is it ok to drive a RX8 in a cold winter day?

[dolhah]

will the weather hurt the engine? is it okay on snow?
cuz i'm living in calgary... and im so interested in the rx8...
thx!

 

[FunkyBuddha]

No..as long as you let it warm up.

 

[ZoomZoomH]

just don't start and shut it down quickly, and you'll be fine.

oh, and snow tires will do wonders for the car (well kinda obvious since you're in Calgary, heh)

 

[dolhah]

so it's okay when i warm the car before i drive it?

i hate getting winter tires... cuz they look very ugly...

 

[doctorr]

Calgary cold......

The engine - no problem, even starts nicely at -30*C.

The handling - also no problem, stability control, limited slip diff, ABS, traction control, all make for an EXCELLENT ice/snow car.

The tires - Big problems. Even with no ice or snow, the cold will freeze that summer rubber like solid plastic, no grip at all. If you venture out on ICE in your summer booties, you will die. Quickly. You will be lucky to make it up your own driveway, never mind Deerfoot!

I drove all last winter with some Toyo Garit snows and some cheap rims. (went down to 17")
Grippy and stable with good braking, even on ice.

Good winter driver, but not on summer rubber.
.
.
.
doc

so it's okay when i warm the car before i drive it?

i hate getting winter tires... cuz they look very ugly...

 

[mcstark]

so it's okay when i warm the car before i drive it?

i hate getting winter tires... cuz they look very ugly...

Your car will look sooo good sitting in a snowbank too! If you're worried about looks, just get 16 or 17-inch alloys.

Of course, I much prefer GO to SHOW.

I'm just messin' with ya man...winter sucks, but we gotta make the best of it.

 

[russr]

Do you have to drop to 17" or 16" wheels because there are no winter tires available for 18" wheels?

 

[ZoomZoomH]

17" is the minimum size needed to fit the dinner-plate sized brake rotors on the RX-8

and yes people are buying a complete new set of 17's with snow tires (AND with tire pressure monitoring system, standard on the RX-8) for winter.

 

[russr]

17" is the minimum size needed to fit the dinner-plate sized brake rotors on the RX-8

and yes people are buying a complete new set of 17's with snow tires (AND with tire pressure monitoring system, standard on the RX-8) for winter.

If 17" is the minimum is it not better to go with the stock 18" wheels?

 

[ZoomZoomH]

either the 18" snow tires are too expensive, or there aren't any available, hence the 17" wheel/tire combo.

 

[Pretzellogic]

If 17" is the minimum is it not better to go with the stock 18" wheels?

Seriously: it's the winter. A one inch drop in tire diameter and a small sacrifice in the looks department is better than you ending up in a ditch.

I run 15" steelies witih snow tires. Who cares how it looks, as long as it's on the road?

 

[Shane5425]

dam, in louisiana, we have 2 seasons... Wet and Dry, we never get snow.. just lots of water and rain.. and the summers are average at 90 to 100degrees...

what is different on snow tires??

 

[ZoomZoomH]

snow tires have rubber compounds that do not freeze up solid like summer tires when the temperature drop below freezing, plus special tread patterns that improves snow traction.

 

[Pretzellogic]

dam, in louisiana, we have 2 seasons... Wet and Dry, we never get snow.. just lots of water and rain.. and the summers are average at 90 to 100degrees...

what is different on snow tires??

Rub it in, why don't ya

 

[Shane5425]

trust me, you dont want a foot of water on the road at any given day...