RWD in snow?

[Shogun]

I did a search and didnt find anything but if I missed a previous thread please link me.

Anyhow I have been wanting a 240sx for years now (since 2000) but I am just a poor student and was stuck with my parent's hand me downs(free cars are never bad though). The thing is right now I have a 99 Buick Regal and I want to ditch it. I recently moved to Colorado from Florida and Im waiting for my parents back in florida (they still have the title) to finish paying it off so I can trade it in. I would like to trade it in now but I need a car to drive to work every day. The thing I'm wondering about now is snow. Ive never driven a rwd car and Im wondering how the driving characteristics are different from that of a FWD in the snow. Im still getting used to how slippery it is when it snows here so I love the 240 but Im going to need it as a daily driver as well. Ive been looking for 240's for sale out near the Denver area and there was a total of 2 in a 300 mile radius which is a big difference compared to florida. Everyone out here has trucks or AWD cars. So yea any tips on getting this car faster / driving in the snow is appreciated!

[J SPEC SilEighty]

put some snow tires on it and you'll be fine. just don't go flying around corners because the back end does come around pretty easily in the snow. if you just drive with common sense though, you'll be fine.

[publicenemy137]

i heard blizzak tires are wonders. I have the stock tires, they're pretty worn. Tires slide all the time in the rain, kind of annoying

[spitz7985]

it's fun!!

[Soyo]

alright well I live in Kansas so it snows quite abit here aswell, last winter I owned a FWD 1990 eclipse and never, I mean never even came close to losing control, so now I have a RWD 1991 rx-7, and it just recently started snowing so its my first RWD experience in snow, we also got a ton of ice yesterday so it was kinda wired, but snow isn't that hard, I have normal tires which I did lots of donuts with, so they aren't in the best shape, snow is about like rain to me, go slow and you'll be fine, and be careful turning and don't have a heavy foot accelerating, not ice on the other hand, you can be going straight and start fish tailing pretty easy, as long as you watch your speed it doesn't happen all that much, and make sure you slow down extra if you see a big patch of ice, but I'm about to put a few sand bags in the back this weekend, so after that I don't figure I'll have a lot of problems as long as I'm careful... so basically you can do it, you just have to be smart and careful, get a few sand bags, snow tires, and I think you'll have very little trouble, and once the snows gone, those mountain roads will be ffffffffuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnn!!!!! hehe wish we had some of them roads here in kansas haha

[carguyinok]

IMO. Wait for some fresh snow and find a big parking lot. Take the car out and have some fun. After a few spinouts for fun, Work on putting it into a slide and getting back out without stopping. Then work on stopping when you know you cant. Just think about what you may come across out on the roads and get to know how you and the car wil act.
Just dont take a bunch of buddys out with ya. This way if you screw up and hit something no one else will get hurt. Plus if the cops stop in on ya you can be honest and tell them your learning snow driving. If the car is packed you will look like your just screwing around or showing off.

[klohiq]

Originally Posted by Soyo

I'm about to put a few sand bags in the back this weekend, so after that I don't figure I'll have a lot of problems as long as I'm careful... so basically you can do it, you just have to be smart and careful, get a few sand bags, snow tires, and I think you'll have very little trouble, and once the snows gone, those mountain roads will be ffffffffuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnn!!!!! hehe wish we had some of them roads here in kansas haha

I suggest you look here(warnings, at the bottom of the page)...and I would reccomend you not try the sand bag method...I used to think it was a good idea, but adds polar mass, which will add inertia when you start to spin-out; thus making it much harder to recover.

Blizzaks are supposed to be really good and I'm definitely getting a pair next fall...hopefully when I get my 240 snow will be gone so I'll have all summer to enjoy it...

[Shogun]

Thanks for the tips. I wondering about those sand bags. Ive heard of other people doing it but it didnt make sense because of the previously mentioned pendulum effect. Out here people like to drive big SUV's which is fine except when you get over confident drivers (especially females) who ride your tail or take corners too fast. I was sitting at a stoplight (left turn lane) during the first snow and a guy in a SUV was making a right turn too fast and luckily I saw this and moved a little out of the way and sure enough he slid all the way to where my car would have been had I not moved. The look on his face was pretty funny though because he was quite embarassed.

[Xv7vX]

Snow isnt nearly as bad as ICE. Snow you can adapt you car for. But ice has almost no defense.

[spitz7985]

i've got blizzaks. they kick ass in the shitty conditions, but they suck so bad on dry pavement. the sidewalls are mush and you can't fuck around on turns cuz you'll understeer horribly. but, they do their job and i highly recommend them.

[TheLogikal1]

learn how to drive, they call chicago the windy city, but i guarantee you thers a billion times more rain than there is wind. ive driven in so much rain storms, control in snow is just as easy as knowing what your doing.

just do the basics, dont speed, give people space incase you start to slide and try as much as possible to ride the clutch when turning.

safe driving

[stealthj]

Originally Posted by spitz7985

it's fun!!

LOL i agree!!!!






but anyways about the snow thing.....

DUH COMMON SENSE JUST DRIVE SLOW shit man....

[Dustin_S]

Had our first snow of the season tonight. about 7 to 8 inches in 11 hours. I was at work and had to make it home...did fine. afterwards, found myself an abandoned parking lot and got a feel for regaining control of the car. good Lord, it's not easy.

[Mr7]

I'v looked at like 4 or 5 240's this week...I think I found a good one, heh I'm worried as hell about rain..but glad I dont have to deal with snow.

[Japican]

my dad took me to a vacant parkin lot w/ our 1st snowfall here in chicago and he showed me pretty much everythin i need to kno bout drivin in snow/ rain, and i agree that sandbags r a bad idea cuz its tru that its helps keep ur back end from goin out but once ur tailwhips out its almost impossible to recover