Winter Wheel Package or Winter Beater?
 

So, with the cold, potentially snowy and icy months of the year rapidly approaching, I'm faced with the prospect of driving my 8 in less than ideal conditions. I know that the 8 is capable enough in the snow when equipped with the right tires. However, I went to price some packages out on Tire Rack and the price came to about $1,200 before shipping and taxes. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not sure I want to spend that much money on wheels and tires that I'll use maybe 3-4 months out of the year (plus exposing my car to ice, snow, salt, sand, and the usual horrors of inept winter drivers).

So it got me thinking, I bet for about the same amount of money, maybe even less...I could pick up a beater car. Maybe even make it my daily driver for the horrendous DC area commute. You don't go very far very fast in the DC rush so there's no real enjoyment of the 8 either. I could beat the crap out of this car and not care. What would you do?

I'd buy a Geo Metro, great gas mileage and there's no way you'd pay $1200 for one. Or even an old Ford Escort, good gas mileage and very reliable.

yea...I was thinking about a toyota corolla for $500. You can't KILL those cars. I know...my parents used to have one. Not matter what we did to it...or didn't do to it, it just wouldn't die. Kept on chugging along. Metros and Escorts are pretty reliable too?

A friend of mine has a Metro, and has driven it for years. I can say repair parts are expensive for it (like pretty much any economy car) but he gets over 45 mpg in it. Guess that makes up for it. My dad has had 2 different Escorts and as long as you keep the timing belt changed and the regular service, they're hard to break.

Of course the other thing to look at is how much your insurance will increase, and other associated costs. If you're saving gas AND keeping miles off your 8, it would probably be well worth it to get a second car. Plus, if you get a $500 Corolla, when it breaks down and isn't worth repairing, just go get another. :D

I went with the tire rack winter pkg for around $1200. Now I can drive the 8 all year round. handles great in snow. It's a little hassel changing them over in my garage 2x/year. takes about 1 1/2 hr. Having snows on 5 mos per year saves on oem tire wear. From experience beater winter cars are not worth the hassel or maintenanc and insurance expense. Also have to find room for them and store in Summer. You may also consider all weather tires when your stocks need replacemnt. Tire rack sells them too.

DC?!?!?!

jeebus! I'm going to use mine for a winter car when I get it. it will be a year-round daily driver... and our winters are much more difficult ;)

although the winter beater idea aint bad :)

yeah..the winters here aren't bad in and of themselves (I spent a few years in Calgary). It's not so much the winter, but the other drivers. If we even get a light dusting here the whole traffic system goes to he11. People already drive bad enough here, add the scare of snow and they just get ten time worse. That and about 100lbs/sq ft of the road salt...

true enough

for the salt, i have a bit of a solution for. on my lunch, i can go into the parking garage here at work and give it a quick rinse as long as i clear it with the building owners first. they were pretty cool with it last year on the car i was driving then, so i dont see a problem with it too much :D

I was able to pick up Dunlop M3s last winter for $400 for a set of 4. Yeah it's kind of a pain to switch them out very season, but at least the money is spread out.

Plus I actually LOOK FORWARD to driving in the snow with my 8, because with snow tires it is fun knowing I have control of the car when there are some 4x4 trucks that are struggling. :p

My 8's going into storage for the winter. Here in the great WV mountains they salt and cinder the roads if they even think it's gonna snow. I hate to hear those darn cinders bouncing off the car from all directions. As for rinsing the salt off, I do that regularly, but you can't get it from underneath the car really good unless you put some effort and time into it - hard to do when you're freezing your buns off. So, my Rex won't get any of that. I may be psychologically challenged, but I also think "what an exciting day next spring when I can roll him out, wash him and hit the road." It'll feel like a new car all over!!

PS I bought a Geo Tracker as a winter ride a couple year's back. It was very reliable, got great gas mileage, and I sold it for the same amount I paid for it after about 16 months. The downside was - insurance. I paid almost as much in insurance for a 97 tracker as I did my 01 Eclipse spyder. I'm gonna make my boyfriend share his truck this winter!!

<<<<<<hate to hear those darn cinders bouncing off the car from all directions. As for rinsing the salt off, I do that regularly, but you can't get it from underneath the car really good unless you put some effort and time into it - hard to do when you're freezing your buns off. So, my Rex won't get any of that. I may be psychologically challenged, but I also think "what an exciting day next spring when I can roll him out, wash him and hit the road." It'll feel like a new car all over!!>>>>>>>>>

What are cinders? Is it a sand mix. You called your rx a him. A thought it was decided some time back on this forum rx8s were shes. Must be up to the owners discretion.

I bought winter tires for $1200 shipped from TireRack.. and that's with an extra wrench and sockets thrown in there. I bought best-of-breed Dunlop WinterSport M3 on ASA JH3.

I would hate to drive a beater in the winter... especially up here in New England, the winters are essentially November through April... that's way too much time of the year to give up driving the car I love. When you take that weekend trip in the winter, you surely will miss your RX-8 (and don't take the RX-8 out in the winter for a weekend w/ stock tires...)

Yes, the car does get exposed to all the horrors of winter... which is why I got a clear bra. Otherwise, enjoy the winter driving and thrills and horrors of morons w/ bald tires, overconfident SUV drivers, inattentive winter newbies that don't realize that their braking distance just got quintupled, etc. It's a lot of fun, you really have to be on top of things, kinda like driving in NYC or Boston.

my 8 is my winter beater.

see, if you live in the true northeast, then it's pretty easy to just order the winter wheel/tire set because you know you'll really put it to use, than say, the Washington DC region, where we really only get like 3-4 actual winter 'storms' per season, and rest of the time we just burn up good winter rubbers for no reason :o

Someone local is selling their 18" Dunlop WinterSport M3's for a good price, I may just pick those up and use them for winter :D

snow banks here in the winter are usually bigger than me, and i stand 6'1.... i think i can justify buying winter tires. i have for all my cars :)

I'm having a similar dilemna right now.

We get about 3-4 serious snowfalls in southeast Michigan each year, but tons of slush and salt.

I'm really debating whether I should garage the RX-8.

roaddemon .... cinders are used here to help with traction (mountains and curves). I don't know exactly what they are. they look like tiny chunks of gravel (bout 1/4 inch) and they are just perfect to get picked up in winter tread and kicked out on your car!!

Sorry, i missed the thread on rx8 gender. I've just adopted the name "Rex" for it and that's makes it a male. Plus, I'm female, so I prefer to have a male car rather than riding around in a woman (haha).

I live and work in NoVa. I had (have) a beater that I used last year during the worst storms, and I hated driving it! After the 8, driving a 15-year-old Celica GT was such a disappointment. This year it'll be decent snow tires on my OEM wheels. Next spring I may decide to get new wheels anyway. :D

Yeah - I've seen them use cinders in the hilly areas in Pennsyltuckey.

I think of my 8 as male. I can't imagine slamming a female around on an Autocross course. :eek: My buddy and I fight the good fight together. Cone Busters! :D

If you live in a winter area with salt buy the beater. If you plan on selling the 8 after a few years it is ok to go with the snow tires. If you want to keep it many years buy the beater. I got a 94 honda civic for a beater last year. With gas high I drive it to work much more than the 8 and save gas. Keep the baby for fun weekend drives.

I'm male and think of my 8 as a male too. I feel more hung when I drive it. I guess I identify with it too much. Most of the time I just think of it as a really , really cool sportscar. I can't part with it during the winter. Give me the snow tires.

after last winter in NY there is no way i would drive my car in that weather, im already prepared got a indoor garage, the car cover, and oild change on mid nov., why because my car dont like to feel cold. he might even get a cold.... thats why im also gettin a subaru WRX, nothin like the go0d old awd turbo 215 hp....

i am buying my sisters explorer for 500, it has 170k miles on it with no overdrive gear. i think it can last 4 months, so i am buying it. it is much better then buying 1200 dollars for winter tires

The $1200 winter tire/wheel pkg will last several winters depending how many miles you drive. After that all you replace are the tires. The summer OEMs will last longer and you have a dependable winter car instead of an old beater that can break down and leave you stranded. The only drawback is the salt and grime on the 8.

How much did you pay for those M3's I paid $188 each for size 225-45-R18.