I ran a few errands today, nothing crazy but it was the first time in any real snow with my ETA and it did fine (No LSD).
Did a few slides around turns but it was easy to swing back and correct, the ass end comes right back to center.
Gripped nicely on the "mucky" roads that had been plowed too. All in all it was better than I thought it would be, but I'm still nervous to get on the freeway
Took a pic a bit after I got home, they look good in snow!
Edit: BTW the FJ was running the other day! Apparently the guy takes it out from time to time to enjoy it. Good news!
For whatever it is worth, I got caught in a freak snow storm about 10 years ago in my former (now Tim K's) E28 with 50% worn Summer Kumhos. I was heading south on I-95. It was the kind of storm where the only way to see if you were actually on pavement was to follow the tracks of the car in front of you. It took me 8 hrs to get from Richmond to the SC line. The car never missed a beat and I never came close to really losing control. Given the performance nature of the car,I was extremely impressed. The E28 was none the worse for the wear other than I had to have the Alpina spoiler re-finished.
I drove my E34 535i/5 through about 12" of snow during a blizzard on unplowed streets. Now and again the snow was up the to headlights.
My secret recipe.
1.LSD- You gotta have one
2.Studded snow tires on the rear - Blizzaks are just ok, but if you want to laugh in the face of winter get metal studs. It would spin on the snow then dig down and eat into the asphalt
3.About 4-500lbs of weight in the trunk, I used a few massive pieces of Sugar Maple I had sitting around.
The front tires are optional, for a real good setup get some nice blizzaks OR go bananas and get 4 studded tires. When I drove my E34 it had some 20% Pilot Sports. Just steer with your right foot
I used to run studs (Nokkias - unbelievable, and unbelievably expensive, too) but honestly, in Colorado, unless you are living in Summit County, not necessary. And the noise, and the numbness when attempting to turn - no thanks. I remember the first winter I had this car (OK, it was on TRX tires, I shoulda known better) and it regularly scared me to death. But gradually I learned how to drive this torquey beast in snow and ice, and weaned myself off the dreaded studs. And then Michelin invented the best performing non-studded snow tire in the world: the X-Ice and it's replacement(s), 2 and 3. I'd tried Blizzacks on a Honda and they are fine until halfway through the 2nd season when they turn into the worst 'all-season' tire ever produced, unless it's made by Peerless. In fact, I was so impressed by the X-Ice that I started buying Michelins for year round use (after the Dunlop SP8000, I used Bridgestones but they just didn't do anything for me). Except for idiots in clapped out Neons, Ford Focus death traps, young male invincibles' in Subarus, or ANY Chrysler minivan, I look forward to snowy days, and can usually get a good 3 seasons of use out of an X-Ice tire.
Every winter I wish that I could wake up one morning and find everything covered in snow simply because it's 75 and sunny here 98% of the time. and then I went up to Big Bear for a day and realized how god damn cold it is and how much harder it is to get my already grumpy e28 to start in below freezing weather. cheers to that california sunshine.
Pretty sure that's my new to me e34 in your sig pic! It doesn't quite like the climate change much either. It was 13* outside this morning....and 13* inside my car too. Stupid heater valves...
I miss my e28 this winter. She is out of commission and i am attempting to navigate this little b*tch around the mountains and passes of Colorado. Yes, it is an extremely dumb idea but sort of got myself in a pickle with my vehicle/obligatory driving situation. Anyway, point being with some good tires i never had a problem driving back and forth on Red Mountain/Molas/Coalbank passes over the winter, and those are pretty darn horrifying roads. Just be slow and smart.
ryannnwith2ns wrote:Every winter I wish that I could wake up one morning and find everything covered in snow simply because it's 75 and sunny here 98% of the time. and then I went up to Big Bear for a day and realized how god damn cold it is and how much harder it is to get my already grumpy e28 to start in below freezing weather. cheers to that california sunshine.
unt0uchable wrote:Pretty sure that's my new to me e34 in your sig pic! It doesn't quite like the climate change much either. It was 13* outside this morning....and 13* inside my car too. Stupid heater valves...
Sure is! That car has probably never been in weather that cold before. California cars have it easy.
It is an old galant, i do not acknowledge the dodge colt rebadging haha. That will be gone soon.
Pretty cool looking car!
Always thought one of those would be so much fun.
I was pining after one for sale on ben's rally page about 10-15 years ago. This one was a '77 (colt/lancer IIRC). It was all done up like the old safari rally car. I was just a poor high school kid at the time, so it never happened
We got a couple inches of snow here in Greenville. I took every opportunity to go out for some hoonage. Noone else was on the roads... I had the entire town to myself.
Here I drive again on my own
Sliding down every slope I've ever known
In a blizzard it's too cold to walk alone
But I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time
I tried to work chain and/or snow tires into it but ran out of creative juice and then my brain said, "Stop, dude. Just stop." So I stopped.
And my brain goes ...
<sound of fahrt>
I tried to work chain and/or snow tires into it but ran out of creative juice and then my brain said, "Stop, dude. Just stop." So I stopped.
and, it is the aptly named Alpin Weiss 5'er.
-ing awesome. 
