Hawaii FTMFW.

 

so Toronto is suppose to get 25cm of snow (sat, 15 2007), I am basically super screwed, my winters aren't here yet. and I've already tasted understeer with the OEM Turanza EL in the snow and almost lost of traction.

 

 

In this area, we get lake effect snow totalling 115" avg yearly(32" so far this year). This is significantly more than St. Paul. I have already driven in a snowstorm with 10-12" of snow on the road. My AWD with all season tires did not get stuck.

Despite your laws of physics, you can drive in snow more than 6" deep. The key is forward momentum. The car will push the snow out of the way. I've been defying the laws of physics for 20 years.

 

I have had friends get stuck in roughly 12"+ snow drifts all the time in their AWD SUVs in North Dakota. I got stuck with them at least a few times . If you can keep pushing the snow out of the way you're okay, but the longer distance you drive in super deep snow drifs, eventually you're going to ramp up and bottom out. Once that happens, you're pretty screwed.

 

I live in Victoria BC. I'll only see one week of snow all winter - but I have my stock rims on with snow tires anyway. I don't want any nasty wrinkles in my G by next summer.

 

i just bought brand new all four snow tires and the snow we got in vancouver i was unstoppable i was thinking of changin my licesnce plates to snowmobile

 

Good for you Chef. You don't get a lot of snow in Van but I was there visiting when there was a snowfall and it was pure chaos. There were cars, buses trucks, sliding all over the place . Most of those people were totally unprepared, it's good to hear you are set for winter

 

I just bought 4 Blizzaks just in time for the snow and boy am I glad. They worked great. I have a 6mt and I had to turn VDC off a few times just to get rolling from a complete stop but once I was moving I was doing 80 in the snow. I turned it off a few times to go sideways through the rotaries though.

Like dopey mentioned, you can't drive in snow that's over the ground clearance. I got stuck in my driveway where it was 12-13" of unpacked snow. When I couldn't go any further I got out of the my car and the snow was grazed off from where the undercarriage touched.

 

I heart Florida

 

If you live in Colorado you'll learn snow tires are a waste of money. It doesn't snow enough (unless your in the high country) to make the snow tires last. Most of our snow on the streets is gone within a day at most. Plus the snow tires will wear out before you'll really need them.

Get a good set of all-seasons and some $5 bags of salt and you'll be fine.

evo

 

Just a suggestion. Get bags of sand instead. If the bag of salt happens to rip, that salt that is loose in your trunk will rust out your trunk very quickly.

 

I was shocked at how well my RWD G handled in the snow. I picked up a set of Blizzaks and 16 in steel wheel from Tirerack for $550 and it made a huge difference. With the snow tires and the traction control it handles great. I would say it handles the same as my old Subaru Impreza so I was very happy with the G. Also turning off the traction control to pull out of a parking spot helps. Oh and it really fun in a snowy parking lot....

 

I dont understand how people say "this car wasnt designed for snow". the tires are the only thing touching the ground...it is the tires responsibility not the cars. I saw my uncle cycle through countless cars simply because "they weren't designed for the snow" needless to say - each one of the "junk" cars had summer tires on it...hmmmmm. Last toyota, before he returned it b/c of "poor weather performance" i made him replace the summer tires with all seasons. It was the first car he kept through out the entire winter in a long time.

I driven my lowered G in northern states for the entire snow season w/o any problems...taken "snowed in trips" to canada w/o any problem...of course with the appropriate tires. The only reason why I would say the G wasnt a winter car would be because the lower sills on my 05 model were painted and prone to scratches from salt and ice from the road.

mostly every car will need the traction control to be turned off in order to get out of the parking spot.

you know whats weird - I noticed that there are a TON of RWD sedans in canada w/ snow tires while there are next to no RWD sedans in NYC (where is snows like once a year) Everyone in NYC drives AWD versions w. all season/ stock tires...and wrecks their car the first snow fall complaining to the dealer "this car sucks in the snow!"

 

i come from FWD all my life and the G is my first RWD car and i must say i like driving it in the snow alot better then a FWD
i just put some weights in my trunk, i have all season tires and here in chicago i havent gotten stuck a single time yet.
it is alot better to control then a FWD because if you're in a turn in a FWD and you loose traction theres nothing you're going to do
in a RWD if you know what you're doing you can meneuver