Snow

[peter026]

I have always wondered what this Snow is and I found out this morning.We had a very light dusting of white powdery substance outside, of which the local weather forcaster informed us it was this rare commodity called snow. By 8am some bugger had pinched it . So I still can't test the GS in snow

[Rob]

well when the guys come over fairly soon ( ahem gentle prod to zee and co ) we will go up into the mountains and u will be pleasently surprised with the results. At the mo i spend about 3 days in the mountains every 4 or 5 days and have no probs.

[Monster-Mat]

we will go up into the mountains . At the mo i spend about  3 days in the mountains every 4 or 5 days and have no probs.

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Thats Cos your a Hermit

[Rob]

nah no shell on my back!

[Monster-Mat]

ah ha so thats Crabbing

[Rob]

:D :D

[Gord]

snows not good for is200 as my mate(steve) crashed his lex today :o hes ok but the front of the lex had gone

[aido]

Jesus Gord, where was that at? Hope he's oaky, sounds serious!

[Gord]

Jesus Gord, where was that at? Hope he's oaky, sounds serious!

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hes ok aido, car run into a post (ice) just round from the garage most of the front has gone

[sturgi]

I think most cars don't like snow, check this link out to the SeatCupra.net site, looks nasty. http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=51759

[Rob]

I think most cars don't like snow, check this link out to the SeatCupra.net site, looks nasty. http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=51759

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just another person that decided to risk using a car with summer tyres in winter conditions - no sympathy at all.

if that happened here then the insurance wouldnt pay out.

[Minken]

Ok, not to be rude or something.. But honestly, it sounds like most of you guys are driving on summertires!? If that´s the case, use your brain, buy winter tires!! And put som cement or sandbags in the trunk..

Here in Sweden we have snow from nov til april, and I´ve never had any problems driving in it... As someone said before, go to a big parkinglot and drive the **** out of the car.. It´s the funniest and best way to learn how to handle a car rwd,fwd and 4x4...

And don´t come say that the tires are expensive.. Sounds like most of you buy another car in the wintertime..

Hehe, sorry if I sound like a bad tomato :P.. But the thing is that, it´s almost never the car thats bad in snow, it´s the driver...

[Anees]

In the UK most cars are fitted as standard with Summer tyres. I have been considering getting some cheap 16" S rims and putting some winter tyres on them for the winter. :D

Trouble is that I have no space to keep the rims for the (probably) 49weeks of the year when it doesn't snow! :P

[kahnindustries]

Ok, not to be rude or something.. But honestly, it sounds like most of you guys are driving on summertires!? If that´s the case, use  your brain, buy winter tires!! And put som cement or sandbags in the trunk..

Here in Sweden we have snow from nov til april, and I´ve never had any problems driving in it... As someone said before, go to a big parkinglot and drive the **** out of the car.. It´s the funniest and best way to learn how to handle a car rwd,fwd and 4x4...

And don´t come say that the tires are expensive.. Sounds like most of you buy another car in the wintertime..

Hehe, sorry if  I sound like a bad tomato :P.. But the thing is that, it´s almost never the car thats bad in snow, it´s the driver...

 

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Here in the UK (talking about the south here, not scotland where they seem to get as much as you) we only get snow for at most a week a year, if that. No one spends £600 on a set of wheels that they are only going to use for one week a year. If you got any news stories from the UK over with you guys last year you would see that the whole of the uk comes to a standstill after the slightest dusting of snow.

At one point there was an eight hour traffic jam on the m1 cos no one could drive in it.

So snow tyres are not a valid suggestion in the UK, due to the lack of snow.

I guess the only option for us is as new tyres as we can get, load up the boot and traction off snow on. I just put a 4.5 stone sub in my boot, wonder what that will do to my handling?

[rashdown]

Ok, not to be rude or something.. But honestly, it sounds like most of you guys are driving on summertires!? If that´s the case, use  your brain, buy winter tires!! And put som cement or sandbags in the trunk..

Here in Sweden we have snow from nov til april, and I´ve never had any problems driving in it... As someone said before, go to a big parkinglot and drive the **** out of the car.. It´s the funniest and best way to learn how to handle a car rwd,fwd and 4x4...

And don´t come say that the tires are expensive.. Sounds like most of you buy another car in the wintertime..

Hehe, sorry if  I sound like a bad tomato :P.. But the thing is that, it´s almost never the car thats bad in snow, it´s the driver...

  

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Here in the UK (talking about the south here, not scotland where they seem to get as much as you) we only get snow for at most a week a year, if that. No one spends £600 on a set of wheels that they are only going to use for one week a year. If you got any news stories from the UK over with you guys last year you would see that the whole of the uk comes to a standstill after the slightest dusting of snow.

At one point there was an eight hour traffic jam on the m1 cos no one could drive in it.

So snow tyres are not a valid suggestion in the UK, due to the lack of snow.

I guess the only option for us is as new tyres as we can get, load up the boot and traction off snow on. I just put a 4.5 stone sub in my boot, wonder what that will do to my handling?

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I'm having this problem too.

I'm trying to figure out ht ebest solution for a new set of tyres (not much to go on all 4 )

I've been thinking of the Mich Pilot Primacy on the current alloys, but these are still calssified as a "summer" tyre.

As we seem to more rain than snow (and more rain than sun :tsktsk: )Surly this isn't the best option. I really want ot get the Mich MXM4 (you can get them in the US, but not "supported" in Europe) which are an "All Season" tyre, and used on all of the performance marques over there (good traction, low noise, etc). I don't want to get the same Bridgestones as I'm fed up with pressing the "snow" button at the first sign of humidity!

So, really, I have a question for people: What would you guys suggest as replacement tyres for "All Season" driving?

As an alternative, any one got a Part# for some steels for the IS200? Lexus don't know, and are trying to get me to buy s new set of alloys!!!

Cheers

[lexicon]

Here in the UK (talking about the south here, not scotland where they seem to get as much as you) we only get snow for at most a week a year, if that. No one spends £600 on a set of wheels that they are only going to use for one week a year. If you got any news stories from the UK over with you guys last year you would see that the whole of the uk comes to a standstill after the slightest dusting of snow.

I keep a set of winter rims & tyres (bought a 2nd-hand set of standard wheels).

I put them on when it's consistently cold (ie 5deg C or less) which is quite a few months a year.

There doesn't actually have to be snow on the road to get benefit from winter tyres.

There again, I do live in the grim North.

[IanB]

Folks,

I live north of Aberdeen, and had an IS 200 for 3 years when they first came out. This was a real pig in snow (with standard tyres). It just wouldn't stop or go!

However, I wasn't put off and recently bought an IS300 SC. I've read all the correspondence on driving (or not) in snow with interest. However, with my first winter in this car approaching, I'd be keen to do something this time. Perhaps get some chains, or some spare rims and winter tyres. Does anyone have any recommendations (wheel size/tyre make) please?

I'm minded to go for chains (front and back) as the cheapest way to go, but I'd really appreciate any words of wisdom from out there in the LOC.

Many thanks,

Ian.

[Rob]

chains are no good for driving on normal roads unless they have a good covering of packed snow, ( and i dont mean a cm or 2 i mean a lot more!) and if you do drive on roads without snow you will damage the chains and soon they will break and you will badly damage the car.

1: get some all season tyres or 2: get some winter tyres

as said above it does not have to be "winter" for winter tyres to be an advantage - normal road tyres start to loose grip at temps below 7C

over here most people drop down an inch and have narrower tyres as it is far better when there is snow but remember when there is lots of ice, the winter tyres will give u an advantage but they wont stop you having a bit of a slide - thats where driver skill comes in

And as I have said many times before, if anyone here comes over for a weekend ( Waddy, Aido etc) in the winter we will be in the mountains and shall go for a drive and get rid of this " the IS is rubbish in the snow" crap that i hear all the time

[IanB]

Thanks for the tip fluff. We may get plenty of snow on our drive and local minor roads, but once on the major roads, the salt they put down soon thins out the coating.

So it looks like I should go for a spare set of wheels and undersized winter tyres.

Do you know if I can (or should) use standard IS 200 wheels on the rear. Mine are wider on the Sportcross with 225 tyres fitted as standard, so I'm guessing the wheels are wider too?

Cheers,

Ian.

[IanB]

Spoke to my local Lexus dealer today who recommended I get a used set of 16" IS200 wheels, and put winter tyres on. Cheaper and more effective in snow, due to the narrower tyre. I currently have standard 17" 5 spoke alloys.

Only niggling doubt in my mind is whether my existing wheel bolts will fit all 16" IS variants OK? Does anyone know?

Thanks,

Ian.

[Mr Morse]

Only niggling doubt in my mind is whether my existing wheel bolts will fit all 16"  IS variants OK? Does anyone know?

Thanks,

Ian.

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Yes, they will fit the 16"

[IanB]

Only niggling doubt in my mind is whether my existing wheel bolts will fit all 16"  IS variants OK? Does anyone know?

Thanks,

Ian.

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Yes, they will fit the 16"

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Many thanks for the prompt reply Mr Morse. That's the second time you've helped me. Much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ian.

[Rob]

yes the 16" IS wheels will fit ( as mike said)

[Reevoo]

Hi there

i was on my way home driving from bilboa to malaga (spain) ide just got off the ferry so i felt like crap,anyways i hit terrible snow all throught the northan parts of spain there was some sketchy conditions and at some point i might have left skidmarks in my own pants so take a spare set! but i was ok uve just gotta make sure u dont give it to much beans and give extra caution when breaking and no sharp movements

just look at it as a chace to kit the back end of ure car out n have a bit of a chukkle

good luck.

:D

[chrisis200]

my is200 was stuck for 2 days on the drive in the snow, trust my drive to be a steep hill as well... It was back to the clio wiv slow and steady wins the race ;)