How does the SC430 drive in snow?
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Neil E (12-24-21)
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kristinspa (03-09-23)
10-31-22, 07:48 PM
#18
Driver School Candidate
What most dealers in my area (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) are doing for their customers is creating a 16" rim (BBS knock off) and snow tire (Pirelli Winter 210) package for those SC430 owners who want to run their car in the white stuff.. From our experience on the GS400 it works very well and if you use the winter mode the right way then your SC430 can be an all year round car..
Personally my SC will never see a flake of snow but like I mentioned above this is the way to go.. Folks that think an 18" winter tire for our stock rim is the ticket are only wasting money and sacrificing their safety.. Just my 2 cents from the Great White North!
PS: What tfischer is doing is the best way to go.. Get a winter beater!!
Personally my SC will never see a flake of snow but like I mentioned above this is the way to go.. Folks that think an 18" winter tire for our stock rim is the ticket are only wasting money and sacrificing their safety.. Just my 2 cents from the Great White North!
PS: What tfischer is doing is the best way to go.. Get a winter beater!!
11-01-22, 07:03 AM
#19
Moderator
I had an SC430 for 14 years in southern Ohio, and I don't think the "Snow" button was even connected to anything. Get some good winter tires and throw a couple of logs or sandbags into trunk and hope for the best. My winter advice for SC430 owners: Uber.
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kristinspa (03-09-23),
Tanker (10-12-23)
11-01-22, 11:15 AM
#20
On Snow Mode I think it starts out in 2nd gear and the throttle control ramps up even slower than normal. In winter I carry bags of that cheap, gravelly clay cat litter in the trunk. If it snows too much I just stay home.
11-06-22, 09:33 AM
#21
Driver School Candidate
Hi there, I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This is my first year driving the SC430 in the winter. We got our first significant snowfall last week, and to be frank, the drive home from work was brutal. We had all-season tires that came with the vehicle. Zero traction. I know now that the traction control works!
That night, my wife and I got online and found a set of used Michelin X-Ice Xi3 winter tires (2 years old but only used for part of 1 winter; 80 % tread remaining according to the seller). We took it out this morning and it's a night and day difference. If I had a choice, I would likely still park it over the winter, but a good set of winter tires and safe driving habits make it manageable.
That night, my wife and I got online and found a set of used Michelin X-Ice Xi3 winter tires (2 years old but only used for part of 1 winter; 80 % tread remaining according to the seller). We took it out this morning and it's a night and day difference. If I had a choice, I would likely still park it over the winter, but a good set of winter tires and safe driving habits make it manageable.
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GmanSC (11-06-22)
11-06-22, 10:39 AM
#22
Pole Position
My SC will not ever see snow unless I drive her up North in winter time which I won’t.
Thanks to the sunny southern California .
Thanks to the sunny southern California .
11-07-22, 07:55 AM
#23
The sc430 is terrible in the snow I drive it once in less then 1 inch of snow and was scared to death I live in the north east and my sc430 is a summer toy
11-09-22, 04:20 AM
#24
I live in Colorado and we have frequent snow storms of course here in the Front Range. I drove from Longmont to Colorado Springs on the interstate in a fairly wet snowstorm and used the snow traction feature. From what I could tell, it severely limited acceleration, so the car felt like a brick right away. This is good, as there was minimal if any rear wheel spin. That is the big disadvantage of a big engine rear wheel driven car when the wheels break traction. I drove all the way home and it handled no more poorly than my Honda Accord did in snow, which was front wheel drive. The SC has Firestone AS tires on it now, which are not that great in snow. As others have mentioned, steel studded snow tires are superior in snow and will give good grip on some ice, too. A car with those will handle better than an all wheel drive car with regular tires.
10-11-23, 09:15 PM
#26
Hi there, I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This is my first year driving the SC430 in the winter. We got our first significant snowfall last week, and to be frank, the drive home from work was brutal. We had all-season tires that came with the vehicle. Zero traction. I know now that the traction control works! That night, my wife and I got online and found a set of used Michelin X-Ice Xi3 winter tires (2 years old but only used for part of 1 winter; 80 % tread remaining according to the seller). We took it out this morning and it's a night and day difference. If I had a choice, I would likely still park it over the winter, but a good set of winter tires and safe driving habits make it manageable.
That night, my wife and I got online and found a set of used Michelin X-Ice Xi3 winter tires (2 years old but only used for part of 1 winter; 80 % tread remaining according to the seller). We took it out this morning and it's a night and day difference. If I had a choice, I would likely still park it over the winter, but a good set of winter tires and safe driving habits make it manageable.
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stich (10-12-23)
10-12-23, 07:14 PM
#27
Its just miserable in snow unless you have winter tires. Some of the best all seasons for slippery road traction in its day ( Conti DWS ) were still not good enough. All that is said online about the worst winter tire being better than the best all seasons in snow is true for our SC430s. Front engine RWD is the worst config for snow traction. I plan to keep driving my car through the cold season and I always have a set of proper winters on. I am retiring my old Falken Eurowinters and probably going to Bridgestone Blizzaks this coming winter.
10-16-23, 08:09 AM
#29
10-16-23, 11:44 AM
#30
You will be surprised but our sc club in WhatsApp chat is 197 participants, most cars from Moscow.
