[Blue Mazda]

Well we finally got some of the white stuff in CT and I finally got to test my Speed 6 in the snow. I have Blizzak LM-22's on a 2nd set of stock rims that I use for the winter. I have to say I am very impressed with how this car handles itself in the snow. The DSC works great and keeps the car on track if it tries to plow. No more spinning away from stop lights like in my past FWD cars. The car felt well planted and very confident on the snow covered roads. Best car hands down I have ever owned for driving in the snow.

 

[ninecoronas]

Well we finally got some of the white stuff in CT and I finally got to test my Speed 6 in the snow. I have Blizzak LM-22's on a 2nd set of stock rims that I use for the winter. I have to say I am very impressed with how this car handles itself in the snow. The DSC works great and keeps the car on track if it tries to plow. No more spinning away from stop lights like in my past FWD cars. The car felt well planted and very confident on the snow covered roads. Best car hands down I have ever owned for driving in the snow.[/b]

Great to hear. I have pirelli pzero nero's on mine, and it handles pretty damn well. Only thing I don't like is how so much slush is kicked under my car leaving those dark whatchamacallit ice/slush chunks in my wheel wells. They're sitting right by my tires so I always kick them off whenever possible.

 

[dynasty_v6]

Always roll your windows up before doing donuts. I've got a light dusting of grass and snow everywhere!!! Side note Fargo, ND = -23F this morning!!!

 

[bfischer]

Always roll your windows up before doing donuts. I've got a light dusting of grass and snow everywhere!!! Side note Fargo, ND = -23F this morning!!![/b]

Uhhhmm, if it is -23 (hell if it is 32) I am pretty sure most people would have their windows up. Are you a polar bear or something?

 

[iiijay743iii]

Well we finally got some of the white stuff in CT and I finally got to test my Speed 6 in the snow. I have Blizzak LM-22's on a 2nd set of stock rims that I use for the winter. I have to say I am very impressed with how this car handles itself in the snow. The DSC works great and keeps the car on track if it tries to plow. No more spinning away from stop lights like in my past FWD cars. The car felt well planted and very confident on the snow covered roads. Best car hands down I have ever owned for driving in the snow.[/b]

+1 It wasn't as much as I was hoping for but it was still fun

 

[Blue Mazda]

+1 It wasn't as much as I was hoping for but it was still fun [/b]

Yah, it wasn't much snow, only 2 or 3 inches. Unfortunately when I got into work at 6AM they had already done the lot. If they hadn't I was totally turning off the DSC and doing some AWD donuts!

 

[ninecoronas]

No doughnuts for me.

Cop loves busting kids doing doughnuts in our parking lots. Plus I never could find an empty parking lot around here that had snow, that didn't have a cop in it so I could do doughnuts.

Anyway, I do drift my car in the snow a little, if it can be called that...

no tokyo drift style e-braking, just angling the car sharply and letting it slide perfectly in. thats how I roll.

:laugh: :laugh:

 

[cheesefarmer]

....winter tires take the fun out of winter driving on the MS6

 

[Nasos Abt]

in gravel is our awd system also succefull? :sarc:

 

[yomama69]

I just got back from doing AWD doughnuts in the park parkinglot. Fun stuff.

 

[Labarlow1]

....winter tires take the fun out of winter driving on the MS6[/b]

I was worried about handling, but pretty impressed with the Blizzak LM-22's. I love not being held hostage to a snow storm anymore. Although, now I am a taxi for daughter with RX8 sitting in the garage when it snows. Why should she fork out for winter rubber? You know how many pairs of shoes that would buy? :sarc:

 

[dynasty_v6]

Uhhhmm, if it is -23 (hell if it is 32) I am pretty sure most people would have their windows up. Are you a polar bear or something? [/b]

Haha, Yes I am. I got the speed6 b/c I talked the dealer into installing seal skin the seats!!! I also got it pearl white to match my wife!!!

It was only -5F ish the night I did that. ND sux for weather. It's always 20 mph winds every single day!!!! It was -33F, -60F windsheild one day last winter! And the senery is flat feilds. But it is nothing like the movie. A good job that pays for my school and the speed6 is all that keeps me here besides friends and family.

The window was down b/c we were video taping our childish jackass ways.

 

[Blue Mazda]

I was worried about handling, but pretty impressed with the Blizzak LM-22's. I love not being held hostage to a snow storm anymore. Although, now I am a taxi for daughter with RX8 sitting in the garage when it snows. Why should she fork out for winter rubber? You know how many pairs of shoes that would buy? :sarc:[/b]

Yah, I love my LM22s. They don't handle as good as the stock tires in the dry but the still keep the car fun to drive.

 

[timivers]

I just bought my mazdaspeed6 and figured i'd wait until next year to buy 17s and snow tires. The stock tires suck in the snow. put a small scrape in the rim couple days ago when i slid sideways on a hill and into a curb. where'd you get your tire/rim package and how much?

 

[digger10t]

I just bought my mazdaspeed6 and figured i'd wait until next year to buy 17s and snow tires. The stock tires suck in the snow. put a small scrape in the rim couple days ago when i slid sideways on a hill and into a curb. where'd you get your tire/rim package and how much?[/b]

There are actually tons of options...and tons of threads, too. Search around a bit and you'll find all you need. For the long and short of it, you can start at tirerack.com they have some nice packages. a 17" package for a 6s will fit.

Personally, I wanted to stay with 18's so I bought a set of 18x7.5 MB Drifters and put 225-40 Nitto ultra performance snows on there. I love them even more since I didn't have to roll the fenders. Given that it's been a very warm and dry winter, I am glad I went with the wider 18's.

Congrats on the purchase.

....winter tires take the fun out of winter driving on the MS6[/b]

We had some snow two weeks ago, and I found that I preferred having the traction of awd and winter tires. There is always enough power to get the car to slip, slide, drift or whatever other snowy fun can be had with the DSC off, but then you have the ability to just pull away when you're done playing.

 

[Japan8]

Great to hear. I have pirelli pzero nero's on mine, and it handles pretty damn well. Only thing I don't like is how so much slush is kicked under my car leaving those dark whatchamacallit ice/slush chunks in my wheel wells. They're sitting right by my tires so I always kick them off whenever possible.[/b]

Oh you too, eh? I find myself kicking that crud off my baby almost every time I park.

 

[Blue Mazda]

Well, now the speed takes on 26" of the white stuff in Burlington, VT over this past week. I did get stuck once......in a 2' snow bank created in the middle of a road by snow plows, but that was it. I got around down town Burlington VT, which was still in rough shape when I left Friday afternoon, with no problems at all. Even with DSC on you can flip the back end out a little bit on the car if you want to but it totally holds you in check. Again, VERY impressed with this little tank in the snow!

 

[lbosson]

There may be no point in mentioning this but I want to make sure it's not just me...

With stock tires this car is a death trap in the snow. It's a sled with absolutely no steering ability or stopping power but without the added advantage of being able to jump off when approching a tree. With a half an inch of packed snow on the road I am literally unable to stop the car. The anti-lock brakes are firing left and right with no help. Even if two wheels are on pavement and the other two are on snow, stopping the car is almost impossible. The best method I have found is to engine brake as much as I can and then hope and pray from 15 = 0 mph.

Do snow tires really make that much of a difference? Which would you recommend? What size rim? Ones with a smaller width perhaps?

Until then I think it will just be safter to ride my motorcycle when it snows. j/k

Thanks!

-Lew

 

[Owen Birch]

Do snow tires really make that much of a difference?[/b]

Are cleats better than penny loafers on a football field?
Do off-road trucks use slicks?

To answer your question, yes, they make a huge difference.

 

[Guest]

There may be no point in mentioning this but I want to make sure it's not just me...

With stock tires this car is a death trap in the snow. It's a sled with absolutely no steering ability or stopping power but without the added advantage of being able to jump off when approching a tree. With a half an inch of packed snow on the road I am literally unable to stop the car. The anti-lock brakes are firing left and right with no help. Even if two wheels are on pavement and the other two are on snow, stopping the car is almost impossible. The best method I have found is to engine brake as much as I can and then hope and pray from 15 = 0 mph.[/b]

This is helpful. I'm looking at buying a MS6, Acura TL, or BMW 325xi, and trying to figure out which handles the snow better, with and without snow tires. Sounds like I'll need snows for the MS6 under any snowy weather.