what do you drive in the winter
 

So this thread may not apply to everyone, but I bought the Z back in March and I live up in Boston Ma. We get about seven to eight months of nice weather and then comes the WINTER!!! So as soon as December hits the Z will be in the garage. I was curious to see/know what other Z owners drive in the winter. I am thinking about getting an 2000 Land Rover, but something tells me an old WRX might be fun to drive!

Please comment and post pics!!!

Drive the Z in the winter !!

^
If that idea isn't appealing getting a WRX does sound like it would be fun.

drive it unless there's snow on the ground... you don't wanna get salt all over your paint.

otherwise get a beater... a 90's maxima is what I would get!

i have a Honda Fit Sport (5MT) as my dd...

FYI there is no way im driving my 40th anniversary in the winter in Boston. Not only will salt get everywhere, I will most likely slip and slide off the road wherever I go. Ive had two Jeeps before the Z and never had to worry about the weather or terrain, but now its the opposite. Im thinking a WRX will be sweet, only problem is that its really small and not the best looking car

What is this "winter" you speak of? ;)

Sounds like you loved those jeeps, why don't you get another one of those instead of a WRX?

well two problems. First I want my old Jeep back, I had a 2009 maroon (red wood) 4 door sahara which was awesome, problem is its outta my price range. Second problem leaves me getting an old Jeep, much like my old TJ which was even better, most solid engine ever built ( 97s Jeep engines were actually taken from engine built off of a tractor model, so they lasted a long time and had a lot of torque) problem is, they suck on gas and I drive 35 miles to work everyday.

I guess another problem would be going from a really fast responsive car like the Z to a Jeep would be SUPER boring to drive. Thats why I am leaning towards a WRX.

Who knows though, my choices are an 2000 Land Rover discovery, 2003 WRX, or a 1997 Jeep Sahara.

My slower vehicle: the Z.

my z is driven year round....even in the week of ice we get in TX. that's not fun at all.

Z is my winter car. ZR1 is my summer ride. Or I just jump on the Bart train since it's next door.

Z with OEM wheels and Blizzaks (18 in wheels, same as summer)

Mazdz 3 HB with 4 Dunlap Winter Sport tires on 16" rims. Does great in PA winters.

what do you drive in the winter
 

Z71

I can drive any car during the winter, because i'm that good. Or because I live in Texas

2008 Xterra- Off Road Pkg

I live in Chicago and drove my Z the entire winter...blizzards included. Get yourself a good set of snow tires and you'll be all set. The Z with Blizzaks is better than any car I've had before on all-seasons. That includes two Audis with quattro and a LandRover Defender.

As for the concerns about salt, the Z holds up very well in that respect too. I made a point of keeping a yard weed sprayer filled with fresh water in my parking space. If it was wet out or particularly salty, I'd spray down the undercarriage and body. Putting it on a lift this summer, my local tuning shop was dumb-founded with how pristine the undercarriage looks. No rust/corrosion.

So, ignore all the 'you can't drive a Z in the winter' posts that are and will be made by people who haven't ever driven a Z in snow. The facts listed above are firsthand.

I'll go with the Z unless it snows, then I'll steal my wifes RAV-4 with 4WD.

Not sure that the OP was concerned with the ability to drive the Z in the winter or just the fact that real winter is very hard on a car - salt, snow, ice, sand and stones on the road etc. etc.

For me, there is an added concern because the Z can't reasonably carry my hockey equipment (goalie) so it doesn't make the trips to the arenas which are at least once a week in the summer and 3-4 times a week in the winter. That duty, as well as winter driving, falls on the '01 Maxima AE.

A Saturn Ion2 is my daily driver

2002 Toyota 4Runner Limited, after I pick up my new Nismo this coming Monday.

Hey Cunnos, I live in central MA. Are you in Boston or from the surrounding area?

Jim

You mean the 350? :stirthepot:

The DD Ford Ranger Ext Cab.




A lot member drive thier Z in the Winter , however they have winter tires. The SP tires won't do it, they are Summer tires.

What's this "winter" you speak of? Is that when it hits 50 degrees?

I plan on throwing a set of Blizzaks on my old 350Z track wheels since they fit over the SP brake calipers. Then I will drive the Z...

I drive a Znowplow in winter...

http://www.the370z.com/members/jb1-a...-znow-plow.jpg

A set of (relatively) cheap wheels and Blizzaks from Tire Rack and your good to go!

borrowed my dads NISMO frontier for the last 2 winters

I've been driving on the sports package rims + tires for over 1 year now and what an adventure! lol.. With that said this winter I'm hunting for some 350 rims + blizzaks :D

I drive my Z in winter. As long as you have the right rims and tires, it's a lot fun driving this car in snow. Heck, I drove it in 4-5" of snow! :eek: Check out some of the pics:

Z buried in snow
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC03042.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC03049.jpg
Yup, that's half the car in snow.

If you see my car now, you WONT believe I drive this car in snow. It's a completely different car! :icon17:

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC03014.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC03023.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC02850.jpg
/\ This pic may not look as bad, but if you look closely, you'll see a thin later of salt all over the car! I got it washed the same day. Lucky for me, I have a GREAT touchless car wash place. After each snow incident, I get it washed. You can buy the highest car wash which includes double wash and high power undercarriage wash!

Me, JB1, spear etc we all drive our cars in snow. I kinda like it. It takes a whole different driving skills and technique. :tup:

Please be careful! I did a full 270 degrees with only 315 miles on the Z. Luckily no car around! :ughdance:

Man o man I don't wanna be caught driving in the snow with mine. It'll be a garage queen over the winter. I may wake it from hibernation a few times...Especially once I decide on which SC I'm going to get. I'll most likely have that done over winter.

As for my winter beater. 03 Jeep Liberty Renegade. 146k and still kickin. Also, for the guy who had 2 Jeeps and is considering a WRX. If you need to have the responsiveness and speed then go for the WRX. But I kinda like driving alternating from Z to Jeep. It's mellow, you can stay "out of trouble" and you can just sit back and relax. Oh yeah, and you can see OVER that car floundering in the left lane with nobody in front of them!

:wtf: What's winter? Oh... you mean this?

http://www.ssu-us.com.br/intercambio...cipalbeach.jpg

@AK370Z where you able to drive your z in the first pic where your car was burried. I'm really thinking about getting a z in a couple months, but i live in ny and my biggest worry is snow. Alot of people say just buy another car..but i acutal dont have money like that to pay all that insurance if i bought the z...i would have just enough money for that and bills and a little to save..Just kinda of curious to see what its capable of doing in snow. By the way i drive an 09 altima coupe, it was pretty decent this year with all the snow we got.

http://images54.fotki.com/v202/photo...MG_0617-vi.jpg

Winter vehicle is on the right. 370 is under 2 feet of snow on the left.

No, I will not drive my 370 in the winter.

Here's a better idea of how bad this winter was:
http://images20.fotki.com/v534/photo...MG_0622-vi.jpg

This guy is selling his

http://www.the370z.com/parts-sale-pr...tml#post620890

Plan on driving my Z during the winter here in Wisconsin. Many people shake their heads when I tell them that, but I'll pick up a winter setup like AK's and I'll be set.

First day I bought the car I had to drive in the worst snow/ice storm of the season. Those Potenza's were scary as all hell, but luckily I got home safe....after my friend got my unstuck in downtown Milwaukee.

Coldest day (morning) we had last year.

http://myc3g.com/photos/36%20degrees%20Small.jpg

I don't want my 40th to even see any rain let alone snow. I drive my Lexus LX 470 year round and it is about the best snow car there is.

i'll take a few months of winter over drought and hurricanes.

i told my dad i plan on driving my Z in winter with winter tires and he is under the assumption that RWD cars, no matter what, can't drive in snow. the only difference between RWD/FWD/AWD car in snow is during accelleration, and usually when you are ******** your pants the most in winter is if you need to stop, and all 3 of those (unless you have some older car) have 4 wheel anti lock brakes. So if i've got blizaaks on my car, and he's got goodyear eagle all seasons, my car should be able to stop and turn better than his, no?

in snow, I think RWD+a good set of now tires and a catious driver is definitely better than AWD+all seasons+a driver who relies on their AWD to keep them safe and still drives like theres no snow on the ground. anyone else agree?