dssnosher Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 We had 2 major snow storms in here recently and my GS400 was ever worse on the snow than i thought. I got all season tires (Fuzion HRI 235/45/17) that i purchased recently. I know its not the smartest idea to drive RWD on all season tires but my question is how better will it get if i put on winter tires? I've heard from some mechanics that the problem is in weight distribution in the car: the back is very light therefore there is very small amount of grip. I will definitely buy winter tires if that will change the driving habits of the car, or is it time to switch to 4x4 or AWD?
dcfish Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 We had 2 major snow storms in here recently and my GS400 was ever worse on the snow than i thought. I got all season tires (Fuzion HRI 235/45/17) that i purchased recently. I know its not the smartest idea to drive RWD on all season tires but my question is how better will it get if i put on winter tires? I've heard from some mechanics that the problem is in weight distribution in the car: the back is very light therefore there is very small amount of grip. I will definitely buy winter tires if that will change the driving habits of the car, or is it time to switch to 4x4 or AWD? Winter tires make a huge difference in the snow.
Lexusfreak Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 I definately agree with dc.....get yourself a nice set of winter rubber. Where abouts in Toronto are you dssnosher? I have several tire contacts still in the big city & could help you out if needed.
Dantheman Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 Both are right... get some real winter tires ... I know I live in Quebec and this year even my 2 years old winter tires didn,t do the job...
Lexusfreak Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 Both are right...get some real winter tires ... I know I live in Quebec and this year even my 2 years old winter tires didn,t do the job... Dan....Quebec has a law that makes it mandatory to drive in winter on winter tires correct?
Power Pack Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 We had 2 major snow storms in here recently and my GS400 was ever worse on the snow than i thought. I got all season tires (Fuzion HRI 235/45/17) that i purchased recently. I know its not the smartest idea to drive RWD on all season tires but my question is how better will it get if i put on winter tires? I've heard from some mechanics that the problem is in weight distribution in the car: the back is very light therefore there is very small amount of grip. I will definitely buy winter tires if that will change the driving habits of the car, or is it time to switch to 4x4 or AWD? Here, in this part of Oregon, snow is rare, but I learned quickly that my GS400 get's to sit near the fireplace (garage) any time there's forcasted snow. I suspect that good dedicated winter tires would be a big help. We have Nokian Studded Winter Tires on our AWD '04 RX330 for the ice and snow on local hills and trips over mountain passes. They are awesome but would probably be annoying on the flats of Ontario. My GS400 is an incredible 3 season car and clearly worth compromising for. If you don't do too many miles (KM's) in the winter, consider getting a seasonal "beater car." Ugly but functional. Bob S. Eugene, Oregon
dssnosher Posted February 8, 2008 Author Posted February 8, 2008 I definately agree with dc.....get yourself a nice set of winter rubber. Where abouts in Toronto are you dssnosher? I have several tire contacts still in the big city & could help you out if needed. I am in Etobicoke but i can drive out of the city if you know good places. I bought the car when i was working full time, things changed and i had to go back to school so i'm kind of tight on budget right now. I know in states tirerack.com has winter tires my size starting 130/tire. How much do you think local shops will take?
Dantheman Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Both are right...get some real winter tires ... I know I live in Quebec and this year even my 2 years old winter tires didn,t do the job... Dan....Quebec has a law that makes it mandatory to drive in winter on winter tires correct? No it is not mandatory, some of us (idiot) still think 4 season tires will do the job. It is maybe ok in the big cities where they remove the snow rapidly. But this year is a lot different than the few last 5-6 years. WE ALREADY RECEIVED MORE THAN 2O CENTIMETER MORE THAN IN THE COMPLETE LAST YEAR... DTM
2JayZ Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 It is probably assumed, but make sure you go for snows on all four corners. A GS with snows on the rear only would be a real handful. I've had great success with Bridgestone Blizzak & Kleber Kapnor tires. Depending on where you live Kleber tires may not be available to you.
Matty Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 I don't live far from you (Rochester, NY) and so I get to deal with all of the lake effect coming off from Lake Ontario when that Canadian wind blows. I put Nokian Hakkapolita 2's on my GS and it is great in the snow and slush. I'll admit that they are expensive (about $175/per US) but it's worth it when you think of the alternative. As for the weight distribution etc., there's no doubt that RWD cars are built for performance handling, but with the right equipment and some intelligence, you can do very well. I'm not sure about Canada, but nearly all of the cop cars in the US are RWD platform and they need to have control in ALL kinds of weather and terrain. BTW, I've heard that Tirerack sells whatever the tire companies feel are passable, but lower quality. I'm not sure if this is true but a friend of mine who works in a garage swears he can tell the difference between a tire bought from a discounter or a dealer. Take it for what it's worth. Good luck.
SKperformance Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 The GS will handle well if it is equipped with snow tires . fuzions are pretty much a summer tire and cannot be really called an all season tire like the Michelin hydro edge . Also make sure you have a full tank of gas at all tires for max traction. I drive my LS all the time and have few issues with it and my snow tires. Tire rack sells tires directly to Canada with a complete price built in with taxes and duties so UPS cannot hose you on them. Tire rack sells normal tires , they buy in bulk unlike any other company as they are national.
lexuseng Posted February 14, 2008 Posted February 14, 2008 2 winters ago in Seattle we had one of those sudden snow storms during rush hour where it turns your commute into a 4-8 hour nightmare and people end up abandoning their cars on the freeway. My wife made it home in our '01 GS300 passing many abandoned cars including a stuck state patrol on a freeway overpass. I don't know if it was the snow mode or the tires but my wife said it never slipped. This was the first time we had experienced the GS in the snow so I was really impressed. The tires that were on it were Yokohoma YK420 (sold by Discount Tire) and when I had to buy new tires I bought the YK520 (YK420 discontinued). I would guess the new YK520 are not as "grippy" as the old tires but tread life is supposed to be increased. I think for a rear wheel drive car, it is more than decent in the snow (with the right tires). I also drive a '01 IS300 that I would never take in the snow.
blair GS400 Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 I live in eastern washington and we get plenty of snow here, and i put the dunlop grasspic all around on my GS400 and it does better than i expected it would. The only problem i ever have is when the snow is too deep because the GS doesnt have much clearence.
The G Man Posted February 15, 2008 Posted February 15, 2008 You should trade it for a GS350 AWD, that thing is pretty good in the snow and faster than your GS400.
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