How does the FRS/BRZ handle the PA snow?
 

Possibly moving up to Pittsburgh for a job, from Houston (obviously no snow), and trying to decide whether to sell/trade in my FRS before moving up (no salt damage, etc), or hanging on to it and driving it year round including during snowy winters.

For a 30min daily commute is it wise to hang on to the FRS or consider some other options?

I daily my FRS year round with snow tires on it. As long as you are diligent and take your time you will have no problems. The car actually surprised me quite a bit with how well it drives in the winter... and I live in the great lakes area where it's not uncommon to get 3-4' of the white stuff.


I'm going on my second winter. Keep the car washed regularly and you'll have no rust or corrosion issues.

Better have good insurance lol

PA snow is not very bad if you don't live in the sticks. If you can't get to work, neither can everyone else who has all seasons on their fwd econobox.

As long as you have snow tires, you'll be fine. A RWD car with snow tires is better than a AWD car with all-seasons.

Not sure about all that....

I believe it, mainly since typical drivers with AWD think their cars are unstoppable.

In the snow, my Forester with all seasons runs circles around my BRZ with snows. RWD with snows is better than AWD with SUMMER tires, that, I could see.

Our cars also lack in ground clearance which is crucial for driving in the snow.

I'm from Chicago...we got around 18 inches of snow last 2 days. I got stuck twice where there was more than 8' of snow on the ground and that was my own fault for going into an unplowed condo complex.

I'm running cheaper winter tires (Dunlop Wintermaxx) and it's pretty solid anywhere up to like 5' of snow.

Yeah just don't do dumb things. A well balanced car with proper winter tires is a pleasure in bad weather. I don't even like it with extra weight in the rear other than a full(ish) tank of gas.

You'll be fine.
In some cases, snow tires on a RWD car can out do a AWD car with all seasons. Proper rubber goes a long way.

The best way is AWD with snow tires. We put some snow tires on the RS7 and it's stupid fun.

You guys use stock rims with the winter tires?

I live in western PA, just north of Pittsburgh. Its VERY hilly here.

I've never gotten stuck on a public road. I HAVE had trouble making it up the snowy hill I live on. I tried 3 times, two times with traction control which cut the throttle to the point where I could not progress any further. The final time I stopped on the hill, turned off traction control and up I went. No extra weight in the back.

I did get stuck in my driveway once. We had a good bit of snow over the course of two days and my driveway (which is also a hill) so my car didn't have the ground clearance to make it up the hill.

I have Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice WRT tires.

Just make sure you know how to drive a RWD car, and avoid putting weight in the trunk unless you are damn sure it won't move.

TL;DR: Its not bad in the snow, as long as you know what you're doing and the snow plows do their job.

OEM wheels are best choice.
The lighet weight tuning wheels such as RPF1's aren't ideal for winter...

I expect about 5-7 years out of the OEM wheels with the winter potholes here in Long Island. They're already taking a bit of a beating, but they'll be fine for a few more seasons.