We received our first significant snowfall of the season last night here in West Michigan, a little over two inches, but I wasn't expecting any problems getting to work this morning, having switched out the summer tires on my 07 G35S 6MT with brand new LM-25 Blizzaks (225/50/18) all around. Well, I was mistaken...

I live on a side road that doesn't get plowed regularly, and to make it to the main road I have to turn from a slow roll (through a yield) onto a road that slopes upward with about a 10' rise over a 225' run. The inclined road also isn't plowed, and there are enough early risers in my neighborhood that by the time I go to work (9am) the snow has been well compressed. Twice starting from about 10-15 mph in 2nd gear I couldn't make it more than halfway up the incline. I couldn't get any traction at all if I applied throttle while moving, and once I lost momentum it was impossible to get started again. With VDC on the wheels would slip and then power cut out completely, even starting in 2nd. With VDC off all I would just spin and slide backwards while rotating (not a good feeling). I thought I'd burn out the "slip" light... Ultimately I managed to turn the back end 90 deg and steer so I could go downhill, then I took the back route out of my neighborhood. Even then I almost slid through a stop sign trying to stop from 20 mph, and barely made it up a similar but less-steep hill, spinning and with the back kicked out 5-10 deg the whole way, narrowly avoiding both a stuck pickup and a sliding garbage truck in the process. These are roads that gave me no problem with my FWD Mitsubishi GS-T on 3-4/32nds Dunlop Wintersports last year. I've been driving in snow for several years without problems, just never in an RWD vehicle.

So, any advice from my fellow G35 drivers? Do I need to turn VDC off before I start up the incline and just stay on the throttle even when I spin the rears? Do I need to add weight in the trunk? Are my tires over- or underinflated (32 psi all around)? Any other techniques I need to be using? Anyone else a bit disappointed in the performance of the Blizzak LM-25s? Seems like the rear kicks out if I apply any power at all, even if the road is just wet. I'm wondering if going with the sport rather than the X was the wrong call...

 

I never understood why people would buy RWD car in the colder climate. Sorry did not mean to bash. The reason I have X because of the weather and road condition we have is simular to yours. Anyways don't turned the VDC off. That helps a lot to keep your traction under controll.

TG

 

Bro l hear ya... l too got a G35X, l prefered a G35S instead, but driving a RWD in Canada, and where l live its up and down hills daily on a one lane road, it is not fun at all.

 

Heck, I would have thought with very light pedal and good winters you would make it. Sounds like the people before you might have turned that incline into ice. Perhaps a sandbag or two in the trunk might be the answer.

Years ago I used to carry a big bag of Kitty litter in the trunk with my RWD vehicles in case I got stuck somewhere. Sprinkle that stuff where you are stuck and it works wonders.

 

+1
My thoughts exactly.
I have a rwd F150 pickup that I drive all winter.
I have a couple of Rubbermaid bins in the back with crushed limestone.
I can get through almost anything

 

Well ... I have a 2007 G35S w/ 18 summer rim + tire. Swapped them for 17 inch GoodYear Eagle Ultra Grips GW3's (225/55/17). These tires were rated as the number 1 Winter Performance Tire by consumer reports. These tires have an "excellent" snow traction - slightly better than the Blizzak's "very good" rating - but have heard from a number of folks that they haven't been too impressed w/ the Blizzak's (and they are quite pricey). Anyway - Toronto had a pretty bad snow fall about a week ago, and I made it to work just fine (yes - one or two uneasy moments w/ the back end slightly pulling out momentarily, but nothing to really worry about). The Ultra Grip GW3's in my books over delivered (and there is quite a steep hill that I have to make my way up).

So net-net - it may be your tires. I see that you put on 18 inchers - that may also be causing you some problems - been told that a bigger side wall is preferred for snow traction.

 

That was a dusting!!!!

 

i'll add.....

keep your gas tank full. It helps with traction

 

Not following? Sorry - what do you mean?

 

Thanks for the feedback so far. I will definitely try adding weight to the back on snowy days, and I may look into getting some different winter tires for the rear. Would going with something wider help? I have 8" wheels so I should be able to go up to to 245/45/18.

By the way, I did have a full tank of gas during this experience.

I guess I wasn't the only one with a problem. From a local press story on numerous accidents today: "Slick, snow-covered roads made the morning commute trickier than normal, as a few inches of snow had a layer of ice underneath."

When I was making my buying decision I considered the X, but I really wanted the 6MT. I was ultimately convinced by the number of posters on this and other boards who said they hadn't had problems with RWD when they'd used winter tires. Of course that's what I wanted to read, so perhaps I suffered some selective perception... I thought that AWD was mostly marketing hype and extra weight, but this experience trying to get up an icy incline has changed my mind somewhat (assuming the problem isn't the tires or my lack of winter RWD driving experience).

 

Thankfully in this area (NJ/NY), we do not get bad winters snow wise. I hope I don't have the same issues with my sport. Like suggested I have 17" wheels and some Winterforce tires for them. Time will tell.

 

I don't think it is your tires in that instance, I honestly think it was because of the incline turning icy, most rwd vehicles would have trouble on that. Try the extra weight in the back. Also a narrower footprint is usually better than wider in snow.
The Blizzaks are great tires, I have many friends who are using them and they all think they are fantastic.

 

I've been driving RWD cars in the MN for about 6 years now. I've always used snow tires, and there's a hill right in my neighborhood that's a bit steeper than what you described, and I've never had a problem going up it. You do NOT want wider tires!!! You really want 225 tires. Also, the LM-25 is a performance winter tire. Which makes compromises compared to the blizzak WS series tire or other studless snow tires. On my previous car I used a studless snow tire (not a performance winter tire) and I could get through anything when I wasn't bottoming out on snow. If you bottom out, even AWD isn't going to necessarily save you. With the G I went with performance winters, and it's a little less capable than a studless snow tire, but I still had no problem going up that hill on a few inches of snow.

I think that the packed snow becoming icy probably did you in. Your comment about nearly skidding throught the stop sign reinforces that. Remember, AWD isn't going to help you stop any better either, so if you almost slid through that stop sign in a RWD G35S (in fact the added weight usually makes AWD stops worse) , you'd likely have nearly done so in a G35X as well. The tire makes the most difference in stops and that's probably the issue.

If you live in a not so well plowed area, RWD with performance winters isn't going to be your best choice. (or work from home on bad days til they plow if you can). You might want to consider a set of studless snow tires.

 

My previous car was a 2004 G35 RWD sedan and I dreaded driving it in the winters here in NY. I literally drove with my heart in my throat sometimes. I absolutely would love to buy the sport model, but common sense directed me to the 2007 AWD sedan.

Sometimes you do have to turn VDC off to get out of tricky situations. Always remember to turn it back on.

 

The trade off ofcourse is that studless snow tires are usually really bad at anyhting otehr than snow - i.e. ice, wet, dry, etc. You want a tire that will perform really well in the snow/ice - without compromising your dry/wet driving (which is the majority of the time depending on where you live - such as the Greater Toronto Area/GTA) - hence a winter performance tire usually makes more sense. My dad put hard-core studless snow tires (Yokohama's) on his Lexus and he says that he's driving a death trap anytime there isn't any snow on the ground. Just my 2 cents.