Hey guys,

I'm looking at an 05 or 06 G35x because I live in NY and we get lots of snow here. I'm concerned the AWD system on the G35 won't be great for snow driving, like the quattro system Audis have.

I would be getting snow tires in either situation, I just want to make sure the G35x would be a suitable choice for bad snow driving.

 

ive been driving around an 08 g35x loaner and I would say the AWD system is so so, seems to easy to induce slip compared to the quattro cars ive driven and my bros 1990 celica all-trac although it does have more power then all those cars aside from the 2000 S4(not stock). its nice that it is rwd biased for handling i guess, but i don't know about the the all weather driving. but idk how this car compares to the 05-06.

im about to move to upstate ny with my RWD G...lol wish me luck

edit: im sure the x will be fine with snow tires

 

Well AWD wont help you with much of anything unless you're stuck or you're starting from a stop. Turning and braking are on the tires.

A good pair of snow tires and careful driving, and you wont have any problems.

 

awd does help you power through turns instead of just spinning

 

Yep, and I am not sure why you state it is prone to slip. Maybe the loaner has an issue.

I have an 08 with stock tires. If I stomp on it on wet pavement as soon as anything occurs it grabs before you hardly notice. The only time I get any slip at all is on wet grass going uphill. The real wheels will spin just enough to leave their mark on the grass before the fronts kick in.

Last winter I was about the only rig to make it to the top of our housing area everyday. If it has an issue it is when it starts to act like a plow. My last AWD was a Jeep and so far I have been able to go everywhere it did.

I would go for better tires if snow is more than just a few days or weeks in your area.

On dry pavement I can get the rear tires to chirp and then the AWD takes over to end that bit of noise.

 

im talking about with traction control off, it grips but u feel certain wheels breaking loose

 

In other words not utilizing the benefits of the total AWD system.

 

im comparing it to other cars with the traction control off or no traction control, the VDC is not part of the AWD system

 

Off-roading a G?

 

But in the snow, you'd more than likely never turn the VDC off.


Honestly, I don't think i've ever turned my VDC off. Only times i ever get the slip light are when I merge WOT from a stop in the rain. In normal dry conditions it never comes on. When i went to the track and raced, it made no difference if it was on or off, the launch was simply squat and go.

Anyway, back to the topic. I drove my '06X is some good storms last year and it was a champ. Drove up and down roads with the snow deep enough that my front bumper pushed the snow in front of it. I was 100% confident in the car...and I only had all-seasons on it. This winter i'm putting snow tires on it. The car is MUCH better in the snow than my '07 IS250 AWD is.

With the VDC off, it's VERY easy to get the car to slide or go sideways or lose control in the snow. Turn it back on and the car drives easily again. The VDC is actually impressive with the AWD.

I am actually looking forward to snow this year with my car. I was that impressed with it last year.

 

well idk, i know with 2wd cars sometimes u need to shut traction control in the snow because if you don't you can't go anywhere, i would imagine its different with awd

still the most important aspect of snow driving is stopping so awd or not if you are in a place that gets a lot of snow, snow tires are a good idea, because awd doesnt help you stop..lol

 

Yep, jumping streams, berms, everything. Just wish it had a couple of more inches of clearance.

 

If you spent much time in a Jeep you may think differently. Snow tires are important. Having power on all wheels means you have to have less power on two of them to go. The real problem with AWD is getting stuck. With a 4 wheel drive you can drive with two wheel drive and when you start to get stuck you put it in 4 wheel drive.

As far as shutting traction control off on a 2 wheel drive on my Chrysler that is false. It sounds terrible if slipping in snow but it is what gets you going and keeps you going.

 

sometimes if you get stuck and need to wiggle out you have to turn it off or the car just wont go anywhere...probably more in fwd then rwd, rwd once u are stuck u cant really wiggle out, with fwd u can steer back and forth to break free sometimes

 

That is where you learn to rock the car.