Caught in a snow storm--wrecked
 

Last week I was attending a meeting, looked outside and saw some huge flakes falling (unusual for where I live at this time of year). Knowing how horrendous the 8 is in the snow (stock Dunlops), I considered parking it and getting a ride, but the parking lot and exit road looked ok. To cut to the chase, I began to descend down a slight hill (as the snow really started coming down), I tested the brakes and was sliding like crazy (this car is BRUTAL in even an inch of snow!). At that point, I was committed, the hill got steeper, a flatbed truck backed through a stop sign onto the main road--I slid, tried to steer around him, the rear end slid out (I was traveliing at about 10 km/h) and I went into a 4 wheel slide into the truck. My driver side rear door and quarter panel are crushed and the back wheel bent way in. They figure about 7k damage (I figure it would be worse based on how it looked. I'm gutted. The accident was deemed 100% the other guy's fault, but the car will never be the same (it never had dirt on it, let alone catatrsophic dents!).

Lesson: If in doubt, PARK IT!!!

Glad to hear that you are ok. Please post pics. Your car doesn't happen to be silver is it?

Sorry about your misshap. It is a bitch to have that happen to your baby.

I can relate about the snow. Two years ago I got caught out in a small snowstorm and ended up having to park the 8 at a friend's house. I barely made it there on flat roads. I can't image what your hill must have felt like. I was amazed how unstable the stock tires get. You are absolutely helpless and no amount of driving skill makes a difference (other than the skill to leave it in the garage).

It was a really bad way for me to learn all about what a "summer" tire is. :uhh:

Yes, you can't say it loud enough: If in doubt, PARK IT!!!

damn, sorry for your luck man. we're about to get some snow here in cincinnati, luckily i work for a rental car company. maybe i'll rent a mazda 3 tomorrow or something if it's bad.

we told you so.

unfortunately you took a chance and thought you we're better than your tires. lesson learned the hard way I guess.

First night out in my new ride, I found snow and nearly wrecked it.

I was in doubt.

I parked it.

Lesson learned. :)

yeah all these stoires i read about snow make we very careful about where and when i drive especially here in california where no one knows how to drive in snow becasue it snows in the not mountains every 3 years. sorry to hear about your baby.

Sorry to hear about that. Sounds terrible.

I got stuck in the same kind of deal and smashed up my front bumper... which is why I also now own a 96 Ford Explorer :) (In addition to my baby)

It's snowing tonight! Be driving the Explorer to work tomorrow! :)

:confused: tires?

hes having a bad day... how about showing some compassion and sympathy instead of criticizing him?

Somebody should collect all the stories like this and put them into one sticky thread.

Wow. We might get snow where I'm at. The weather has been all wacky. Your in my prayers man.

Dang...sorry to hear that, the stock tires appear useless in the snow from all the bad stories.

I hope you get your 8 fixed ASAP...

That sucks.

Worse is that insurance counts it as an at-fault, which frankly they should. That said, I can't believe they sell 8's with the stock summers in wintery markets. There are good performance all seasons out there. Even less than an inch of snow would send me every which way.

It's Mugatu, man. He's our Howard Stern.

Sorry to hear abouit that TCZ.

Your story makes me feel better about my snow tire purchase. I paid far more for my RX-8 than my original car-budget plan and paid an additional $1400 for new 17" rims, Blizzack LM-22s and all the trimmings.

For everyone else's benefit:
Snow tire $$$ <<<< Accident $$$
Snow tire nuscience <<<< Accident nuscience

The snow storm surprised you? Where were you? Admitedly snow does not surprise us in upstate NY so there really was no possibility of staying on summer tires. All seasons vs snow tires is a different story, but I still found it better to err on the side of caution.

Hopefully you'll feel better about your car after it is fixed. By now your car is not 'like new' anyway - it's a year or two old, it's got thousands of miles on it. The goal should be 'looks like new and handles like new'. Good quality maintenance and repair work should yield a car you still enjoy and take pride in.

I second that opinion!

Get SNOW TIRES! Blizzaks here. I learned that the hard way after a harrowing snow-season on summer tires in a Miata. Not fun.

The snow tires make the most unbelievable difference. In my Miata (and now in my RX-8), I could get up hills that were troubling even 4wd SUV's shod with all-seasons.

All-season = all-shitty, all the time.

Mugatu may have been a tad harsh, but I'm really tired of all these people saying "oh, I'm from <insert cold weather state here> and I know how to drive in the snow." Then 500 people start threads "crashed my 8 in snow". Whatever it takes to make people freakin listen is fine by me.

Now, having said that, that sucks for you. Sounds like you learned your lesson. Hopefully someone will learn from your mistake as well. Good luck with the repairs. Find a good repair shop and make sure they tell you what's wrong with it (if it's more than just cosmetic) so that you can be sure they fix everything.

Ah man that sucks :(

You probably shoudl have known better, but honestly, i think if a light snow were to fall here I wouldn't think twice about driving over it lol, stupid i know.

His car is black not silver though..

What is a decent 'summer' tire to get stuck having on the car? I was thinking of getting the yokohama Advan s4.

I have snows and rims. Just afraid of the freak May snow storm.

I just learn how to drive in snow and ice this sesson and dawm its scetchy.One of the only times I NEEDED my 4X4 it wasent their for me.But by the time I relized it was alittle too late the roads were completly iced over and was wanted to go boarding so bad so I countined until my truck couldnt go ne further.I was a half a mile from the ski resort and the conditions were too bad so I turned around.well it tried to turn around but slid down the hill into a ditch.luckly no damage to my truck and had to get pulled out by highway patrol.After all that I still whent boarding after picking up some chains.Tire are very critical when it come to snow and ice. Lesson learned. Luckly Iwasnt in the 8 due to a blown tire.

Sad....
 

Sad how many people think they "know how to drive on snow/ice".

It's one thing to have good winter tires, and take it easy - quite another to see snow/slush/ice and think you can handle it with the stock "Tefal" tires!

You are from Vancouver, remember?
The city that hosts the next Winter Olympics?
So this snow didn't exactly come as a COMPLETE surprise.

I don't even buy that this was 100% the other guys' fault - I'm sure the accident would not have happened if you had some steering control, and were not sliding helplessly sideways down the street!

Sorry if my take is a little harsh, but I have very little patience for Canadians who choose not to get snow tires. :rolleyes:

S

why do people constantly say that this car is "Brutal" on snow when in fact the performance tires are brutal on snow? This is getting annoying. Reality is anyone who drives any car equipped with summer performance tires in the snow is a moron!


For the record if any noobs are reading this. Once you equip your RX8 with winter tires you will find that it works great on snow and ice. If you drive a stick with DSC...even better. The cars balance is so nice that even if you turn off the DSC it takes a lot to swing the back end around past the point of no return. As always the braking works well to.

What he said! :rock: The car works just great with snow tires. No problems at all in any nasty conditions I've encountered.

2" Snow on top of Ice
6+ inches of snow on driveway
Raining like hell on icey roads

I'm sort of terrified to take my snows off but the stock tires are way crisp on lane changes. I miss that and look forward to May-Oct.

-- :)