daddyg

Hi there

Has anyone driven both a GS & GT ? I am wondering how much of a difference the Traction Control system makes, especially now that Winter is coming , which means lots o' snow up here.

Thanks

Tayninh

I hear the stock tires will leave you a bit motionless in the snow. Best get you some MS tires then. Not sure how the TCS works in snow. I'm a new owner too.

93rdcurrent

Can't say anything about no DSC/TC but I can say it works pretty good in the winter.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

don't even THINK of driving the car in the snow with the stock tires.

srit1

do you have a recommendation for winter ones?

Tayninh

Try Pirelli MS rated tires. I think there's a tire thread for this.

Gord96BRG

Yep, there are dozens of recommendations contained in various threads discussing winter tires and winter wheels, especially in the Tires and Wheels forum section and the Canada regional section. Try a search for "winter wheels" and/or "winter tires" to see a few.

Tip - plan on getting separate 17" wheels and 215/55-17 or 225/50-17 winter tires for the most cost-effective option (long term). Go to Tire Rack and look up winter package options for the RX-8. All-season tires are a compromise, and will not provide nearly as good winter traction as real winter tires. The OEM summer tires are completely useless and dangerous in winter, do NOT drive at all if you have them on and it snows!

Regards,
Gordon

red_rx8_red_int

The DSC is very smart in the snow. Moving in a straight line the system allows for a reasonable amount of wheel spin, but cornering and no spin is allowed. Truely amazing IMHO.

MX6_2_RX8

That is the complete opposite experience that I had. See my post in the other traction control thread. I found that the traction control is completely useless. I am hoping that it is just broken.

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/diminished-traction-control-46262/

I would like to get other feedback on the traction control in the snow. Does it work or doesn’t it.

oi812

TSC works fine in the snow. I used it all last winter (with Dunlop M3 snows) and am actually looking forward to us getting some of the white stuff soon. The RX8 with snow tires is actually quite good in the snow since the weight distribution is balanced, ever try to drive a Mustang or a Camaro in the winter?

TSC will not change the laws of physics, it will not prevent you from getting stuck or spinning out in snow, but it will help you manage and maximize the traction that is available to the vehicle. Find a safe empty parking lot and experiment with the limits so you know what the limits are before taking a turn too fast or following too closely. In short, just don’t drive like an idiot and you should be fine.

StewC625

The TSC works great and the stock tires are USELESS in the snow. Even the TCS/DSC won't help them.

93rdcurrent

Exactly! And for some real fun with the snow tires on take the DSC/TC off and play around! I'm just waiting for the snow fall today to build up and then I'm going to have more fun this winter.

salituro64

Not too concerned as I have two vehicles, the commuter heap and my toy, the 8. Winter driving will not happen. I haven't even taken it out in the rain. No comment on TSC/DSC.

truemagellen

really depends...if you are an advanced Rear Wheel Driver then you will have no problem without it and if you are really good will driver better without it...but if not DSC is a must...even with winter tires it is so much easier to have your back end come out...and then it doesn't get pretty

MX6_2_RX8

I’ve had my time with rear wheel drive (Volvo, pickup trucks). I went into a parking lot and just pushed it a little and the back end spun right around and the tach jumped like the wheels were spinning and then the light came on and I heard the brakes engaging. I do have stock tires and yeah, I got stuck on a flat road with snow on it. Luckily I have a F-350 for when the snow gets deep – like a quarter inch.

I’ve only had the car 3 days and it has been in the shop twice for the check engine light. I want to like the car. No I want to love the car. It’s fun, it gets good looks, it’s semi-practical. Right now I want to return the car and get an 05 or an 06 when they work the bugs out.

truemagellen

simple updates...no big deal

you bought the car now...with the weather you cant drive it (without snow shoes) once the spring comes you'll be so damn happy

MX6_2_RX8

$2200 under invoice and $1500 cash back! The dealer didn't want it for the winter either. I couldn't leave it there. I just wish my garage was built so it could live in luxury.

I just drove it 80 miles with no warning lights but a lot of fun.

93rdcurrent

Congrats! and soujnds like you got a good deal.

HELAS

Hey man, Im in Toronto aswell, and as u know today we just got a major dumping. I'v had my 2005 for a week now and i just upt winter tires on yesterday (thank god). So i Went to play at lunch time. The traction control is amazing and with it off, WOW, not to good in the snow AT ALL. Consider spending the extra $

MX6_2_RX8

Mine must be broken then. It seems like it works but only after the wheels have spun for a while. From what everybody has said it sounds like a pretty good system.

93rdcurrent

The system is designed to allow a little bit of slipping. Otherwise they would need to make an AWD system. The M3's T/C system is the same as I discovered during my test drive of an '03.

MX6_2_RX8

Everybody says that the DSC is great on this car and my impression was I've had better.

It's at the dealer again for another CEL and an overactive TPMS. I told them to check out the traction control whilt they were at it. Tomorrow should be a good day for it it is supposed to be crappy here in Maine.

93rdcurrent

It's snowing pretty good again today! I'll be out there giving the tires a run for their money... :D