Winter Z Drivers

[mtb]

Hey all,
This doesn't REALLY belong here, but I wanted opinions from local drivers - not people that deal with 6 feet of snow in Michigan...

Does anyone daily drive their Z all winter, if so - I assume you run snow tires; how is the experience?

FWIW, my current car is a mazdaspeed3 - I have a separate set of wheels and snow tires, and with that setup in spite of the turbo torquiness it's not bad to drive in the winter. Just wondering if the Z is totally impractical in this regard.

Thanks!

[cossie1600]

I drove it in the first snow storm two weeks ago with LM022 snow tires. It worked okay and it was fun to drive, but it didn't drive anything like my FWD CUV or Prius. Keeping moving isn't the problem, getting started is. Also the Z has a pathetic defroster and LSD, it makes it not fun to drive in teh winter. I think you can definitely get by in our area, but I wouldn't trust it in deep snow

[Moussa93]

That'll be my first winter with the Z ...
I've got some new All Season, and will use them with the Snow...
Hope it won't be too bad :/

[b1adesofcha0s]

I bought my Z during a snow storm and drove it home from PA to MD with no problem. As long as you have the proper tires and drive slowly/carefully you will be ok. Of course with a sports car like the Z, ground clearance will be an issue if we get a lot of snow accumulation on the roads.

[Coon-azz]

Originally Posted by b1adesofcha0s

I bought my Z during a snow storm and drove it home from PA to MD with no problem. As long as you have the proper tires and drive slowly/carefully you will be ok. Of course with a sports car like the Z, ground clearance will be an issue if we get a lot of snow accumulation on the roads.

Agreed! Before my Z I had a Pontiac Solstice GXP (lowered) and ran it all year. Like any car that low, if the snow is over the hood, it just plows through the snow, but I was running the IceGuards snow tires in the winter and had no issues at all. In the snow, one trick, especially on hills, might be to start off in 2nd gear to get goiong. Also you have to keep in mind how snow tires perform and how the temps effect them. Once I put the snow tires on, I dont' typically drive over 70MPH and I stay out of the left lanes when possible. I also give myself extra room between cars. But thats me. I learned to drive in the snow in the Mid-west where 5 or 6 inches a day is not uncommon. The best advice...get out into an open parking lot and test the tires, the car and see how it performs in such conditions. Kind of like being on a wet track. Can also be a lot of fun. Just be careful.

Oh. another trip I've done to keep the ice/snow from building up in the rims is to clean and wax them after you put them away for the SUMMER. This way,when you pull them out for the Winter, they are all set. My last rims would collect snow and throw the cars ballance off really bad. After Waxing them the next year; almost nothing.

[shadoquad]

Keep your traction control on and leave your lead foot at home. Don't take unnecessary trips anddon't go out if more than a few inches is forecast.

[eastwest2300]

Drive slowly..

[m4a1mustang]

Snow tires + rwd with a limited slip diff = great in winter. The only thing that will stop you is ground clearance.

[m4a1mustang]

Originally Posted by shadoquad

Keep your traction control on and leave your lead foot at home. Don't take unnecessary trips anddon't go out if more than a few inches is forecast.

Meh. Turn traction control off and always go out when there is snow on the ground. MAD FUN.

[shadoquad]

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

Meh. Turn traction control off and always go out when there is snow on the ground. MAD FUN.

Lol, if you want to steve it.

[Coon-azz]

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

Meh. Turn traction control off and always go out when there is snow on the ground. MAD FUN.

Hell yeah!

[eastwest2300]

Originally Posted by shadoquad

Lol, if you want to steve it.

[MyKindaGuise]

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

Meh. Turn traction control off and always go out when there is snow on the ground. MAD FUN.

I REALLY couldn't agree more here. Have some fun dude. Im dying for PA's first snow haha.

Anyways first winter with the Z. I def need new tires. I will be yet again going with summer performance tires even for the winter. I could care less about a little snow. I care more about the salty roads and paint damage from them but really if it snows I plan on just using my time off I have built up at work.

[mtb]

Awesome. Thanks for feedback guys - I am finishing up parting out the ms3 and waiting for the Z I want to appear at a good price. Going for that CWP, sport + touring, manual obviously... Sounds like a good set of winter tires and I'll be golden.

On the ms3 I have some "sport" winter tires - so cornering and braking is closer to an all-season, but plenty of tread and stellar in the snow - last winter with 1" on the ground and snow falling I was still confident @70mph going down 95..

[4r3s]

Originally Posted by mtb

last winter with 1" on the ground and snow falling I was still confident @70mph going down 95..

this in any car is irresponsible, you've clearly never been in an accident. I don't care that you put yourself at risk doing such a thing but you're putting other innocent people on the road at risk then...I see "confident" pickups with 4 wheel drive quite often on the sides of the roads because they pushed it too much in the snow.

/StepsOffSoapBox

I dd my z, I have a set of summer performance tires with rims and a set of winter performance tires with rims. Getting around in the winter with the winter tires is doable, I do not purposely drive the car in the snow. the point is if it starts snowing while I'm at work I can get home relatively safely (compared to the summer tires) before there gets to be moderate accumulation. Yes I've driven home on the summer tires in this situation before and I made it okay but I drove sideways the entire time.