how does the p5 handle in snow??

[tranzformer]

Hey guys, im still looking at getting a p5. Just wondering how it handles in the snow compared to other cars u have owned. Im also looking at the subaru wagons, due to their awd. but i feel the p5 has the upper hand in looks, and fuel economy.

 

[JOS3]

some people have tropuble driving in the snow becasue of the tires. i, on the other hand, do not drive like a maniac and therefore have no problems. i guess you could always get snow tires......

 

[Apocalypso]

Blizzaks.

 

[tranzformer]

so pretty much it handles like any other front wheel drive car??? or would u say a little better due to its handling abilities (im talking about same driver, i know driver has a big part)

 

[Roywhitep5]

snow+p5=doriftowned

 

[sidpro5]

Could be slightly better, but as mentioned above, the tires could be partly to blame. Basic rule of thumb-When there is snow on the ground, proceed with caution. At a slower speed. I know that seems like common sense, but..................I've had mine for two Philly-area winters now, and hasn't been too bad. Once you get a feel for how it responds in the snow, you'll be fine.

 

[tranzformer]

thanx for the help, i live in the midwest and go to school in mich so i get a fair amount of snow. Plus i usually go out to the rockies to ski once a year. sounds like the p5 will be as good as any other car

 

[Dexter]

I use stock p5 tires as my winter tires on my MSP. They work fine for usual chicago winters, unless something freak happens. In which case ill sit home.

 

[MonsterB]

well I owned a suby 2.5 gt automatic for 4 1/2 years, and traded it in this december for a new p5......I can tell you one thing, the subaru's are second to none when it comes to snow.....they are incredible, you can nail the gas around snowy turns and the car will not slide.....I even pulled a stuck jeep wrangler 6cylendar out of the snow with mine once.....if safety in the snow is your main cocern, go with the subaru, the p5 is just not even close.....with the stock tires on my p5, one day I got stuck just trying to pull into dunkin doughnuts....the little bump inbetween the curbs was enough to make my front tires just spin and I could not get in the parking lot, no matter how I tried, and trafic built up...kinda funny....

I think this is mostly due to the stock tires just being total crap in the snow....they arent too bad in the dry, great actually, but even when it rains, when you take off from a stop into traffic or turn the wheel and pull away, the wheels spin like crazy.....if its wet out, and you have to pull into traffic, and a car is coming, you have to wait, no quick merging or you will spin the tires and sit there looking stupid.....
that being said, I find the p5 to be very stable at speed in the rain and snow for some reason.....its been raining like for two weeks in Boston, and whether I am driving on Rt1 at 50mph or rt128 at 75, even when you hit a puddle the car seems very much in control and has not pulled to one side on me yet...I actually think it handles better at speed than the subaru did.....and you can drive through the twisty's 10 times faster with the p5....if anyone tailgates you, especially an s.u.v. , you can go into turns quick and drop them instantly.....I have people get on my ass all the time going onto the rt 128 on-ramp, and I hit the turn, they keep right on your ass until they realize their car is about to flip over, and you fly away.....it happens almost every day, one asshole hit a guardrail trying to keep up with me one night...haa haa

the p5 is much better than a 2.5 subaru on gas, at least 6 to 8 mpg....I got horrible milage in my subaru, and cut my gas expense by over 33% with the mazda....and its cheaper to insure....but not quite as solid....but much more fun....
oh and I had a ton of problems with my subaru....struts(both ends), timing belt, blown headgasket, brake calipers seizing, oil leaks onto the minfold so the car smelled like burnt oil all the time, none of the dash lights worked, the power locks didnt work, nor did the washer fluid things most of the time.....suspension parts breaking for no apparant reason, wheel bearings going, rust, etc.....I hated the car and wanted to blow it up when I got rid of it, and I get a smile every day I get into my new p5.....
I just wish it was better in the snow, but its not bad enough to say it sucks....

 

[tranzformer]

monsterB, thanks a lot for a great post. after reading more on the p5, i think i am sold on getting one.

 

[BlueMonsta]

P5 should handle better than my Gen 1 protege. after all my shocks are crap.
The winter that just passed, i had no trouble. Even in LARGE snow storm, I managed fine. I just drive slower , and turn with one hand on the handbrake (in case the car understeers, I turn really slow, just in case).

I think a FF car is SAFE in the snow, just drive slow, brake early.
I havent driven a AWD car in the snow, hell i havent even drive one, lol. My guess is, AWD is grippier in the snow. so go with AWD!

 

[Poseur]

I drive just about everyother day all winter up snowboarding. Old car was a 91 civic si with blizzacks. I got slightly over-diameter 185/65/15) Michelin Arctic alpins for my P5 and it is MUCH better handling in the snow than my civic ever was. Alot more stable, and very communicative at the limit. You know when you're going to break loose, and what's gonna happen ahead of time before it just happens. If you plan to be in the snow alot, get snowtires. As far as vs a subaru. the only thing it won't do as well is get up to speed. It'll stop and handle MUCH better, which is really the biggest, most important part of snowhandling anyway. Not that it has HUGE traction probs. if you expect alot of issues, perhaps a LSD would be a good option, but I've never yet had problems. P5+studless snows is awesome. On that note, due to local chain-laws and their AWD exemption, I had a buddy grab me an AWD emblem that I put on my car sothat I wouldn't get pulled over. THe only hairy moments I had int he snow were intentional. Sideways rally-driving a Pro is AWESOME!

 

[romecandleboy]

I'm out here in Missoula, MT where the ground is covered with snow for almost half of the year and my MP5 (stock tires) has handled very well. I did the upgrade to studless snow tires this past winter and it was only a slight improvement. I've always been under the impression that 'all wheel drive' gives most people a false sense of security. I've seen countless subarus in ditches out here as well as some 4WD vehicles. If you drive carefully the P5 will handle fine in the snow. If you want to be a winter dragster with a false sense of security spend 5 grand more and get a subaru.

 

[seatown.P5]

I drive just about everyother day all winter up snowboarding. Old car was a 91 civic si with blizzacks. I got slightly over-diameter 185/65/15) Michelin Arctic alpins for my P5 and it is MUCH better handling in the snow than my civic ever was.

Yeah huh, the Michelins are awesome. Had them on my P5 this winter, no problems what so ever.

It really is all about the tires when it comes to snow (that is, if you don't have AWD). Too many people think their all season tires will be fine and sometimes they are. But nothing beats a good set of winter tires.

 

[xxmikkoxx]

i think the P5 totally sucks in the snow, and i dont drive like a maniac so thats not to blame, i think my old accord stuck to the raod better, i notice when cruising at speed (25-30) traffic flow i get alot of sway where the car slides from side to side when crusing. i need snow tires badly, and i live in central mass so its hilly and very snowy in the winter so i hate driving in the snow, i take eaither of my parents trucks! 4WD!!! thats the fun stuff!! i cant even get out of my driveway sometimes!! P5 is def. not a great car for the snow, but sometimes u just have to make due.

 

[MonsterB]

actually the subaru is better all around in the snow.....and i dont drive fast in the snow at all, but I go up to the mountains alot and work at night when the roads usually havent been plowed yet, and in the subaru you felt safe all of the time.....if someone is sliding near you and maybe going to crash into you in the snow, with the subaru you could get on the gas and get out of the way.....the tires never spun.....also it has antilock brakes, which alot of p5's dont(it was an option, but most every car on the lot didnt have it).....the antilocks will stop much better in the snow, especially in an emergency situation.....

when I drive the p5 even just keeping up with traffic, I always feel like I am on the edge of control, where in my subaru I always felt like I had total control and everyone else seemed to be going too slow.....

I know this is mostly due to the tires though, so I am looking forward to getting new ones, but to say the subaru will only be better in accelaration is not really true.....its in stopping and safety in turns where it is way ahead of the mazda.....
I have owned 9 cars and have driven all of them plus many work trucks and nothing I have ever driven even came close to the subaru in the snow.....
you dont even have to dig the car out when it snows, even if the snow goes up over the hood, you still just get in, put it in drive and it pulls right out.....
but the p5 is better in every other way than snow.....

 

[aftershock63]

I drive like a ******* lunitic in the snow I like to play tank. I got the stock dunlops to spin so much in the snow this past winter that I was at the top of 5th bout almost bouncing off the speed limiter at about 144 and I was maybe actually doing like 40. So i got bizzaks for christmas WOW WOW WOW what a world of difference I actually felt confident drivig in the snow because I knew I wouldn't get them stuck. I could still get them to spin but $250 more than well spend and when these go bald I'll gladly spend the money again.

 

[Iconoclast]

some people have tropuble driving in the snow becasue of the tires. i, on the other hand, do not drive like a maniac and therefore have no problems. i guess you could always get snow tires......

amen, i fuked around and got dry traction Khumos, great on a sunny and dry day, almost like a new suspension-come winter, i hit 2 curbs and a fukkin soccer mom the first snow. not driving like a maniac. as far as snow tires, it would be best to keep the all waether factories.

and go with the other car with all wheel drive, forget the 5-no comparison

 

[Khoifather]

Crazyness, I definitely gotta get me winter tires when the winter comes by....

 

[UtesFanRy]

Hey guys, im still looking at getting a p5. Just wondering how it handles in the snow compared to other cars u have owned. Im also looking at the subaru wagons, due to their awd. but i feel the p5 has the upper hand in looks, and fuel economy.

When I got my 18's, I kept the factory rims and mounted a set of Michelin Pilot Alpin's (Michelin's H-rated "performance" snow tire) in the size 205/50-16 on them. I live in Utah and we get quite a bit of snow. The P5 is nothing short of INCREDIBLE with them on the car. I drove to Montana 4 times between October and March with them on the car and never even so much of hint of a problem, and there are a couple of scary passes between here and there in the winter! Straight line stability in all from light slush to deep heavy snow = awesome. Turning in same = awesome. Braking in same = awesome. I never once wished for all or 4 wheel drive with these tires. Last winter we got 1 really bad storm where it lasted for like 36 straight hours or something. There was literally a foot and a half of snow on the road surface most places. Even plowing with the front of my car (it is lowered) I never got worried about making it where I had to go. The P5 just went there. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. DONT BE SCARED OF THE P5 IN SNOW. But, tires make the difference. (as they do on any car.) They are a 1000% imprevement over the stock Dunlops that I ran for the first winter I had my car.