1st time in snow/slush w/ my M5

[Mazda5wannabe]

Phratt, What is your weather description? Where I live (Vancouver Island), any weather that happens when the temp is at or below freezing is a big storm. If that weather lasts more than three days, we call it a natural disaster of epic proportions.

LOL, I lived in Nanaimo for 20+ years, and know well what you mean by epic proportions. I now live in Kelowna, which actually has four seasons, instead of the two you Islanders enjoy (dry and wet). The people here laugh when they see the Lower Mainland and Island (AKA the Wets Coast) get snow, but they have no clue what that snow is like.

Here we get powder snow. Dry, doesn't compact easily, easy to shovel and makes lousy snowballs, and is pretty easy to drive on. On the coast they get wet clumps, that freezes quickly, makes ruts and is horrible to drive through and shovel, but makes GREAT snowballs!

When I lived on the coast, I never bought snow tires, three season tires (as I call them) were the norm and were necessary if you wanted traction during the wet season (AKA any month with vowels in the name), and parked the car for the few days there was snow on the ground.

Here in the interior I wouldn't attempt to drive without proper snow tires on all four corners. I know people who still think three seasons are fine in the city, but they are INSANE!

 

[wmzda5]

I make a point to stay well clear of other mazda5's in the winter if I see that they are running the OEM wheels, usually means they are running the stock tires in the winter.

Well I drive in winter with the stock wheels on winter but with 17" Yoko IG20s on it

 

[chitownpete]

Here in Chicago we dont get snow like we used to and some OEM all-seasons work well. I had a Honda Element and Del Sol si that required different tires if you wanted to drive in snow or rain safely, they were horrible. The Toyos are fine here if you drive like its snowing out. The stock Yokos on the wifes Forester work too well to replace. Unfortunately in this town the biggest problem is people running into you. We have a lot of illegal aliens around here who have never had drivers ED and can't read the street signs. Controlling my 5 is the least of my worries. Im glad I gave the Toyos a chance before buying snows. Then again I had 3 2wd pickup trucks that worked fine and I was told that was impossible (mostly by guys who were in debt for their 4x4s).

 

[wmzda5]

I love my 5, its been almost 3 years and I still love it. My opinion when I got the car new is if you will be buying snow tires later, might as well buy as soon as possible and don't risk any accident, you will be saving the life of your OEM tires anyways. My only regret is I should have went with 16s w/ steel rims (CAD 650), a lot cheaper than the Yoko IG 20 alone (CAD 900).

 

[Phratt]

Unfortunately in this town the biggest problem is people running into you. We have a lot of illegal aliens around here who have never had drivers ED and can't read the street signs. Controlling my 5 is the least of my worries.

Hi,

I finally found the TV show I spoke about on this forum... Canada's worst drivers on discovery.

There is a guy on that show (his name is Arun and is a mechanical engineer student) that came from India (i think). He says he got his drivers permit in his country simply by sitting in the car and starting the engine. Came here and the government gave him a Canadian driving permit.

Is this this how it works to get a driver's permit in the USA?

I live in Montreal, I completely understand when you say that the biggest problem is people running into you... been there - lived that !

 

[coolmazda5]

Eastern PA, you'll be fine, but wouldn't hurt some better ones when replacing them, it makes a big difference...

 

[skyhawk]

Hi,
I live in Montreal, I completely understand when you say that the biggest problem is people running into you... been there - lived that !

The same here in Saskatchewan. With winter tires, you have some sort of control over the vehicle following you. You can slow down early on and then move forward after the vehicle behind has slowed down too. I stop at some distance from the vehicle in front, observe the vehicles following me and
I still have some space to move forward when I see him/her sliding in.

4x4 SUVs with TCS and AWDs, They will 'not need' winter tires owners will say. Although I think it is because the winter tires for those vehicles can be expensive. I did see many of them ending up in the ditch along Don Valley parkway - when I was still in Toronto.

 

[Phratt]

In Montreal today, there was a little white stuff coming down from the sky (2 inches or so). I HAD to lite up the brake lights - the only thing slowing down the Mazda5 with the snow in front of my tires - or else there were vehicles slipping and sliding behind me. BBBAAAAAAAAAAADDD drivers.....

Oh yes - I almost forgot - the ABS did kick in once.... when a girl popped out from the curve, between cars to flag me down... so I braked hard.

She wanted to know if I had an accident report in the car to give her... (gossip)(boom03)

 

[mpvue]

they were threatening ice and snow today, after raining all afternoon. had to drive 30mi in the rain right at 34degrees, fortunately stayed liquid. I made sure I was indoors before it got dark and the temp dropped.

 

[Funktional]

Made the commute home today at 5:30pm with frozen precip and 32 degrees showing on the AMB temp display. Some sections of road at higher elevations were frozen over. Taking things 5-10 mph below the speed limit the V did just fine. I am really starting to think most major complaints against the Toyo's might come from Auto tranny owners who have a much more difficult time modulating throttle input.

 

[KBrian]

Last night, the temp quickly fell to a few degrees below freezing after a cloudburst. As a result, the roads iced up quickly.

We were cruising around, looking at the xmas lights (5 adults in the 5), slowing to a crawl, then speeding to the next big display.

The 5 was able to start on hills without wheelslip, brake and steer with no drama, and handle the weather with no trouble.

16" wheels with winters at each corner.

 

[mazda5owner2008]

I'm a brand new member to these forums (just signed up today), so maybe there is information already out there related to my question. If so, would someone please tell me how to find it?

Here's my issue. I have a 2006 Mazda5 Sport with all-season tires (Potenzas) that have about 13,000 miles on them. Early in December, I nearly got stuck on a small patch of packed snow/ice on a slight incline leading up to an intersection. Surprised and alarmed me, and caused frustration for the drivers behind me. Subsequently, I found it difficult to get up my 75-foot long driveway, which has an incline starting about 10 feet in from the street and stretching 35-40 feet before leveling off. The only way I can get in the driveway is to back across the street into the neighbor's driveway and get a running start across the street and up my driveway.

My wife's 2005 Subaru Legacy, of course, has no problems since it's all-wheel drive. I also had no problems with my 2000 Chrysler Town and Country minivan, which was front-wheel drive but had traction control.

I realize my Mazda5 doesn't have traction control, and there's no way I know of to add it as an aftermarket item.

Does anyone else out there, especially in colder climates that routinely receive snow and ice, have the same problem? Any suggestions for driving techniques that overcome the lack of traction control?

My Mazda5 has the four-speed automatic transmission with manual-mode shifting.

Thanks for any suggestions anyone can make.

 

[skyhawk]

I realize my Mazda5 doesn't have traction control, and there's no way I know of to add it as an aftermarket item.

Does anyone else out there, especially in colder climates that routinely receive snow and ice, have the same problem? Any suggestions for driving techniques that overcome the lack of traction control?

My Mazda5 has the four-speed automatic transmission with manual-mode shifting.

Thanks for any suggestions anyone can make.

- You need a Set of winter tires with steelies. ..
I don't think you can do much without them.

Then: assuming you have winter tires,

- Use 'Manual traction' control.' At stop lights trying to move forwsard,
Ease off the gas when the tire starts to spin. car then inches forward to less 'shiny road surface' and hit the gas again. Once going, a mazda5 with winter tires is ok. Turning corners is usually 'uneventful'.

- TCS maybe useful.. Like computers doing the 'easing off the gas'.
But we have the 2006GT. So no luck.

- Your next problem will be the ones following behind, and tail gaiting.
I do have control over them.. slowing early and stopping far
from the car in front.. Then when I see car behind has slowed
down, I inch slowly forward. Or if I see him 'slipping his way
towards my back, I still have space to move forward.

It saved me from possible fender bender many times.


4-minute video of mazda5 equipped with hankook winter Ipike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJxjidIgaXU

 

[skyhawk]

Hello. I took another footage. This time they just shaved the snow
off and left us with shiny, icy road surface.

There is a red car to the right. I think it has a Traction control.
I noticed the tire does a continous 'spin-roll-spin-roll' cycle.
He is starting out slower however. And I can hear his engine rev up high but the vehicle still
moved gradually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rYasdGodUI

 

[DGF]

Virginia

This the farthest South we have ever lived. Moved here from Maine, Chicago, South Dakota etc. Some winters we go the whole season without snow. This was not one of those years. The problem here is most peoples lack of experience driving in snow, ice. The 5 has been excellent, it travels well and so far I have not been stuck, haven't even skidded. I have OEM tires and they seem to grip well. Front wheel drive is certainly more than half of four wheel drive. This last storm gave us 21 inches. Crippling for this area.

 

[ljmattox]

Had my new 2010 Mazda5 out in the snow yesterday for the first time.

We had 2-3 ins of wet, snowball-grade snow, very slippery.

I was suspicious of my stock Toyo A18's, but they were passable in this stuff. Up/down the street was fine, not too steep around here. Getting into my driveway, I stopped on purpose at its steepest point and started; it got going and made it in, although with a lot of TCS help and slewing 6-8 ins. Not too confidence-inspiring, I'll definitely move to winter tires for next year.

At least it's a *lot* better than my CX7 with factory tires. It had Bridgestone Turanza's and was basically immobilized with the first snowstorm. I switched to Nokians and they transformed its winter capabilities.