mr_digital_uk

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Big difference. First of all, we're talking about high performance tires now, vs. an all-season tire back in the day (or on many RWD cars now). Driving on summer tires - which is necessary to get all the performance you paid for - in the winter is nothing like driving a RWD car from decades ago. Also, the tires now are far wider, and that gives you far less traction in the snow. I doubt there were many tires in the 50s (or whenever) that had 235 mm section width tires.
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Good point, but I was really talking about cars in the 80's with reasonably large section tires. I'm really agreeing with most of the posts here: Drive sensibly and RWD isn't really an issue ... except uphill in snow. The wide tyre thing affects us regardless of whether it's FWD or RWD

claude4

I will certainly run anythng by you guys B4 I buy anything. The info given certainly helps.

I will check out the place in Paramus and hope to be able to make the correct decision on rims that look good, fit properly and aren't too expensive.

It seems to me that a number of us will be having to make similar decisions this winter, no?

BTW: Edge, I was always told to steer INTO the turn when the rear end gets away from you, not with the turn. I also remember gently, lightly pulling on the hand brack to bring the rear end back inline.

Oh man, tire specs, bolt patterns, etc. I work on designing computer networks, window domains and Nowell NDS trees which somehow seems easier to me.

Also, I just heard from a friend that the RX8 appeared today on one of those car review programs here in New Yorlk like motorweek. Unfortunately he did not note which show it was.

Anyone catch wind od this?

Thamks again,

Claude H.

BlueAdept

Well, as a wize man once said...

"With FWD you will plough streight on, hit a tree and die... With RWD you will spin, hit a tree and die... so RWD is better since you don't actually see the tree before you die."

Seriously though, I've owned a number of both RWD and FWD cars.... and I judge FWD to be apauling by comparison to RWD, of course you don't drive any car spiritedly in bad conditions... driven normally, once you know how it handles and learn how to handle oversteer instead of understeer it's a blast... spinning wheels and loosing traction when pulling out of a hard junction with FWD is horrid... when you try it with RWD it's way better.

Midnight Flyer

Go to school!!!

Contact a local racing or enthusiast club and see if they offer winter driving school. When I got my Miata I took the class even though I had been driving RWD cars for close to 30 years. I wanted to see what this car and I would do at the limit. The school was great and I learned that I was making mistakes in the way I drove. Since then I have had a friend from Africa take the course as well as my wife and two sons.

The course is held on a flooded, frozen race track and has a number of lessons that are very useful. Much better then just going to an empty parking lot, although that is good to practice at the begining of the season.

The idea is not to turn into the skid but to a) look where you want to go, b) steer where you are looking. On a RWD car, you keep the momentum going or step on the gas so as to transfer weight onto the rear wheel and regain traction. On a FWD car you let up on the gas to transfer the weight onto the front wheels. etc. etc. etc.

If you are not used to driving this type of car in these conditions, take it to a track and learn there rather then like the guys who end up in the ditches.

BTW I drive a Miata year round regardless of the weather, including snow storms. Never had an issue. My concern is the other guy who does not have a clue but does have an AWD and thinks he can get around. AWD is great for starting, it does nothing for turning and stopping.