Having available tire traction makes all the difference. Like other people have said (back in 2005 ), the DSC on this car will bring the car back in line from pretty wild slip angle at high speed, but it has to have traction to work with. The system threshold is also set too high for low speed snow scenario. If you're crawling along in a snow storm, the DSC does not intervene. You're pretty much on your own for the minor fishtailing, or even major ones at low speed.

 

^ Ok, read all the threads I could find. I will NOT be adding any sand bags, will keep DSC ON, and use higher gears whenever it seems necessary. But should I use snow tires? ... just kidding.

 

Don't add extra weight to your trunk. Adding extra weight will throw off the balance of the car and change the handling dynamics. Just drive with common sense and you'll do fine (ie 60km/h turns are a no-no).

One trick if you are finding that the DSC is kicking in too much when you are starting from a stop is to TEMPORARILY turn off DSC and launch the car in 2nd .. your tires will spin a bit but you will get going --> make sure you turn your DSC back on right away though! I find that I have to do this especially if there is a new snowfall (7-10cm) and I have been parked for awhile.

 

+1

Rotten is correct so get out and play in a safe parking lot without DSC.

Also do not leave DSC on if you are trying to accelerate from a stop uphill on snow. It won't let you go anywhere.

 

whatever, .. what r u ^ guys a bunch of old ladies ^

Get yourself a set of Toyo Proxies, and a roll of Duct tape. You'll stick like glue!
I burned a full 10lb tank of nitrous today, didn't even fish tail once.

lol j/k ladies

 

Hey Darkbrew, good advice on DSC (as written elsewhere). I'll try that when needed. Also, got the racing beat screens today but I'm hesitant to drive out to see RPM in this weather. I might talk to the dealer and just see what they would charge to install if they even would. I've done a lot there and have a 5% off coupon so it might be worth it to avoid the highway. I'll let you know.

Also, second day in snow ... all good. DSC on a lot but that's partially/mostly my learning to drive the 8 in winter. No problems, no real sliding, and only partial fishtailing. It was warmer and less icy.

 

the snowfall that we had last week really wasn't anything to write home about compared to what the rest of the country got yesterday (or the day before). If you think we had it bad, you haven't seen nothing yet. I had no problem navigating around town with the exception of the overly cautious drivers slowing everyone else down. If they are too scared to drive over 20 km/h, they should have stayed home. There is really no excuse. People who always complain about the City not doing enough to clear the streets are either incompetent driver or drives a car with bald tires.

Back on topic, it is my first winter with the 8 and I am having a blast so far. It is so much easier to get the car to do what I want in the snow compared to my RSX. Where the RSX plows, the RX-8 rotates beautifully. To get the RSX to rotate, I need to transfer weight, left-foot brake while on the throttle at a higher speed than the 8. With the 8, it is easy... just give it more gas and the rear end comes out.

 

Yo Rotten your analogy of FWD driving in the winter comparing it to for dummies book is so true!!! I find it so much easier to drive and control with a RWD car but then again I had a RWD car b4 I got the 8

 

Up here in Slave Lake, the last 30min - 1 hour from Edmonton is hilly and usually icy. So one day in my ultimate wisdom, decided to use the cruise control. Going up an icy hill the TC kicks in and caught me by surprise. I was going 100-110 km/hr; I don't know what would've happened if I didn't have the DSC/TC, if I would've lost total control or if it would've been easily correctable, also, I've never been in trouble on a highway curve so I can't comment on that.

We have been snowed on so much up here it's awesome with the RX. Last week I borrowed my dad's Acura CSX with All-seasons. Man it's like I forgot how to drive FWD. Tried snow plowing, accelerating, brake pumping during a turn. Not as fun as controlling a RWD. That highway was scary though

 

Don't use the cruise control when the road is wet. A lot of people have spun out their Mustang because they left the CC on in the rain. The stupid control module will actually floor the gas pedal when the tires start to slip. Instant spin out.

From my experience, if you power into a corner too hot, the RX-8 will plow. But if you lose it mid-corner (ie. off throttle or lifting throttle), the tail will always let go first. But for winter driving, since you're almost always part throttle and not really transferring much weight to the rear, the tail will always want to come around first. You can't fsck around in this car when the road is slippery.