Winter... To drive the Z or not to drive the Z

Haboob

Lol Winter...

I drive mine year-round suckas.




And that's my contribution to this thread.

ElVee

Not adding much here, but I choose the beater option. My 'beater' is my previous 11yo Eclipse, and having bought it new, I understand the annoyance and pain that comes with seeing rust appear due to winter driving. When I picked up the Z, I knew I would not be driving it in the winter if I could in any way avoid it. It's more than salt and slush than it is the raw snow, for me.

There's really a few things to look at:

- Can you afford a second, beater car? (maintenance, storage, price tag, registration...)
- Do you plan to sell your Z at some point in the future, and will hate the undercarriage damage winter brings? Or otherwise just want to avoid the corrosion risk?
- Is it too much stress/worry to pull your car out in the snow? Or scrape ice/snow off it in the parking lot?
- Can you find other uses for your beater, i.e. driving to high-risk parking lots, small trips to the store, a way to save some gas money, drive something else in heavy rain when your tires are nearly spent, practice proper polish/washing/maintenance on...
- Do you worry about other drivers in snowy conditions, or possibly getting stuck on a minor incline at a stoplight and being a road obstacle for SUVs? I'd rather be an obstacle in a beater than my Z, personally.


DLSTR said it best, though: Follow your heart and budget.



(Lastly, remember that Blizzaks still cost you money, including the install labor both in winter and come spring, and storage of tires that still have life in them for next season.)

scottIN

Fortunately, I had a truck (Ridgeline) prior to the Z. Actually, still have the truck. It's parked at my office (and owned by my company).

Here's my take on it: For me, since I could afford it, it was an easy choice to have a winter vehicle. No stress, no planning, no thinking about 'what if I go somewhere and it starts snowing really hard?' And I don't stress about driving the truck in the winter because I know it's a lot more capable than the Z. I get in it and go. No worries.

So when we start to get snow, I'll park the Z in the garage and get the truck out. And like last winter we had a few times / days that the snow was gone and it wasn't super cold, so I swapped them and drove the Z. One time we got snow when I wasn't expecting it and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get the Z (summer tires) up to my office - 2 blocks away. Don't even think about trying it with the summer tires.

Now if it was a matter of going to a car with the same capabilities as the Z (with snow tires), I'd probably just drive the damn thing and be done with it. But a 6,000 lbs. 4 wheel drive with 14" of ground clearance definitely tops the Z for winter abilities. Snow tires or not.

damian_mb

My winter driving is in my garage with a cover.

Hop in, start car, roll a few feet back, then forward to prevent flat spots...then continue to make car noises as if you are driving then you're done.

kenchan

im sorry that you have to live in 100F+ temps, sand storms, and haboobs, haboob. i truely sympathize.

Haboob

Pfft, the 100 doesn't bother me.

The dust, yes, but dust is better than snow and salt.

kenchan

not really. dust and sand will do wonders to your paint and intake. you should hibernate your car during the long summer.

Haboob

If only I could.

However, I intend to make the Z my DD and have a garage queen of a higher caliber.

It may be several years, but that's my goal!

b15

x2. I'd rather deal with that than winter. I'm just tired of the cold in general.

Ghostvette

I live in Kansas and I'm going to drive the Z this winter. I bought a used pair of base rims, a pair of used TPMS sensors and a couple of new Blizzaks. If it's too bad, I won't go to work. I already informed the boss that if the snow's too deep, I won't be in. Next winter might be a different story, might have a winter car to drive. We'll see.

__________________
2015 Magma Red 6MT Sport Tech/2012 Fairlady MB 6MT Base (RIP 08032018)https://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/370Z/Coupe/

TheGreatOne

In Montreal, not even an option, we easily get 5 or 6" of snow whenever. Although I heard about some local Z owner driving his Z after a 30cm snow storm. Crazy

I think if I lived in some of those states where the snowfall is laughable to us Canucks, I would drive on those cold but dry street days.

I picked up a 2000 Subaru Forester S 4wd, manual for this year. Can't wait to have some winter fun.

The only thing about storage thats depressing is knowing your Z is just sitting there. But makes spring that much better

__________________
2017 SUBARU STI
2008 E60 M5 - SOLD
2010 40th Anniversary 370Z - SOLD (and missing her)

kenchan

how about you get a gf first?

kenchan

with the right tires like your blizzaks, it's definitely do-able. i ran LM60's on my G and even pretty deep snow 4-5" i was able to get to work no issue. my car is lowered so can't go much deeper as the belly bottomed out.

it's not about the functionality for me, rather just more about keeping my hobby car prestine. the amount of corrosion i found the following spring was eye opening for me. even so, that was only surface rust and a few chipped paint which i touched up using rust reformer. your car will be fine.

that said, my cars will be hibernated.

Haboob

I'm working on that simultaneously.

It's just easier to find that perfect car, ya know?

GRM1

Has anyone put snow tires on 19 sport rims? You can buy LM-32 or LM-60 in that size just wondering how it would be?