anyone here DRIVE there Z in WINTER?

Z11

my 350z got totalled from black ice, and i wasnt even going fast at all, 60 km/h. and at first glance everyone thought it was really minor damage, just the front bumper and hood. open the hood and the frame was messed and something else. btw i had brand new winter tires.

so now im really scared of driving my NEW 370z. and wondering what precautionary measures i should take, and what about the rust and salt, or any other problem that i may come across.

i hate public transit !

370Z Purist

Don't drive in the winter. Snow tires and low speeds won't save you from the ice.

Nor will even the strongest rust preventatives save you from the extremely corrosive road salts. Some of the stuff they put on the roads will give you chemical burns if you leave it on your skin.

That said, I have done it before and sometimes it just cannot be helped. Apply POR15 to exposed metals (mostly the steel sections, like some of the suspension components). Most of the car is still aluminum and will form a protective layer of oxide which is a better protector than most rust preventatives. Iron oxide, or rust, is much weaker than its parent metal.

__________________
-Phil

"Since one of my brake light bulbs just went out, the forum told me that my piston rings are about to blow."

B&W_Evader

California... All winter long. I'll take the truck if I recently washed the Z and it's raining.

__________________
|RIP|6spd-sport|OSG-LSD|XP8|RBF600|Eibach Sways|RE-71R|FI-34Row|Gen3-CAI|Yaw P.S.|

Cmike2780

I drive in the winter months unless there's any precip in the forecast...and by that, I mean 0% chance. If there's water or ice on the ground, the Z stays in the garage. I leased a Civic for DD, so that pretty much how I solved it. I borrowed my parent's pathfinder last winter. Road salt isnt that huge a problem if you wash it off right away. On ice/winter, the 370 won't be any different than the 350. Black ice can take out a 4wd car with winter tires just as easily.

__________________

[09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R]

MacCool

Nope. Salt, sand are problematic. Slush and highway snow ridges on partially plowed roads will damage air dams. A rear wheel drive manual transmission sports car is a big potential liability on icy roads. First snowfall, the Z goes in the garage and I get out the 4x4 Sierra.

DLSTR

Last year was the first winter. Drove it everyday or the frau did. Blizzaks and good roads make it possible. Of course there are limits. The amount of snow etc. Low ground clearance is the limiting factor. That and you do not apply alot of throttle unless the road is clear. The car idles out of snow quite easily with the 7AT.
Ice can get you anywhere. I see as many RWD vs FWD on the roads here. BMW are all over the place here in the winter.

edub370

heelllllll naw

__________________

memorylasts

All year All weather... oh... yeah I'm in San Diego.

__________________
somewhat-journal-thingy

OldGuy

In Western PA my Z is wrapped in blankets in the corner of the garage from November through March. Be discreet---save your car and your life. Get a used little Civic and count the days 'til April.

MarkGideon

I just got my Z three months ago, so no chance for winter driving yet. However, since I am in SC, I don't think I will have any issues with it through the winter.

__________________

2012 370Z Base Gun Metallic--2015 Altima 2.5SV Gun Metallic--2020 Chevy Silverado RST--1965 Chevy C10 Stepside Shortbed

NewtoZ's5

Not yet, but I plan on it. We do get an occasional snow or ice here in Texas, but I usually don't take my chances in it regardless of what I drive. The Z is my daily driver

__________________
2012 GM 370Z Touring/Sport- Swift Spec-R, 20mm spacers, K&N Typoons, Z1 HFC's, Invidia Gemini, Kinetix camber, SPC toe, UpRev 310WHP/256TQ
2004 RYP S2000- Enkei RPF1's(blK)w/Dunlop Star Specs, Swift Spec-R, I/H/HFC

MacCool

The reason for owning the Z is because it's fun to drive. It would NOT be fun to drive in the snow, therefore dumb for me to drop $1200 on some Blizzaks for the Z and leave the 4WD pickup truck in the garage while I creep down the snowy roads in a rear wheel drive sports car with about 6 inches of ground clearance and a grabby clutch.

I can drive a Z in Minnesota in the winter, but why would I if I have a better alternative?

OMGWTFBBQ

What's this.... "winter" you speak of?

nmjaxx9

dam you Californians haahahhaa, as for the salt and just spray your undercarriage and you should be good.

imwazn

I drove through the snow once last year. My car could barely make it up tiny hills with the stock tires on them. So if it ever snowed, my car stayed and I got a ride from somebody else.