.

 

It has been snowing here in Chicago since yesterday with some areas seeing as much as 11 inches. Drove the Z about two miles today with the Blizzaks and not one problem. The best $$$ I have spent on my Z so far.

 

With so many crash stories lately, its good to finally hear a good story.

 

so cal is tha best!! summer tires 24/7
miss snows...
especially in Riverside..
Only see snows on top of the mountains..

 

Your gf must live in a snowglobe.

 

I never realized the power of a good winter tire until 2 years back i had to go to work 35 miles away during a blizzard that had already dumped 23 inches before i left. Took me a few hours but the car was awesome.

 

It is just such an unusual event. I've never experienced something like this before. I mean, I'm the type of guy who doesn't drive the Z even if it rains. I had to go to school today, and swapped the parking decal onto the FX. Rain or snow - car stays home, unless it's an emergency.

 

I drive my Z year-around, rain, snow, or sunshine. During the winter months I run 17” wheels and “all-square”… 225mm snow tires (Blizzaks and right now Dunlops) front and rear. The episode you relate happens here in Frostbite Falls frequently. The only difference is we also see frozen roadways since the ambient temperature often fall sub-zero (minus 17 below F degrees earlier this week).

We get significant snowfalls along with the arctic temperatures. Mounting quality snow tires is the solution for safe driving in these conditions. It's no problem with the Z as long as you have the correct tire for the current weather.

--Spike

 

People don't realize how big a difference a set of winter tires will do. The safety and performance gain in bad conditions far out class any AWD vehicle on all season tires.

 

In Frostbite Falls, the temperature is often subzero (December through February) with snow and ice, and a frozen roadway. During the winter months I drive a Jeep Commander equipped with QuadraTrac II and all season tires, and also a Z with snow tires. The Z with its snow tires drives better than the Jeep with its all season tires under these conditions unless the snow level exceeds the Z’s clearance. It’s the tires that make the difference.

--Spike

 

Yeah, it's sort of nuts. The city itself is fine, but SFU (even though BBY mountain barely qualifies as one) had about 2 feet of snow the first day I went back after the closures. Amazing what even a bit of elevation does in terms of acumulation. Definitely won't be driving up there until the spring.

 

haha yup yup