winter driving - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

paraguin · 08-03-2012, 08:47 AM

So I am curious who plans on driving their BRZ/FR-S in the winter ( for people who get snow alot). What techniques do you use for driving in the snow. I haven't gotten my brz yet (one more year until I graduated and job hunt) so I am not sure how it would handle in snow but
I have driven a friends old RWD no traction control BMW in a mess of snow and it wasn't as hard as people make it out to be, just...different and alot of counter steering. I wanna say it's almost fun, but you don't want to enjoy it to much otherwise you could get stupid and cause an accident. Though I never had to do a hill start in snow with a rwd so I can't say easy or hard or different.

WRXGuy1 · 08-03-2012, 08:53 AM

I'll be driving mine in the snow. I'm going to get a set of good snow tires, and try to avoid driving during the snowstorm as much as possible.

industrial · 08-03-2012, 08:54 AM

I broke down and bought an old forester just so I won't have to drive my BRZ in the snow. I'm sure it's doable as long as you get dedicated snow tires and leave the car at stock height. I need to be able to get places in a storm due to my part time job as a quick response team to natural disasters for the state.

whtchocla7e · 08-03-2012, 09:01 AM

Snow tires.

Stu baru · 08-03-2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whtchocla7e

Snow tires.

Exactly. Well...Winter tires anyway come Thanksgiving weekend. I live in the lake-effect snow belt East of Cleveland and am really interested to see how this goes; my BRZ is the first RWD car I've had since my '68 Pontiac Tempest back in HS, and the first non-AWD car I've had since my '77 Honda Accord back in college. While I know it will potentially have issues, a healthy dose of caution and patience should see me through without issue. Plus there's always the wife's Forester XT if the plows are slow to act.

industrial · 08-03-2012, 09:19 AM

To be honest, my only concern with the BRZ is it's ride height. In deeper snows and places where the snow is plowed like crap, this car is going to be a nightmare. Especially since I know I'll end up lower the car another 20mm or so.

One solution if you can stomach it is to buy a nice set of coilovers and raise the ride height every winter. It might look cool with snow tires and a set of rallyarmor mudflaps! Which reminds me, buy some real mudflaps!

poudre · 08-03-2012, 09:23 AM

Whether you drive in the snow or not will be determined by snow depth.

paraguin · 08-03-2012, 10:24 AM

I am hoping after I am out I can move south and not have to worry about snow.

Foobar · 08-03-2012, 10:29 AM

I'm in NY (Long Island) - we don't get season-long snow accumulation so I do plan on driving the BRZ through the winter. Will definitely have Winter tires on the stock rims and get summers on wider 18's.

If the snow hasn't been plowed yet and we get a significant build-up, I'll stick to the SUV until it's cleared up later in the day.

brzmass12 · 08-03-2012, 10:36 AM

Snow tires as well. If it gets too bad here in Massachusetts, I'll probably just take the wife's Navigator to work.

NRGBalanced · 08-03-2012, 10:58 AM

I'm in for every donut and powerslide I can wring out of it.

Seriously though, yes, I will be driving it in the winter. The mudflaps are a good idea. I think I'm going to get some steelies for winter wheels. I haven't felt the inclination yet to replace my stock wheels for the summer.

Hawaiian · 08-03-2012, 10:59 AM

I plan on getting myself a set of snow tires here...

http://chicago.craigslist.org/cto/

A cheap $1200 used beater that i really don't care what happens to it. I can park it on the street, let it get all salted, and drive it on snow days. Remember, snow tires don't protect you from the other people on the road sliding into your car.

was385 · 08-03-2012, 11:02 AM

Snow tires and a couple sand bags in the trunk. With the LSD I can't imagine it will be any worse than my corrolla was.

WRXGuy1 · 08-03-2012, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaiian

I plan on getting myself a set of snow tires here...

http://chicago.craigslist.org/cto/

A cheap $1200 used beater that i really don't care what happens to it. I can park it on the street, let it get all salted, and drive it on snow days. Remember, snow tires don't protect you from the other people on the road sliding into your car.

Then you factor in additional insurance, registration, inspection, maintenance, and the repairs that are bound to need to be done on a $1200 beater car.

08-03-2012, 08:47 AM	#1
paraguin Turbine Rodeo! Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Scion xD Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 15 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	winter driving So I am curious who plans on driving their BRZ/FR-S in the winter ( for people who get snow alot). What techniques do you use for driving in the snow. I haven't gotten my brz yet (one more year until I graduated and job hunt) so I am not sure how it would handle in snow but I have driven a friends old RWD no traction control BMW in a mess of snow and it wasn't as hard as people make it out to be, just...different and alot of counter steering. I wanna say it's almost fun, but you don't want to enjoy it to much otherwise you could get stupid and cause an accident. Though I never had to do a hill start in snow with a rwd so I can't say easy or hard or different.

08-03-2012, 08:53 AM	#2
WRXGuy1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: 2013 WRB BRZ Premium 6MT Location: Goffstown, NH Posts: 662 Thanks: 606 Thanked 155 Times in 104 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'll be driving mine in the snow. I'm going to get a set of good snow tires, and try to avoid driving during the snowstorm as much as possible. __________________ 2013 BRZ Premium WRB MT - Picked up 5/31/12

08-03-2012, 09:01 AM	#4
whtchocla7e Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: 2013 FR-S Hot Lava Location: CT Posts: 424 Thanks: 30 Thanked 222 Times in 81 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Snow tires. __________________ Live to drive another day

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08-03-2012, 08:54 AM	#3
industrial Add lightness! Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: 17' WRX Location: Boston Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 380 Thanked 888 Times in 411 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I broke down and bought an old forester just so I won't have to drive my BRZ in the snow. I'm sure it's doable as long as you get dedicated snow tires and leave the car at stock height. I need to be able to get places in a storm due to my part time job as a quick response team to natural disasters for the state.

08-03-2012, 09:19 AM	#6
industrial Add lightness! Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: 17' WRX Location: Boston Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 380 Thanked 888 Times in 411 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	To be honest, my only concern with the BRZ is it's ride height. In deeper snows and places where the snow is plowed like crap, this car is going to be a nightmare. Especially since I know I'll end up lower the car another 20mm or so. One solution if you can stomach it is to buy a nice set of coilovers and raise the ride height every winter. It might look cool with snow tires and a set of rallyarmor mudflaps! Which reminds me, buy some real mudflaps!

08-03-2012, 09:23 AM	#7
poudre Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Silver Limited Location: Northern Colorado Posts: 132 Thanks: 8 Thanked 57 Times in 14 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Whether you drive in the snow or not will be determined by snow depth.

08-03-2012, 10:24 AM	#8
paraguin Turbine Rodeo! Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Scion xD Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 15 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I am hoping after I am out I can move south and not have to worry about snow.

08-03-2012, 10:36 AM	#10
brzmass12 Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: SWP BRZ Limited MT Location: Massachusetts Posts: 50 Thanks: 9 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Snow tires as well. If it gets too bad here in Massachusetts, I'll probably just take the wife's Navigator to work.

08-03-2012, 10:59 AM	#12
Hawaiian That guy Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: Ultramarine mt FR-S Location: chicago Posts: 2,370 Thanks: 692 Thanked 1,389 Times in 730 Posts Mentioned: 71 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I plan on getting myself a set of snow tires here... http://chicago.craigslist.org/cto/ A cheap $1200 used beater that i really don't care what happens to it. I can park it on the street, let it get all salted, and drive it on snow days. Remember, snow tires don't protect you from the other people on the road sliding into your car.

08-03-2012, 11:02 AM	#13
was385 Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: MT WRB BRZ Limited, 2007 911s Location: CT Posts: 812 Thanks: 218 Thanked 381 Times in 181 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Snow tires and a couple sand bags in the trunk. With the LSD I can't imagine it will be any worse than my corrolla was.

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