Impressed with the 4GS AWD in the snow...
02-01-14, 07:58 PM
#61
Well I picked up the GS Thursday night. I drove the car no more than 50 feet after pulling out of the dealers lot and a drunk driver came barreling out of a side street right in front of me. Fortunately I saw him so I got out of the way. He crossed two lanes, the went back in the opposite direction crossing the lanes again and jumping the curb. Phone was dead so I couldn't call the cops. Then pulling up to my house two deer jumped out into the street... Interesting night. The memory of a test drive I took where I got hit so hard, while stopped making a left turn, that the airbags deployed and the salesman had to go to the hospital, were fresh in mind.
Prior to owning this GS, I haven't been hit by anybody in any car in a long, long time. In fact, not counting the new GS (my first Lexus), I've been in 2 accidents in my entire life--been driving in this country and others for 25 years.
Second incident happened 13 years when I got hit from behind while my car was stopped in traffic with a truck a stopped behind me but a second truck slammed into him which pushed him into me (idiot at-fault driver admitted he had been pushing buttons on his phone!!!).
First incident was, I feel, my fault and resulted in me hitting a guard rail after hitting black ice midturn when I was 16.
In case you were wondering, the three incidents with the GS in the past 8 months were: (1) side swiped by a driver who was playing with his phone, (2) hit by a driver while I was stopped in traffic and going zero mph!!, and (3) hit by a driver who ran a red light.
02-01-14, 10:14 PM
#62
What is it with this car!? I've been hit 3 times since I bought this car 8 months ago.
Prior to owning this GS, I haven't been hit by anybody in any car in a long, long time. In fact, not counting the new GS (my first Lexus), I've been in 2 accidents in my entire life--been driving in this country and others for 25 years.
Second incident happened 13 years when I got hit from behind while my car was stopped in traffic with a truck a stopped behind me but a second truck slammed into him which pushed him into me (idiot at-fault driver admitted he had been pushing buttons on his phone!!!).
First incident was, I feel, my fault and resulted in me hitting a guard rail after hitting black ice midturn when I was 16.
In case you were wondering, the three incidents with the GS in the past 8 months were: (1) side swiped by a driver who was playing with his phone, (2) hit by a driver while I was stopped in traffic and going zero mph!!, and (3) hit by a driver who ran a red light.
Prior to owning this GS, I haven't been hit by anybody in any car in a long, long time. In fact, not counting the new GS (my first Lexus), I've been in 2 accidents in my entire life--been driving in this country and others for 25 years.
Second incident happened 13 years when I got hit from behind while my car was stopped in traffic with a truck a stopped behind me but a second truck slammed into him which pushed him into me (idiot at-fault driver admitted he had been pushing buttons on his phone!!!).
First incident was, I feel, my fault and resulted in me hitting a guard rail after hitting black ice midturn when I was 16.
In case you were wondering, the three incidents with the GS in the past 8 months were: (1) side swiped by a driver who was playing with his phone, (2) hit by a driver while I was stopped in traffic and going zero mph!!, and (3) hit by a driver who ran a red light.
02-02-14, 11:47 AM
#63
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What is it with this car!? I've been hit 3 times since I bought this car 8 months ago.
Prior to owning this GS, I haven't been hit by anybody in any car in a long, long time. In fact, not counting the new GS (my first Lexus), I've been in 2 accidents in my entire life--been driving in this country and others for 25 years.
Second incident happened 13 years when I got hit from behind while my car was stopped in traffic with a truck a stopped behind me but a second truck slammed into him which pushed him into me (idiot at-fault driver admitted he had been pushing buttons on his phone!!!).
First incident was, I feel, my fault and resulted in me hitting a guard rail after hitting black ice midturn when I was 16.
In case you were wondering, the three incidents with the GS in the past 8 months were: (1) side swiped by a driver who was playing with his phone, (2) hit by a driver while I was stopped in traffic and going zero mph!!, and (3) hit by a driver who ran a red light.
Prior to owning this GS, I haven't been hit by anybody in any car in a long, long time. In fact, not counting the new GS (my first Lexus), I've been in 2 accidents in my entire life--been driving in this country and others for 25 years.
Second incident happened 13 years when I got hit from behind while my car was stopped in traffic with a truck a stopped behind me but a second truck slammed into him which pushed him into me (idiot at-fault driver admitted he had been pushing buttons on his phone!!!).
First incident was, I feel, my fault and resulted in me hitting a guard rail after hitting black ice midturn when I was 16.
In case you were wondering, the three incidents with the GS in the past 8 months were: (1) side swiped by a driver who was playing with his phone, (2) hit by a driver while I was stopped in traffic and going zero mph!!, and (3) hit by a driver who ran a red light.
02-02-14, 03:35 PM
#64
02-03-14, 02:19 PM
#65
I actually live in SW Michigan....so I got a lot of lake effect snow! But PLEASE do share with me how those tires are doing for you. I actually called discount tire yesterday for winter tires, the guy said its so late in season, I believe he would only be able to get some yokohama winter tires, at around $250 a piece.
02-03-14, 03:41 PM
#66
Pole Position
Thanks, Rexus300, that's helping me decide what to get for next winter. I'm also looking at the Michelin Xi3, but that seems to be a bit more oriented towards severe snow and ice and less towards good dry/wet road performance in cold temps.
02-03-14, 06:14 PM
#67
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: OH
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This thread is depressing. Reading the beginning of this thread there were a number of comments about how good the GS was in the snow. That was the last piece I needed to know before pulling the trigger on the purchase. Did that, come back to this thread, find out the tires I got on the car are bad, the snow mode sucks, etc...While I have taken the car on 3 test drives, none of them were in the snow. Put money down, supposed to sign papers and pick up the car in the next two days. Performance in the snow is a requirement for me. No matter how much I like the GS on dry pavement, performance in the snow is a make it or break it part of the deal. Sorry for the rant, but beginning to question my decision.
I got my GS350AWD FSport in December and I love how it drives in the snow. This is the first time in a long while I've enjoyed driving in the snow. Never have an issue getting around, pulls me through whatever I want. I don't drive stupid into unplowed drifts but I live in Cleveland now and they don't' shovel the streets. I've had no issue going to work in the morning.
Still not sure what the "snow" button does besides retard acceleration (I think it is a placebo) but I use it anyway since I paid for it.
Best part, the heated steering wheel, that is great along with the heated seats. Guests like the big video screen.
I'm guessing you'll love it when you put hands on it.
Where in Ohio are you?
02-03-14, 06:21 PM
#68
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
02-03-14, 06:51 PM
#69
02-03-14, 07:30 PM
#71
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: ON
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I got the X-Ice 3 mounted on my GS and also in Ontario, Mississauga/Oakville to be precise. With the winter we've been having, they performed amazingly. Car is stable and planted around corners, plenty of bite in fresh unplowed roads.
02-03-14, 07:33 PM
#72
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
02-03-14, 10:57 PM
#73
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Russia
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
here are couple of winter photos of my GS 350AWD on a ice/snow track )
About AWD button. it surely changes the torque transfer front/rear. without snow mode it was very hard to make the car turn. a lot of understeer. after turning snow mode on the car start to get into the corners really well. I really love this car. it handles perfect. My laptime was very close to the time of mitsu Evo.
forgot to say- tires are nokian hakkapelita 8. studded
About AWD button. it surely changes the torque transfer front/rear. without snow mode it was very hard to make the car turn. a lot of understeer. after turning snow mode on the car start to get into the corners really well. I really love this car. it handles perfect. My laptime was very close to the time of mitsu Evo.
forgot to say- tires are nokian hakkapelita 8. studded
02-04-14, 04:25 AM
#74
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I got my GS350AWD FSport in December and I love how it drives in the snow. This is the first time in a long while I've enjoyed driving in the snow. Never have an issue getting around, pulls me through whatever I want. I don't drive stupid into unplowed drifts but I live in Cleveland now and they don't' shovel the streets. I've had no issue going to work in the morning.
Still not sure what the "snow" button does besides retard acceleration (I think it is a placebo) but I use it anyway since I paid for it.
Best part, the heated steering wheel, that is great along with the heated seats. Guests like the big video screen.
I'm guessing you'll love it when you put hands on it.
Where in Ohio are you?
Still not sure what the "snow" button does besides retard acceleration (I think it is a placebo) but I use it anyway since I paid for it.
Best part, the heated steering wheel, that is great along with the heated seats. Guests like the big video screen.
I'm guessing you'll love it when you put hands on it.
Where in Ohio are you?
02-04-14, 04:29 AM
#75
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I asked the dealer about this as I thought the same thing. They said it doesn't change the power to the wheels. Have you found anything from Toyota that says it does that? I'd like to believe it, but haven't been able to find anything that says it functions that way.