Don't have my G yet:

Just how bad is a coupe in the snow? Does the VDC help? Do winter tires make a huge difference? Anythign else to add? TIA

 

Well, if you're referring to the Michelin Pilot sport tires that come as part of the performance package on the ATs and standard on the 6MT, then you HAVE to get yourself a set of winter tires or.... get a beater.
The Pilots are a DEATH TRAP - that's how bad they are. When I first got into my car when it snowed for the first time this winter, I thought to myself "... these guys must be exaggerating, it can't be that bad... it'll be fine." Boy, I was wrong. A 15 minute commute took me 3 hours !!! I thought I'll never get home. These tires should not be driven in snow - it's very simple you will kill yourself or get injured at the very least.


2004 G35C 6MT DG/Gr/Prem/NAV/A.Pedals/C.Corners/Polk TW/C.Bra/PIAA/Grnd.Kit/Rebadged/JWT Pop-Charger/Z-Tube [img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

 

The pilot sports are "SUMMER" tires. That means dry winter days and both wet and dry summer days. Iffy in the wet below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Either use your secondary vehicle, in my case an older chevy pick-up, or get a beater for those crappy days.

If you need this car as an everyday driver then I'd suggest tirerack.com for a set of wheels and blizzaks. I think it was $1522 for 17" alloys with blizzaks mounted and balanced and shipped to my door.

JD
2003.5 Coupe, Blk/Blk

 

Got 18's and pilot sports for summer, 17's with pirelli snow sports 210.

Cost of tires & rims: ~1200 if my memory is correct.

Had to drive in 5+ inches of snow, didn't have too much of a problem. It wasn't an AWD SUV, but it was better than a heavy FWD car with all season's by quite a bit.

As long as you don't forsee HUGE snowfalls often, you'll be fine with winter tires. If you live in vermont or something, forget about it. mid to lower NY, you're fine.

2004 Twlight Blue/Willow 6mt Coupe.
Bel Vector 985 Hardwired.
Grounding Kit.
Next Project: Carputer.

 

Well, I'm no rookie when it comes to winter driving. I've driven my Miata in CT on all-season tires for 5+ years, so I can handle the swings and sways. I think I'll go the route of a beater or the Blizzaks/Pirellis. My dealer alread told me they will store my off-season tires for free, which is a sweet perk (along with lifetime free oil changes).

Thanks all.

For those with the 17" rims for winter - what brand/model of rims did you get?

 

brand was mille miglia.

I *think* they were the spider II's.

There are some cheaper rims on tirerack, but the spider II's were all that they had when I called.

Also if you go to tirerack.com and they don't happen to have exactly what you want, try calling, sometimes they have other rims that fit just fine.

2004 Twlight Blue/Willow 6mt Coupe.
Bel Vector 985 Hardwired.
Grounding Kit.
Next Project: Carputer.

 

Thanks

 

Definitely pick up snow tires. I bought Blizzak LM-22's from Tirerack.com for around $750. What I did was had these snow tires mounted on to my stock 17's. Think of it this way, it's a good excuse/reason to buy aftermarket rims for your summer tires!!! They drive real nice in the snow and ice. My 5AT came with Goodyear Eagle RSA's and they're as bad in the snow as the Pilots.

 

I have the Blizzak LM22's on ASA K3 rims from Tire Rack. The pilots are downright dangerous in the snow - even a dusting..


<font color=blue>04 G35C DG AT
Prem Aero Perf
V1
Blizzaks
R splash Guards
35% Tint

Long Island, New York, USA
</font color=blue>

 

The VDC is a big help IMO, but you absolutely need snow tires, I went with Blizzaks as well. Not as good as my Exloder, but it gets the job done.

03 - Black - Premium - Wood - Aero w/ Spoiler - Z Tube - Grounded - Stillen CAI

 

I used to drive a 2003 S10 Xtreme that sat on a 2 inch front and 4 inch rear drop...yes it was on the floor. It also had a set of lakewood traction bars, plus all belltech nitro active shocks. Drive that in the snow, you will never complain about driving the G in any blizzard again. I understand that the pilot sports seem to cause some people difficulty, but due to the weightless *** end of my truck and the fact that it had such a stiff suspension, I was used to going sideways on every turn anyway =)

2003.5 G Coupe premium. 6MT Black/black No navigation. No spoiler, yet.

 

When I got stuck in the snow the problem wasn't keeping the car straight on the road... it was just getting the car to move foward period. Granted I was almost home and the rest of the way was pretty much all uphill, but the car just wouldn't make it, had to leave it on the side of the orad.

 

BlueG - what tires were you on when that happened?

 

Yeah same thing happened to me! With the Goodyear Eagle RSA's, my car would just spin in the snow on any hill (even the lowest incline)....just kept spinning and vdc light indicator kept blinkin (this was the first major snow storm in MA)

 

If you've got 18" wheels with Michelin Pilot Sports I have one word to describe it: unsafe

Back in December I got a G35 coupe (with the 18" wheels and Pilot Sports). The week after I got my G35 we got 2-3 inches of heavy wet snow in Boston. I went outside in the morning dusted the snow off the car and got ready to back out of my driveway. I put the car in reverse and give it just enough gas to get moving. It gently starts to roll backwards. No tire spin as I start to roll, so far so good. The car rolls back about 2 feet and then the back end shifts about 6" to the left. I pull forward a bit and straighten out, and start to back up again. Same thing - a couple feet back then the rear starts to slide. I try it one more time with a little more gas and still no luck.

I shovelled my driveway down to the asphault and then went back inside and waited for the plow/salt truck to come and clear my street. 2-3 inches of wet snow and I couldn't even get out of my driveway, I don't even want to think what it would have been like on the road.

I got a set of Pirelli 210 SnowSports on 17" ASA KA3 rims from Tire Rack. I think my snow tires may actually be anti-snow tires because ever since I got them we've not had more than an inch of snow stick to the road, but, seriously, in the little snow that we've had the car has handled great. I keep VDC on, not taking any chances.

There's a guy named Luke at Tire Rack who has handled a bunch of snow tire orders for G35s, including mine. He's very knowledgeable and also friendly.
Call/email Luke at:
luke@tirerack.com
888-541-1777 ext. 362

-rca

2004 5AT Coupe | Blue-Graphite | Prem-Sport-Aero | NAV, in Boston?!? Yea Right, Guy