Alright well I live in MI where we get all different kinds of weather and my question is, how well does the 8 perform in the snow?

Ive heard that 04 rx8s idle very roughly in cold temps. in order to warm up the engine, but im pretty sure if you turn it on and let it run for 2-3 minutes before you drive you should be fine. ask a local dealer, they'll tell you what you wanna know,



2008 Special Edition 40th Anniversary RX-8 - Greddy SE Catback Exhaust - K&N 69-Series Typhoon Short Ram Intake - COBB AccessPORT ECU Programmer - Bilstein Shocks, exclusively designed for this limited edition RX-8 - Urethane Foam filled Suspension Cross Member - P225/45R18 Tires - APR GTC-200 Carbon Fiber Spoiler / MazdaSpeed Spoiler - 18 in" Aluminum Alloy Rims, Flat Black - Black and Purple painted Emblems - Purple painted Calipers :yumyum: Mmm, purps!

No problems with snow tires. Big problems without them. Ground clearance can be a problem if you are trying to drive through more than 6 inches of snow while at stock ride height. When the car is first started it will go into a high idle (varies by temperature) and will slowly drop down to normal idle as it warms up.

Thats about it. Just make sure you have snow tires and keep in mind that the gas mileage will more than likely go down a good amount.

My train of thoughts have always been, put the money you would've spent on snow tires/wheels into a beater.
If you live in a state that doesn't get too much snow, then it's fine.
But since you live in Michigan, I don't need to tell you about the conditions of the highways there in the winter.

My plan is buy aftermarket rims with performance tires for rain/dry weather and use the stock rims with mounted winter tires which can easily cost under 4-500 for a decent pair to last the winter. If you don't have the DSC on your car, just have a level head. If you've never driven on snow especially with a RWD, then get a beater. Otherwise you'll be fine. Don't forget to wash that bad boy each week though with the snow on the road to keep rust/corrosion away.

Thus far this week we've had what oil, moisture in tailights, will these tires fit, and now '8 good in the snow. OMG!!!

My plan is buy aftermarket rims with performance tires for rain/dry weather and use the stock rims with mounted winter tires which can easily cost under 4-500 for a decent pair to last the winter...

Pair? The current conventional wisdom is to put winter tires on all four corners.

Look into 17" winter tires on inexpensive rims. There's a big price difference between 17" and 18" tires, and the narrower taller tires will work better in snow.

Ken

Pair? The current conventional wisdom is to put winter tires on all four corners.

Look into 17" winter tires on inexpensive rims. There's a big price difference between 17" and 18" tires, and the narrower taller tires will work better in snow.

Ken

If you want all 4 tires to be snow, that's fine. I'm more concerned with the ones where power is being distributed which is where they matter most. You do not need all 4 to be winter tires. All my past vehicles I've only used 2, on the rear with a RWD vehicle, with no issue still having plenty of control on the highway jammed with snow passing people without any handling compromise. If you grew up on snow with RWD this should be all you need.

However, for the Rx8 I am considering all 4 just because of the fact that the OEM are not as good contrast to a typical vehicle OEM tire since it's a sports car. But again, IMO, it's not necessary for those who have a level head.

I won't invest in 17 rims and pay more for 4 rims and tires than just 2 tires for my stock 18's, maybe 4 all around. I haven't fully decided

Walking on thin ice, I'm paying the price....

If you want all 4 tires to be snow, that's fine. I'm more concerned with the ones where power is being distributed which is where they matter most. You do not need all 4 to be winter tires. All my past vehicles I've only used 2, on the rear with a RWD vehicle, with no issue still having plenty of control on the highway jammed with snow passing people without any handling compromise. If you grew up on snow with RWD this should be all you need.

However, for the Rx8 I am considering all 4 just because of the fact that the OEM are not as good contrast to a typical vehicle OEM tire since it's a sports car. But again, IMO, it's not necessary for those who have a level head.

I won't invest in 17 rims and pay more for 4 rims and tires than just 2 tires for my stock 18's, maybe 4 all around. I haven't fully decided

I like to be able to steer and power around in the snow.
Four Nokian WR G2 tires in 225/50/17 got me through last winter in Chicago.

get a winter rat is prolly your best bet

IF you have the option of a winter beater, it is the best. 2 winters in my 8, the first on original summer tires was rough, but only because it was a very mild winter with the snow landing during business trips or over weekends for the most part. Last winter I has snow tires, and it was amazing what I could do with the snow tires, but trying to keep the 8 clean and un-beaten was a serious pain. I only have enough room for 1.8 cars in my driveway, with my wife's Mazda5 taking up her fair share. I am trying to get an old MX-5 before this coming winter though, a beater I don't mind driving that is tiny to fit down the side of my house once I move the fence....and smaller tires for cheaper tires :)

If you want all 4 tires to be snow, that's fine. I'm more concerned with the ones where power is being distributed which is where they matter most. You do not need all 4 to be winter tires. All my past vehicles I've only used 2, on the rear with a RWD vehicle, with no issue still having plenty of control on the highway jammed with snow passing people without any handling compromise. If you grew up on snow with RWD this should be all you need.


Now that you mention it... I grew up on snow with RWD. Snow tires on the back when I could afford them, summer tires and a little extra common sense when I couldn't. The only time I got in trouble was when I discovered that snow tires back in the '60s didn't do a whole lot of good on hard packed snow. They did, however, grip nicely on the soft snow in the ditch, so I was able to get back into the highway without a problem.

Ken

Thanks for all of your input!

You do not need all 4 to be winter tires. I disagree. So does Tire Rack which, admittedly, is trying to sell you tires. But they make a good argument—and they have a convincing video:

"While it was a common practice to install a pair of winter / snow tires on the rear axle of a rear-wheel drive vehicle decades ago, the advances in winter / snow tire technology and traction that have occurred since then have made that practice unacceptable.

Watch as we learn what happens on our snowy test track when driving with only two winter / snow tires installed vs. four…"

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/videoDisplay.jsp?ttid=110

That's a nice demonstration. But it would be nicer if they included a car with regular tires all around, to show what benefit you get from two snows in the rear. I'm not sure how advances in snow tires reduce that benefit.

Personally, if I got winter tires I'd go for them all around. But I did make it through enough winters the old way. FWIW, the adventure I alluded to in my other post would not have been avoided with snows on the front. Modern tires in the back would have helped.

Ken

For the benefits of snow tires....imagine trying this on summer tires. Granted, it is all wheel drive, so ignore the acceleration if you want, watch the directional control and stopping ability of these tires on snow. It isn't flat out, but it is a hell of alot faster than I would do on summer tires.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfXkJMDWDMU

get snow tires and you will find this sports car is very capable in the snow.

I disagree. So does Tire Rack which, admittedly, is trying to sell you tires. But they make a good argument—and they have a convincing video:

"While it was a common practice to install a pair of winter / snow tires on the rear axle of a rear-wheel drive vehicle decades ago, the advances in winter / snow tire technology and traction that have occurred since then have made that practice unacceptable.

Watch as we learn what happens on our snowy test track when driving with only two winter / snow tires installed vs. four…"

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/videoDisplay.jsp?ttid=110


Not to be an ass, but I don't give a raz ass who says what. You can't take away experience growing up in CNY with any where from 4 to 6 months of winter all year round all my life living there on a RWD vehicle with only 2 snow tires on the rear. I said it once and will say it again, you do not NEED 4 tires. It's NICE yes, but is NOT a necessity if you KNOW how to drive on snow with a RWD vehicle.

You apparently miss the point. I didn't say 2 was better, yes 4 is better than 2, common sense. I said for those who know how to drive on snow 2 is fine, you don't need anymore than that. If you want 4 for full traction, good for you. Still it's not needed in order to get around in winter, 2 will do.


En fin.

EDIT: Wow that vid made me laugh. I could go over 25 on my truck I traded in with RWD and differential slip and get around fine with only 2 winter tires on the rear. Makes me think they went over the top to try to prove a point instead of realistic impersonation. They said the snow tires were on the front, but that's a BMW vehicle which I'm pretty certain they make RWD or AWD, not FWD and if they noted tires were on that front that makes it AWD so that proves nothing contrast to the point I was making.

If you have an AWD or 4WD vehicle, then it makes sense to get 4 winter tires. For a RWD vehicle (RX8) which is what this thread is about, you do not need 4 with the power being distributed to just the rear if you keep a level head and know how to drive on snow. If you're skittish about it and is your first time, then go get 4 for more assurance. Doesn't change the fact that you don't need 4 to get by.

Hay I'm still deciding on a beater does anyone have any sugesstions on a winter car?!

rx8.

Lol well what I wanna do is start my turbo & body kit projects and all the other wonderful things im gonna do with this car and I'm gonna keep it in my garage so I need a humdinger to push around any suggestions.??

lol my personal opinion its kinda fun to driver in the snow.

if u learn to control the slide, every turn is fun :D but thats when ur driving. just don't park on the street and get buried in snow.

empty parking lots with snow -> get creative :D you save rubber too :P

Not to be an ass... Doesn't change the fact that you don't need 4 to get by.

I guess my question is that, if you can afford it, why WOULDN'T you go with four? I mean, if you can get around just fine on two then four would give you that much more capability in hairy situations.

I guess my question is that, if you can afford it, why WOULDN'T you go with four? I mean, if you can get around just fine on two then four would give you that much more capability in hairy situations.

More than likely yes, it would assist more. However for myself I've gone through trial and error mistakes on snow so I'm not worried about it. You get an idea what to do and what not to do to handle your way through the snow. I'm more worried about the rear getting grip, I can always brake/power to kick the rear loose on an understeer and just control the slide in an oversteer. As I mentioned previously, if I had no issue on the highway around 70 mph on hardpacked snow consuming the entire highway with just 2 on the rear, I'm not worried about it on the front.

However upon inspection of the front OEM tires or perhaps the tires that came with the 8 I bought (used) I might buy 4 because of the tread pattern on the front does not look friendly for snow IMO. That's the only reason I'm considering it.

However upon inspection of the front OEM tires or perhaps the tires that came with the 8 I bought (used) I might buy 4 because of the tread pattern on the front does not look friendly for snow IMO. That's the only reason I'm considering it.

The OEM tires have a reputation for being bad on snow, and also in cold weather. You might browse this forum and the tire/wheel forum for tales. I never ventured out on them in slick conditions, since I've got a beater, so I can't say first hand.

The problem with a beater is that if it's a snow-day beater you take it to work on potential snow days and forego driving the 8. I wound up taking the beater on a couple of long trips because of potential bad weather - yuck!! When the OEMs wore out I replaced them with high performance all-seasons. (I'm in Virginia, not New England.)

Snow performace these days depends more on the rubber compound than the tread pattern. Back in the 70s the top setup was Goodyear F32, which had one of the first special winter compounds. The tread pattern was unimpressive compared to typical snow tires of the day, but they really worked.

Ken

On the 8 if using stock tires you NEED 4 new snow tires the stock tires are not all season they are summer ONLY tires. The oem tires when confronted with cold weather... not even snow turn into a hard plastic instead of a soft grippy rubber you will lose traction on dry ground with oem tires at cold temperatures let alone snowy ground. can you drive a car with 2+2 ... yes is it safe/worth it... no you cannot predict other drivers you need to have all the controll you can get.

get the 4 winter tires.

I'll agree you dont need all 4. you can drive your car with only 2. but you can also drive it with your summer tires...
the point we're getting at is which is better. 4 winter tires will make a huge difference. and no matter how experienced you are. when someone slides through a stop sign coming out of a back alley you'll want that extra 20 feet of braking distance. cause good driving only gets you so far when you have a car that doesnt perform the way it should.

Getting the car to go is only half the battle; the ability to turn is also needed. Four tires that don't turn into hocky pucks below 40 F is much preferable to sliding all over the place when you try to turn.

4 snow tires is the way to go. I drive my Mazda in upstate NY (Ithaca), where we get pretty heavy snow for about 4-5 months a year. I got 4 17" rims with dunlop Wintersport M3s, and the car handles beautifully, no matter how the road is. I've driven through heavy snow storms on I84 (right after Albany) and there was no occasion where I felt that I'd loose control of the car (and I was still doing a healthy 60 mph)..

BUT - the stock tires suck on snow/slush. Do NOT ride in winter on them..bad idea. :)

Remember to wash your undercarriage as often as you get a chance - to get rid of all the grit salt. That should keep the car in good shape.

As usual, don't race the engine till she gets to normal operating temp - and you might consider using the standard 5w-20 during winter atleast.

But honestly, it is no different from any other car. RWD cars have a reputation for being difficut to handle on snow - but so far, I've not had any trouble.. and while I am not an idiot on the road, I push the car pretty hard.

Hope this helps!

Mohan

But honestly, it is no different from any other car. RWD cars have a reputation for being difficut to handle on snow - but so far, I've not had any trouble.. and while I am not an idiot on the road, I push the car pretty hard.

Actually, it is drastically different from 'common' RWD sports cars. RWD has a reputation for being bad in the snow, but that is normally due to several reasons:
- Owners not getting snow tires
- Lots of low end torque
- Front biased on weight (easier to break the rears free)

The 8 doesn't have the low end torque these do, at low end it is more comparable to a Corolla or Civil, or lower, in the amount of power trying to break traction. And it's 50/50 weight split gives more weight over the rear to counter the 'front bias' related problems of other sports cars.

So the RWD nature of the 8 just makes snow fun, instead of painful, as long as you have snow tires. Without them, well, you still are failing on the most critical point.




^My co-workers still refuse to listen to those points, even though I handle snow just fine.

get snow tires and you will find this sports car is very capable in the snow.


very true.

I got some old Mazda 3 17's and put some Hankook iPikes on them. Best setup for sure.

I could actually push the car to its limits in the slush and hard pack snow