Who drives their Z in the winter?

370Z_Fan

Aluminum doesn't corrode like steel. But back to the topic, I've driven my roadster last winter with Michelin X-ice 2 with no problems.

Snakes709

mine was fine in the winter, although the VDC was pissing me off so i disconnected the harness and had no issues. The car even started in -59*C with no issues...sounded like a bloody tank for 5mins but other then that...no issues.

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LMBmikeZ

It might not be as bad as steel. But aluminum does corrode!

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DjSquall

And once its corroded... Replace it with CF

MD-370z

I've driven through 2 Montreal winters with my car, i enjoy driving it in the winter its easy to drive and with proper tires safer than any beater you buy. just drive responsibly and there is no reason to miss your car for a few months, cars are meant to be driven IMO.

LMBmikeZ

You can't tell me a rear wheel drive car thats 2-3" off the ground is ment for winter/snow driving not only that but there's no way your Z with a winter setup would even come close to my beater (97 pathfinder 4x4) in bad weather! IMO leave the Z stored all winter.

Unless you are in BC they don't get much in the way of snow or even cold like the rest of Canada.

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Dizzy

I'm with you Mike. The amount of snow we can potentially get around here wouldn't even give me ground clearance. I don't particularily feel like plowing the roads with my front bumper. which is exactly what I'd be doing.

Road salt, it's not just the underside of the car I'd worry about. Mix it in on a wet day with road slush and it's now creeping into every single nook and cranny of your car. Sure, you can wash it off, but do you detail your car and get it out of those nook and cranny hiding places on a regular basis in the winter? Definitely not something I care to do in January or February.

I appreciate some can't afford a beater, or may not even want one, but I'll never believe "The Z is a great winter car". Like Mike, I'll shell out a few K for a beater and let my baby sleep through the salt and slush season.

Again, I appreciate that some may not want to store it for the winter, but there's little arguement that it is the better approach for the longevity of your car and that there a ton of vehicles better suited to Canadian winter driving than the Z.

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LMBmikeZ

In total I've spent <$2000 on buying and fixing the pathfinder and this will be it's 3rd winter. Seems cheaper then 19" winters.

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DjSquall

It took me 12 inches of show to get stuck. I was driving in 6-8" with no effort.

I had snow up to my hood at one point that day

LMBmikeZ

That can't help the paint job at all!

Really it comes down the condition you want to keep your car! If you don't give a sh!t ya drive it!

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C09

Still on the fence, don't want to spend too much for a beater, I mean I still want something decent to drive around in.

sammy

I drive an 97 honda civic in the winter. It's old, doesn't have any toys and doesn't turn heads that is for sure. But, I slap on a pair of snows and away she goes. I don't care what happens to it or how it looks. It's not my driving I worry about, it's others. Last year some guy couldn't stop in the snow and hit me from behind. if it was my Z, I would have lost it. Also, driving the honda all winter makes getting into the Z again that much nicer.
If you can find a car that is well taken care of, in good shape and relatively inexpensive go for it.

partsguy

Major structual components are not made from carbon fiber. And even if they were, they would be unrealistically expensive to manufacture.

Take a look under your car. Remove the engine cover. Just look at all that aluminum (not to mention the body panels). And yes, aluminum does corrode when salt and moisture is added.

krzykanuk

My winter beater is a 2010 Murano. The Z stays in the garage with a car cover in the winter. They used to not plow the side streets at all in Calgary. Now they clear them eventually.

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LMBmikeZ

I would be pisses if my Z got hit! Winter driving is easy 4x as driving! Lol that's why use 4x4!!!

That's no beater that's a good ride!

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