Anyone in N. VA drive their 8 on OEM tires today?
 

Just curious how you managed in the slush this morning. I think my wife is tired of driving me around and I may have to pull my baby out of the garage tomorrow....if I can make it out of the driveway!

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!! People are NOT kidding about the OEMs. They are DEADLY in the COLD, much less in slush/ice/snow. You WILL get stuck. I can't emphasize this enough. Search the threads.

DO NOT DRIVE on the OEMs.

(I will sick Gordon on you if you even think about it again!)

mm

Do not attempt to do it. I went around the block yesterday in Arlington and had severe problems. It is dangerous.

I suggest you drive your wife around (in her car) and promise her a ride in the RX-8 along Skyline Drive once spring arrives. ;)

Seriously, your OEM tires are like slicks in this cold weather. There is no traction, no grip, no control, no kidding!

I sense a pattern here. I'll take your word for it and pray for spring.
Peakster

Or you can get winter tires...

Mine stays in the garage till i see the road dry and clear.

BullSh!!|, I'm in NH with -10 degrees to plus 25 every day and I take my (OEM) tires and my 8 out all the time (on only dry pavement).

I HAVE EXPERIENCED *NO*, I REPEAT NO PROBLEMS. yEA IF IT IS REALLY COLD YOU DON'T GO POWERING THROUGH A SLIDE, but in normal driving it's the same car as summer. Hell, do you think Mazda could sell a car that was COMPLETELY unsafe for driving if it got cold. Snow, now that is something else, for sure, but cold...

get a grip!!!!!!!!!

Despite your outburst, you are agreeing with us. It is not just cold here. We have snow and ice...our roads are NOT dry. And you are clearly stating you do not drive on OEM tires if the pavement is NOT dry. I assume you are okay driving in the rain if it is not freezing. Becasue I have no problems with the OEM tires in plain rain. These are not all season tires and there is no blame to be placed for that fact. You further validate my point by indicating you are aware the tires do not handle the same in the cold. So I don't understand all the shouting. This question was asked of the local drivers concerning TODAY's weather conditions here, not in New Hampshire. If you have dry pavement right now, lucky you.

These tires are not, in any way shape or form suitable for driving in snow or ice. Best case, you get stuck. Worst case you damage the car, yourself or others. Let's be perfectly clear about that since we appear to agree. :cool:

Dry grounds are fine, but it was hell to drive home tonight in Phila. We got the same weather - insane. Just dont do it, its truely not worth the effort, accident or guy in front of you.

Sorry for the confusion and the shout, it was not directed to the main theme of the thread i.e., bad weather driving, rather for Positron,

"DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!! People are NOT kidding about the OEMs. They are DEADLY in the COLD." :(

and also your comment TreknMazda,

"Seriously, your OEM tires are like slicks in this cold weather. There is no traction, no grip, no control, no kidding!" :(

Yes I agree completely about any inclement weather driving with OEMs. I have just gotten tired of seeing this urban legend bantered about to newbies that the 8 can't be driven in the COLD, when it is not only possible, but ENJOYABLE and SAFE.

I was told the same about cold and the OEM's earlier on the forum and I believed it, until I tried it, fully expecting I'm not sure what, but it did not happen thankfully. Therefore the sensitivity to that.

As I have beaters, I have rarely, and only by mistake, even let it RAIN on my beauty, no less mess it with snow and slush!!! :D

All drive safely and have fun... :) :)

Spin9K - Sorry you took my post so Loud. I was just trying to emphasize to yet another person asking about driving in snow/ice with the OEMs that it is not safe. And as a matter of fact, it is NOT a good idea to drive in extreme cold because the rubber compound in the tire is not suited to it. The tires WILL perform differently at 20 deg F then they will at 40 deg F - but I'll let that part go for now. I'm not looking for arguments. I apologize if I offended anyone with my comments or by "shouting".

mm

I took my car out in the snow and it was the worst thing I could have ever done. I drove it a few weeks ago when it was just a light dusting and the 8 drove ok. I tried, and I emphasize TRIED, to drive it the other day in real snow. I don't think that I've ever been that stressed. I was so afraid that I was going to wreck my 8 that I swore my head was going to explode. Luckily I made it home (the RX-8 gods were with me that day), and now my 8 is going to stay in the garage until the roads clear. I NEED some snow tires, badly. I even tried to move it to the top of my parking lot in the slush just in case the roads were clear the next day. Talk about a bad idea. The factory tires are just terrible in slush and snow. Heed everyone's advice here. I live in NoVA, I tried to drive the other day in the snow, and I almost paid the price.

what are the pluses and minuses of just keeping oem wheels but swapping tires in winter is there a snow tire in the oem size? also to me it seems that this would be a better solution since you have to spend 400 just on pressure sensors? thus making paying for mount and dismount every year not so bad also how much is an additional set of oem wheels from mazda??? my wife is tired of giving me rides i guess next winter i am going to have to drop some cash.... is it ok to drive on oem if there is just an inch or 2 with no real ice factor???? thanks this forum is great.....

fredinlou- do a search - there's literally enough reading about this on the forum to keep you busy for an entire evening. the bottom line is this: you can and some have put 17" on with winter tires mounted; winter (aka 'snow') tires make the RX-8 viable for winter travel in snow. almost nothing will help on sheer ice. but the modern miracles of ice melt, salt and / or sand and salt/sand trucks make ice disappear in most locales. You don't "need" to get sensors for the winter tires-it's a personal preference. If you want to pay the extra ($400+) for them, then you'll also need wheels that will permit them to be mounted. A good solution is a set of winter tires already mounted on wheels from a high volume tire retailer such as the one oft mentioned here in the winter tire threads (Tire Rack) - or you may have a local vendor who can provide the same for you! good luck! [an additional set of OEM wheels from Mazda is likely expensive -IIRC it's something like 300 or more a wheel] - and no, just an inch or 2" is too much snow. I'd love to try it out in mine just for the fun of it since my street doesn't go through - but I'd never get it back up the driveway.

I drove it Wednesday, and here's what I think: If there is accumulated snow, do not drive it. If it is just some slush, you can make it, as long as the main roads are clear. But do not drive in the slush if you have any uphill stretches. You won't make it. There is a merge lane here onto the main road and it is just barely uphill, maybe 15 degrees. My tail was kicking out to the right the entire time, but I made it. The most painful thing is getting salt and crud all over my car. I'm going to wait until my factory tires wear out, though and get all-seasons. Can't afford additional winter tires and wheels.

I've driven in the snow here in N.VA (this most recent snowfall and the one prior to it) and if it is at all possible do not take the RX-8 out if snow has accumilated on the roads on OEM tires. I unfortunately do not have an option and have had the experience of going up a slight incline going almost sideways. If you have another vehicle, public transportation, or have the option to stay home during snowfall use those options first if you can!

i am curious for those metioning probs. in snow w/oem do you have the stability control option on your rx i am assuming so but was hopeful you might say no and that would expain some (but definitely not all) of the prob w/ snow and oem's please let me know thanks winter sucks!!!!

Even with snows
 

I have 4 higher-profile Dunlop M3s on 17" wheels and drove to work through some uncleared streets, up hills, on Monday morning. The DSC light was quite busy as the system was applying brakes and doing whatever else it does to keep car from getting too sideways. The car met every challenge just fine but it was dicey on occasion. Without the snows, no way it would have gotten out of my neighborhood. Not even sure how low profile all-seasons would have done, but anything Canzoomer does in Edmonton is worth considering ....

Yes and I've found that when I'm trying to escape the parking lot at my place I have to turn the DSC off and kinda dig my way out to the road. On the road I turn the DSC back on (I had an '88 RX-7 that liked to make surprise 180 degree turns with snow on the ground and I don't want this car to do that). The tires are that bad in snow.

BTW, I agree winter sucks! I need to find my way to Florida or Cali!

I don't have TCS; I wonder how much difference that would make.

I learned my lesson trying to drive my 8 in the snow in Pennsylvania 2 wks ago while visiting relatives. Bad idea! First patch of ice I hit I slid and almost hit an oncoming truck. Parked my car in my Uncle's snowpacked driveway and was stuck there all weekend--no traction whatsoever. So when it snowed 6" in Bowie on Sunday at my house, I didn' t even try to drive it. Just took it out for the first time yesterday and just about did a 360 while trying to drive down my icy/snow packed street. I am soooooo getting snow tires. Looking at the 18" Dunlop M3.

Run-flat variety may help -- my wife's car got a split tire from a pothole yesterday.

Basically, the TCS will simply take away your gas pedal.

I was having some fun around the neighborhood after this last snow (LATE at night - no one on the road).
If you get into a slushy situation, the ability to move simply goes away with the TCS on.
No matter wheat you do with the clutch and gas pedal, the car will simply ignore you and only gove RPMs slightly above idle.
Kinda funny, actually.
The same corner that nearly wrecked my RX-8 back in December is fun going in the other direction.
It is a left-hand, 100° turn.
When I get to it, I just hit the gas a little more (TCS 0ff) and the car rotates itself around the corner without any actual steering input.

Even on DRY pavement, I can easily spin the tires starting from and stand-still in SECOND gear.
I've had to abandon any more E-Manage tuning until it warms up because I can spin the tires in any of the first 4 gears with WOT.
Trying to get a redline run in 5th could be problematic...

If you find a place that actually has the Dunlop M3 in stock please send me a message : ) I looked all over for them but with no luck!