Near death today in NE. Snow + Stock tires = Pucker

[fhaze]

So not to beat a dead horse here, we all know that the stock tires are summer use only.

Now I know why.

We haven't had any appreciable snowfall this season in the NorthEast, (none that I've had to drive in anyway). But my normal 1.5 hour commute turned into a 2:45min white knuckle affair.

Situation:
5:30 am-6:00am.

3 cars play PinBall off the guardrail in front of me.

6:30..a volvo in center lane directly in front of me, and two Semi's: One Passing Lane and One Slow Lane. Both of them maybe 10 car lengths behind me. I could get tires spinning at will from 40mph in 5th gear, and could induce a slide by simply lifting off the gas and using engine compression. I was at the limit of traction.

Volvo decided to careen left and bounce off the guardrail headfirst, and continue to slide across my lane on his way to the other guardrail. Noway I could stop, and appyling the brakes was out of the question with two semis behind me. I realized he was going to clear me so I kept my speed steady. The semi to my right did a lane change manuever I wasn't sure was possible in this weather and snuck in behind me while the semi in the fastlane stayed put. Next thing I know I am getting split on each side by both semi's as we started going up a hill. They gave a little toot-toot on the way by in appreciation of not freaking out and doing something stooopid. It could have been reeeaaal ugly.

I never exceeded 40mph the whole way.


...Moral? Get off your wallet and spend the 1k for winter rims and/or tires. That is all.

[awh]

I dropped the money on a set of pirelli sotozeros and i can say after last night they were well worth it. It was really the first time driving in heavy, ice laden snow (about 6 inches of it), and all i can say is wow. It handled like a snow mobile. i couldnt believe how in control it felt. I was driving around with my friend after his 350z got stuck in my driveway and he was in awe of the speed6's ability.

[Insane]

I hear ya. I'm not sure where in New England you are, but we got about 15" up my way. We have had a couple bigger storms though other than this, so I'm thinking you are more south in Mass somewhere. I have been driving my Mustang with Blizzaks when there is any chance of snow until next season. I got some new rims for the summer tires, and I'll get some winter tires for the stock rims before next season. However, I think I may just keep using my Mustang as a beater since I hate to get all the salt everywhere even if I have great traction...

I was freakin a bit this week because I was in PA on business, and I was due to fly back to Manchester yesterday around 3pm and my MS6 was at the airport waiting for me. I changed my flight to 7am and got home around 9am before anything started. I was able to swing by the office for my expense check and head to the bank and grocery store before it started. I'll just stay put until Monday...

[fhaze]

I am waiting on a set of RX8 rims to come my way, and they will be my summer rubber tires. Then I will get Graspics, Bilzzaks, or something to put on the OEM's.

Anybody have some RX8 rims for sale?

Western MA

I work in Framingham, so my commute is all MA PIKE.

(For the record the Pike is usually pretty good, but not this AM.)


I couldn't open my door, and needed to shovel out from under the car, as my first attempt at leaving (plowing through the HUGE ass drift the plow guy left me) had me rocking like a See-Saw.

[jb606]

Good to see nothing bad happened, that could have gotten ugly.

The joke was on me last night. I took my winters off last weekend, so I got to do some un-planed drifting on normal roads not very fun

[Insane]

I was thinking about the RX-8 rims, but it seems like everyone with a MS6 or even a normal 6 likes to get them, and the only place they are remotely affordable is on Ebay, and I won't do business with Ebay.

I do like 5 spokes though, so I picked up a set of these in Gunmetal. I have LPM as well, and hopefully these will look decent...



http://www.insane.bluemonday.org/pic...p?g2_itemId=90

[LapisLazuli6]

I don't get why Mazda would put summer performance on an AWD car, without giving the buyer an option to purchase a set of all-season tires.

http://www.insane.bluemonday.org/pic...p?g2_itemId=90[/b]

I like the way those look!

[creaturecore]

I live in northern jersey, and this was our first major snow storm this year Prob was around 8-10 inches when i left work last night. Took me 10 min just to pull out of my parking spot at work, then it seemed everythign was fine as long as i stayed on the major roads.

Then i had to go up this huge hill to get to my house, car just couldnt make it. Tried for about 15 min. Gave up put it in reverse and decided to go back down to the main road and head up my street even though its a one way. Only live a block from the corner so not like im going to be going down it to long. Got to my house fine, then tried to pull into the drive way which is just a slightly elevated ramp and the car just couldnt do it. Took me 30 min to get it in there thats with shoveling to the best i can as the snow was frozen solid already, and i had 2 wood planks to put under the tires. Eventually got it in far enough so not to worry about traffic. Still a little bit of it is on the sidewalk but who cares at this point.

So yea i too learned my lesson. I'm going to be buying summer rims, and put some winter tires on the stock ones. Not going to go through this again next year.

[digger10t]

I purchased winter tires and a second set of rims in September. Unfortunately, here in DC we only had snow twice all winter so they didn't get a lot of snow-use.

I took them off last week so I could go to the track and also because it was about 80 on Wednesday here. Well, last night it was 30 and there was an inch of snow. I finally got to see what is so scary about the stockers in ice- no braking!

[Mz6GreyGhost]

I don't get why Mazda would put summer performance on an AWD car, without giving the buyer an option to purchase a set of all-season tires.[/b]

Yeah, but it's not a bad thing to bargain for some great all-seasons in place of the summer tires at the dealer. If I wasn't looking to get winter tires/wheels, I would've done this.