Drove the NSX on snowy roads. Once.

[PhiAlpha44]

The move was obvious. Driving the X in the snow still isn't that obvious.

 

[NSX-2004/074]

I drove it in the snow because there was snow on the roads I had to drive on? I would have levitated it, but my powers are off a little bit because of the cold...

Meh, we considered the alternatives.

- Private shipping: too many horror stories and $$$ not covered by relocation allowance.
- Buy the Titan first, trailer it myself: If the roads were going to be *so* bad to require this, then there was the chance to end up with not one, but two vehicles in the ditch.
- Store it somewhere warm until spring: Yah, I don't think so.
- etc.

In the end, based on weather reports and discussions with our real estate agent the night before we started, it seemed like the best choice - though not without risk.

The roads (but not parking lots...) were fine until we got off the county road. So, by going slow, being careful, and being willing to accept that if it got too risky a flatbed tow truck would be required, she got to the new house safe and sound.

 

[martin]

she got to the new house safe and sound.

Hi

I am happy that things turned out well. I have, as I posted driven the NSX on winterroads.

There is no problem driving the NSX in the snow if you have the correct tires on as you have been told several times.

I understand you had to do what you did. I am happy that you did not post a different story on this board.

The NSX has become a princess for me to be enjoyed. I do not mind driving it in rain. But I never take her out in the rain. I have this view on driving the NSX that I want it to be as good as it can be to drive it.

That means that I try to not use it to drive inside town in static traffic. Can't enjoy it in rain so it seldom is taken out in rain. It is so low and I love it too much to use in the wintertime as the risk of getting into something is bigger.

Looking forward to april/may when the princess will be taken for a ride again.

Regards

 

[chudson1549]

- Store it somewhere warm until spring: Yah, I don't think so.
- etc.

If I knew you were here in Charleston. You could have keep it at my house. 10 car garage west ashley right next to mine. I thought I saw your car in Tanger? I left you a note on it if it was the car.
charles

 

[F1nALMSfan]

Hey, welcome to Wisconsin, I am just down the road from you in Port Washington. I would say you were fortunate you had decent roads to get there, I-43 has been pretty awful this winter, I commute it every day up to Sheboygan. Glad you made it safe and again welcome to the state.

 

[NSX-2004/074]

Chudson - thanks for the offer, our backup plan was the Acura Dealer in Appleton, WI if the roads were really, really bad once we got here. And, nope, I didn't get a note on the X in Tanger , maybe my wife did and just didn't tell me about it...hm...

F1nALMSfan - thanks for welcome. Luckily I don't have to drive I-43 to get to work, just county roads. According to the guys at work my county roads seems to usually be in better condition than I-43, kinda weird I'd think.

-D

 

[Aiken Drum]

I bought my NSX the week after New Year's in, hmm, I think it was 2003. I bought it in California and drove it home to Seattle. We took a detour to Reno on the way back.

When we got to the passes, it snowed, hard. At one point, we were the last car through before a section of highway was closed. Later, on the way back, we were the second or third car on a section that had just re-opened. I think I drove over 500 miles in/on snow, total. Summer tires, chains not possible.

The worst part, which happened often, was when one rear wheel would suddenly lose traction while the other kept it, because the camber of the wheel with traction would then shove the back end a few inches sideways all of a sudden.

Oh, and it was my first time driving a manual transmission vehicle.

(It was also the first time that I was glad I was living in Saskatchewan, in winter, when I learned to drive.)

My neck and back never really recovered from the stress...

All in all, I have to say: Worst. Idea. Ever.

 

[PhiAlpha44]

I drove it in the snow because there was snow on the roads I had to drive on? I would have levitated it, but my powers are off a little bit because of the cold...

Meh, we considered the alternatives.

- Private shipping: too many horror stories and $$$ not covered by relocation allowance.
- Buy the Titan first, trailer it myself: If the roads were going to be *so* bad to require this, then there was the chance to end up with not one, but two vehicles in the ditch.
- Store it somewhere warm until spring: Yah, I don't think so.
- etc.

In the end, based on weather reports and discussions with our real estate agent the night before we started, it seemed like the best choice - though not without risk.

The roads (but not parking lots...) were fine until we got off the county road. So, by going slow, being careful, and being willing to accept that if it got too risky a flatbed tow truck would be required, she got to the new house safe and sound.

I'm sorry man... I'm just now getting that you HAD to drive the car to GET IT TO where you moved! I thought you had already moved, your car was at your house, and then you just took it out into the snow to see how it was because you'd never driven it in the SNOW! I'm retarded. :redface:

 

[martin]

I think I drove over 500 miles in/on snow, total. Summer tires, chains not possible.

The worst part, which happened often, was when one rear wheel would suddenly lose traction while the other kept it, because the camber of the wheel with traction would then shove the back end a few inches sideways all of a sudden.

(It was also the first time that I was glad I was living in Saskatchewan, in winter, when I learned to drive.)

Hi

Summer tires on winter roads is always a bad idea. NSX with good tires on winter roads are okey. But I feel a lot more comfortable going sideways in another vehicle.

Powersliding the NSX is kind of fun. But I do not do it as I am to scared to smash up my princess.

That Saskatchewan upbringing helped I am sure. I would like to have a rear wheel driving car just to play with in the winter time here.

The front wheel driven Vw Golf I is not that fun, but I do use the handbrake from time to time :smile:

Regards

 

[PhiAlpha44]

Hi

Summer tires on winter roads is always a bad idea. NSX with good tires on winter roads are okey. But I feel a lot more comfortable going sideways in another vehicle.

Powersliding the NSX is kind of fun. But I do not do it as I am to scared to smash up my princess.

That is no doubt!

 

[CL65 Captain]

Kyle, if you took it out today it would be a snow plow.

I like to take it out when there is an inch or two on the ground. There is a high school up the street with a big level parking lot and no lamp poles.

It makes for great muscle memory training on exactly how much it takes to get to full lock and how much it takes to get back to straight without over correcting. In the snow this can be done at 5-10mph and it happens slower.

The way learning works, is that you have to know mentally how to correct for slides. But you also have to do and practice training the muscles to get that feel of how much and how long, etc. That's how you learned to drive a clutch. Remember, you knew the mechanics of it. Give it gas while letting the clutch out at the same time. However, you had to go out and practice how much gas and how quickly to let off the clutch. You had to train the muscles by doing it repetitively.

The mistakes that most people make on the track is that they are too late winding in opposite lock, not enough to ketch the spin, they hold in too much correction too long and it swings back the other way, or when they are removing the correction they unwind the wheel too much - shuffling the wheel back and forth causing the car to pendulum back and forth.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8pRkhnJ9Eg

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Practicing in an empty parking lot in the wet or even better a light dusting of snow is the best way to practice and train the muscles how to correct, find that pause where the car stops sliding and correct back without it swinging the other way.

Plus, it's fun and safe!

 

[martin]

Plus, it's fun and safe!

Hi

Yes it is a lot of fun. I guess that in the part of the world I live in all this comes natural. Manual is the main transmission type and the handbrake is used a lot in the wintertime.

Those with rear wheel drive drift a lot during winter and have a lot of fun. But I use the handbrake a lot in my winter beater and have some fun too.

Regards

 

[silverNEEK]

I was reminded of an old AutoWeek that took the NSX and some competitors into the snow for a drive. I scanned them in for everyone if you are interested. Here they are:

 

[Rennphile]

I live in the Great White North and have been driving my NSX year 'round for the last 7 winters so I can confidently say that winter tires make a huge difference and my NSX has better traction than most FWD vehicles. I have driven in 5-6" of snow without getting stuck and have never had problems with grades .. although it's pretty flat where I live on the prairies and we don't get freezing rain that often. But it was -37 this morning which tends to reduce traction on even winter tires.

I've never had Bridgestones but before buying winter tires, I did try some limited experiments on packed snow streets with the Goodyears that were on the car .. and although I didn't have the traction issues mentioned above, the car would not go 'round corners so I would agree with the majority comments that using any kind of summer tires (and most all seasons) is ill-advised.

For those with earlier years, get yourself a cheap set of first gen wheels and throw some winter tires on them and keep driving. For fun, find yourself a vacant parking lot; turn off TCS; and practice your drifting skills :biggrin:

+1. I've run my NSX through 3 Colorado winters and it's one of the most capable (and satisfying) snow cars I've driven.