What size wheels/tires do you guys run during the winter? Do you even drive your G's during the winter? Is it possible to drive a lowered G35 coupe in a Columbus winter? I had a lowered Passat, but that thing was pretty high stock and I probably lowered it to about the same height as a stock G :P

Anyone have opinions on this stuff? If you've got pics of your winter set-up I'd be interested to see what you guys are running!

Thanks!

 

My first set was oem 17s I purchased with all season rubber. Ok if the roads are dry, terrible in heavy snow. If I kept them I would have bought winter tires for it. The biggest issue I had with the 17s is how much lower the chassis sat than with my OEM 19s.

Now I run my OEM 19s with Blizzaks. I have driven it on ice, snow, slush, and deep snow now lowered and I have had no issues. Last winter before boost, I drove it and made it up a hill with ease where a raised turbo diesel 4x4 truck struggle with in my neighborhood. (it was icy with snow mixture, he was sliding back and forth where I just hooked up and went)

My recommendations after driving 5 winters now in my G, 2 lowered, is to get a second set of rims, within 1 inch in size of your OEM size (such as if you came with OEM19s, get the OEM 18s) and buy winter preformance tires. Only use them when the temp holds 45 and below and once it starts getting above that again, take them off. (its how I use mine) Then once you do start driving in the winter, take your time, slow starts and dont push your luck. If you keep it relitively smart and under control, you wont have any issues.

Good luck and keep your eye out. There have been several listing on craigslist of winter tires for sale for our cars.

 

Thanks for the quick reply! Honestly, you said exactly what I was hoping you'd say. I've been planning on buying some Blizzaks for my stock wheels and getting a set of 19's or 20's. Also I'm hoping to drop the car an inch or so. I'm used to driving with a lowered suspension, just worried that a lowered G will be significantly lowered than a lowered Passat...just gotta take it easy in the winter weather.

Thanks!

 

I have a silverado for the heavy stuff in Ohio, but I still ride most of the winter as long as it stays above 32 degrees.

As for driving in the snow, its a very capable car (all my cars except one as been rwd). If you start to read some of the threads on here about this topic, I can be that most of these people complaining have never had a rwd car, are not driving mature-like or driving in weather when no one should be out driving anyways. I have a 2wd truck and never got stuck in Ohio. I mean, up to the early 70s, 99% of cars were rwd and driving on crappy tires to today's standards.

use your oem for the winters, pick up some quality wheels for summer and you will be set. (when you go to buy wheels, talk to all of us. Last thing you want to do is to buy heavier and lower quality than the oem 19s our cars come with)

 

I've been looking at Axis wheels...I like the Axis Shines and the Pentas especially. These both look nice, I think, and are within my price range. Any opinions on these? 19's or 20's?

 

For the price they are a good set. Quite a few drivers have them on here. What I would do is watch the classifed section. You will be able to pick up a high quality, lightweight and forged set for about the price you will be able to buy a new set of so lower quality wheels. I learned this the hard way. I bought aluminum wheels but they were cast and very heavy. Looked good, never had an issue with them, but now that I have a set of 2 piece forged aluminum wheels, they are stronger and lighter much to the quality of the OEM 19s. There are several threads on wheels, so make sure you do your research first and buy the right wheels the first time and dont waste your money like I did.

 

Someone's selling axis shines on http://www.columbusracing.com/forums...ad.php?t=81163

can't you just get a wall width to perfectly mirror the 19's?



Those will match 19's and not cause any issues and it's staggered to match.

 

Ehhh.... I don't know how much it snows down in Columbus, but even with dedicated snow tires (Blizzaks) the G wasn't that great in heavy snow. I mean, I'm sure it's fine getting around if all you'll be driving is around locally (or relatively close), but When I drove from Boston to Cleveland during the heavy snowfall during new year's weekend, it was probably one of the more frightening 15 hrs of my life, as any time I came across a modest hill the car couldn't achieve more than 40mph as the back end lost traction and wiggled left and right.

Plus, whoever came to the Slomo meet saw that scrape on my rear bumper from spinning 540 while going about 30-40 mph. (from that same Bos-Cle drive)

Not that I'm saying the G isn't capable of handling snow, because I was fine for the rest of the winter season in Cleveland, but I'll never be driving my G in the heavy stuff from now on.

 

You guys definitely get more snow up there in Cleveland with the lake effect and whatnot. The longest drive I'd anticipate would be from Columbus to Toledo so that's not too terrible...just have to take it slow. 99% of my driving will be to work which hopefully won't be more than a 20-minute drive (depends where I get a job and where my apartment is). Getting a beater to drive during the winter isn't really an option for me at this point since I'm a college student with limited funds (I work part-time as an accounting intern).

Thanks for the input! I'll definitely be sure to take it nice and easy in heavy snow. I've never driving a RWD car before so I'm gonna have to get some practice in a parking lot to get used to maneuvering in the snow with RWD. <-- me in the snow with my G!

Btw, these smilies are great

 

i bought my car in the winter, and it had summer tires on it, it snowed heavy a couple weeks later, scariest moment of my life when I was going across an intersection but my backend wanted to turn left lol

 

Haha, been there...I hadn't gotten around to changing my wheels on my Passat from the low-profile performance tires I had on my 18" wheels to my 16" stock wheels with all-season tires, but I had to go to work so I figured I'd risk it. I was almost to work and took a left turn, but my car didn't want to stop turning so I slid right into a snowbank on the side of the road :P

 

You guys should all go and hibernate in the south for winter.

 

^that's what my grandparents do, i'm not there yet ;P

 

not all of us can evil...but like i said, if you drive with caution and have the proper set up, you will be fine. I have driven with more horsepower rwd and no stability control and traction control and I have made it through some nasty stuff. This car is a capable winter car with snow tires. My silverado has all seasons and I never get stuck (2wd) and I have driven my hot rods with regular all season tires as well. dont push your luck and you will be fine. (been driving in Ohio winters for close to 20 years now)

 

I'm dropped on tanabe springs with a full body kit and manage to get around when I need to in the winter. In Cleveland with the lake effect snow. I run my stock 18s in the winter with snow tires and my 25 mm spacers.