Z in the rain and snow
 

So I am just thinking I have only owned front wheel drive cars, and a truck for a little while. I was wondering how bad the z's are in the snow and rain?

Leave the traction control on, and rain should be OK...that said, don't drive stupid, and you won't have anything to worry about.

Snow...anyone's guess. With it being as low to the ground as it is, I won't be driving it come winter...Oklahoma doesn't salt/sand/plow much on anything but the highways and the mayor's driveway, and it heats up just enough to turn all snow on the roads to a 1-2" thick block of ice.

Rain is fine as long as you dont get crazy, but forget snow right now.

True I will probably use the civic in the snow come winter and all that.

If you were on plowed level roads with some good winter/AS tires it might be doable. But factoring in other crappy drivers and salt Id rather ride my mtn bike:rofl2:

If it snows here, we all have WAY more to worry about. 8-).

That said, I know people in Chicago (old home) that have easily tamed M3's with good winter tires and a careful right foot.

Hey! Are you in San Juan? I was down there in the beginning of June and saw a red 370Z parked right near the beach by the Mariott and La Concha hotels. Any chance it was yours?

I have a 370Z in Chicago and bought a set of winter tires to fit the 19" sport rims. We'll see how it goes, but it will be my daily driver all winter as well. In rain, I've had zero problems. You can break it loose more easily with heavy throttle, but driving normally I've had no problems at all with handling or grip. At this point, rain is definitely a non-issue. Snow is yet to be decided with the snow tires.

Well we in NJ get some snow once in a while a lot of snow but usually about 3 inches. But as I said the civic will be better.

i agree dont drive like a dumbass. When it rains and the speed limit is 65, you will find me going 55. I could drive 65 no problem but i dont feel like risking it. The z is pretty low to the ground and i suspect the hyrodplane is increased due to it wont take as much water to fill the gap between your car and the road.

Dude, hydroplaning is a phenomenon of water filling the gap between the TIRE and the road. It's effected by your tread depth and tire design mainly. The car's clearance has nothing to do with it...you'd have to be in a goddamn flood for the car's clearance to be a problem. Then you'd be floating, not hydroplaning.

I've routinely done 80mph on the highway in fairly heavy rain. The car handles beautifully.

X2 I agree

I disagree with most of these opinions. There's really no reason not to drive the Z in winter if you and your car are prepared.

A number of the local car clubs run winter driving schools. I went with my daughter a couple of times and it was really worthwhile. We did skid pads on ice, and a road course, some braking exercises, and ice driving (with big snowbanks if you lost control). The one we went to in Franconia New Hampshire was sponsored by the Audi Quattro Club but there were a number of FWD, AWD and RWD cars there. A great chance to learn what you can and cannot do with your car in the winter.

Surprisingly, RWD with limited slip did quite well and was huge fun on the skidpad. The key thing is not to suddenly lift off on the gas when the rear end starts to slide out. Hard to do if you are used to driving front wheel drive, but once you learn to keep your foot in it and steer your way out of trouble, you can get great control. I strongly suggest that you get the feel for it before venturing out with the Z on roads with poor traction, especially if you are only used to driving FWD vehicles.

As long as you have the tires for it, the Z can work well in the winter. If you have it, the LSD on the Sport package is also a real advantage compared to traction control, especially when it comes to getting up hills. Traction control works by braking the opposite wheel to transfer torque, but you don't want any braking when you are trying to climb a slippery hill. Winter driving was the main reason we bought a Z with the sport package (and we wish the LSD was a bit faster-acting, more like a Quaife, but that's another topic).

If you do a lot of winter driving, you should carry some auxiliary stuff, like a nylon tow strap, and maybe some kitty litter for traction to help you get out of low traction situations like a driveway, or a ditch, if you do lose it:shakes head:

The other key thing for the Z is that you really MUST have full winter tires, and maybe even studs for the winter. Around here, where we get a lot of snow, we refer to all-season tires as "NO season tires." Size down and get some cheap 18" wheels and 225-18 snows and you should do well.

In fact, the only real problems (as others have said) are the other crazies on the road, and ground clearance on unplowed streets. With a bit of training and the right equipment, you'll be fine.

Hope this helps,

HJM

Thanks for that write up, I know that Porsche's owners do it a lot.

Yup, when I was in college in upstate NY I used to drive a clapped-out 356B Porsche coupe. I always knew I was in trouble when the guy in the backseat passed me.

On one memorable occasion I did two 360's in the middle of the Tappan Zee Bridge crossing the Hudson River. Didn't hit anything and continued on in the direction I was going. All was fine except for the new stains in my underwear...

But Porsche's have a real advantage for traction with the engine over the drive wheels. They go better and brake better in snow than we do.

I disagreement with your disagreement.

I lived through a decade of winter one year in Chicago when I had a (at the time brand new) 1973 Formula 400 Firebird. It, and cars like it have to be about the worst possible vehicle to have in snow....rear wheel drive; lot's of HP/Tqu and with more weight on the front end than the rear (where you need it for traction)...I survived it but I'd never do it again; at least not willingly.

Can a 370 be a year-round car even in the snow belt? Of course.

It won't be fun but it can be done - if you've got other options I'd use them

Rain is also something people should be mindful of...the tires on the Z
are WIDE tires and really only truly good in dry, summer conditions...it doesn't take much water for you to hydroplane right off the road and what's even worst is that you'll probably never know until your in the ditch so please folks, SLOW DOWN when it rains and arrive alive (and without need of a tow). :)

I know whereof you speak! Big power plus less traction over drive wheels equals white-knuckle terror in some situations. BTDT. I also agree with your comment about wide tires and driving in rain.

But if the Z were my only car, I wouldn't hesitate to drive it all winter. It's better balanced than muscle cars of old, and with skinny tires you get a pretty good feel for what kind of traction you've got.

The opposite extreme are the AWD SUV's. When I go skiing every weekend in the winter, nearly all the cars I see upside-down in the ditches are SUV's.

I think it's safer to feel the limits and drive accordingly rather than falsely feel invulnerable until you discover you've overcome the laws of nature. I'm sure I drive my Z more carefully in the winter than I do my Audi S4 Avant because it constantly helps me be aware of the pavement conditions and traction.

YMMV

What i did my first winter with my first car and first winter with my dads truck was went to a deserted parking lot and practice driving in it and how to control the spin outs and all. It helped me a bit as well as fun.

That's really cool! A great way to get to know the car. Lots of fun and a great way to scare the crap out your friends too.

I learned to drive in Buffalo NY where we annually got hammered by DEEP lake effect snow. The local police sponsored a winter teen driving course with a skid school. A bit daunting for a kid asked to skid a car with a big gruff cop sitting next to you... But they claimed a much better accident record for kids who took the course, and I got a discount on my car insurance too! I wish towns still did this for kids learning to drive!

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This was me last year in the evo.. I dont think ill be doing the same in the 370.. its staying in the garage!

I have one word for you....Blizzacks (a real snow tire made for the Z)

LOL are those the ones with the spikes in them?

your right, after looking it up, gap aparently does not have any thing to do with it, but it doesnt help either.

I have already had it hydroplane in puddles already. some of the roads where i live are 55mph only, when wet they are too dangerous for that.

No. I live in Dorado (20 min to the west). I don't park my Z in San Juan. Rims tend to disappear in there.

I can certainly post a review of the Blizzaks once we get snow again. In Chicago, you never know when that will be...could be a few weeks with the weather we've had this past year.

They don't have studs, just an aggressive tread pattern and softer rubber compound that won't harden in cold temps.

My winter ride!

LMAO that is pretty funny.

As my Dad told me many years ago...

Just because you have 4 wheel drive, doesn't mean you stop any better.

A *LOT* of people don't "get it" when they get a 4WD vehicle...

LOL I know that bridge and your a crazy lol! :stirthepot:

Thanks for the reviews all. I'm in Toronto so we see more than our fair share of snow and I was wondering how the 370z handled in snow (and in rain). I think I'll store it for her first winter :). Right now I am twiddling my thumbs while my car is trained across the country hopefully arriving end of this week or sometime next, can't wait!

Good luck with it and have fun! May you have many, many sunny days:tup:

Living in West Virginia, I definitely see enough snow through the winter, my previous car, 350z, was my daily driver throughout the year. I used Blizzacks for winter and they worked magnificantly. No traction problems whatsoever...although I did drive responsibly and took my time wherever I was going.

Side note: I did have the NISMO LSD installed and it helped tremendously I don't think I could have made it without the differential. So with the sports package and snow tires it shouldn't be a problem driving through winters in the 370z.

Do you ever go to Snowshoe?

ummmm, im not sure if a 370z could make it up snowshoe.... I guess if it wasn't a bad snow day it could.

Yeah, I doubt it could make it to the base of the mountain much less the summit

As far as the rain, I just got caught in a downpour (damn it). Drove the car like it wasn't even raining. It did great.

The first time i was driving my Z in the rain... I hydroplaned BAD ... it was a close call.. and I will never forget how terribly it did as soon as it lost it. Seriously - the wheels are just too dam wide for water on the road... and for all those of you getting even wider wheels- good luck hahah... but honestly - just drive SUPER safe and make no sudden movements w/ the gas / wheel and you will be fine

I believe wider wheels does not equate to more grip. I reduced the performance and handling of my previous car by changing to wider and larger diameter wheels.

Wait what? maybe true on water... but when its dry - wider wheels is the definition of more grip.. you have more surface area contacting the ground at any time.. you might affect the handling of your car... but in terms of grip - its gonna be more the wider you go...

+1

There are probably theoretical advantages of wider rubber. However, suspension geometry may limit what is achievable. Going beyond the sweet spot whatever that is in width, the problems begin to rapidly outweigh the advantages.