VitB6

I have an 06 IS 350. First snow happened to day in Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. 10-12 inches of snow. 18" all-season tires. How did the car perform? TERRIBLE. Actually, undrivable. I actually ordered snow tires and the dealership has them but I called too late for them to put them on (but that is for another discussion).

I've lived in Chicago my whole life and have had a number of rear wheel drive cars (Impala, Eclipse GSX, RX-8, 3 series) and all those cars are at least drivable in the snow). This car acted like it was on glass.

The worst part is that the traction control is terrible. When the wheels slip it CUTS OFF THE POWER to the rear wheels! If you continue to slip THE WHEELS STOP MOVING! You might as well put the car in park, because you aren't going anywhere. The only way to actually go anywhere is to turn OFF the traction control to allow the wheels to spin. Yes you will fishtail but if you know how to drive you can try to control it. Anyways because the wheels don't spin the traction control is worthless and without it you'll constantly spin. Once out of the garage I couldn't get it back into the garage because it either wouldn't go anywhere or it fishtailed too far to get into the small width of the garage.

I actually couldn't go to work today with my car. I made it over to my parents house and took my dad's winter truck (he has a corvette for summer). My parents live 5 minutes away BTW.

Overall, terribly disappointed. I am having my winter tires converted on Thursday. Hopefully that will help a lot. If it doesn't I'm afraid I will have to get a different car next summer. That would be too bad because I love my car otherwise.

dngo27

thanks for sharing your experience. what tires do you have?

G35TOIS350

have you replaced the oe tires with all seasons? the IS350 only comes stock with the Dunlop Sport Maxx or B-Stone RE050 in 18", neither of which are an all season tire. im running the Blizzak LM25's with a 50 lb bag of softener salt in the trunk and had no issues. 60 miles east of Chicago so we got the same stuff you did today.

Batmobile

iTrader: (2)

ah... terrible news... hopefully the AWD will do better... but as for I, with a 350... i guess i will be one step ahead of the weather and put an order in for my winter tires now based on this information...thanks...

pocky

iTrader: (12)

Have you tried the "SNOW" button? It limits the throttle. Let us know how the snow tires work.

By the way, The Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX is a AWD.

VitB6

Yeah you are right about the GSX=AWD. My bad on that.

I had the choice of an all-season or summer tires when I bought the car. I chose the all-seasons. I forget the actual name of the tire off hand. I'm at work and my car is at home OUTSIDE the garage. :-(

I used the Snow button. No help. The issue is the traction control as it is very very intrusive. It shuts down the power to the wheels when you lose any amount of grip whatsoever. I am 29 and have vast experience with rear wheel drive cars in Chicago weather and I have never ever felt "scared" to drive before. But this morning I was so hesitant to do anything it was really a nightmare.

I have the bowflex dumbells (50 lbs a piece) and put both of them in my trunk thinking that would at least help. Really scary if that actually did anything.

kensteele

yesterday we had 6, 11, and 18 inches around the metro area here in Kansas City and I still have my stock summer tires on. And I still managed to get around. Barely but still...it's all about the roadcrews. Oh and having flat straight roads help as well. but it's not that bad.

kensteele

oh and by the way, the last 15 years of winter haven't been "real" winters. back years ago when i lived in minnesota, there were a dozen blizzards every winter season....you don't see that anymore. you're lucky if there are 2 "significant" snowfalls. and yesterday wasn't one of them, yesterday was nothing.

Bichon

When you get home, please post the make and model of your tires. From your description, it sounds like the dealer didn't listen and gave you summer tires.

I had snow tires on last winter, and had absolutely no issues with the traction control.

P.S.
It is December 1st, and on my way to lunch, the outside thermometer in my IS read 73 degrees. Incredibly warm for NJ this time of year. Unfortunately a cold front is supposed to be coming through later today...

VitB6

No offense Ken but if you have stock summer tires on your IS 350 in that much snow you aren't going anywhere. After what I went through today I just don't believe it. Mind you, I live in Chicago and the road crews here are great and used to this type of thing. I'm not saying you are lying but after what I went through and my knowledge of driving in the snow, I just have no faith in this car going very far in that much snow.

VitB6

Bichon I will do that. Being in NJ you are probably going to be getting this storm in 3 days time. It was warm here 2 days ago and now it is around 28 degrees with an overnight low of around 11.

How many more days until summer?

kensteele

i kid you not.

but i knew what to expect. early yesterday it was all ice. then came all the snow. i drove in both.

my car was in snow mode the entire time.

there were at least 2 times where the power was completely shut down to the rear wheels and i had to disengage snow mode.

on the ice, i had to slow to 5 miles an hour just to make a 90 turn. yes i slipped and slided all the way 7 miles to and from work. as i started picking up speed, the car would want to go right or go left, off the road. but i didn't panic (like i used to) because there are no ditches.

it was very difficult to keep the car going in a straight line. but stopping was not very difficult, the brakes worked well; only a couple times did i slide to a stop.

it was annoying and it could have been dangerous, but i didn't feel the need to put my snow tires on for the next morning. i have 4 snow tires sitting in my garage right now...and i thought about putting them on last night for the morning commute in the snow. this was an early morning commute before the side streets were completely done. again, difficult but i never felt terrified or loss of control.

completely unlike last year where the first time it happened to me before i got the snow tires, i too thought the summers were absolutely dangerous and unforgiveable.

G35TOIS350

+1. might be the case

pocky

iTrader: (12)

HAHA MAN! I don't know how you guys drive like that! Must be fun.

mlee21

yeahh i live in chicago too.. crazy stuff. one day its like 60s. the next day its snowing and in the 30s.. gonna be in the teens 2nite. chicago weather is sooo random.

i havent tried out my awd in snow yet, but once i do.. ill get back to u. didnt want to get it dirty.