98 LS400 ---How do these handle in the snow espescially when comapred to FWD!
07-13-10, 04:44 PM
#16
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One can't generalize about how LS400's handle snow and ice. The 98-up LS400 is in a completely different league that the early ones.
07-13-10, 06:56 PM
#19
I'm in the Kansas City area but I've frequently much further north during winters for family reasons. I drove a 90 LS through 13 winters and now a 00 LS through seven winters. My 90 LS completely sucked in snow even with snow tires. My 00 LS with its VSC, "snow mode" transmission setting, and vastly improved ABS is great fun to drive in heavy snow but I use true winter tires (mountain/snowflake symbol on the sidewalls) on it.
One can't generalize about how LS400's handle snow and ice. The 98-up LS400 is in a completely different league that the early ones.
One can't generalize about how LS400's handle snow and ice. The 98-up LS400 is in a completely different league that the early ones.
07-13-10, 07:42 PM
#20
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07-15-10, 03:35 AM
#21
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Get a winter driver
A preamble: I grew up in the 60's and early 70's in Ottawa with big, RWD North American cars - I asolutlely know how to drive a RWD car in the snow.
I've had my '99 LS400 for 8 years now. I love it, and want to keep it forever. However when I tried winter driving for a couple of years (with GOOD snow tires), it was just a big pain. Too much torque, not enough weight on the drive wheels, and overzealous traction control make driving this car in the winter frustrating at best, and downright dangerous if you're not careful.
I ended up purchased a '99 Honda CRV for a winter driver. Now THAT is a great car in snow! With proper snow tires, the CRV will go through ANYTHING. My favourite trip was last January, 7:00 AM on a Sunday morning after a 6" snowfall, the 401 hadn't been plowed: ruts in the right lane, untouched fresh snow in the left lane. Drove from Toronto to Ottawa (280 miles) at 70 mph, frequently passing other vehicles in the left lane. NO WAY I could have done that in the Lexus, or any other RWD car or even FWD car.
IMHO, save your baby for summer. I will still have mine 10 years from now, and it will still be rust-free, since it's not being aged by road salt :-)
If you *do* still intend on driving your baby in the snow, turn the traction control off. I found the fishtailing is easier to control than dealing with the incessant application of brakes when you're trying to keep your momentum up. A final piece of advice: put a couple of patio stones in the trunk, your traction WILL improve.
I've had my '99 LS400 for 8 years now. I love it, and want to keep it forever. However when I tried winter driving for a couple of years (with GOOD snow tires), it was just a big pain. Too much torque, not enough weight on the drive wheels, and overzealous traction control make driving this car in the winter frustrating at best, and downright dangerous if you're not careful.
I ended up purchased a '99 Honda CRV for a winter driver. Now THAT is a great car in snow! With proper snow tires, the CRV will go through ANYTHING. My favourite trip was last January, 7:00 AM on a Sunday morning after a 6" snowfall, the 401 hadn't been plowed: ruts in the right lane, untouched fresh snow in the left lane. Drove from Toronto to Ottawa (280 miles) at 70 mph, frequently passing other vehicles in the left lane. NO WAY I could have done that in the Lexus, or any other RWD car or even FWD car.
IMHO, save your baby for summer. I will still have mine 10 years from now, and it will still be rust-free, since it's not being aged by road salt :-)
If you *do* still intend on driving your baby in the snow, turn the traction control off. I found the fishtailing is easier to control than dealing with the incessant application of brakes when you're trying to keep your momentum up. A final piece of advice: put a couple of patio stones in the trunk, your traction WILL improve.
07-15-10, 05:16 AM
#22
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A preamble: I grew up in the 60's and early 70's in Ottawa with big, RWD North American cars - I asolutlely know how to drive a RWD car in the snow.
I've had my '99 LS400 for 8 years now. I love it, and want to keep it forever. However when I tried winter driving for a couple of years (with GOOD snow tires), it was just a big pain. Too much torque, not enough weight on the drive wheels, and overzealous traction control make driving this car in the winter frustrating at best, and downright dangerous if you're not careful.
I ended up purchased a '99 Honda CRV for a winter driver. Now THAT is a great car in snow! With proper snow tires, the CRV will go through ANYTHING. My favourite trip was last January, 7:00 AM on a Sunday morning after a 6" snowfall, the 401 hadn't been plowed: ruts in the right lane, untouched fresh snow in the left lane. Drove from Toronto to Ottawa (280 miles) at 70 mph, frequently passing other vehicles in the left lane. NO WAY I could have done that in the Lexus, or any other RWD car or even FWD car.
IMHO, save your baby for summer. I will still have mine 10 years from now, and it will still be rust-free, since it's not being aged by road salt :-)
If you *do* still intend on driving your baby in the snow, turn the traction control off. I found the fishtailing is easier to control than dealing with the incessant application of brakes when you're trying to keep your momentum up. A final piece of advice: put a couple of patio stones in the trunk, your traction WILL improve.
I've had my '99 LS400 for 8 years now. I love it, and want to keep it forever. However when I tried winter driving for a couple of years (with GOOD snow tires), it was just a big pain. Too much torque, not enough weight on the drive wheels, and overzealous traction control make driving this car in the winter frustrating at best, and downright dangerous if you're not careful.
I ended up purchased a '99 Honda CRV for a winter driver. Now THAT is a great car in snow! With proper snow tires, the CRV will go through ANYTHING. My favourite trip was last January, 7:00 AM on a Sunday morning after a 6" snowfall, the 401 hadn't been plowed: ruts in the right lane, untouched fresh snow in the left lane. Drove from Toronto to Ottawa (280 miles) at 70 mph, frequently passing other vehicles in the left lane. NO WAY I could have done that in the Lexus, or any other RWD car or even FWD car.
IMHO, save your baby for summer. I will still have mine 10 years from now, and it will still be rust-free, since it's not being aged by road salt :-)
If you *do* still intend on driving your baby in the snow, turn the traction control off. I found the fishtailing is easier to control than dealing with the incessant application of brakes when you're trying to keep your momentum up. A final piece of advice: put a couple of patio stones in the trunk, your traction WILL improve.
07-15-10, 06:00 PM
#23
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If you *do* still intend on driving your baby in the snow, turn the traction control off. I found the fishtailing is easier to control than dealing with the incessant application of brakes when you're trying to keep your momentum up. A final piece of advice: put a couple of patio stones in the trunk, your traction WILL improve.
What "incessant application of brakes" are you talking about. I've never had that problem when driving my 00 LS400 in snow. And definitely don't put "patio stones" in your trunk. That's very dangerous. I used to put a couple of bags of sand in the trunk of the 90 LS I drove through 13 winters but have found that to be completely unnecessary with my 00 LS400.
Are you using real snow tires in winter? Are they in good condition? Snow tires need a lot of tread to be effective. A friend of mine hates his 99 LS in the winter but he uses all-season tires. I use heavy duty snow tires (mountain/snowflake symbol) on my 00 LS and it does far better in snow than our front wheel drive Camry and better than many 4WD SUV's.
Are we talking about the same car?
07-15-10, 08:46 PM
#24
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07-16-10, 02:35 AM
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How do you turn traction control off on a 99 LS400? Are Canadian 99 LS400's different in that respect than those sold in the States? Do you have a separate Trac Off button? We don't. The only way to turn traction control off on a US specification 98-00 LS400 is to turn off VSC (vehicle stability control) which some including me consider the most important safety feature developed since seat belts.
Are you using real snow tires in winter? Are they in good condition? Snow tires need a lot of tread to be effective. A friend of mine hates his 99 LS in the winter but he uses all-season tires. I use heavy duty snow tires (mountain/snowflake symbol) on my 00 LS and it does far better in snow than our front wheel drive Camry and better than many 4WD SUV's.
From best to worst, here's how different vehicles behave in snowy/icy conditions:
1. AWD with snow tires
2. FWD with snow tires
3. RWD with snow tires
4. AWD with 3-season tires (ain't no such thing as "All Season Tires")
5. FWD with 3-season tires
6. RWD with 3-season tires
Same car, possibly different snow tires, definitely different bases for comparison!
07-16-10, 04:16 AM
#26
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The thing with "patio stones" is that they could be dangerous is a crash or even in a quick stop. Your gas tank is between our trunks and rear seats and I doubt if the thin metal bulkhead would protect against a flying stone. I learned the hard way when carrying a beer keg in a trunk 30+ years ago -- bad idea -- trashed the trunk pretty good!
07-16-10, 08:17 AM
#27
Fortunately, in Tennessee we don't get a lot of snow. When we do, my LS does okay but you have to be very careful and really take it easy. At least they do a good job pre-treating and treating the main roads when it snows. The problem is driving the side streets, which are a lower priority with limited snow removal equipment. That can be fun with a big rear wheel drive car 
If I lived in an area that regularly gets more snow, I would invest in a set of good snow tires.
If I lived in an area that regularly gets more snow, I would invest in a set of good snow tires.
07-17-10, 06:58 PM
#28
I've got a `96 LS400 that stays in the garage when it snows. I don't even waste money on snow tires (though I tried once). For the winter, my daily driver is a `98 GS400 with snow tires (Dunlop M3s). I place 70-140 lbs over the rear axle (place them in the trunk up against the rear seat). Haven't had a problem with New Hampshire winters. The difference between the `96 and `98 is the VSC and snow mode and they work really well in the winter.
07-19-10, 01:16 PM
#30
VSC = Nanny
Regardless of the brand I have found traction control systems in the snow to be a pita because sometimes I want the tires to keep spinning to maintain momentum. I prefer to be able to predict my course than to hope the "car" will do it for me. IMHO