*expected.

Quote from Jakg :

Lesson learned - the Toyo T1R is NOT a snow tyre :P

duh

that said the bridgestone potenzas are surprisingly good in the snow... suspiciously good even

My Leon's tyres are crap in the bad weather. I don't know if it's running summer rubber or what, but I've spun the front wheels a few times on just wet tarmac. God knows what it'll be like when I take it out on the snow tonight. Go diesel torque power

OPEN DIFF OF FURY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzUKj5mxXDs

I've yet to drive in the snow this year. But willa be in a bit.

I've learned that using old/worn tyres can make you go in the ditch (more or less). Even if it isn't raining/snowing/etc.

I was going round a corner at 40/45mph with my Astra when, suddenly, I was going bacwards, then forwards, than backwards again and then I hit a post that saved me from going down a slope and landing in a field that was more than 3 feet under the level of the road where I was driving.

The Carabinieri that arrived after said that it was the tyres' fault, because they weren't made of rubber anymore. They were made of plastic, as they were as hard as a rock.

Result? Me: unhurt, only a little dizzy from the spin and frightened from the experience. The car: bumper broken in half, boot lid dented, rear left brake locked (the car hit the ground underneath, and that broke the handbrake wires). License plate: PERFECT.
Repair cost: almost 500£ (mechanical problems and new tyres). Aestethic damage? At least another 500£. Good.

ye if u have cheap shit tires that happens. once i had fuzion zri`s on my M3,and in rain im spinning tires throu 3 gears,u put some nice tires on,big difference.

Mine, at 7am this morning, twas a nightmare trying to even get into the car, but driving it, well, fooking awful thing in this weather.

I drove an mx-5 during the winter once. I can tell you from experience, the only thing that really helped to make it anything other than a scary ride, was the smallest possible tyres for the OEM wheels, which was like 165/XX/XX. Roadsters are not really good cars in the winter (suspension too hard, rear wheel drive, etc), they can be fun however.

I know i'll be told it's a myth... but winter tyres may help aswell.

Quote from danthebangerboy :

Mine, at 7am this morning, twas a nightmare trying to even get into the car, but driving it, well, fooking awful thing in this weather.

[MX5]

I would have thought that would have been one of the best cars to have a bit of drifty-fun in on a snowy morning.

Quote from jibber :

I drove an mx-5 during the winter once. I can tell you from experience, the only thing that really helped to make it anything other than a scary ride, was the smallest possible tyres for the OEM wheels, which was like 165/XX/XX. Roadsters are not really good cars in the winter (suspension too hard, rear wheel drive, etc), they can be fun however.

I know i'll be told it's a myth... but winter tyres may help aswell.

Out of necessity, I drove my rusty '91 Miata year round for for quite awhile. If the snow's too deep then yes, they're simply not gonna go anywhere, but one of the biggest problem with winter isn't a car's design, it's drivers, lol. I've routinely driven it on the nastiest days, (and not just a couple miles around town). If you know what you're doing, they can actually do very very well. I couldn't imagine how much better things would be with a limited slip, sandbags in the trunk & a good set of snows. (which yes, they are a great help in every car I've used them with - sniped Blizzaks being my favorite so far, though I've not got to try any on the M yet) I attribute this to the near perfect weight balance & experience. (also makes them great in the rain) I'll be out there passing cars with snowpack on the interstate while they're sliding into guardrails going 10mph. I'm not over dramatizing or talking about wimpy winter days either. If you venture over to miata.net, many other owners will have the same general feelings as myself. None of that's to say I don't feel a good FWD is better than a RWD in the slick, just that if you're a skilled winter driver & don't have to plow through anything too deep, even a Miata can do well.

Quote from Minimaxman :

I would have thought that would have been one of the best cars to have a bit of drifty-fun in on a snowy morning.

As for drifty fun, oh yes, the Miata is a blast!! My '91 hits every fluffy parking lot I can find. (and at the moment, that's one of the main reasons I've still got it outside of sentimental stuff - WINTER FUN!) Due to no need, I probably won't be taking it outside of town on the really nasty days anymore, but it will specifically be driven locally on them - I like a challenge! The only time I've gotten stuck was when I foolishly pulled off onto a shoulder one winter. Didn't realize the snow was so deep or that the ground sloped off-camber to the road. (thanks to the snow being level) Being so light, with one helper, she was back on the road in no-time though.

Quote from jibber :

I know i'll be told it's a myth... but winter tyres may help aswell.

i never said winter tyres arent better on snow
just that they arent any better and probably worse on cold tarmac

I lived somewhere very snowy for a while with my Miata, I got some snow tires and it was an absolute blast I was making it around just fine, never got stuck, and also took it out on some empty backroads for some fun drifting. It's no worse in the snow than any other 2wd car if you have the right tires on it.

Of course if it's a foot deep it's not going to manage, but other than that I had no problems

I want to live there! Nice pics.

Anyway, dad's Iveco, and mom's Yaris.

Quote from Shotglass :

duh

that said the bridgestone potenzas are surprisingly good in the snow... suspiciously good even

I've got Falken Ziex 912's on the MR2.. pretty good on snow so far.
BTW, I haven't seen your MR2 yet.. show me !

It already has an LSD on it as it is the imported 'S' model i have, so still an MX-5 but badged as a eunos roadster.

I have got (somewhere) 2 14 inch vauxhall steel rims with a pair of 165/65/14 maxsport RB1 tyres on them, but it was years ago when i put them wherever i put them, they may be in my dads shed somewhere but im not sure.

These are the tyres in question, RB1

I used em on the front of my astra a few years back when the snow was really bad and i could dig through anything with those on, although they have to be taken off as soon as the snow clears up because they are such a soft compound you can wreck a brand new set on normal roads within about 1000 miles if not less, as they are grass track/rally tyres, still road legal, but VERY soft.

Quote from Michel 4AGE :

I've got Falken Ziex 912's on the MR2.. pretty good on snow so far.

mine have proven to be quite terrifying on thick snow and ice at ~60
back starts to slide left to right constantly

Quote :

BTW, I haven't seen your MR2 yet.. show me !

http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?p=1110087#post1110087

Aha ! '92 US-import ? Nice car.. looking good. Any special plans with ze car ?

I've got a '92 German-import..

yayness

Quote from Michel 4AGE :

Aha ! '92 US-import ?

yup with the rev2 turbo (no lsd though)

Quote :

Any special plans with ze car ?

nothing much just fixing all the little things and making sure it runs fine
thinking about maybe putting a helical lsd in there when i inevitably have too fix the squeaky clutch lever bearing properly at some point

I'll leave the miata parked for now. Bald 205 summer tires do not work flawless in packed snow. I do have a set of 14" snow tires, but I can't fit 14" wheels anymore now. Mazda2 is plenty of fun too, so meh..

little update ive just paid for my lightweight flywheel, and should be here soon, also on order is a lightweight pully.

Well apparently mother nature didn't want me to feel left out.. here're the two Miata's on Saturday (was no snow at all Friday) - found one tonight!

You folks in the UK, please study Tinytacohead's photos. That is snow!

Installed the original front lights today.. in -15°C weather. :snowman:

Cool, those Mondeo headlights were fugly.