retrodog

Just a little topic that I've found interesting. I have lived in the Houston area for just over 18 years now. And during that time I've had mustang gt, corvette, miata, and WRX. Over the last few years, especially on the miata.net forum, I've noticed a lot of guys prepping their cars for winter. They go anywhere from 4-6 months sitting in the garage and not being driven. Holy cow. That sure seems like a lot of non-use.

So what's the deal. Does all that time not getting to drive your baby just make it all the more special? Does it result in more emotional bonding with your car when spring time gets here? Are us southern boys just spoiled?


I guess the irony to this whole thing is that I recently got a WRX, a sports car that wouldn't have to be stuck inside during the winter up north. But I live down here.

o_town_racer

I currently live in Orlando, FL so don't have the winter non-driving problem. I moved here from Northern VA where I had a Miata that stayed under a car cover in the winter (when it snowed). I think it's more that these sports cars are usually second cars, hobby cars, enthusiast cars....not that they couldn't drive in the snow, but that we choose not to drive them in the snow. It wasn't the snow I was worried about.....it was the salt eating away my car, the other idiots on the road who couldn't drive in the snow, etc. I always kept good tires on the car and would have gotten snow tires if it were my only means of transportation. Winter is very hard on cars, and if you want to keep your baby a nice long time, it's not a bad idea to pamper it during those months. Let a low cost pickup or econobox take the brunt of the weather and the hazards. Heck, you can't even drive your car the way it was meant to be driven in the snow and slush.

OK...I'm stepping off my soap box now....LOL

Keep the Shiny Side UP & Drive it Like You Stole It!

mikeb

people do that because they can
its to protect their car from crappy weather

revhappy

I'm still waiting for the day the AWD Roadster arrives.

LL7

I justify it because I want it. Just because we have snow doesn't mean we don't want a fun car to drive in the summer, or even on nice days in the winter. Sure it will wear out faster up here because of the slat, but it's still worth owning for the 10 to 15 years the car will last driven all year round. Cars are much better at resiting rust than they were 20 years ago. My 95 Subaru has no rust, and it is my wifes daily driver, and the car car we drive most in the winter. It also get no special waxing and few washes during the winter, so I expect the RX-8 to last as well.

As far as driving in the snow and ice it is not that difficult to drive any car. I have found the worst cars to be light weight front wheel drive econo boxes such as the Toyota Corolla. Well balanced cars, whether FWD or RWD, are a joy to drive in the snow as long as you have snow tires. Again I expect the RX-8 to be a good car in the snow. The limited slip, traction control, and DSC should also help, but the 50/50 weight distribution will be the most important.

Maybe I should ask all of you in the south how you jsutify having a sun roof if you don't ever get to open your windows and enjoy the nive 70 and 80 degree summer.:D

rotary-tt

Driven every RX-7 I've owned in the snow. They get around fine as long as the snow is not rubbing underneith. Full tank of gas and a little extra weight in the rear can help. You just get used to driving a little sideways out of 1st gear and avoiding stopping on steep hills. 7's do perfect doughnuts

Rear wheel drive is great to keep others from tailgating you in the snow. Just blip the throttle, kick the rear out, and watch the guy behind you back off:D

The motor makes more power in ghe cold, esp with the turbo. Lots of fun. Don't like taking it out in the salt/sand - try to take my beater those days. But nothing beats a cool night and full throttle.

If you really want to get around good, just get a set of 4 winter tires and another set of stock rims

Rev It Up

The only way my wife would let me buy my RX8 was if I'd drive it through the winter months, but after she had her first ride in it and actually enjoyed it she said I could store it for the winter months.(Yes, she does rule the roost, but she did let me get the car!!!) I am looking for an old pickup truck right now for my winter beater and I have to say that storing my car in my garage is not a bad thing at all. I will enjoy looking at it every day before I go to work and every evening when I come home, and the fact that there will be no miles put on it for 5 to 6 months will be a major bonus as well. I will also be adding a few custom parts throughout the winter months just to spend time with it. I plan on starting the car at least three times a week just to keep all of the seals lubricated and yes it will be sitting on blocks to keep the tires from getting flat spots.

j1mb0x99

The answer is simple... you justify it by driving it! At least for me anyway. Luckily I have an old pickup that I can drive on the nasty days. But whenever possible I will be driving the 8.

-JiM

GoBerserk

Driving in the snow really isn't a problem. The problem is if you want to take your new rx8 into the snow. And, yeah, lots of people have an 8 or a miata as a 2nd car, and they're not going to let a bit of salt get on thier baby. I had a proffesor once with a 2nd gen rx7 who wouldn't take it out until it had rained a couple times to wash the salt off the road. She drove an F150 in the winter.
So it's really a matter of how many cars can/do you own and if you're willing to get your rx8 snowy. RWD in the snow is really a lot of fun though.

Charles Cope

I decided along time ago that I'd hopefully NEVER move from Michigan and that requires two cars! I've driven my RX-7 for six years, parking it in December, when the salt trucks show up, and bringing it out in late Feb/early March when they go away. I've had a variety of "winter beaters", currently a '94 Dodge Van that is pretty much un-stoppable. The previous comment about using the sunroof and spring/fall days of 70 degrees can't be beat.

Also, I'm going to Bondurant for the 4-day Grand Prix course in February!

mamccubbin

I have an RX-8, live in Madison, WI and I plan to drive it all winter. A good set of snow tires and years winter driving experience will get me through. As for caring for the car, you just need to clean it more often. Salt isn't really a problem if you wash it off frequently.

MEGAREDS

I haven't been able to justify it here in Northern Illinois -- not yet anyway, but I'm trying HARD. My wife and I have been going around and around about whether this car can be my "train station" car, and the sensible answer hurts. We clearly need a beater. This ought to be a weekend car only. It probably won't be and I know in my head that's a mistake.

The RX-8 would otherwise be there in the garage... I've already cleaned the space for it and done some shopping for a yard shed to ease the crush of lawn equipment that has resulted from my reorganization effort. The empty space will likely be there at least until the Spring when I can figure out a way to fit a third car into our life/budget and not just the garage.

I suspect that the real answer is that the RX-8 can't be justified in any climate. The fuel consumption is criminal, the cars are overpowered for the road congestion in which I'll be driving and the interior doesn't offer anything near reasonable space. God, my '91 Honda Civic has better head and leg room. This "Sport-tuned" car is also likely to hurt my back when I drive on business down to St. Louis. The car will be justified the same way I'm gonna justify buying an untested and finicky rotary-powered engine and installing a $1700 NAV system -- it makes no sense at all. It can't be justified... it's just cool.

Zoom! Zoom!

Wankeler

Well... I wouldn't want to drive my new baby (that she is), with the rubber she has on now.

OK, 4 snow tires... that's at LEAST an $800.00 expense... hmmm... minimal insurance for my beater will run me $440... for the entire year... damn, I'll miss those sweet RX-8 seat warmers when I put her away for the few months when the Farmer's Almanac says we'll be covered in the white stuff. Oh well... guess it'll save a lil on gas and mileage. I'm praying for a LATE snow start and an early end... don't mind a HARSH winter.... just a long one.

Punksatawny Phil (however you spell it), better not go back into his hole this year.

Peace

canzoomer

Actually a sports car is one of the best vehicles to have in the winter.

It handles better, has less mass, brakes better, and steers better.
It has better weight distribution, and a more predictable method of sliding.

Where I live we do not get that much snow, but it is cold enough that a lot of it does not melt off. It gets turned into ice.
It is also cold enough that they do not bother to use salt very much, as it does not help below a certain temperature.

About the only thing better is a 4WD Utility vehicle, and those cost more and use more gas. Oops, well not in this case, but you get the idea!:p

GoBerserk

yeah, what canzoomer said. I drove my friends Miata in the snow once. It was the most fun I'd ever had in a car. It's so predicatable. Just get some snow tires, you'll be fine.

Senseny

For my money, I don't try to justify anything. If I want it, can afford it (usually the more important question), I will get it. Besides these cars (esp my two cars with turbos) are faster in the winter. I maybe should get a sport ute for snow, but I don't like them so forget it. Also all of my cars CAN be tame from 1 to 3 thousand rpms so they maintain driveability even in crappy weather. I'll figure things out when it snows, and go from there. Besides why should only you folks fortunate enough to live in warm weather get to drive cool cars.

Kamala

I can't justify it. I've been salivating over the 8 for a while now and finally got my first test drive in today while I had my Pro5 in for service. I'll go another 8 months without so I don't have to put my new baby through a Boston winter. Of course, I have the luxury that I'm migrating to Seattle. Still, even if I was staying here, there really wasn't any reason to shift past 4th, so it seems like the car would never really be let out.

RX-GR8

i recently had an MR2 (worst car i ever owned in snow), eclipse GSX Turbo (all wheel drive no complaints in snow) and now the RX-8. NJ can have some harsh winters so i'll use my wifes mini van if i have to.

Quick_lude

Audi TT Quattro AWD

revhappy

Its a 2X2, right? Besides, its performance leaves much to be desired. The closest ones I can tink of are the 3,000 GT (overweight), Eclipse GSX (pretty good for its time) and the venerable 911 Turbo (drool worthy).


I think an AWD roadster would work.

graphicguy

Been driving in northern winter climates most of my life. I've driven everything from a beaten and nasty looking RWD V8 Ford with skinny bald tires to a 4X4 to a '98 Corvette with trac control.

It's not what you drive, it's more how you drive in the snow.

--gentle take offs
--no sudden steering movements
--plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you
--if you do break traction, steer into the skid
--subtle movements with the steering wheel (no "lock to lock")
--everything should be done smoothly from clutch, to shift, to steering

Never been stuck once.

As an aside, in the OH valley where I live, there was a lot of snow stuck on the roads for a long period of time last year. I only saw two vehicles get stuck. One was a Grand Cherokee, the other was a WRX. Even 4WD won't compensate for stupidity.

GoBerserk

Graphicguy is right,

I grew up in New Hampshire and anything will stay on the road so long as you don't try to drive it like you do on dry pavement. Just use your brain and don't be an idiot.

Quick_lude

Nope, it's an actual roadster with two seats. Quattro AWD

MichRX7

Well, where I live in Michigan I daily drive my 94 RX7 from around the last week in April (think Rotary Revolution) until some time in late November. I get 7, sometimes 8 months of driving her. If I had a new RX8 I'd drive her all winter long.

The winter break just means I get to put the7 up on jack-stands and actually add those go-fast parts I've been talking about needing all summer. :D

Of course, what do I know. In the winter I drive a N/A 91 RX7 Convertible...(just gotta have that rotary engine)

retrodog

Now there's a winter roadster.