ThyJones Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Well i'm having a pretty hard time with my zed at the moment with the snow, i.e absolute nightmare. I've got no second car(gf has one but she uses it), damn i wish i hadnt sold my old vectra. Anyway, strugled tonight, 1 hr journey each way, and i literally slid the whole way, even on duel carriageways, and i was driving as carefully and correctly as you possibly could. I have some snow socks, but these arent good for whole journeys... i have to do 6 mile each way to work, and if i left them on the whole journey i think they would disintegrate. I know snow tyres would be a plus, and im going to try and get some but 1, i can't find any, 2 theyre expensive and 3 i doubt ill find any before xmas. now, my question is, would putting some extra weight in the boot help, or hinder? I've got a bag of sand in there, which does nothing, but I have some other bags I could put in there if it made any difference. Thanks for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vik54 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 If you've got four decent matching tyres all round you really shouldn't thave any issues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThyJones Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 i have, just passed the MOT aswell a few days ago, so all ok, but seriously, its made me consider selling my zed, just because of this, its shockingly bad. I've been looking for a fair while now where I can get some winter tyres but everyone appears to have sold out which is a shame, or I can't find anyone local to be able to fit them. Even getting up my street onto my drive involved a lot of sliding and pushing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 if its such a problem for you get winter tyres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 You said in your first post that winter tyres are expensive. How much is your insurance excess???? I know what I'd rather spend the cash on! Extra weight in the boot might help. I've been causght out in snow a few times in the zed and I live up a big hill. 3rd gear, feet off the pedals and I manage no issue. Tyres might pass the MOT but it doesn't mean they are giving you the best chance. The legal limit is 1.6mm (I think) and a new tyre has about 8mm of tread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 I know you say your car has just passed it's MOT but that doesn't mean there's plenty of tread in them I have just last week fited a 4 new tyres to my wifes BMW 325 Auto and the cars been fine in this snow and ice although rear wheel drive cars are never going to be as good as front wheel drive. I have used my Vivaro van every day in country lanes where cars have been stuck at the bottom of hills I have just gone past them it's down to front wheel drive and the weight of the engine over the wheels and being sensable with the throttle. Just to add my brother the other night lost the back end of his Audi TT 3.2 Quattro in this snow and done a rim so nothing is perfect unless you want a landrover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 my father in law slid on the roundabout near me in his landrover, so nothing is invincible. on my old zed reo40's on minimal tread were terrible, vredesteins with new tread were great in the snow, as are my falken 452's on my s2k. not perfect by a long way, and snow tyres would be miles better on both of these. but i can get about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 My 050s seem pretty pants in the snow, thinking of swapping to my Rotas with Falkens on them, I remember the 350z was better in the snow than the 370z appears to be, but nothing major happened touch wood. So just having tyres with lots of tread isnt good enough either, I have about 6mm all round, but the 050's summer compound is just crap in very cold weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Bugger, I was hoping you were going to say that the 050s were pretty good in the cold, I want to make a trip down to Brighton on Friday Just another thought as well: Instead of the cost of snow tyres, buy a shed. If you buy right at the bottom it'll cost you a couple of hundred quid for a FWD bucket with skinny tyres that'll get you places the Zed will refuse to go, and you can sell it on afterwards for what you paid for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Well I take back some of that. I got her out today and made it to work, so not all that bad. Yesterday the TCS was going mental on a gritted road, so thought they were pants, but it turns out it was -9C and grit stops working around -10C so it may not have been the tyres fault. Its 0C today and they did pretty good on what bits of snow I had to do. So just stay away from temps lower than -7C and you should be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbowey Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 :pmr35lee: or like Falcon Performance on facebook, give them a ring or drop them an email. They have been advertising snow tyres for a while and Lee might be able to sort out a good price for a forum member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Yes, more weight in the boot will certainly help traction (same principle as engine, front or rear, over the driven wheels). But as indicated, tyres with a good tread depth and the more 'block' in pattern like winter tyres are essential, for cars like the ZED. You can try dropping the tyre pressures (I'm just thing back to my trialing days when I would drop to around 10psi or lower), but with wide tyres on ice, as on heavily mudded surfaces, that can work against you as cutting through to solid ground where there is grip really demands narrow tyres, which we don't have. So on balance I tend to leave the pressures on the ZED around 30psi at this time of year, but I am really tempted to try a pair of spacesaver wheels if I knew the majority of a planned drive was going to be on snow covered roads and you know you are unlikley to ever get up to speed. On the spacesavers you could also use chains if you really got into heavy snow but honestly, using the ZED with spacesavers and chains in such conditions has really got to be a last resort, but it would interesting to try it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesypuff Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Last year I slid on ice into the neighbours driveway and couldnt get out again. Eventually managed it by getting more weight in the back, namely my dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Well I take back some of that. I got her out today and made it to work, so not all that bad. Yesterday the TCS was going mental on a gritted road, so thought they were pants, but it turns out it was -9C and grit stops working around -10C so it may not have been the tyres fault. Its 0C today and they did pretty good on what bits of snow I had to do. So just stay away from temps lower than -7C and you should be ok Good to know, cheers matey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 350Z Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Last year my missus got the Zed stuck on a slight incline near our house and I had to rescue her ass. I had to get her 14 year old daughter to sit in the boot for extra weight over the rear to get it up the hill. The Zed goes nowhere in the snow now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThyJones Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 Now got 4 bags of sand in the boot, and it does actually make it a lot more stable. I stopped on a slight incline while I gave way to someone, couldnt get started but 2nd gear pulled through and I managed to get up my road and onto the drive tonight.. New tyres coming tomorrow also, not snow tyres, but a better gripping tyre that i've read a lot about over the last few days, so things should improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maz0 Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 I've stuck some weights in my boot. I can't justify a few hundred on snow tyres so going the old fashion way. Extra weight and lots of caution, seems to be working fine so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThyJones Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 I've stuck some weights in my boot. I can't justify a few hundred on snow tyres so going the old fashion way. Extra weight and lots of caution, seems to be working fine so far. Out of interest what weight have you put in the boot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyboy2010 Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Just another thought as well: Instead of the cost of snow tyres, buy a shed. If you buy right at the bottom it'll cost you a couple of hundred quid for a FWD bucket with skinny tyres that'll get you places the Zed will refuse to go, and you can sell it on afterwards for what you paid for it. Snow tyres would be cheaper imo ......500 on the tyres, a 300 shed would cost money to tax, run, insure etc, plus if something went wrong it may be expensive. Would be tricky to sell on unless lots of mot and tax on it. Can keep the snow tyres for next yr too The above costs of a shed are reduced, per mile, with higher mileage, so high mileage consider shed, lower mileage, try snow tyres first imo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyboy2010 Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 From what ppl have said, more weight in the boot seems to help.......but it will also mean, if the rear does go, there will be more momentum behind it, and it will be a little quicker to break away...... Sounds like its worth it for some! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Snow tyres would be cheaper imo ......500 on the tyres, a 300 shed would cost money to tax, run, insure etc, plus if something went wrong it may be expensive. Would be tricky to sell on unless lots of mot and tax on it. Can keep the snow tyres for next yr too You'd be insuring and taxing it instead of the Zed and it will be cheaper on fuel so you'll actually be saving a fair wedge of cash there, although you're quite right about the risk of something going wrong. That said, you have that with all cars, and unless it's gearbox or engine related you could probably live with it on a shed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThyJones Posted December 22, 2010 Author Share Posted December 22, 2010 well.. left for work, slid the whole way, uncontrolably.. due to sliding from side to side, i couldnt get traction to get up the hill. Pulled over, snow shoes on, and i've gone back to work from home! Impossible. Seriously considering getting a second car again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Snow tyres would be cheaper imo ......500 on the tyres, a 300 shed would cost money to tax, run, insure etc, plus if something went wrong it may be expensive. Would be tricky to sell on unless lots of mot and tax on it. Can keep the snow tyres for next yr too You'd be insuring and taxing it instead of the Zed and it will be cheaper on fuel so you'll actually be saving a fair wedge of cash there, although you're quite right about the risk of something going wrong. That said, you have that with all cars, and unless it's gearbox or engine related you could probably live with it on a shed. I can see that working if you swap the shed for the whole of the winter and declare the Zed SORN and just get garage insurance (ie tell them you arent driving it), but if you still want the Zed for nice winter drives when the weather is nice, then a shed will cost more. Horses for courses as they say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R35LEE Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Guys, just an update. I tried everyone of our tyre suppliers even the most expensive ones and there are no snow / Winter tyres in 350z fitment available until January sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.