Do you fit this description?

1) Daily driver car
2) Lowered on Tein S-techs
3) Drive in a state or province with snow in the winter time

Question is, what problems did you have concerning eating snow? Were there days you absolutely couldn't drive because the snow was too high, where you WOULD HAVE DRIVEN back whe you had stock suspension?

I live in Canada, and I'm deciding whether to go Tein S-techs or not as it's my daily driver. I cannot afford coilovers at the moment to get ride height adjustability.

 

i think even with a stock suspension you will eat snow. especially with the front lip.

 

my car eats snow at stock height even without the front airdam. i live near chicago.

 

I survived Toronto's brutal winter this past winter. It had been worst in 5 years. I am currently on stock height.

You guys aren't really answering my question.

 

S-Techs, base model - no front air dam - which means you would be ~ 1 inch lower in front, thus 1 inch closer to 'plowing' snow.

Here in RI we don't get a ton of snow, but we generally get at least 3 or 4 storms per winter of 4-8 inches. I've never had any problems, including one nasty storm that practically shut the damn state down w/gridlock and plows that could not get anywhere. With the Dunlop WS M3s I had no problem even with spots of the heavy snow that piles up and gets pushed around on the highway when it comes down hard.

In short, aside from really heavy, really nasty storms that are too much for the plows to keep up with the clearance is fine. And storms that bad usually screw everyone but the 4x4s anyway.

 

I only fit description 1 & 3.
The roads were not plowed well enough that snow would block my radiator air inlet.
Our plows do a good enough job to keep me driving.

I used to own a 91 MR2 with a Border replica body kit. It was also lowered. The front bumper was probably less than 4 inches from the ground with snow tires on. And you still could not roll an can of coke under my sideskirts. I was passing up people on a snowy highway with confidence. If I lower my 8, I don't see myself getting stranded unless i drive irresponsibly enough to find myself in a grassy median or a curb. I'm also too lazy to readjust coilovers in sub-40 degree weather, and you don't want salt in the threads anyway.

I'll still drive my 8 in snow after lowering my car in the future. The key is snow tires. I used to have Blizzaks on my MR2, but I am impressed with the Dunlop winter sport M3's i used last winter on my 8.

I say go for it and get snow tires too. Snow tires usually run a slightly higher sidewall so the lowering issue is slightly minimized. I know I'm taking a risk. Are you willing to?

 

i think every circumstance would be different for each area. plenty of people store their cars for the winter and use another car as a daily driver. you've had the car the past winter, only you can tell if the car can handle it there for not. can your car survive being 1.4 inches lower.

better yet, post in the Canada forum and hopefully some people from Ontario will chime in.

 

I am already using Dunlop Wintersport M3's. Control-wise, I am not worried about surviving winter like so. I noticed that on heavy snow storm days, pretty much the entire wheel well was filled with snow/slush, but the car kept on moving.

having said that, if the car is lowered, there will be even less wheel well for the snow to fill up inside, plus the added plowing effect. That is my main concern really.

BTW, I survived even with the MS CAI all throughout winter!

 

I drove *slightly* lowered in the winter and I felt the biggest hindrance in the snow were my performance snow tires.

Since I didn't drive as lowered as S-tech (though I'm gonna do that this winter), I can't evaluate how much worse it would've been, but I would imagine not much worse. Yes, maybe it would make a difference in an inch or so of fresh snow height (maybe the car would be able to handle one less inch of snow).

If I had to buy new winter tires, I would not buy performance winters (like my Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds) again. I would buy regular winters, that are softer and deeper and more aggressive.

 

The wintersport 3D's are different from the M3's.

My m3's are pretty soft to feel, and honestly, they were very good in the snow for me.

 

I have Tein S-Tech springs. Last winter I was using OEM struts. Certain aktermarket struts will also have an effect on height.

Here's my thread of fun in the snow with the 8. https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-multimedia-photo-gallery-6/rx8-fun-snow-133141/

 

I had S-tech springs and drove all last winter with only Cooper all seasons tires. Car was about 1.5" lower with the Teins. I didn't have any issues, but one day I did steal my wife's Escape.

Footman...I sold my 8 and have a set of K-sport coilovers for sale on the forum...see https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...port+coilovers