How'd everyone fair in today's (Feb 14) snow-storm?

[Flagrum_3]

Just like to hear everyones opinions about how their snow tires faired in todays conditions.....My exprience, on Viking Snowtechs was pretty good while on the mostly plowed hwy but once I got on to the main streets I had a hell of a time starting off from lights. Once rolling I felt pretty confident...in turns I felt they were fair, but I found I had to give it some extra gas to get them to catch.
Considering the poor conditions this morning i.e; ice under snow, I would rate them a 7/10


_3


.

[bubba1983]

no probs here in the waterloo region!

[Skarbro]

It was ok.

This car doesn't handle the snow as well as my old Z24 did. But it wasn't that bad.

[Wild Weasel]

You guys don't have traction control, right?

If you're spinning tires off the line, you're often better off giving LESS gas than more. Let the tires do their thing. Once they're spinning, it's tougher for them to grab.

Traction control will do this for you. It basically limits power until you get traction.

I'm in the same boat. No TC, so I need to feel for the traction and then go.

This morning was slow going, but uneventful. Having to drive around the people who can barely move gets annoying.

[BLKOUT]

I found mine to fair well. I have the Viking Snowtech's as well.

I would rate them 8/10.

[Wild Weasel]

It was ok.

This car doesn't handle the snow as well as my old Z24 did. But it wasn't that bad.

What was different? Seems to me that the only difference is the lack of TC. Now that you've gotta control it on your own... things are a little more complicated.

Other than that... you've got 4 tires on the ground with power turning one of them. The cars weighed about the same, don't they?

[bubba1983]

jus roll off the clutch unassisted from the gas pedal, idle your way out for a few sections, werks everytime!

[Wild Weasel]

jus roll off the clutch unassisted from the gas pedal, idle your way out for a few sections, werks everytime!

Or launch normally... in 2nd gear. :)

[bubba1983]

or shift thru the gears into 3rd in a record time of 2.5 seconds, lol

[Mazda3_06]

my toyo all season tires
i give them a 9.5/10
loses .5 because i got stuck in the snow once...lol

[3GFX]

Its not to bad out there, I love my winters.

Traction control = Lighter Shoes

[Skarbro]

What was different? Seems to me that the only difference is the lack of TC. Now that you've gotta control it on your own... things are a little more complicated.

Other than that... you've got 4 tires on the ground with power turning one of them. The cars weighed about the same, don't they?

Well the Z24 is lighter by about 100-200 lbs.

Maybe its in my head.

Maybe my old Pilot Alpins were better.

[Wild Weasel]

my toyo all season tires
i give them a 9.5/10
loses .5 because i got stuck in the snow once...lol

So then... your criteria for determining whether or not a tire is perfect is whether your car can actually move??

[queens49]

jus roll off the clutch unassisted from the gas pedal, idle your way out for a few sections, werks everytime!

Good advice, I did that a few times and there wasn't any wheel slippage.

[Skarbro]

Well the Z24 is lighter by about 100-200 lbs.

Maybe its in my head.

Maybe my old Pilot Alpins were better.

Actually I thought about it a little more.

The Z24 had traction control, so I know exactly when the wheels started slipping. It's not as easy to tell when the wheels are slipping in the 3.

[bluntman]

I don't know why people all of a sudden forget the rules of the road when the weather turns bad. Things like staying in the right lane except to pass, or to not follow too closely.

[Wild Weasel]

The Z24 had traction control, so I know exactly when the wheels started slipping. It's not as easy to tell when the wheels are slipping in the 3.

This is what I was getting at. :) It's not the car, it's the driver. ;) Once you get the hang of knowing when you're slipping and letting off, just like the TC does, then I'm sure it will be exactly the same.

[wtom]

I don't know why people all of a sudden forget the rules of the road when the weather turns bad. Things like staying in the right lane except to pass, or to not follow too closely.

+1

Was driving last night around 11pm ... had to follow a moron (no not close) in the far left lane along Steeles because s/he was going 40km/h almost alongside a car in the right lane going the same speed.

Inconsiderate a-holes.

[Wild Weasel]

Seriously. And I was getting annoyed at people driving up the middle of two lanes. I get that you can't see the lines... but you must at least have a general idea of where the lanes would be if you could! And if you're too dumb for that, just follow the guy in front of you!!!

[Mazda3_06]

So then... your criteria for determining whether or not a tire is perfect is whether your car can actually move??

buddy my all seasons ARE good to me...i know how to drive and how far i can push my car before i lose control... secondly maybe i like to drift around corners when i make turns..and thirdly u drive a candy ass sun flower..why dont you man up and get something a little more respectable before you post whore all over these boards... hahaha

[3GFX]

..why dont you man up and get something a little more respectable before you post whore all over these boards... hahaha

Uncalled for. The man is getting a Mazdaspeed in the spring.

Secondly, although you may believe your All-Seasons are sufficient they are not made for this weather, and despite your abilities all seasons won't help you very much.

Thirdly I sure hope your not talking about stock RSAs because they are only called all-seasons. Anyone can tell you they are poor for true winter weather. Some all-seasons are better than others but in Canada winter tires should be a priority.

If you don't believe that you need winter tires, a recent article in Car and Driver proved that winter tires not only surpass all seasons in winter weather by measured skidpad grip by multiple G but also fair better in warm wet weather.

To each there own, be aware of the weather and your cars ability, but don't but to much faith in all-seasons.

[Mazda3_06]

my all seasons are not rsa...
there TOYO tires...dont remember what kind...and this is my second winter in them and there doing a great job! i know winter tires are good but i like my all seasons...i was just stating a point

[3GFX]

Of course, just don't over rate them.

In the end it's not the tires but the driver. As we've all discussed many times before. Pace, distance and smart driving are what get you through days like today.

[ds2chan]

I think I faired pretty well in the morning.. it was slow goings on the sidewalk with the mounds of snow and my glasses getting so fogged up I didn't know I was walking through a snow bank until I stepped foot in it.. also, it was damn cold!!

thus, I'd rate my feet 10/10.. lol..

my 3 is in the shop for non-functioning wipers again which vincent at MoT hasn't been able to reproduce for the past couple of days even tho my wipers weren't working for the past 2 weeks.. grrrr & shizzle my nizzle..

[EvilEric]

Toyo winter tires. No Problem starting or stopping. I've had them on since november and I think this is the 2nd time they've actually been used for "winter". If this storm melts away in about a couple of days it's going to be a huge waste of money :/

[mit-gee-mui]

My usual car is on Semperits. I give them 7/10, and that's being NICE.
Reasons:
-I was fishtailing a LOT
-struggling to keep control every time I so much as tap my brakes on the highway
-couldn't stop without slipping a bit
-other things I can't remember at the moment (my brain is still thawing out after spending over an hour and a half shovelling my driveway)
I was fine at low speeds like 20-40 kms/hr, but even then, I kept feeling like I'd lose control at any second.
These Semperits are being reused from last year, and I had the same issues with them when they were new.

My other car is on Semperits as well. Same issues.


On the other side, azn_outlaw seems VERY impressed with his Hankooks.

[bubba1983]

my street is hilarious i love it

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/228/picture33734ff9.jpg
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/2546/picture33735jd3.jpg

[3GFX]

Its all about the huge piles on the sides of the driveway! YEA!

[Skarbro]

buddy my all seasons ARE good to me...i know how to drive and how far i can push my car before i lose control... secondly maybe i like to drift around corners when i make turns..and thirdly u drive a candy ass sun flower..why dont you man up and get something a little more respectable before you post whore all over these boards... hahaha

OK drifting around corners is stupid period (let alone in this crazy weather). I don't care how good of a drive you THINK you are, you are endangering us all.

And Weasel's car is no candy ass car. I'll put my money on his car up against yours at the track any day.

[ds2chan]

damn bubba.. time to pull out the dog sleds.. or maybe just go outside and make a snow angel or maybe a giant snow(wo)man..

I remember when I was little and the snow piled up that high I would slide down those giant hills on my ass..

[3GFX]

Agreed, unoccupied parking lots only.

And back on topic....

The snow seems to have let up now. I wonder how long it will take to melt :p

[mit-gee-mui]

The sun's out where I am, but nothing's melting cause it's so cold!

And now that the sun is out, the snow on the side of the road AND on the road is blinding for drivers.

I'm glad I'm cozy at home now! =)

[3GFX]

The problem (at least with skiing) is that the sun melts the top layer and later on when the sun goes down the cold weather freezes what's melted into ice. Sucks when you go skiing, and sometimes for driving.

[Mazda3_06]

OK drifting around corners is stupid period (let alone in this crazy weather). I don't care how good of a drive you THINK you are, you are endangering us all.


Next time im drifting around a corner and i see you i make sure i'll hit you :)


And Weasel's car is no candy ass car. I'll put my money on his car up against yours at the track any day.

i take any car over any of our Mazda's except for the Mazda speed...so whats really good? and i rented a sunfire before and im sorry to say but if you call our Mazda shit then that car is like dog shit because that car is pathetic.

[3GFX]

For the last time, back on topic. No more flaming each other.

TM3: RULES AND REGULATIONS
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=15597

2. Be respectful to all posters. ...You may disagree with people and criticize their posts but stay away from comments that would be deemed as personal attacks, obscene, vulgar, sexually-oriented, hateful, threatening, racial, religious or otherwise violative of any laws...





So...

The sky is pretty blue, can you see any black tarmac where you live? The roads around here are still quite snow covered. Not that they'd be black anyway because they're salt stained!!!

[Wild Weasel]

i take any car over any of our Mazda's except for the Mazda speed...so whats really good? and i rented a sunfire before and im sorry to say but if you call our Mazda shit then that car is like dog shit because that car is pathetic.

He's not saying Mazda's are shit. He's saying that MY "candy ass sun flower" will outperform YOUR Mazda3 any day of the week. :)

[Wild Weasel]

heh. Crap. Don't ban me for posting at the same time as your warning... :)

[3GFX]

lol, its no biggy, just want this to simmer a bit.


So...

The sky is pretty blue, can you see any black tarmac where you live? The roads around here are still quite snow covered. Not that they'd be black anyway because they're salt stained!!!

[Skarbro]

Can't wait to get home an shovel! Yippee!

[3GFX]

My neighbor has one of those puny snow blowers, but man did I envy him today.

It makes me laugh when I see those things, because at home in Kitchener we have a massive snow thrower 10hp if I'm not mistaken.

[Wild Weasel]

You mean those "electric shovels" they sell?

I've been wondering about them and whether they work. One problem I have though is that my driveway is only a few feet from my neighbour's on one side and may 15-20 feet from my other neighbour's on the other side. I'd feel like a bit of a dick if I got something that shot the snow over onto their driveways. :)

[3GFX]

Yea, those little things seem to work. I live out in the country so I don't have to worry about neighbors so much. Maybe I'll haul the thing down to Bubba's street and block his driveway with snow :p

[Skarbro]

My parents had one of those electric shovels. They work only on light snow like the snow we have now. And they aren't really any faster than a shovel - just easier on the back I guess. They absolutely suck in heavy snow.

[pahecko]

I finish work at 5am, so it was loads of fun getting home. I was doing donuts in the middle of king st. ;)

Serious it wasn't that bad until I got home and saw my drive way, then it really sucked, took me about an hour of serious shoveling to clear all the snow and when it was all said an done, didn't really help much!

[bubba1983]

Yea, those little things seem to work. I live out in the country so I don't have to worry about neighbors so much. Maybe I'll haul the thing down to Bubba's street and block his driveway with snow :p

har har, farker!!

[Kevin@nextmod]

Suprisingly my 3 had better traction then my beater. Both using the same set of winters but the beater is using 16s with steelies and the 3 is using 17s with stock rims. The 3 was really on the snow easily getting traction but then beater had VSA light on the whole time, slippin and slidding. Weird.

[azn_outlaw]

lets review...

lots of snow came to the Westend...

high enough that my car could not come out of the garage..

yet the blue 05 Mazda3, stock height and snow tires made by the division of Hankook, did really well, so 9/10

this thing was a damn tank, handle snow like as if their was none...

car numero two....my white 06 mazda3 hatch, it has vikings on it, got me out of drive way, and my neighborhood without a problem other than my bumper plowing all the snow in its path, still got out without getting stuck. Other than a bit slip and slide on the highway

Viking Snowtech = 8/10

[Chiburashka]

...
Thirdly I sure hope your not talking about stock RSAs because they are only called all-seasons. Anyone can tell you they are poor for true winter weather. Some all-seasons are better than others but in Canada winter tires should be a priority..

Honestly I don't know why people keep ripping on the RS-A's for..I put a nearly new set of RS-A's on my car a couple days ago and I'm having zero problems with them. As long as you don't drive like a maniac and follow the winter driving protocol you'll be fine. I was driving bald RS-A's until up to a couple days ago when I switched them so it has a lot to do with how you drive. Granted I couldn't go on the highway and my top speed was 60 on the bald rs-a's, but in this snow why would you need to go any faster in city driving? Yesterday I was coming back from etobicoke taking the 401 East for 20min just when the snow hit and I was fine with my new RS-A's...no problems what so ever 100-130 km/h.