Snow Grip

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Well I'm not impressed with the rear grip of my 350 on ice/snow. I have new R040 (factory fit) tyres but bloody hell it's hard to avoid wheelspin. Even in a high gear at tickover it spins the wheels. Filled the tank to the top and am really careful.

The ESP does a pretty good job though.

Winter tyres on my spare wheels are the way to go, off to see my tyre-fitter tomorrow.

Just to confirm I'm not trying to go fast here just get the thing moving and stopping!
 

Quagmire

Well-Known Forum User
I know where you're coming from with the really careful approach, My Z31's all over the place & I have to avoid boost:eek:
 

Martin W

Well-Known Forum User
Ooops just seen it lol. i could prob sort you out at a very good price but my garage is in Burton on Trent
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Martin, give me some quotes then via PM please - Burton is ok, but I can't get my 4 wheels in my car!
 

farstar

Well-Known Forum User
Rob

i got seriously stuck in the snow last night driving from Stourbridge to the M5. I fell away to the hard shoulder like every other car...then i remembered the snow socks that I accidentally forgot to return when I inherited the car...

They were fantastic...did about 20-30mph through the snow and took them off just before the motorway.
 

Hugh Myers

Well-Known Forum User
Winter Tyres

I have four 195/50/15 Vredestein Quatrac 3 winter tyres virtually as new, if anyone is interested.

They are in Hampshire on Suzuki wheels at the moment, but could be removed.

Hugh
 

status

Well-Known Forum User
to drive normal get four wheel drive,no problems at all in my scooby,its just the other idiots that cant drive in it,i think driving to sloww is sometimes worse
 

Dale

Club Member
I did enjoy watching the few impatient drivers on this morning's comute who couldn't wait with the rest of us in the slow moving traffic, who'd try a short cut onto the side roads. They'd get about 10 yards and realise that they're now stuck good and proper! :lol:


Those socks look good though, even if it's just a little bit better. I could have done with them on New Years day when it took me two and a quarter hours to get eight hundred yards out of the estate!! :eek:
 

zedboy

Club Member
I love my 350, but it is officially the WORST car ever in the snow! I can't even get onto my drive! (even the 240 is better in the snow!)
 

rhanagar

Well-Known Forum User
I love my 350, but it is officially the WORST car ever in the snow! I can't even get onto my drive! (even the 240 is better in the snow!)

Skinnier wheels that cut into the snow and ice ... hence skinny wheels on defenders.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
I reckon I would do a LOT better on 4 spacesavers, no kidding.

Anyway I've done a bit of research and realised the R040 Bridgestones run much too cool for cold conditions. That explains why it's poor in the wet too.

Martin W confirmed this too.

Winter tyres are not just for snow, they are a different compound and suit colder weather so it's not just a tread pattern issue. To be honest I've found that in the 240 on a wet track. I thought my Yoko A048s were too slik so I put my Pirelli road tyres (with lots of tread) on for a session - it was useless.
 

JEZ 280ZX

Well-Known Forum User
I used to drive my first 300ZX Z32 in the snow as it was my daily car.I had fitted Bridgestone Potenza SO2's and the grip in the wet was very good and even on snow the car was very controllable.
My 300ZX was the NA version though, so it didn't have quite as much hp (230) as your 350Z!

Photo taken New Year 2000.....
z32snow.jpg
 

rhanagar

Well-Known Forum User
To be honest I have heard nothing good about Pirelli's. They fitted then as standard on many a vauxhall and all they seem to do is make the car wander. Using a different tyre seems to solve this issue. Another mate of mine had them on his Mondeo and every time he took a corner at slow speeds they squeeled like a fox on heat making everyone look at him as if he was an idiot. Personally on my Cavalier V6 I went for a full set of Falken FK452's. Rated to 160mph (Cavalier has top speed of 145mph so that seemed appropriate). They stick to the road like glue in the dry. haven't had much issue with them in the snow and ice (in fact I am very pleased with them in that respect) and perform very well in the wet. Will be getting them for future cars as well. They cost me about £220 for a full set off ebay and £20 to get them fitted. Bear in mind they are also a wierd size on my cav as I am running with Vectra 16" alloys so had to go for a wierd low profile width size so should be able to get them cheaper for a more normal car.
 

JEZ 280ZX

Well-Known Forum User
Some of the Z32 owners really rate the Falkens!The Bridgestone SO2's were also a softer, stickier compound and weren't affected by the cold or wet so much!
 

JakTheRuby

Club Member
My mate had Bridgestone Potenzas on his Lotus Elise and killed it doing 28mph in the wet. Not good! That little aluminium and fibreglass glued tub was folded up properly!
 

zedboy

Club Member
My wife has really enjoyed taking the piss out of my car for the last few days! I've been sat in the drive spinning like mad and she has simply got in her car and driven off! She's got the day off work today, so reluctantly I've had to borrow her car and leave the 350 at home. GUTTED! (Very impressed with her TT in the snow- I won't tell her that though!!!)
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Sorted - Continental Winter Contact TS 790 V. The car is transformed in the snowy/icy conditions.

And whilst swaping wheels around the difference in weight between a standard and Rays wheel is significant.

Zedboy - yes I should think an Audi TT is good in these conditions, I rate Audis tbh but the 350 is more sporty.
 
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