Winter Weather Driving
 

I'm looking to purchase a '04 RX-8 with the 238 hp 6 spd manual engine and Grand Touring Package, which includes the limited slip diff. and Traction Control.
Anyone with knowledge on this model w/ this package know about how it handles in Winter driving conditions such as the mid-West i.e. icy & slippery road conditions??

The general consensus amongst most forum members with winter driving experience (not me), is that you MUST have snow tires. Without snow tires the handling is reportedly very bad. I'm sure someone will chime in with first-hand experience.

If you have snow tires, it will be no problem. I am on my second winter, and the wieght balance make it easy to drive, although not a rocket accellerating in snow.

Like any car, you obviously have to be more careful in limited traction conditions. My winter tires are Toyo Garrit HT's 215/55/r17.

Same here... 2nd winter with the RX-8 in the Chicago area, and it's an excellent car in the snow with proper winter tires. Drive it with the OEM tires in the snow and it's a death trap, as would any RWD sports car with summer tires.

I'll second that. I kept the OEM michelin pilot sport summers on this winter. How bad could it be? I said to myself... roads get plowed, a little snow shouldn't be a problem w/ DSC and whatnot. BIIIG mistake. Summer tires feel like racing slicks in anything more than a dusting. In an inch of snow, I had serious problems getting up my driveway and its puny 2 inch incline. If you need to drive in any snow, get some real winter tires for sure. The DSC/Traction control does work great... You just need SOME traction to begin with!

Get the Snow Tires or Stay Home
 

I usually don't drive my 8 in snow, but I got caught at work the other day during a storm and driving the car was a nightmare. I still have the OEM tires on the car, and it took me nearly 3 hours to drive what usually takes 45 mins. The traction control does work, but only in small doses. If your driving down the road and it is constantly working eventually you’re going to end up in a situation that it can't save you from.

Once the car gets moving its ok as long as you keep it on level ground. A couple of times I got stuck in the lower end of the road crown and the car starting getting pulled into the gutter. There was nothing I could do to get it out besides slowing down and very slowly climbing out. If you panicked in this situation the car would probably spin out.

My advice: gets the car, and invest in some snow tires. As soon as I get the cash I am going to throw a set on my car. Oh by the way I have the car today and it’s supposed to snow during the commute home, I’ll let you know how it goes.

I just bought the exact car you described and I have recently had my first snow experiences. I have heard how bad the car is in snow with the stock tires so I planned on buying snow tires. I knew it was going to snow later in the week so I went to a local tire shop to get tires and they tried to charge me $300 a tire. I said screw it I'll just take my chances.

Ironically while leaving the parking lot of the tire shop there was a patch of ice at the ligth. The light turned green and I just sat there spinning my tires until the back end started sliding out and finally caught on dry pavement. Kind of a slap in the face that I needed snow tires. I ordered some from Tire Rack and got a decent set for $150 each. But before I could get them shipped we had a small snow storm.

It was just a dusting so I figured I had lucked out. I shoveled the tiny bit of snow from my driveway, put down half a bag of rock salt and proceeded to back out. I got about halfway up the driveway when my tires started spinning bad and I slid back down. I repeated this about 5 more times before getting out and putting down more rock salt. Then again the same thing happend. Finally after about 15 attempts I was about ready to call work and tell them I couldn't make it in. Then I gave it one last try and really got on it, I caught a tiny bit of traction and just made it out. All this from about a 1/4 inch of snow.

The next week I got my snow tires on and once again we got snow, this time it was more like 6 inches. I was really nervous that I would get stuck again since I had so much trouble the last time and there was snow under the car that I couldn't shovel. I nervously started going and right away the car gripped and pulled out like it was on dry pavement. I didn't even spin the tires. I was shocked at how much of a difference it made. In my opinion which I''m sure most people will agree with, its insane to drive this car in ice or snow without putting on new tires. The stock tires are unbeliveabley bad in the snow and its extremely dangerous to you and other on the road to drive with them.

I will say though I do miss them in the dry weather, I can't wait to put them back on in a few months. I can really feel the drag of the snow tires especially when launching. I almost stalled the car when I first pulled out of the shop with them. On the stock tires I can get moving with almost no gas and just letting out the cluth with the winter tires I need to give it quite a bit more throttle when starting from a complete stop. But its very much worth it for the wintery months.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this yet - do a search! ;) Seriously, a bunch of us are on our second winter with the RX-8 - I first posted about winter driving conditions in October, 2003 ( First test of RX-8 in snow - it's great! ), and included dire warnings about trying to use the OEM tires on snow then. A search for "winter tires" or "winter wheels" in the Wheels/Tires section or Canada regional section will turn up dozens of threads about suitable winter wear for your RX-8. There are also dozens of testimonials as to how bad the OEM tires are on snow, including bent suspensions, wheels, wrecks resulting from trying to drive the summer tires on snow.

Winter tires are essential - but with winter tires, the car is great in winter!

Regards,
Gordon