how's the rx8 in the snow?
how's the rx8 in the snow?
hey guys well i'm from philadelphia and almost every winter it snows and i dont know if i should be driving my car to work because im scared i would get stuck like the other rwd cars. =( so i want to know your opinion is it good or bad? 
The car doesn't matter, only the rubber does.
If you leave summer performance tires on, it will be a death trap in the snow.
If you put all season tires on it, it will be scary in the snow
If you put proper winter tires on it, it will be an absolute rock solid ride, but still able to have a blast when you want to.
From my New and potential owners start here thread:
If you leave summer performance tires on, it will be a death trap in the snow.
If you put all season tires on it, it will be scary in the snow
If you put proper winter tires on it, it will be an absolute rock solid ride, but still able to have a blast when you want to.
From my New and potential owners start here thread:
Cold Weather
I would recommend working on getting a set of alternate rims and winter tires. The rims can be complete garbage (mine are mismatched ), but it makes any winter condition drivable, and even fun! (as long as you are still clearing the snow with your air dam, but if you aren't, no one else should be on the road there anyway, the government would probably be shut down) If you take this route, buy them sometime between now and September, when the prices start climbing on them again. Get them in the summer when no one is looking and you can pay significantly less.
Cold itself is nothing to worry about unless your ignition system is weak. Stay on top of your ignition system (learn to subconsciously pay attention to the stability of the revs and how smooth, or not, the power band is, etc... Start feeling that hesistation and roughness, and it doesn't go away with WOT runs to redline, your ignition system is starting the downhill. Doesn't mean it will go right away, but the longer you wait, the greater and greater your flood risk, power loss, and mileage drop.
Also throwing in that I have driven my 8 through the last 3 New England winters. The car you have doesn't matter for anything but sheer ground clearance. FWD vehicles and SUVs are more likely to have more winter friendly tires on OEM, sports cars are more likely to have OEM summer tires, and this is where the difference is. As long as you have ground clearance though, my 8, with winter tires, will out-drive any SUV or jeep on OEM tires. My work is on a hill, the highest point in the state, and each winter I regularly climb the last steep hill into work, often winding my way around stuck SUVs and trucks.
Outside of tires, the 8 is low torque, more weight over the rear than most big engined sports cars, and a great set of driver aids. My only concern for driving it in the winter at all is the salt. The only time I got stuck was when it started dumping snow and the plows were not sent out until literally half of the state was stranded in gridlock and ditches, and the snow was simply too deep to push through. The low ground clearance was a bonus though, I was one of the first stuck, and thus got one of the only tow trucks. The tow truck got stuck on my street about 30 yards from my driveway after dropping my 8 off. Even he needed the extra weight at that point.
I would recommend working on getting a set of alternate rims and winter tires. The rims can be complete garbage (mine are mismatched ), but it makes any winter condition drivable, and even fun! (as long as you are still clearing the snow with your air dam, but if you aren't, no one else should be on the road there anyway, the government would probably be shut down) If you take this route, buy them sometime between now and September, when the prices start climbing on them again. Get them in the summer when no one is looking and you can pay significantly less.
Cold itself is nothing to worry about unless your ignition system is weak. Stay on top of your ignition system (learn to subconsciously pay attention to the stability of the revs and how smooth, or not, the power band is, etc... Start feeling that hesistation and roughness, and it doesn't go away with WOT runs to redline, your ignition system is starting the downhill. Doesn't mean it will go right away, but the longer you wait, the greater and greater your flood risk, power loss, and mileage drop.
Also throwing in that I have driven my 8 through the last 3 New England winters. The car you have doesn't matter for anything but sheer ground clearance. FWD vehicles and SUVs are more likely to have more winter friendly tires on OEM, sports cars are more likely to have OEM summer tires, and this is where the difference is. As long as you have ground clearance though, my 8, with winter tires, will out-drive any SUV or jeep on OEM tires. My work is on a hill, the highest point in the state, and each winter I regularly climb the last steep hill into work, often winding my way around stuck SUVs and trucks.
Outside of tires, the 8 is low torque, more weight over the rear than most big engined sports cars, and a great set of driver aids. My only concern for driving it in the winter at all is the salt. The only time I got stuck was when it started dumping snow and the plows were not sent out until literally half of the state was stranded in gridlock and ditches, and the snow was simply too deep to push through. The low ground clearance was a bonus though, I was one of the first stuck, and thus got one of the only tow trucks. The tow truck got stuck on my street about 30 yards from my driveway after dropping my 8 off. Even he needed the extra weight at that point.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 454
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From: Texas Hill County
Fail... the OP does not even say where they live. I would advise you go to the regional forums and ask people that have experiance with it. 2wd low profile sports cars are generally poor performing in snow of course. So your drive location, route and what services are provided to you as in snow plowing and salt etc.
There is a winter tire sticky too in wheels & tires.
There is a winter tire sticky too in wheels & tires.
I do however use my stock rims w/blizzaks for the winter and i cant see doing it any other way after using them.
I think RIWWP's spot on. The tires matter more than the car. I've driven my fair share in the snow in a number of cars. My 8 with snow tires is better than any of my previous vehicles with all-seasons. I made it safely up and down many hills last winter that most cars would have been stranded or sliding back down.
OP check the For Sale sections. I think there are a couple sets of snow tires and wheels there. Allseason's won't get you far and summer tires will get you nowhere.
OP check the For Sale sections. I think there are a couple sets of snow tires and wheels there. Allseason's won't get you far and summer tires will get you nowhere.
I think RIWWP's spot on. The tires matter more than the car. I've driven my fair share in the snow in a number of cars. My 8 with snow tires is better than any of my previous vehicles with all-seasons. I made it safely up and down many hills last winter that most cars would have been stranded or sliding back down.
OP check the For Sale sections. I think there are a couple sets of snow tires and wheels there. Allseason's won't get you far and summer tires will get you nowhere.
OP check the For Sale sections. I think there are a couple sets of snow tires and wheels there. Allseason's won't get you far and summer tires will get you nowhere.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,116
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From: Philadelphia, PA USA
I live in the Philadelphia suburbs and have been driving my 8 in the snow for seven years. I've never had a problem with traction, BUT I do have four wheel snow tires on separate rims. I don't think that there is any other way to do it. The car even did well last Winter with the multiple 2 foot snows. Just get some snows and drive away.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 49
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From: Lansdale, PA, USA
I'm just doing the separate car thing, though I agree about the "quality of the rubber" comments. I'd been running all-seasons on my Lancer for the first few years that I owned it. It was fine when it was cold but snow? 
Last winter, I bought a set of wheels and snows and that thing is a MONSTER in the snow now. Ridiculous amount of traction. Totally worth it.
Just gonna drive that in the snow and save the 8 for when it's not snowing. All-seasons will be good enough for cold (yet dry) weather.
Last winter, I bought a set of wheels and snows and that thing is a MONSTER in the snow now. Ridiculous amount of traction. Totally worth it.
Just gonna drive that in the snow and save the 8 for when it's not snowing. All-seasons will be good enough for cold (yet dry) weather.
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