anyone here DRIVE there Z in WINTER?
 

my 350z got totalled from black ice, and i wasnt even going fast at all, 60 km/h. and at first glance everyone thought it was really minor damage, just the front bumper and hood. open the hood and the frame was messed and something else. btw i had brand new winter tires.

so now im really scared of driving my NEW 370z. and wondering what precautionary measures i should take, and what about the rust and salt, or any other problem that i may come across.

i hate public transit !

Don't drive in the winter. Snow tires and low speeds won't save you from the ice.

Nor will even the strongest rust preventatives save you from the extremely corrosive road salts. Some of the stuff they put on the roads will give you chemical burns if you leave it on your skin.

That said, I have done it before and sometimes it just cannot be helped. Apply POR15 to exposed metals (mostly the steel sections, like some of the suspension components). Most of the car is still aluminum and will form a protective layer of oxide which is a better protector than most rust preventatives. Iron oxide, or rust, is much weaker than its parent metal.

California... All winter long. I'll take the truck if I recently washed the Z and it's raining.:tup:

I drive in the winter months unless there's any precip in the forecast...and by that, I mean 0% chance. If there's water or ice on the ground, the Z stays in the garage. I leased a Civic for DD, so that pretty much how I solved it. I borrowed my parent's pathfinder last winter. Road salt isnt that huge a problem if you wash it off right away. On ice/winter, the 370 won't be any different than the 350. Black ice can take out a 4wd car with winter tires just as easily.

Nope. Salt, sand are problematic. Slush and highway snow ridges on partially plowed roads will damage air dams. A rear wheel drive manual transmission sports car is a big potential liability on icy roads. First snowfall, the Z goes in the garage and I get out the 4x4 Sierra.

Last year was the first winter. Drove it everyday or the frau did. Blizzaks and good roads make it possible. Of course there are limits. The amount of snow etc. Low ground clearance is the limiting factor. That and you do not apply alot of throttle unless the road is clear. The car idles out of snow quite easily with the 7AT.
Ice can get you anywhere. I see as many RWD vs FWD on the roads here. BMW are all over the place here in the winter.

heelllllll naw

All year All weather... oh... yeah I'm in San Diego.

In Western PA my Z is wrapped in blankets in the corner of the garage from November through March. Be discreet---save your car and your life. Get a used little Civic and count the days 'til April.

I just got my Z three months ago, so no chance for winter driving yet. However, since I am in SC, I don't think I will have any issues with it through the winter.

Not yet, but I plan on it. We do get an occasional snow or ice here in Texas, but I usually don't take my chances in it regardless of what I drive. The Z is my daily driver:tup:

The reason for owning the Z is because it's fun to drive. It would NOT be fun to drive in the snow, therefore dumb for me to drop $1200 on some Blizzaks for the Z and leave the 4WD pickup truck in the garage while I creep down the snowy roads in a rear wheel drive sports car with about 6 inches of ground clearance and a grabby clutch.

I can drive a Z in Minnesota in the winter, but why would I if I have a better alternative?

:iagree: What's this.... "winter" you speak of? :icon14:

dam you Californians haahahhaa, as for the salt and just spray your undercarriage and you should be good. :driving:

I drove through the snow once last year. My car could barely make it up tiny hills with the stock tires on them. So if it ever snowed, my car stayed and I got a ride from somebody else.

I have/will, but salt is rare where I live. when it's snotty I'll take my megacab. what happened to your 350 can happen to anything, at least the 370 has VDC. not sure if the 350 did. My prev winter ride was an 03 SRW 3500, no vdc but a beast in 4wd.

I had a G35 with VDC and got caught in a surpise blizzard, I was amazed at how well it got around. for reference I grew up with a lot of snow, sleds and I race offroad now. VDC cars are amazing at what they do all else being equal.

now that I said all that.... sounds like u really need a winter beater.

This is what I recommend as well, but not everyone can afford one and there Z I guess. :tiphat:

SoCal = No Winter = Z ALL YEAR :)

yes, with a set of blizzaks i had no trouble last year

yup... though have gone to michelin pilot sport a/s now. much better tire year round :tup:

Michilen X Ice2 winter tires and dedicated rims. No problems whatsoever w/ice and snow. Low clearance is the deal breaker in which case you must plan your route very carefully. The car actually handles much better than a front wheel drive vehicle in snow conditions.

Rear wheel drive vehicles are not the problem.....drivers who don't know how to drive in ice and snow are.

Z gets garaged all winter, drive my other car (saturn ion) all winter. Then i dont have to worry about anything happening to the z! No getting stuck, dont have to worry about scraping up the bumper

The Z is my only car so I drive it in all kinds of weather. I have to say that Winter is the most scary season for me. Even with a little bit of snow out, you won't be able to go at the normal safe speed on the road. It was embarrassing to go slower and getting passed by a Corolla and other everyday cars. It just isn't possible to go any faster in stock tires. It'll spin out every time so you basically move at a crawl speed, especially in the neighborhood where its worse.

Yes I do. Maybe I should say "did" as I'm looking for a 2nd DD vehicle. NOT because Z is not capable of driving in snow (with proper snow tires and driving technique) but I really don't wanna rack up 100,000 miles before I even pay the car off :(.

Z is perfectly capable in driving in snow upto 4" ish. Anything more, you start to scrape front bumper. Here's a video and thread I created



Thread: http://www.the370z.com/wheels-tires/...cs-ak370z.html

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...w/DSC03038.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...w/DSC03014.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...w/DSC03022.jpg

tangent, small world, I grew up in Colchester:) 20 miles from everywhere!

Thanks for the video AK. Very informative. This will be my first winter here in Chicago with the Z. While I don't plan on driving it if snow is in the forecast, I'm sure I'll get caught out sooner or later. My girlfriend's Miata was impossible in the snow until she put on some all seasons. Still not very good, but a least it will move. My previous car was a BMW 3 series, and while not great in the snow, with all seasons it was bearable. I can't see the added expense for dedicated snow tires and wheels. Luckily with pretty good public transportation, I can usually wait until the streets are cleared to drive.

Live south of Houston so yeah. :D

i am gladly happy to hear most 370z drivers here use the 370z as a second car. i wish. unfortunatelly my Z is my daily driver since i cannot afford another car. i am trying to look for a hooptie of no more than $1000 so i can drive on storm days and leave my Z at home. although i have been having my Z for 6 months now. didnt drive it in no snow storm (yet), only in really cold weather. only thing ive done was to warm up the car for at least 15min every day before driving it. i would do the same in snow storms and try to wash it as much as possible too. As in driving...? probably be careful as you can be and pray for the best and no as$ to rear end me.

Winter = windows down and ac off. Best time of the year

http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1347397024

We wake up in April

I'm gonna throw some Blizzaks on and attempt the unthinkable lol

I drive mine all winter long except if there is going to be rain, snow, or ice on the road. Im in the very east of Texas, we dont get any snow so im good but if there is it stays in the garage and I use my Jeep grand Cherokee 4x4

Nope...I dread storage in 2 months :(

I know one or tow local guys who drive their Z in the winter (more power to them) and Montreal winters are WAY WORSE than a Toronto winter...but personally RWD + snow/ice = bad scene

I would maybe consider one of those extremely cold but dry days in winter...but why let salt get it

Since I visit Montreal every year for the Grand Prix, I can see why you wouldn't drive your Z in the winter...way too many hills. Especially with a stick. How you would ever get going with a little snow on the road I have no clue. I've been driving sticks for over 20 years and I don't think I could do it...even with the hand brake trick. No such problem in mostly flat Chicago.

Gosh. Am I the only one old enough to remember when all cars were rear-wheel drive?

I've driven to the mountains on a 240sx with Blizzacks for Christmas. Makes drifting looks easy because I was scared for a good 3 hours driving there.

Really....that said, I haven't owned a front drive for over 20 years.

thanks for your answers, im going to keep it in the garage. and find another way of transportation

thread is over !

nice rep for a fellow CTer :tiphat:

you have come to the right solution good job. :tup:

I drive my z in winter! I just replaced two rear tires into winter tires and there was no problem in winter!!