Sports cars and snow..

[MaryJane]

Alright, so freaking I need some opinions. Who has a sports car that they drive in the snow? Rear wheel drive? What do you do in the winter?

I really didn't want to go out and spend like 200 bucks ea. on snow tires. I put like 150lbs of sandbags in the trunk. I think it helped a little. I just KNOW once I buy snow tires that it won't snow ever again..

[Pierat]

My porsche got stuck in the show 2 weeks ago, I dont even drive it during the winter.....I drive my jeep during the winter, its my work truck, I DJ and teach sailing so I need it to tow things.... I try not to put the miles on it, but this winters been so bad ive been in it allot.
Oh the points? I towed my porsche with my jeep when it got stuck going up the hill where I park, heh

[MaryJane]

So you suggest I buy a jeep to haul my car around..

[Wezas]

I spent 25 minutes this morning helping a lady get her Infiniti G35 Coupe (RWD) out of her driveway. That thing sucked bad. The newer models have AWD, so that was helpful.

She wasn't even hot. She was like "Excuse me, can you help me". She's a neighbor, what am I going to say?

If she was hot I would have offered in the first place.

BTW, my Spec-V (FWD) did better then I thought in the snow. Z-rated tires aren't too bad, but I still need some all-season.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

My Ram 1500 does great in the snow.

Only advice I have is go slow... if you have rearwheel drive and are stuck on a slope, put it in reverse and back up it (obviously doesn't work on a heavy traffic street).

Best thing anyone can do is go slow.

[MaryJane]

Ya, I did fine in the snow yesterday. I really have no problem until I try to pull into my driveway. It's a hill. I spent 30 min yesterday trying to get it up.

I did the whole revese, forward thing.. I shoveled.. I put down rock salt.. After I put two bags down, I got up the driveway ok. It's just the uphill traction that is killing me. I see other mustangs driving around with no problem, but I can't be the only one too cheap to buy snowtires!? There's gotta be a secret.

[Pierat]

Um no, heh you didnt understand what I said, I got stuck so bad I had to tie a rope to the porsche and pull it up the hill with my jeep.... thing does great in the rain, but bad in snow, I was able to drive sideways for a little bit though! heh. I suggest.....uhhhh.... well it depends on what sorta sports car your driving... if its a keeper, a lease, or expencive.... the porsche its just not worth any damage to it to drive it at all right now.
Although, those crazy icelanders... or was it scandanavians.... well one of those crazy people deleoped a "spray glue" for your tires that apparently helps allot, and its now going on sale here in the US I think

[Pierat]

Oh also you can get a "between" tire, and not go all out and get a full blown snow tire, you know, one of those all-weather deals... your tires are stock I assume right? I dont remember which tires come stock on the mustangs, I only had one for a few months and I dont think the tires were stock, but I do know mine now came with tired that do awfull in the snow, and I dont wanna drop 2 grand on a spare set of tired for the thing, so when these tires wear out I might get those..

[MaryJane]

I got a 2003 mustang gt convertible. I just bought it three months ago. Someone said 'all weather' tires but can it really be that much better than stock? I didn't think the traction would be that much more better on all weather or season whatever it was. That's why I wondered if I should put up for some snow tires on rims and change them out seasonally.

[Scott]

I have a 300ZX TT. Does fine in the snow.

[Wezas]

All season tires (just a search by the size of your current tires for 2003 Mustang GT Convert) http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireProducts.do?step=products&productType=TIRE &sortOrder=Price&crossSection=245&aspectRatio=45&t ireRimSize=17&plusSize=OE&source=vehicle

prices aren't too bad. I'm not sure which shops are up there in MA so I can't give you any better quotes.

[Meos]

take it to a big wide open parking lot and put it into a bunch of spins and slides till your confident you and handle it on the road. that and never stop the car if your goin through deep snow or up a hill.

[Pierat]

If your gonna keep the car for more then 3 years and you know it.... And if you have the money laying around now, AND youve got a spot to put spare tires, I would get winter tired depending on of cource where you live and if you usually get snow.
See, I have a condo in nyc right now, so I have no garage, and no place for my spare tires....
But, if I did id probably get them cause im keeping the car, and by year 3 its gonna be time for new tires soon depending on how you drive the thing, its got allot of torque so youll probably wanna enjoy the damn thing and your tires will go sooner rather then later.
If you get a second set of tires now, all your tires will last longer anyhow and you wont have to worry about the winter.
Like I said, if I wasnt in nyc right now, and if I had a garage, a second set would be the ticket.

[Mint]

We dont get a lot of snow and ice in Seattle but there is a service offered at some of the tire stores (Les Schwab comes to mind) called 'siping' that is supposed to help with traction on ice and cost a fraction of what snow tires do. I have not tried it, has anyone else heard of it? It involves shallow cuts to your tires or something. I too do not want to invest in snow tires for one or two snowfalls a year that only last a couple days at most.

[Mint]

I googled it, might be something to consider anyway if you dont want to buy tires:

Siping is more of a "North America/iced roads" thing. Back in 1978, the U.S. National Safety Council tested siped versus non-siped tyres, running on glare ice. The didn't test tyre wear, just traction. They found that with siped tyres, the stopping distance was 22% shorter, the traction of the tyre when it was spinning was 28% better, while the breakaway traction was 65% better.

[AnticorRifling]

Originally posted by MaryJane
I spent 30 min yesterday trying to get it up.



That sounds like Tsa'ah, he's old ya know.

[MaryJane]

I feel for him, then. WELL, just think of all the mandatory foreplay time for the girl while she waits for him. That could be a blessing!

I think I shall buy the tires with my tax return money! I mean, I tend to keep cars for 3-4 years tops. So by that time, I should have gotten wear out of both sets.

[ThisOtherKingdom]

My driveway is on a little incline, too. One year it took me 20 minutes to get up into the garage. I don't bother with snow tires because I'm broke, but if you've got the money I know a lot of people who swear by it. Just drop it into a lower gear when you're getting stuck, and don't mash on the accelerator.

Since everyone else is using this thread to brag about what kind of car they drive, I will too.

1996 Chevy Impala SS

[Edited on 1-29-2004 by ThisOtherKingdom]

[Mint]

Originally posted by ThisOtherKingdom

Since everyone else is using this thread to brag about what kind of car they drive, I will too.

1996 Chevy Impala SS

[Edited on 1-29-2004 by ThisOtherKingdom]

I cant brag, I drive a Ford Taurus.
:(

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

I drive a black 2004 Dodge Ram quad cab with a hemi! Raaar.

<3 my truck

[Mint]

Originally posted by Mint

Originally posted by ThisOtherKingdom

Since everyone else is using this thread to brag about what kind of car they drive, I will too.

1996 Chevy Impala SS

[Edited on 1-29-2004 by ThisOtherKingdom]

I cant brag, I drive a Ford Taurus.
:(

Wait, I take it back I CAN brag...mine was given to me paid in full so neener neener.

[Tsa`ah]

Eww... Mustang.

Ok I'm not a Ford fan.

The reason you see other mustangs doing ok in the snow is because they are standard versions.

V-6, automatic, all season tires. I forget what size v-6, but it's only rated at 190 hp and 220 ft/lbs of torque.

You have a GT. We're talking 4.6 liters, 260hp, and 302 ft/lbs torque ... DETROIT STEEL .. here. That torque and your 17 inch z-rated tires (crap on anything but dry pavement) are going to break lose from traction easily in winter conditions.

Sand bags won't do you much good in the long run. If anything they only add to your breaking distance.

Go to the tire rack ( www.tirerack.com) and look up some all season or winter tires. That's the ONLY thing that will help you out. Other than putting on tire chains.

I have 3 sets of weels for my Lumina. 1 set of 17 inch z rated for summer, 16 inch all-season for spring and fall, and stock 15 inch rims with snow tires.

[edited to change 4.8 to 4.6, cause it's a ford and add]

I could see if you were having traction issues in a z-28 or a firebird. I mean, we're talking about a real v8, a 5.7 liter 350 hp and ft/lbs of torque.

Almost makes me drool... then again, most things do.

[Edited on 1-29-2004 by Tsa`ah]

[MaryJane]

Ah see, old men are good for plenty! I called a friend of mine who works in a tire place. He can get me tires for cost so it won't be too bad. NOW my predicament. Do I get the standard steel wheel without hubcaps or should I get rims for an extra 160? I honestly can't figure what the steel wheel is going to look like and he don't have a picture so I'm leaning towards the rims cause what is the point of having a nice car if it has shitty looking wheels.

Ya, that whole mustang V8 with 4.6 liter really threw me too. I thought it would be more. They don't make firebirds or z-28 anymore. I considered the new GTO's but I had issues with 'ordering' a car sight unseen.

[Meos]

Originally posted by MaryJane
I thought it would be more. They don't make firebirds or z-28 anymore. I considered the new GTO's but I had issues with 'ordering' a car sight unseen.

That's why ya gotta take them apart and put them back together.

[Meos]

try that again...

[Bobmuhthol]

PC can't upload images for whatever reason. Not your fault.

[Meos]

Oh well not gonna work.

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by Tsa`ah
I could see if you were having traction issues in a z-28 or a firebird. I mean, we're talking about a real v8, a 5.7 liter 350 hp and ft/lbs of torque.

Almost makes me drool... then again, most things do.

Speaking from experience, since I drive a 1993 Camaro Z28, yes it sucks on snow and ice. But it's a great car even in the rain.

Raven

[Souzy]

Originally posted by MaryJane
I got a 2003 mustang gt convertible.

Mustangs suck in the rain and snow. I don't know about the 2003 models though. Hmmm, my ex had a '97 convertible, I drove it on a rainy day. Went to merge into the highway, fish tailed and did a 180 facing the other side of the road. Thank god no one was on the road and it was like 2AM at the time. Good luck trying to figure out what to do MJ.

Edited to add that I fish tailed. :thumbsdown:

[Edited on 1-30-2004 by Lalana]

[Skirmisher]

MJ, try googling the part numbers for the tires and rims in question to see if you get a hit with a photo.

Or, just go to the tire site suggested or another and see if they have the one you are thinking of getting in stock with a photo.

Oh and Yah, yesterday after the nice twelve inches of snow we got here me and my old piece of crap dodge neon with its stock I think 13 inch tires just chugged on to work. Passing along the way a nice lady stuck trying to get up a hill in her beeeeeeautiful new rear wheel drive Bmw.

My next car? A Subaru WRX.

Now thats a nice car in both zip and all weather handling.

[AnticorRifling]

I drive a 2000 Mercury Cougar, it handles decent on snow but it can get a bit squirrley on the back end if you're not careful.

Best thing to do is take your car to an open, iced over parking lot and rag the piss out of it. See what it does and doesn't do. Once you're used to the handling in turning, stoping, accelerating, etc situations you can adjust your driving to suit. Let the driver make up for what the machine lacks :)

[MaryJane]

Originally posted by AnticorRifling
Best thing to do is take your car to an open, iced over parking lot and rag the piss out of it. See what it does and doesn't do. Once you're used to the handling in turning, stoping, accelerating, etc situations you can adjust your driving to suit. Let the driver make up for what the machine lacks :)

Ya, I did that. I mean, it's not a 'road' problem. I know how to brake, steer, etc. I've been driving in Boston weather for uhm... shhhh.. like ten years. But TAKE YESTERDAY for example..after I shoveled out my driveway the night before to get in, the wind blew like 6 inches back. I had this great idea I'd do a 3 point turn and go down face first. I back up an inch, get stuck in the snow and my car won't move. Once I get on the road it's fine. It's getting stuck in the driveway needing a push that is pissing me off. THAT and you know the neighbors are peeking out their windows laughing as she yet again spins her tires in the driveway. I'm going to give in and buy some stupid snow tires tonight.

I'll stop bitching now.

[AnticorRifling]

Salt and sand your driveway.

[Anebriated]

Not sure if it was already mentioned or not but what i did was went to www.tirerack.com found the tires i wanted there, then went to the local sears and had them order the tires because they match tirerack's prices. So not only did i not have to pay shipping, but i get free rotation of the tires for the life of them. Saved about $200 doing it this way too...

[Varsus]

3000 GT VR4 Twin Turbo = AWD

AWD + Good tires + Snow = Fun

-Varsus (Zoom Zoom)

[Tsa`ah]

So you're going to get a second set of wheels for your snow tires?

Steel wheels should be fine ... and cheap. Just take a look at a car missing a hub cap. That's what they look like. Go for an 18 inch wheel and tire if that's what you are planning on doing. The reason being is that the bigger the tire the more torque it takes to turn them. An 18 inch tire should take off anywhere from 15-30 ft/lbs of torque. Less likely to lose traction.

If you don't like the look of a steel wheel, put a sporty hub cap on it. Alloy wheels are going to cost you no less than 100 bucks each... no tires on them. Finding something you will like is going to cost you way more.

It's winter, think safety, not fashion.

And do as Elrodin suggested, get the quote on-line from the tire rack and take that quote to someone local.

And all of you people running turbo charged vehicles. I hope you are letting your car idle for 10 minutes or so before shutting down.

And and... what Meos said! Take it apart and rebuild it baby!

Still looking for a ragged out late model z-28 conv. :P

God I want a LS1.

Originally posted by Lalana

Originally posted by MaryJane
I got a 2003 mustang gt convertible.

Mustangs suck in the rain and snow. I don't know about the 2003 models though. Hmmm, my ex had a '97 convertible, I drove it on a rainy day. Went to merge into the highway, fish tailed and did a 180 facing the other side of the road. Thank god no one was on the road and it was like 2AM at the time. Good luck trying to figure out what to do MJ.

Edited to add that I fish tailed. :thumbsdown:

[Edited on 1-30-2004 by Lalana]

Was not the car's fault...your a beautiful asian female which is more than likely the cause

PS. above is a joke and not intended to offend if it offends you suck it up and quit being a baby.