POLL: DSM winter driving

I'm curious, this is the first summer I've had my DSM and just want to know how many people have or will drive their DSM's in the winter?

Me? 95 TSI + winter = TTC & 'rents car!

U?

Driven mine 3 winters now. AWD is a pleasure in the snow.

I park the 95 for the winter and drive a 1991 AWD AT.

Ghislain.

Well. I had my 92 awd 2 years ago. Snow drifting in the parking lot at say 2 am is alot of fun. Can't wait to take her back on the snow again. But this time I'll take it easier.

I bought mine in the end of fall last year, so I drove it in the winter... AWD + Snow = FUN!!!!

2g + snow/salt = rusted strut towers.

Invest in a good undercoating, if its not already too late.

Stored in the winter for previous 3 years, since I got the new paint job!

AWD+4 Snow tires = pure fun, bring on the snow

2 years ago I had a turbo fwd for the winter. last year I had a awd auto. This year will be my 92 fwd turbo. All had or will be snow tire equiped.

Dec 24th 2004, driving to work after a snowstorm had dumped 5" on London.

Cars were backed up on the on/pff ramps to the 401 because they hadn't been plowed yet.
Honda Civic stuck blocking the way to the Exeter road exit; couldn't make it through the snow.

Enter a lowered 97 Tsi AWD with snow tires......

Snow isn't a big deal, it's the salt/corrosion.

I second that. Mine's never seen snow, and never will, and still showed a bit of rust in the one tower.. about the size of a quarter. Already had it cut out, soaked both layers with POR 15, and metal re-welded back in.. too much invested in it to take the risk of it creeping.

I swear they were designed to rust! Stupid 2 layer metal design.

Im gonna store my 1G for the winter so that the rust doesnt get n e worse. As well, it gives me time to do all the things I did not have time to do in the summer because I was too busy driving. I still have an old 4WD Subaru for the winter though. 4WD is the way to go for winter.....and my Sub is ugly but built like a tank. Run it in to a brick wall and keep driving (trust me).

Hey tyler you got an old subie justy?

3 winters so far plus whatever the previous owner did and 250,000 kms later I'm just starting to show a spot now.

No under coat either.

With snow tires, you can drive in the snow with the AWD as if it's a rainy summer day

Since my new shell, this will be her second time winter stored in Ontario. She hasn't seen a day of salt ever (western shell).
People think I'm crazy when I tell them I store my AWD in the winter and drive a FWD instead.

i just got my 2G AWD this summer.. and i will be storing it and driving my old accord... the car already has little rust from last owner..d ont want it to get worse....

Looking forward to driving AWD with snows in the deep stuff...after I get her properly undercoated.

Just remember, you may have AWD, but everyone has 4 wheel brakes. Every hard snowfall usually brings out the wreckless overconfident SUV drivers that that the first ones smashing into curbs and snowbanks.

Had mine for 2.5 years & this will be my third winter to store it. Car was from SC and doesn't have a spot of rust anywhere including the undercarriage & I wan't to keep it that way. I hate working on rusty parts that get seized up & break . Plus the ZR tires are 3" of ground clearance aren't the best for winter driving

True, but not everyones 4 wheel brakes have limited slip differentials and viscous couplers to help even out the speeds of those 4 braking wheels. Ours do. (Especially those of us with a front LSD as well)

While it's still possible to lock up a wheel, it usually won't happen until you get all 4 to lock. Up until that point, the wheels that have traction are still keeping the "sliding" wheels turning (although at a lower speed than they would be if free rolling), and as long as they are turning and the slip angle isn't too great, there is still a portion of that tire's tread that is gripping the ground and helping to give you lateral stability, even though the tire is "sliding". The amount of the tire contact patch that is gripping depends on the difference in speed between the ground and the tire.

EDIT: My new talon will also hibernate for the winter, as it has done since it was bought in Ontario in '92.

ive just bought my car this year and i will be putting it away for the winer. Too low in my opinion i fear for my front end. And salt= death .

I drove my TSi FWD first winter with all season Pilots, bad decision. Second year with Blizzaks, third the engine was being rebuilt. This year winters but undecided which tire to go with.

Dan you got lucky on Dec 24th, I finally left my place around 10:00 am (after helping push out 2 civics, an Outback, and a Jimmy from my street. Anyway the plows where only doing some of the major roads, so if you tired to turn onto a road not plowed from a road that was plowed you got hung up. Saw an Police Explorer hung up and about 12 guys (from a Timmy's) running over to a Hummer that was in a ditch that day on the way into work. I got to work about 15 minutes before they sent us home. London is sweet for the ladies but not for the snow.

Built a 1990 Talon ES AWD. That's right. 135HP and AWD. It's a dog on the pavement but the test is on the snow.

lol

lol, don't think your the only one... my car ran like that for 12 months after i blew the turbo motor in it!

But now,

I only drove my car one winter, the winter it had the NT motor in it, besides that she was parked last winter and she'll be parked again this winter to due some body work & paint.

Bought my first Talon (90 TSi FWD) in summer '95. Bought my current one in summer '00. Neither one ever saw snow (while I owned them). It's not the snow I'm worried about, it's the salt and everybody else sliding around in the snow. It's no secret, the body lasts longer if it doesn't see salt. Ask any body shop in which season they see their most collision work. Hint: it's not in the lazy days of August.

I'll be storing mine, previous owner did not and theres a huge nasty patch on the passanger side strut tower and a few rust spots on the drivers side starting, i'll be fixing them this winter. Driving a 87 Olds Cierra.

I didn't think that many people would be cool driving a sports car in the winter but I guess I was wrong. Also, I've noticed the AWD guys have more of a love affair with snow than us FWD guys.

also, rust sucks! I've a little spot on the towers and in the hatch. Undreneath it's clean, just those 2 areas. Any where else is big on rust in 2g's?

it is a Subie Loyale actually. It is more rust then car. It is a flat 4 and if I take the muffler off it sounds like a WRX.
Subaru Loyale has officially been PIMPED

Drive one in the snow with snow tires and you'll understand

I love my AWD 2G in the winter. When I was looking to buy a newer car, one of the criterion was that it must have 4WD to handle snow with ease.

I'm getting snow tires this year, but even with crappy all-season tires so far, the car has amazed me every winter. Sometimes I'd even go out in the worst possible weather, and stop on steep hills in deep snow, just to see if I would get stuck.

And of course smoking everyone off the lights is just way too cool while they're stuck there in the snow.

I drove the first few years on the 97 AWD in the snow... mmmmmmmm fuuuuuunnnnn...!

BUT!
Not safe/fun, without good snows.
Just doesn't compare with so called "all season" tires.

You know, there's no such thing as an "all season tire", unless you live in Arizona.
Everything else is a compromise.

Nokian Hakkapalitas 2 are one of the best.
The hold on ice, cut the snow, and actually last several seasons.
If you had any thoughts, get them FAST... they'll almost all be gone by now. They come from Finland (where they know something about snow) and always run out!

I'm storing the VR-4 in the winter and play with my rally prepped rally car (90 Tsi)...

This will be the first winter for my 1993 AWD, it has never been winter driven before. Not a spot of rust, I will make sure it gets heavily undercoated though.

AWD NT 5 SPD w/ winter's and ABS for me. Good DSM's in the garage.

*warning shamless plug*
I have an awd rolling shell without motor or tranny if anyones interested.
Cheap.

How cheap are we talking?

I'll push it down the 401 if its cheap enough!

Just picked up a 90 TSi AWD already equippped with Nordic Icetracs for the winter.. actually looking forward to some snow now!

I drove my last 92 thru winter a bit .It was alberta car and was in good shape. Also they don't use much salt in saskatchewan as it wouldn't help much.It's usually too cold to melt it anyway so they mostly use sand.
The awd 92 turbo was great and put snow/ice tires
on it..think they were kumo forget now...
I still almost died a few times getting a bit
crazy with the big turbo modded up car and if did it again would have put the optional studs
in the tires. It was good on snow but lousy on ice,better than standard all seasons but not
enough to really grip without studs.The kumo snow/ice were pretty cheap though not like expensive blizzacks.
I am not driving my new 97 which was a bc car
.One reason is its just too nice to risk having someone rear end it or crash into it or lose control of it and bang it up. I may drive it a month or so longer than my other car toys and take it out maybe a month earlier than them also.
One thing I notice is the turbo cars generally get pretty fast in negative 40 below days!!
Not much heat soak then even on stock intercooler.

I may get another beater awd turbo someday if come across one for dirt cheap. I have two daily driver vehicles right now..99 taurus and 2001 two wheel drive dodge ram so not a big deal to store my nice cars.

I'll be drifting around london thats forsure!! Got some serious snow tires and steel rims!! Now if I hit a curb I wont care as much lol.

Been driving my FWD for the past 6 years and I've never been stuck. Cant say I actually moved much either on those bad snow days where I went through all the gears spinning but, this year we just picked up a new car for the wife so I'll be keeping her MX-3 for the winter(with snow tires) so I can do some work on the Talon.

i drove mine the last two winters. It is a Vancouver car and will get oil-sprayed this year. I have all season CT tires and it is much better than our 2000 Legacy GT wagon with snow tires in the snow/ice.

AWD rules in the snow!!!!!!!

i got two talons, one for the summer, one for the winter, both awd ofcourse!!! i love passing people in the winter! soo much fun.

once you go awd u dont go back... lol i have 2 awds. one 92 (winter) and one 2g. These things are amazing in the snow... some say these cars with good snow tires in the winter is cheating..but nothin beats driving sidways down a road bouncin off the limiter and onlookers wonder whats goin on lol..awd dsm + snow = extreme fun..

sinc emy post up there ^^^ i have since decuded to drive my awd int he winter... this is not only my first winter with awd.. but first winter driving ever... so watch out Londoners for a white 2G

lol good luck Murt
just watch for other drivers.. your driving can be perfect.. but a honda can't stop as fast as you!
I"m working on my project this winter 92 tsi awd
I'm going for a steathly look with about 400 to 500 hp should be fun
I'm walking to work and takeing a second job to pay for my project
I can't wait till next summer

I must say, First time driving tonight in a FWD TSI and I didn't like it at all.

Time to pull out the MX-3 with the winters.

I'm sure the car would be fine with winters but without it, the FWD TSI feels "subpar"

Just my opinion

1994 TSI FWD + E-Brake - ABS = FUN...

Bring it on baby!!

ooooook... today was not fun at all... my car was reaaaaaly slipping every where... near stop signs just tapping brakes to slow down.. and im sliding every where... i guess it doesnt help that i dont haev winter tires yet...
also... how would i tell if my awd works? i have some thoughts of it being dead when the towtruck took it away before on its back wheels down.

Set aside some money for new rear calipers.

I thought today was a blast. I think I was the only one on the roads enjoying it.

It's raining here

It's also about 25 degrees

The Subie likes the snow so far. I felt like Collin McCrea last night comming home from work. She needs new shoes though, in a bad way. Awd or not, its scary without proper winter tires.

Took the car out drifting today, almost as fun as summer.. not gonna lie. However it dose not stop too good with summer tires.

My Jimmy is a drift machine with RWD and nubbie Snow tires. Almost makes me smile to have to drive...almost

was intown....10lbs of vac or higher and my tires are spinning.. I need some winter tires fast

Some broad stopped dead in front of me today on the way home for lunch. I had a good amount of space between us, but in this slush you don't just signal last second and pull over (not to mention that she was still partially on the road).

Nearly sideswiped her at like .5mph!! I need tires! Doesn't really need to be winter tires, but something with a little more tread!

Well my car isn't on the road yet, but when I've taken it out for a boot the winter tires grip like a son of a gun. Except when I hit the boost and I'm going sideways down the street, gets some nice looks though. Just need a new throwout bearing, and if syncromesh doesnt work a new tranny.

First few days in real snow.

Glad I still have ABS.

Turning in a FWD TSI is a science

turning in the FWD isn't my problem I hate the traction on hills is impossible had to wait till all the hills were cleared

Well I had the 2G AWD on the road last winter but this winter I wanted to store it so i could modify and keep the km's down. Man first day out in some good snowy conditions this year and I missed it something awful. I picked up the Grand am for a winter car and something to drive my drums around with in the summer. The DSM isn't the greatest when lugging a drum set around to gigs all the time. The Grand am only has 100 000 original kms on it which is amazing for a 92. It is exeptional in the snow for a front wheel drive vehicle but nothing like the Talon. Not as fun. The only problem is with the 3.3L V6 it has a lot of torque and spins easily if you put your foot too far down in the snow. I gotta say i am amazed at the pickup that thing has on pavement though. Anyways for anybody who is about to experience their first winter with an AWD you are in for a treat. Gotta love when the turbo kicks in and shoots you down the street on an angle. And if you want to have a lot of fun, find an empty parking lot and do some donuts. You can do 360's on the spot and give yourself some whiplash and a sick stomach.......... I miss my car already.

EDIT: I also enjoyed how the 4WD 1/2 ton guys thought they were the best in the snow cause they had 4WD and than you look at the look on their faces when you are waiting for them at the next intersection. Yup the DSM's really do have it all.

On a side note, what do you guys have your PSI set at for winter?

If your AWD it shouldnt need to change really, I used to run like 20psi all winter long, same as summer. But, for a FWD lowering the boost to near stock levels may help with traction.

My bad.

I meant Tire PSI.

I'm FWD. So no change in tire preassure?

in snowed like a bit"" in st.catharines yesterday. I still have my car on the road but its going away soon. it took me over anhour to get home i never thought fwd would suck so bad in the snow. and the only time you would actually want anti lock brakes you dont have it. it was fun getting into my parents tacker though and putting into 4wd, good old times with 4wd

Raf- depends what you are running in the summer, what are you runnning right now?

When I had my NT dsm I took the pressure down to 28 psi all around. The summer I ran 34 psi all around.

Lower psi will give you more tire wear and less milage but give you a softer tire.

Im running 28 psi in the front, 22 in the back. I've never had so much traction!! Gotta love these goodyear ultra grips and AWD. Just insanity!!

I'm down to 32 in the front and 36 in the back.

In the summer, since I do PURE highway driving, I was running 38 all around

Just want to know what's good on this car.

Depends on what tire you run. I'm running 38 front and 35 rear on my Hakka2's.

@Chris, 28 & 22 seem pretty damn low. You driving on ice?

No, hes just a meathead, with brand new tires he wants to burn the tread of unnessisarily.