Let's be honest. Im not sure people from New Jersey even know what "winter" is really like, so advice given to someone in Colorado about driving a Z in "winter" conditions might not be the most relevant information. Add in the fact that your only 22, and can't possibly have enough experience to really even give advice in this area, and this starts to get dangerous.

In these parts we average 160" of snow every season. I drove my G35 coupe through 4 of those *#*!-ing winters with the most expensive snow tires I could find... I "made it through" most of the time and just didn't drive it when the snow got deeper than 3-4" (which happened quite a bit)

While it is "doable" it is VERY dangerous... I would strongly advise against if at all possible.

This is one of the reasons I didn't get the Z until I could afford a winter beater. It's a dedicated sports car. Purpose built.

Not to mention what's already been said... Why beat the piss out if such an awesome car driving it through the winter?!

:twocents:

I'm from Alaska. I live in Boston and drove my Z through record setting snow falls. It's extremely drivable on plowed roads with snow tires. Only an idiot would drive any car on unplowed roads, AWD or not. Stop spreading FUD.

Only an idiot huh? I guess using a 2.5" lifted TJ (stretched 11" in the rear), with an Atlas 4 (10.34 to 1), sitting on 35" Wrangler MTs with 17" beadlocks so I can run about 5psi makes me an idiot. Some people have purpose built vehicles, don't make blanket statements.

A stock wheelbase TJ wouldn't be a wise choice but stretched and built it's an excellent choice. Longer wheelbase for stability, low center of gravity, high ground clearance, light weight, designed to climb things that can't be walked...

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If you're trying to get stupid in your "purpose built" vehicle I won't stop you. Hope you have a good wrecker on speed dial.

Pray tell, why would I need a wrecker?

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Crickets....

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Sure ain't a thing wrong with purpose built.mthats kinda what a Z is right out of the box :p

Sold my JK before buying the Z.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/450...922/bd1Cry.jpg

Nope, nothing at all. Mine was paid off before I bought the Z so I kept it and built it for what I wanted. I don't think the guy has a clue about what I'm describing, what it's built for, or just how capable a purpose built crawler is though.

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Most people don't.

Need to send them on a crash course of GCC in PBB :p

My Z was my winter beater! Lol

I grew in Winnipeg, affectionately referred as Winterpeg...

In the mid-90s, I drove a 1987 Toyota Supra for a few winters. On slippery surfaces, it did fine as long as I started in 2nd. Deep snow, however, was its enemy. I have a feeling the Z would be much the same experience.

Corrosion would be my biggest worry, as some have pointed out, from the salt and grit on the roads in the winter.

While the Supra was drivable with a bit of conscious effort put into keeping the torque down on slippery surfaces, it rusted badly after its second winter. When I got it, it was a pristine condition with its original paint.

Given the choice now, I wouldn't do that again, and likely get a cheap winter-beater for the winter months.

Best of luck!

I was just thinking about this winter beater thing, here in Colorado public transit is pretty abundant here, I use it anyways. That and lyft


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But ... public transit is soooo uncool! :D Good option however. I remember having to take the bus on heavy snow days, haha. :)

What are you leaning towards? Z year round, or Z + winter beater?

Ur telling me, I got asked for money ON THE BUS, he made me take my headphones off for him to ask me for money. I may do the Z year round expect on heavy snow days (snow here only last 2 or 3 days at the most) maybe Z with transit until I get a winter beater


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Good stuff man, at least now you know all sides of the argument.

Main thing: enjoy your Z! It's really a fun ride.

All depends how you treat the car and what it is. I grew up in Winnipeg too, and still have my first car that seen winters since '79...been painted once. But back then GM knew how to build a car, 'Yota's were not known for their top quality metal. lol

I know exactly what you're talking about and I've watched plenty of them get pulled out of ditches and from ravines of Hatcher Pass. You didn't get a response because what you said didn't deserve one.

It might be a shorter list to raise hands of who DIDN'T grow up in Winnipeg lol

Had an 87 supra Turbo and drove it for two winterpeg winters. It wasn't ideal but it wasn't terrible. I remember one January I had to take my 78 280z to the shop for paint. I knew it wasn't going to be a great drive so pulled out late Sunday evening so there would be little traffic. Steps outside of the garage found I couldn't let the clutch out slow enough, with no skinny pedal, to even get moving. Just sat there and spun. Finally got some extra weight in the back and made it to the road. Was driving ok but had no heat and the inside of the windshield fogged right over so did a Jim Carrey and drive with my head out the window so I could see. This in the middle of January! My god was it cold. Thankfully it was only about 5 or 6 miles on practically abandoned streets.

A 370z by comparison would be a dream in the winter :p

Though I have every intention of parking mine in the garage.

Sorry, but I highly doubt you've seen "plenty" of what I'm talking about pulled out of anywhere unless you frequent places like Johnson Valley or Moab but nice try.

You've yet to tell me why I need a wrecker. Hint, a ditch isn't a valid reason. Now, a wrecker might need me but alas that's a story for another time.

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I actually recently bought my Z as a winter beater :P granted I don't have far to go to work and I will be away most of the winters anyway.

Fair point. I don't know Nissan's track record regarding propensity to rust. I have noticed already that the paint seems a bit fragile. And I've only had my car 6 months. Hardly scientific, I'll admit

A bit fragile is putting it nicely. Nissan's paint is dog$h*t. Except dog$h*t would probably be harder to chip.

You're on to something. Way cheaper than plastidip...

Plasti dip isn't crazy expensive, like 400


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Dog doo $0.

He's on to something.

"Dude, nice car. But what's that smell?"

With 400k I had a couple spots where paint was chipping off, just do PPF on it in the right spots and give er!

Calgary (Deerfoot) is notoriously hard on paint. You're the poster child for durable paint!

You park yours in the winter?

Twice I've bought vehicles from the automall Glenmore @ Deerfoot.

BOTH times I got a rock chip in my brand new windshield within 5 minutes of leaving the dealership and pulling onto Deerfoot.

I bought the Z in the far NW instead :p

:iagree:

Oh man. Don't get me started on windshield rock-chips in Calgary or Edmonton; The Whitemud's not any less rude. :D

Those kids sitting under the orange tents knew me by name ... haha.

370z in Snow
 

Not recommended.

1. REAR wheel drive/Sports Car/Power and Torque don't mix well together with snow. Specially if you have to drive in the highway and have to change lanes.

2. It's a nice car that should stay looking nice for as long as you can. Salt will not be good for your car. Also, even on a NON-snowy days the gravel will be rough on your car chipping away your bumper.

Recommendation:

Have another car more suitable for the winter.

This is just my personal opinion you may do as you feel is best.

Drove it all year round. had a blast doing it.

I demand a drug test. :p

Edmonton Alberta Driving
 

I live about as far North as you can get in any North American City. I put Blizzack's on last winter and the car was fine and stopped on a dime. In fact it's balance (front to back) weight ratio made it better in snow than my previous Audi TT Quattro with cheap winter tires. Spend the extra on good tires. Traction is not only about grip, it is about the rubber staying soft in sub freezing temperatures in order to make that grip available. Having said that, if enough snow falls you will be ploughing. But surprisingly I had no issue this past winter.

or for the price of spending extra on good tires just buy a 4WD beater for a hundred bucks more than the tires would have been and be done with it. I cant believe this thread is still going.

Me neither, I think this was my first post lol


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Where I live it's about $150 a month to park a car. Plus insurance. Plus registration. Plus excise tax. Plus yearly inspection. Plus maintenance. A one time investment of high end winter wheels is considerably cheaper. The fact that the Z drives great in the snow makes it a no brainier for those of us who DD where it snows.

If you want to subject your Z to salt, calcium, and the risk of morons in Expeditions turning it into a crumpled soda can, more power to you bro. Again, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

I've gotta ask... what's the benefit of driving a Z year-round vs the downside? And what would you tell someone who tried the same thing with, say, a Dodge Viper or a Z06? Is it just a cost thing? If so, then why is it so hard for people to admit that having a 2nd vehicle is the better option?:confused:

id never drive a Z or G in snowy conditions again.

Only reason I bought a Z was I also own a Pathfinder for the winter now

What exactly are high end winter wheels? Why focus on the wheel and not the tire? Wheel gains you nothing. Run some Blizzaks on cheap steelies and call it good.

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Semantics. Yes, the tire should be high end. The wheel should at least be the right size and shape. I prefer 18x8. A good looking wheel is a good looking wheel though, that's why I went with a nice one, since winters here can run from October to May.