Snow

[Bobba77]

Well after my first experience of driving the car in snow today I can safely say its a bit of a pig. Didnt get stuck, it just felt very unstable sliding around at low speeds. Before anyone says this I know most people have the wrong type of tyre on....but still....... might get the bus tomorrow. :tsktsk:

[kenfoxy]

Some people find that pressing the snow and TCS buttons is a help.

[Bobba77]

yeah tried that, car just feels fidgety

[Hank B]

I'm not looking forward to driving my 300 in the snow, rear wheel drive, auto and 18 inch wheels are not a good combo in snow. I remember driving my 200 in the snow and it was a nightmare. Last year I had an impreza and it was great in the snow, I was cruising about like normal where other people couldn't move :-) I'm thinking about getting some 16s and snow tyres on the 300 if we get weather like last year.

[Parthiban]

Wide summer tyres just won't work - put on some winter rubber or leave the car at home, isn't worth the risk.

[Nick1881]

I'm really wishing I could afford some 16" wheels with winter tyres, my car is already trying to drift at every opportunity.

[Bobba77]

Well the weather has been ******* up here, no more snow forcast till sunday, most roads are clear but side streets are like an icerink. My girlfriends house is at the top of a half mile long hill and its a 30 degree slope, last year at least 50 cars got stuck...........im going there tonight...... must be mad. I've been driving like an old granny for the past two days 20mph all the way

[jay_russell]

we have to have winter tyres on over here so no chance of drifting.but if you have the money to get winter tyres then go with conti cvc5. no joke they are just the best. i'm putting 250 bhp down in the snow and ice and not a slip or slide. best winter tyres i ever had. find yourself so cheep steel rims and shop some 205/55/16 conti cvc5. ( conti winter contact 5) i run 225/40/18 cvc5 and of 18" winter tyres they stick like glue

[jay_russell]

[ormi]

what steel wheels you running?i cant find any listed for the lex..??

[Hank B]

I'm a bit gutted cause I only skipped my old is200 16's when I moved house during the summer, wish I'd kept them now. I've seen them selling on eBay for like £60 for a full set though so I might have a look on there and see what I can find.

[Nick1881]

Will 16" wheels fit on a IS300 and clear the brakes?

[Russell-H]

16" Wheels fit both the is 200 & 300

Snow here not to bad but I find my 300 is better than my 200 was mainly because the LSD means i have 2 wheel drive pushing squarely but the 200 was one wheel pushing sideways.

Regards

Russell.

[Hank B]

I had my first taste of driving the 300 in snow today, and I very much agree with what Russell said there, the 300 is a lot better than my old 200, LSD ftw. Still, that doesn't help it stop any better though!

[waveydavey]

We had about an inch or so here and as soon as you got of our side road the roads were clear so knowing this i gave the 300 a trip along our snow covered road just to check what it was like. Might have been me being a little heavy footed as i'm still getting used to driving an auto but it was a little frisky to start with but hit the snow button and it calmed down.

After hearing about a work colleagues antics last year in the snow in his IS200 before he got a pair of snow socks i'm defo gonna get a pair for my 300 just in case. :winky:

Cheers

Dave.

[Bob King]

This thread is like stepping back in time 5 years , when i has my is200 back in 2005 this was the common winter subject on here :) , wheel change with winter Tyres was the general opinion, is200S if you can find them or other wheels from the Toyota stable that are 5 stud 114.3 pcd, that covers 3.0 supra, RAV4 and others but do check caliper clearance and wheel centre bore, a set of RAV4 steels would be a cheap option.

[Bob King]

Just done a bit of research on tyre and rim choices, lots of chat on here about 16" wheels, yes they can be bought but tyre choice in winter tyres are limited to 185/60/16 by "snowprox " price £111.40 each or 175/60/16 at £190.00 each !! ( Mytyres site )

With winter tyres the thinner the better but not choice for the standard 17" IS200 rim, sticking with the standard tyre size 215/45/17 Mytyres do a tyre by Maxxis which is a mud & snow tyre at £96.30 each, so maybe pound for pound a pair of standard size rear tyres in a mud & snow pattern could get you through the winter, along with a few bags of cement in the boot !

[inflames]

I done a 200 mile trip yesterday in the snow a couple of inch's, didnt have many issues until i was dropping off my sister and brother in laws. Turning into there road the back end came out and lovely controled slide. I find it helps to turn off the TRC and turn on the snow button. I must admit the IS200 isnt that great in the snow.