Need some driving help
 

I just need help on how I can drive my fd in light snow. I live in the chicago area, and the car will be garaged all year, but as of right now its the only car I have and I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world. I never drove this car in any kind of snow be4 only in some rain (not heavy), so any helpul input on this would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

I would not drive my Fd in a mid-west winter. The black ice, constant slick conditions, and salt on the roads. I can only imagine the drivers have gotten worse in the past 10 years. If you are going to do it, I would have the car undercoated if it isn't. I would buy a good set of snow tires and drive it like a little old lady.

DO NOT drive it in the snow. I tried it once with my TII...everytime you go over 25mph you start to fishtail...

Not to mention the salt damage to the car!

Get a $500 POS to beat around in the winter with and garage the FD :icon_tup:

I think anyone on this board will tell you not to do this. If you are set on doing it, I can't suggest strongly enough that you buy dedicated snow/ice tires to run during the winter. Of course, this will cost as much as buying a really cheap beater car. Other than that, it's like driving any other 50/50 lightweight RWD car.

I drove my 79 RX-7 through 4 Indiana winters and never went off the road. Spent a lot of time not pointed in the same direction I was travelling though and I certainly don't recommend subjecting an FD to such conditions.

Thanks for your help so far, what kind as size of tires do u guys recomend? I mean it might make more sence for me to buy a POS for $500 off of a junk yard u know, but I just want to have all my options on the table here.. and also would putting sand bags in the trunk help at all? i know it does for light weight trucks n such...

Sand bags in the trunk would help...But there is no way in hell I would ever put sand bags in the trunk of my FD. You must beat the shit out of your FD. There is no way I would drive my car in any kind of snow, let alone putting sand bags in the trunk.

Just buy a late '80's 4x4 subaru for around a grand and be done with it. They you have a good daily driver, gets decent gas mileage, and it can treck through the snow easily.

Here's my take:

I hear the same stuff about driving my M3 in the snow, yet I bought it to be a daily driver. However, I have a full set of snow tires and I know how to use (or not use) my right foot in the white stuff (and the car as traction control which is not always a good thing).

Can you drive in RX-7 in the snow? Absolutely, with the right tires and concentration its not a problem. You just have to be smart about it. i.e. driving down a snowy road with your stereo blasting and high speeds isn't a good idea no matter what tires you have on the car.

I used to drive an FC years ago through rain, snow and ice without any problems. However, I wasn't out there running Ultra Performance Summer tires in those conditions either.

Its always best to use a car better suited for the conditions, but it can certainly be done if needed.

The FD is a bad car to drive in the snow .........PERIOD!!!

If you truly love your FD, get something else for the winter. Driving it in the snow puts you and your car at great risk.

I completely agree with Mahjik. As long as you have snow tires and common sense it can be done safely. The FD is not the ideal vehicle for snow, but with the proper tires and a non-idiot driver it would get you from point A to point B just fine.

High performance "summer" tires are the absolute worst possible things to drive in snow or ice. Don't even bother to try.

One thing to do for winter driving is lower the boost setting. If you disconnect your wastegate solenoid you'll get 7 psi, which will help some.

Dave

^ Bah; waste of time. Your right foot determines what the turbos do, they don't make their own decisions. May as well unplug some spark plug wires and put some water in the gas too.

Don't want the engine to make a lot of power? Don't put your right foot down.

The problem with an FD in the snow is the power of the car. Any slight bit of extra throttle (regardless of boost settings) will cause the rear tires to spin. Snow tires won't keep this from happening. One slight lapse in concentration, and you are sideways. In addition, even the most cautious driver can hit ice when unexpected. Would you rather have that happen in your beater, or your beautiful FD?

Can you drive it in the snow? Sure. Is it a good idea? No way!!!!

oh shit that was funny

...a beater car won't keep it from happening either. Somehow beaters are magic and won't spin the tires or allow themselves to be wrecked? A different car can't cure carelessness.

Have you ever driven on real snow tires? It's amazing the level of grip they offer in snow and ice, even compared to all season tires.

Do people really have to concentrate that hard to drive slowly?

I hate to think that people who think cars just do things by themselves also may own guns.

just drive with chains on, OR those crazy spike tires on the db7 in the last 007 movie =P

No problems here with my 330+ E46 M3. ;) My right foot knows what to do. :)

Winter Tires + Common Sense=Good Winter Driving

Salt+FD=Rust Bucket (If you dont do regular washes including undercarriage)

While that is true, a wrecked beater isn't a disaster. A wrecked beater is easily replaced. An FD isn't the same.

Yes I have. I have even driven a car with studded tires. I normally ski about 30 days each winter. 75% of those days are trips where I drive. I would never subject my FD to those roads and drivers, even with snow tires. I have seen hundreds of vehicles in accidents caused by drivers who couldn't stop on snowy or icy roads. I wouldn't want my FD to become a victim of ANYONE'S out of control car.

"People" on this forum crash and destroy their FD's, on dry pavement, regularly. How can you you think that putting them on snowy roads will be safe ...... with any tires???

Your M3 is not a turbo, and has a sensible, experienced right foot driving it ;). Is it smart to put an 18 year old in an FD on icy roads. No way!!

Thanks again, andd yes I have driven on real snow tires, I owned an RSX-Types s with a turbo on it, and I know you can't compare the drive of the two cars, but I'm used to snow, just not in the FD as I've never done it be4, so thanks again

I guess I look at wrecks as major acts in life that are to be avoided, as opposed to wrecks being OK as long as I'm in a cheap car :p: It's not my car's safety I'm worried about, it's mine. I like my skin and limbs in their current condition.

You can't cure stupidity by putting them in a different car. If they're stupid, they're stupid no matter what they drive.

Damon,

I agree with everything you wrote, but I still want to argue with you :D. While you can't cure stupidity, you can make it easier for stupid people. And if you can save an FD from being destroyed on slick roads, I'm all for that ;)

Im sure you could learn to drive the fd in the snow as long as you had the proper tires. However, I would be more worried about those drivers around you. Not sure about where everyone else lives, but around here, people get fuckin retarted when inclement weather hits. :ret: Rain alone makes a lot of people lose I.Q points, but throw in snow? Forget it. when it snows, the fd stays in the garage, and I sit my ass on the couch. If I absolulety have to go somewhere, I take my escort.

These cars are gettin harder to find in good condition. Pretty soon, they will be downright rare, and (hopefully) worth some money. Do yourself a favor, get a cheapo beater and save yourself the heartache of a wrecked fd.

just my .02
john