...in the SNOW.

I waited through the last two snowfalls to get my RX8. I picked it up last Wednesday. The dealer told me that the tires were three-season.
The snow has melted. Winter was over. I'll buy snow tires next year.

ha-HA, says old man winter! I'm going to F with you now!

I got stuck in Manhattan at 2pm today, in the middle of today's ice/slush/snow storm. I had to drive back to Brooklyn on 2 inches of ICE.

DAMN this car SUCKS in the snow.

It went like this: Riding the clutch to start VERY slow, to keep from sliding sideways, shifting at 1500 rpm, driving in 3rd gear at 12mph - and not letting the rear wheels slow down too fast, because that made the rear end swing out and threaten to smack the bus in the next lane.

Understeer, oversteer, inertia, traction, mass - the car was a physics lesson in action. In a parking lot it would have been fun, but this was Manhattan - busses, taxis, pedestrians. I was truly scared. I never had so little control over my car.

I missed my Audi today.

 

I put 17" rims with blisaks and haven't had any problem in the snow

 

But I thought the snow was over!

I'll get the snow tires next season, I said.

The ride was damn scary- I kissed the ground when I got home.

 

yeah the RX-8 is death on a stick with out snow tires. I bought Pirelli Snow performance tires on 18 inch rims for the snow it got me from Manhatten to White Plains today but still it was scary every now and then I could feel the rear lose traction. But if you have to driver the RX-8 in this weather get the tires it was worth it for me today

 

Glad you made it home okay beefy!

 

same thing for me today in Maryland, but the roads were not that bad. I was scared when I saw how bad it was snowing at work. The roads were fine by the time I left work though.

 

Yea today's storm in MD and PA really SUCKED. It wasn't forcast very well at all so I went into work thinking it was just going to rain. 48 degrees when I got to work. About 1 1/2 hours later it's 28 and snowing. I waited it out til the end of the day. I did however get to find out exactly why people like the heated mirrors so much! The rear defroster was a bit slow though. Anyone else have that problem?

 

It's not really the car as much as it is the cars tires. I almost went off the road twice last year in stock tires, but this year I got Pirellis and it drove fine.

 

You bought a rear wheel drive sports car with summer tires and complain about poor performance in snow.

 

No, no. I'm not complaining about how the RX handles snow driving.
It just scared the sh*t out of me.

My last rear drive was a 1991 Nissan 240sx. It had all season tires and 1/2 the horsepower. I never had trouble from 91 to 95 with that car. I've been driving front or all-wheel drive since. I got sick of the front drive compromises and wanted a RWD car again.

For the last two years, i'd be thinking "what kind of car would I want to be driving right now?" A RWD sports car was the answer 9 out of 10 times. Today I needed the other car.

 

i'm SO glad i drove the camry to work this morning, even though the ground was just wet near my house, on my 30 mile trip to work there were sections of icy slush slick stuff that my 8 with the stock tires would've NEVER made it out

i learned my lesson the HARD way like you did today joe, i'm NEVER taking the 8 out with stock tires if *any* mention of the s-word is in the forecast :p

 

Snow tires and rims - next year.

 

Do a search. Those of us with Snow tires have no problem. The oem tires are summer performance tires. In the snow, you need winter tires! Then the car will be more than fine.

 

Tires, not car.

 

Beefyjoe, you have a good point. Dealers ought to be obligated to specifically caution buyers about this. I mean, after you've signed the papers and all, wouldn't a little heads-up be appreciated? Maybe they think buyers will resent hearing this detail, but seems to me they'd resent being surprised on the road a lot more.

I knew about the problem before buying -- but it was because I studied this board for a long time before committing.

 

The dealer says "three season" tires - be careful.

I thought he said that to cover his back, but he meant it.

I KNOW how to drive - Tell the OTHER idiot customers of yours that they should be careful. Boy, was I wrong.

I never had summer tires before. I'll be smiling in July...If I make it past March.

BTW, anybody purchase tire&wheel warranty coverage? The tire goop ruins the tire, and Mazda will replace the tire if it flats, and replace the wheel if it bends or breaks. Good deal??$350 for 75k.

Thanks, all.

 

[QUOTE=beefyjoe
Understeer, oversteer, inertia, traction, mass - the car was a physics lesson in action. In a parking lot it would have been fun, but this was Manhattan - busses, taxis, pedestrians. I was truly scared. I never had so little control over my car. .[/QUOTE]

Stay put with the car if you can, get a Hotel room and save yourself the nightmare of thousands of $ of damages or a write off if you were to wreck. Either that or get yourself a low cost 2nd car for occasions like today....far less anxiety!

 

Snow + rear-wheel drive + regular tires = chaos. Either way, glad you made it through. As for me, Manhattan + snow = fun, but only with a cabbie in charge. :D

 

Gald you made it home safe! I'm in FL so I don't know about snow driving in the 8 but as far as what I've read...the 8 needs snow tires really bad!!!

 

What is this "snow" stufff you speak of???

Charlie from Tennessee :p

 

I am also intrigued by this 'so called' 'snow' is that the white stuff I see on the mountains??

I know the solution cant be as easy as this but why not put a couple hundred pounds of weight in the trunk wouldn't that help with traction??

 

It's no so much the car, but the combination of summer tires and RWD. Most cars with this combo (and this light) would perform the same way. Ask anyone who has owned a mustang, camaro or firebird. Same hoprror stories

 

I would argue that with DSC and BLizzak's my RX-8 handles better than most SUV's...No kidding.

 

im not even commenting on this one!.....you can see where i live and i did not have fun yesterday!!!

 

me either...I thought it would rain all day and maybe some token snow, so I left the beater at home. I was scared when I looked out the window and saw the blizzard around lunchtime. Wasn't too bad getting home though. Camden sucks at taking care of the roads