kcis300

hey guys. i'm new to this forum and looking into getting an IS but would like to know how they do in the weather. you never know what kind of precipitation you're gonna get here in the midwest. thanks in advance for the input!

scottschoe

very poorly unless you have winter tires

single sho

first hand experience... they don't...... I will be checking into the blizzaks before next winter. Tire rack did an article on the "winter tire" types. Oddly enough, they used an IS 300 for their experiment car.


single shot

kcis300

why are they so terrible? i know the RWD doesn't help at all, but doesn't the traction control do anything?

mmarshall

First, make sure the traction control and the stability system ( if equipped ) are turned on, and, if it is an E-shift, the tranny is in 'SNOW" mode.....an orange SNOW light will come on under the fuel gauge. The snow mode will limit engine torque output. Both the Traction Control and the Anti-lock brakes are pretty sensitive in this car. When the T/C actually engages, you'll hear an electronic grinding noise and see the yellow T/C light flash on under the tach. The ABS works quite well...it doesn't have the strong pedal vibrations that ABS systems used to have. Don't expect the ABS to shorten your stopping distance in snow, however....all it does is keep the wheels from sliding.
As far as what kind of tires to have.....obviously, Blizzaks or other winter tires are best. All-seasons, in general, are the next best choice....though they vary somewhat in traction by brand. The standard hi-performance 17-inchers?.....keep them in the garage.
Tire companies are currently working on High-Performance All-season tires that will perform better on dry pavement, but they have not really been perfected yet.

jespinal

Eastcoast, Boston area. First winter with the car, drives fine to me and i still have the stock wheels on.

single sho

I imagine the traction control and the "snow" mode helps some. Tires are the limiters. As with all cars, rear or front wheel drive, there are limits to their ablilty to propel themselves in the ice/snow.

My experience is just that. About 2 inches of fresh snow on the ground and the first one to be on it that morning. This was not slushy garbage, this was light flaky dry snow. I made it to the top of my hill (about a 4 percent grade) and had the "traction loss" light flashing and beeping like there was no tomorrow. I have no idea how the blizzaks would have performed in that situation, but I WILL next year.

Traction loss is the result of there being too much power applied to the rear wheels for the road condition. In my situation, I have the auto, I have no ablility to "slip the cluch" to lessen the power being applied to those wheels. Snow button or no snow button, my *** was puckered and the car was sideways getting to the top (no place to safely turn around on the way up). Once committed there was no turning back.

Like I said before snow tires for me next year.



single shot

mmarshall

Are studded tires legal where you live?.......they usually give the best traction of all in snow, but they poke holes and make a hell of a lot of road noise on dry pavement, and are suitable only where the roads are not plowed and have packed-down snow. Many places outlaw them.
Chains also work well but they can be difficult to put on and off, and they wear out quickly once you are off the snow. Some newer chains are made of non-metallic materials that don't rust or corrode.
Chains also need to be securely fastened....no errors. If they come loose, they can damage the lower body and wheelwells.

st.lou.is

If you live in the mid-west your best bet is to get a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires. With stock 17's (Potenza's) you will not get far in snow and ice especially if you live in hilly neighborhood. On steep grades where speed limits are low you will have to actually turn off your "traction control" because it will stop your car before you get to the top of the hill. With winter package you have no trouble at all. I tested mine out on ice with a few inchesof snow (about 4 or 5) and found my car to be better in bad weather than my previous fwd Honda's.
Look at tirerack.com or tires.com for good deals on winter packages. Try to go with stock width or narrower to get the best traction in snow (sounds strange, but true!). I chose Dunlop Wintersport M2 205/50/vr17's and am very satisfied (about $1050 mounted balanced and delivered from tirerack) , but you can save a few bucks if you go with 16's if you dont mind the look (I do) .

digger08

iTrader: (1)

LSD...makes a huge difference as well.

Digger08

Letsride

This is some good info guys...thanks!

BlueIS05

How does the IS do with the stock all-season tires in an area with moderate winters like the the DC area? I'm trying to decide whether to go the summer/winter tire route or just with the stock all-seasons.

mmarshall

I myself have an E-Shift IS300 with stock all-seasons in the DC area. ( Vienna, VA). Keep the tire pressures right, a little weight in the trunk, the traction control on, the transmission in SNOW mode, accelerate and brake VERY gently, and you'll have a minimally acceptable snow car at best. The IS is just not designed for slippery roads....T/C and all-seasons or not....but one thing that helps a lot here in this area is that they never let the snow stay on the roads....the huge amounts of sand and salt here clears them up very quickly. Of course, that means you have to be willing to expose your IS300 to potentially abrasive and corrosive elements, so wash and flush it completely....especially underneath...after a snow run. Even then, you will still get some pitting and chipping from the gravel and sand. For these and other reasons, I myself don't drive much on treated roads.
If you run the hi-perf tires in the summer, definitely go with Blizzaks or a winter equvalent between December and March. Don't even think of putting the hi-perfs on the ice.

If you want a nice, reliable, reasonably-priced fun-to drive, well-made car that you can drive in all-weather conditions, take a look at the new Subaru 2.5 Outback, Outback 3.0, or Outback 2.5 Turbo. They run from 25K-32K brand-new. Here in the DC area, there are good selections at Stohlman, Farrish, and in the Briggs Chaney Auto Park in Silver Spring.

BlueIS05

thanks mmarshall for the prompt reply! I live in Falls Church, VA.

I think I'll stick with the all-seasons then. There aren't many days where snow tires are truely needed here IMO. If it does snow really bad then I'll just leave the IS at home and take public transportation.

flipside909

Can't go wrong with Pilot Sport A/S.