It's not the car--it's the tires. Numerous people will testify to the significant change which results from having proper tires. In my Civic Si, the first time it snowed 1/2 inch, I was all over the road with the stock performance tires, and the next day bought all seasons. They have been fine for four winters.

 

Good advice to simply park it if it's snowing - don't even try to make it home or get someplace safe, just leave it where it sits and take a cab, hitch, bus, whatever.

However - I posted it first about 13 months ago, but on winter tires the car is great. It is the TIRES that are completely useless in snow. How is this so hard to understand??? The CAR isn't that bad, your buddy's experience was completely due to the tires. After 1 full winter and the start of a second, I can attest with complete confidence that an RX-8 on winter tires gets around just fine. When our first snow fall hit this year, I had the winters on the RX-8, and the all-seasons on our Audi allroad AWD (hadn't put the winters on it yet). The RX-8 was a far better car to drive in the slippery, icy conditions than the Audi AWD on all-seasons.

Regards,
Gordon

 

Yep, I have been driving for over 27 years and have always had all-seasons. My 8 was my first performance car and I am now sold on summer tires in the summer and snow tires in the winter! You just can't beat having great traction whether you want to accelerate quickly or you want to brake quickly. Tires are everything!

 

i totally agree, last year when following the discussion on the board i bit the bullet and got me snowies. i have to say, i feel safer in my 8 with snow tires than i have in any other car with all seasons.

however, conversely. i've never felt more helpless and shock scared while driving on the stock tires on less than an inch of snow on a new jersey interstate.

.02$

 

I did the same thing with my 05, but got Dunlap m3s. Would never drive this car with Mud and Snows. Crappy handling all year is not why I got the car.