Absolutely Appauling

[FuntimePhil]

i know this gets said everytime but this is my first real experience in it, lexus is the worst car to drive in the snow, i had to abandon driving to work as it just would not move anywhere! totally useless!

[Solhatt]

Bad tyres :)

[reganlives]

lucky I still got my civic lol. not looking forward to snow when I start driving the lex though

[Motsey]

i know this gets said everytime but this is my first real experience in it, lexus is the worst car to drive in the snow, i had to abandon driving to work as it just would not move anywhere! totally useless!

i didnt want to risk driving my lex into work today so took the day off well couldnt even walk down the road the snow was almost up to my knee!

dose it make any difference if you put on the snow mode?

[scott2016]

Agreed!, i went to get some shopping and it took be about 10 minutes to get outta morrisons car park

[FuntimePhil]

Bad tyres :)

nah there brand new dunlop tyres, just crap car in snow.

aqnd no snow mode doesnt help, can feel its reduced the rev's but not enough to help

[aido]

Rob gets on ok in the snow, problem is I'd say the majority on here have summer high performance or ultra high performance tyres on and they're as much use as tits on a fish!

Rob gets on ok with winter tyres on over in Switzerland.

I preferred my IS with ARBs and coilovers on in the snow as you got a lot more feedback and therefore you could correct much quicker when it was starting to go the wrong way!

[Parthiban]

Bad tyres :)

nah there brand new dunlop tyres, just crap car in snow.

It's definitely the tyres mate, doesn't matter if they're brand new, I'm sure you have summer performance tyres on like the rest of us.

Although it is true that a fwd car on skinnier tyres will perform better, the IS on proper snow tyres will be fine in these sorts of conditions. There are plenty of IS owners (and other more powerful rwd cars) that use them in parts of Europe with much harsher weather.

The weak link in our cases is the tyres, the type of tyres that we have on our cars simply do not work in these temperatures, and the tread patterns are not suited for snow.

[kallabungo]

Bad tyres :)

nah there brand new dunlop tyres, just crap car in snow.

aqnd no snow mode doesnt help, can feel its reduced the rev's but not enough to help

Take the tyres off and just go on the rims - you'll probably get more grip. I've got the SP9000's and im finding it hard to not to write a complaint letter to Dunlop, they are the most utterly useless set of tyres ever made.

Luckily im not too bad at having the back end out because i like playing with it but, even driving normal on slightly damn road at reasonable speeds the back swings wide. Its surprised friends who have been in the car too and seeing at how low a speed it happens at.

[aido]

I've got the SP9000's and im finding it hard to not to write a complaint letter to Dunlop, they are the most utterly useless set of tyres ever made.

They'd just laugh at you if you sent a complaint letter as they're summer tyres - here's info on the SP9000 blurb:

The SP Sport 9000 is Dunlop's Max Performance tyre thanks to its 'HydroMax' hydroplaning resistance capabilities in standing water. It is designed for the drivers of sports cars, coupes and saloons to provide performance and comfort in the dry, along with superior hydroplaning resistance in the wet. The SP Sport 9000 is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.

The guys in Europe tend to have more snow and have a set of summer tyres and a set of winter tyres and use them accordingly whereas over here everyone pretty much just has summer tyres fitted and that's where half the problems come from!

[kallabungo]

I've got the SP9000's and im finding it hard to not to write a complaint letter to Dunlop, they are the most utterly useless set of tyres ever made.

They'd just laugh at you if you sent a complaint letter as they're summer tyres - here's info on the SP9000 blurb:

The SP Sport 9000 is Dunlop's Max Performance tyre thanks to its 'HydroMax' hydroplaning resistance capabilities in standing water. It is designed for the drivers of sports cars, coupes and saloons to provide performance and comfort in the dry, along with superior hydroplaning resistance in the wet. The SP Sport 9000 is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.

The guys in Europe tend to have more snow and have a set of summer tyres and a set of winter tyres and use them accordingly whereas over here everyone pretty much just has summer tyres fitted and that's where half the problems come from!

Ah thats nice of you to point that out - they should of also written not to use them in the summer conditions either. I've had these tyres on since June and they never gripped back then even in the summer weather. Luckily i've lost interest with these tyres now so i've been on a mission to ruin them and im pretty much at the markers on the back now so they'll be coming off and being replaced sharply!

Im not rich so i need a cheap(ish) tyre. The falkens seem to have good reviews on here - and i personally like the federal tyres as i've used them on previous cars but is there any other suggestions...?

Cheers.

[sparkystav]

Yeah i agree its the tyres.

At the ring last year, we were all struggling in the snow getting there and a group of altezza's just went sailing past us quite happily, all with winter tyres on.

[Anees]

Sorry but I disagree partially. The IS200 is just crap in the snow. Yes with proper winter tyres it will be much better; having tyres that are in their operating temperature but I must say my BMW is better in the snow then my IS200 was and the Aristo has even suprised me with 10" wide rear tyres!!

[whiteman]

defo agree it is the tyres, they not made for winter and all this snow.....

rear wheel drive does and big fat tyres does not help at all.....snow button waste of time so i just parked mine up and went back to bed..

[scott2016]

Yeaa suppose winter tyres might make a big difference

[Rabster]

I didnt even attempt driving my car i took the vectra just as bad had lots of sideways down the country roads but there aresome right prats out that are speeding down the roads and doing spins etc on public roads

[Steviewevie]

I don't think there's much weight over the rear of an IS200, so it's going to be a problem getting traction on summer tyres. A full tank of petrol may help a bit, as will loading the boot with some heavy stuff (e.g. sack of sand if you have one).

[Tango]

I worked in Norway all through 2004/2005 and took my IS200 Sport. No problems at all driving in the snow and ice with winter tyres, and this weeks snowfall in the UK is probably average for winter snowfall around Drammen/Oslo.

Still got the wheels and tyres, but not worth putting on for the few days adverse weather. My wife took the IS200 to work this morning, no trouble riding on Toyo Proxes 4, but we only have a couple of inches of snow (so far) in Gloucestershire.

[redz_UK]

i find traction control off, snow mode on and with all the weight in my boot i get on ok, at sensible speeds..

[Steve]

i am walking.. my shoes have good rubber

[Lexus2D]

I dred it in the snow went 2 keep fit this morn & 2 lads had 2 push the lex cos it was just spinnig

I just try 2 keep it in high gears i find it helps then i had a knob head in a corsa this morn tryin 2 overtake on a side road cumin up 2 a junction :tsktsk: he got past the car behind me but i thought theres no way u r gettin past me the little :tsktsk: totaly stupid :tsktsk:

[kallabungo]

I dred it in the snow went 2 keep fit this morn & 2 lads had 2 push the lex cos it was just spinnig

I just try 2 keep it in high gears i find it helps then i had a knob head in a corsa this morn tryin 2 overtake on a side road cumin up 2 a junction :tsktsk: he got past the car behind me but i thought theres no way u r gettin past me the little :tsktsk: totaly stupid :tsktsk:

I agree that does sound a little silly but then again even in a corsa he's probably repping more grip than us :(

[aido]

i am walking.. my shoes have good rubber

Are they ribbed, for her pleasure

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

The new IS is just as bad

The beemers very good on the other hand - the new ones with DTC "ON" are not too bad - in fact the traction control actually does what it says on the tin...really surprised!

[rig-pig]

i found it no probs today i'v got on rainsports 2