Life of a Daily Driven Z in Crap Roads And **** Ton of Snow

b15 · 02-25-2014, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnsZ

Not every Z owner has a choice on whether or not to drive their Z's in winter weather with snow, ice, extreme cold etc. Did you ever think that for some Z owners, it might be our only car? I would love to be able to afford a beat up DD so I can garage my Z. I have driven mine in the winter up here in CT for the past 2 years. I use it to commute back and forth to work, 45 miles each way. The first year I had performance tires and I learned very quickly that I wasn't going anywhere with even the slightest amount of snow on the road. This year I bought Conti's Pure Contact and they are awesome. I haven't been out on anything deeper than a few inches of snow but it handles great in any amount up to that. I also added 2, 35 lbs of kitty litter to the trunk which doesn't hurt. The Z is better in the snow than most people think and I get to drive it year round. I'm going to enjoy every day...winter, spring, summer, and fall in my Z which now has over 48k miles and is in pristine condition. Yes...I wish I was lucky enough to be able to garage my Z and drive some old beater to work. But then, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my Z year round. By the way, the heated seats work great!

True. Some cannot or chose not to have a second car and there's nothing wrong with that. However if you chose to drive the Z in winter conditions, keeping summer tires on is not a smart nor responsible decision. If money was so tight that you cannot run proper equipment on your car as the seasons change, then perhaps you bought the wrong car. Anyone who thinks running summer tires in sub freezing temps and snow is acceptable is ill advised.

JARblue · 02-25-2014, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b15

If money was so tight that you cannot run proper equipment on your car as the seasons change, then perhaps you bought the wrong car.

Bingo!

nhbpcivicsi · 02-01-2014, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minsu

So Im just writing to describe how i feel about daily driving the Z.
Us being hit with a crap ton of snow for a crap ton of weeks made it hard for me to drive my car. In the snow even if there is an inch of snow and your on stock tires, you arent getting ANYWHERE and i mean anywhere. Once the snow starts to melt and you start gaining traction it gets a little bit better. The road noise doesnt bother me too much, most of the time i have music playing anyways. Now as all of you may know with the stock suspension you feel everything on the road and bumps turn into loud bangs and cracks turn into sounds you just can not ignore. The Two seats are a bit of a hassle sometimes if you are coming from a 5 seater car. You will invite your friends over and be like kk ill drive, then go outside to realize you only have 2 seats and this question comes up...Soo, whos getting in the trunk.
Here are some pics of my car in the winter salt and grime and after i cleaned it.
Also when it gets below ten degrees F, the clutch will most likely stick to the floor if you press on it but dont worry it will come back up, depress the clutch and kind of just run through your gears a couple of times to warm the gates.

Your stock tires in COLD weather will stutter as you reverse out or turn a corner at low speeds. The rubber gets hard as a rock and when your turning instead of the tired conforming to the road the cement like tires will try to force itself over the road causing stutter as your turn.

Try not to stomp on your gas pedal in cold weather even if you driven a while, your tires will spin out.
and.

VDC on.

Oh wait so that squeaky noise that the car makes when I make a turn into my driveway is normal? I thought something was up..

6MT-Z34 · 02-01-2014, 05:46 PM

This is probably a dumb question but to wash the undercarriage do you guys lift the cars or what??

somms · 02-01-2014, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6MT-Z34

This is probably a dumb question but to wash the undercarriage do you guys lift the cars or what??

Touchless automatic car wash.

6MT-Z34 · 02-01-2014, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by somms

Touchless automatic car wash.

Thanks! but I don't think there is any of those here in jersey

somms · 02-01-2014, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6MT-Z34

Thanks! but I don't think there is any of those here in jersey

If push comes to shove, I'll use a regular car wash with the winter wheels on it. Pretty much all of them offer undercarriage wash with a rust inhibitor. I don't have a nismo, so not worried about clearance. But the wheel tracks will scrape the sports package wheels. The winter tires have high sidewalls that clear the tracks.

Salt & rust vs having to buff out the swirls in the spring? I'll take having to buff it extra well.

6MT-Z34 · 02-01-2014, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by somms

If push comes to shove, I'll use a regular car wash with the winter wheels on it. Pretty much all of them offer undercarriage wash with a rust inhibitor. I don't have a nismo, so not worried about clearance. But the wheel tracks will scrape the sports package wheels. The winter tires have high sidewalls that clear the tracks.

Salt & rust vs having to buff out the swirls in the spring? I'll take having to buff it extra well.

Yeah I don't have a nismo either but I'm scare to put my car through those washes even with my winter setup lol

b15 · 02-01-2014, 05:49 PM

I get that you have to drive the Z in the winter as having a second car may not be feasible, but why on earth are you driving on SUMMER tires in the WINTER?

Are you also wearing shorts and sandals right now?

Vazquez08 · 02-01-2014, 06:00 PM

I'm in Maryland and left my car parked for the few days when we got snow here. Then school was coming up the next few days so I bought some Michellen xice and haven't had a problem since. I didn't even like driving when it was under 35 with those stock tires. Rear of the car was going every which way with the uneven roads. Worst I drove in so far was just some slush but no problems at all

Minsu · 02-01-2014, 09:32 PM

yea it was a good 43 degrees today, so decided on tanktop and shorts
haha

d0ubts · 02-01-2014, 10:16 PM

Im in north jersey too and just got a nismo. My car looks like yours...except worse. I havent had time to order winter tires....so stock tires its been. Commuted every day from nj to manhattan and its not so bad. Cant wait to get this baby washed and detailed....undercarriage is a problem though cause igot the spoiler.

Know anywhere in jersey that does good window tints?

d0ubts · 02-01-2014, 10:17 PM

Sooo... 6mt and minsu... I think all 3 of us north jersey? Mini meet time when it gets warmer hahahaha

6MT-Z34 · 02-01-2014, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d0ubts

Sooo... 6mt and minsu... I think all 3 of us north jersey? Mini meet time when it gets warmer hahahaha

Yeah I'm down for that!

If u find a good tint place let me know too lol

Minsu · 02-02-2014, 12:05 AM

Hooters, Route 4, Tuesday Night, all you can eat wings.

02-01-2014, 05:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
b15 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,229 Drives: 4drz Rep Power: 36572	I get that you have to drive the Z in the winter as having a second car may not be feasible, but why on earth are you driving on SUMMER tires in the WINTER? Are you also wearing shorts and sandals right now? NismoZ70 likes this.

02-01-2014, 06:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
Vazquez08 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Baltimore Maryland Posts: 64 Drives: '14 370z base AT Rep Power: 12	I'm in Maryland and left my car parked for the few days when we got snow here. Then school was coming up the next few days so I bought some Michellen xice and haven't had a problem since. I didn't even like driving when it was under 35 with those stock tires. Rear of the car was going every which way with the uneven roads. Worst I drove in so far was just some slush but no problems at all Leadfoot likes this.

02-01-2014, 09:32 PM	#11 (permalink)
Minsu A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,401 Drives: 2013 MidBlue 370Z 6M Rep Power: 25	yea it was a good 43 degrees today, so decided on tanktop and shorts haha __________________ I figured, Get High, Take the Test High, Get HIGH Scoes

02-02-2014, 12:05 AM	#15 (permalink)
Minsu A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,401 Drives: 2013 MidBlue 370Z 6M Rep Power: 25	Hooters, Route 4, Tuesday Night, all you can eat wings. __________________ I figured, Get High, Take the Test High, Get HIGH Scoes

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02-01-2014, 05:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
6MT-Z34 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: NJ Posts: 1,726 Drives: PW Z Rep Power: 16	This is probably a dumb question but to wash the undercarriage do you guys lift the cars or what??

02-01-2014, 10:16 PM	#12 (permalink)
d0ubts Base Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 231 Drives: 14 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 205	Im in north jersey too and just got a nismo. My car looks like yours...except worse. I havent had time to order winter tires....so stock tires its been. Commuted every day from nj to manhattan and its not so bad. Cant wait to get this baby washed and detailed....undercarriage is a problem though cause igot the spoiler. Know anywhere in jersey that does good window tints?

02-01-2014, 10:17 PM	#13 (permalink)
d0ubts Base Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 231 Drives: 14 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 205	Sooo... 6mt and minsu... I think all 3 of us north jersey? Mini meet time when it gets warmer hahahaha