Hey Car Gurus, need advice - RWD car, to buy or not to buy

[acehistr8]

Hope you can give me some advice on buying or not buying a RWD car. Just before Thanksgiving I test drove the 350Z and the G35C as I had hoped to buy one or the other in the Spring after I close on our house. Now that we got a little dusting of snow here in DC last night, I was hoping to get some advice on buying a RWD car someplace where it might snow. The winters here really are never what I would consider "harsh" so maybe this is all a moot point. We get snow, but it never lasts and either way I would never put myself on the road in a storm in this city. As some background, I grew up in Central NH driving all kinds/sizes of cars in some horrific New England winters. Have never wrecked even though I have spun countless times but I think I am quick on the uptake in terms of learning a new kind of car in new conditions.

Anyway, I guess it boils down to a couple of quick question:

How hard is it going to be for me to learn how to control this car in the snow? The weight differential seems reasonable to me - in the Z it was 53f/47r - dont know if that will make a significant difference. Either car would be a 6MT.

Are snow tires necessary? A lot of guys on the various Z boards are saying they are, but they live in climates where they really have to deal with snow all winter long. Here, it pretty much melts after two days - never deal with snowpack on the roads. I dont mind buying them, I just dont have any place right now to store them.

Thanks. Any other advice welcome.

 

[DR STRANGELOVE]

Phil,

if I recall correctly, the Z comes with performance tires (mainly for summer driving), if this is the case, I would recommend that you purchase a set of all season radials. You must find out if the Z comes with All-seasons or not.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[S-Love]

make sure it has room for kitty

 

[Jiminy Cricket]

this too

this too

dont forget the pokerchips too. ;142loser:

 

[GENO]

easy to solve this one


BUY whatever you want park it in the garage all winter. You get no dings, no bumps, no scratches from ice falling on it, no salt corrosion, etc !


Then go find you a mechanically sound 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix with the second gear start over-ride switch on the left lower dash panel. This forces this front wheel drive (added traction from engine and transaxle right above the driving tires) automobile to start in second gear with the automatic transmission thus reducing the torque transfer to the drive wheels lessening the tendacy of them to break traction and spin. The V-6 engine is reliable and proven as is the 440 transmission. They have great leg room a great heater for winter time. The defroster outlet does suck but hey you can't have it all. These features combined with Anti-Lock brakes(great on snow) and drivers side airbag (in case all else fails) makes it a virtual TANK in the snow. Make sure and get 2 Aggressive traction tires for the front wheels and put the best two remaining on the rear. Problem solved

Most Corvette drivers (the sensable and financial able ones at least) always buy a beater such as this to get them thru the winters we battle here in the great Buckeye state.

 

[ChrryBlstr]

acehistr8:

i picked up an older bimmer last year and didn't really have any problems driving it all through winter....and we did have a coupla REALLY bad snowstorms up here in the great white north....all-seasons sound like they'll do the trick for ya too....AND....if you find the handling to be too difficult in the snow....you can try weighing down the back....that should help tremendously!!!

good luck!!!

 

[TORONTO-VIGILANTE]

generation genocide kamikaze casualties are falling by my side....

"I'll see the sun rising
Rising up again
I wish I could say the same for my fallen friends..."


.......don't ask.