I'm considering an s2000 but can't afford for it to be a fair-weather-only car. Does anyone out there drive their's in the snow? Just wondering if it'll handle about as well as my '85 Civic!

Curious in Colorado

 

I still have an old set of 5th Gen Prelude rims. I was gonna get snow tires and sand bags in the trunk... Just got my S2000 too, I'd like hear how people managed theirs.

 

Many people do drive the S in the snow, just be sure to get a set of snow tires.

 

Yeah, get a good set of snow tires. Stock tires + snow = bad things. Ask me I know.

 

I have driven my S2000 in the winter here in Vermont. I bought a set of Blizzaks and tried it out for a season. The tires help, but the car is not ideal for the hilly conditions here. It is fine in the light powder, but starting from a dead stop is difficult if there is a hill. Also, the fast steering ratio and short wheelbase make the car a little twitchy. The low ground clearance doesn't help much either. That being said, the car is a blast to drift around in the snow, and it has the best heater I have ever experienced.

So yes, it can be done. I ended up getting a winter beater Civic after one season. I have set of snow tires I can sell you if you are interested!!

jd

 

My car is daily driven year round in snowy Cleveland winters. I have a set of blizzak WS-50s (also considered the LM-22s) and the car does just fine. How it handles in the snow is mostly determined by the driver, not the car. Just be smart and careful.

Oh, and make sure you get under the car with a pressure washer when the cold season is over to rid of the salt!

 

It sort of depends on how anal you are about the car. For three winters, I garaged Neb because I didn't want to hurt the car. Last winter, things changed in my life and I said WTF and drove it. I'm glad I did.

Still, I'm not sure I'd want the car as my only winter car. In really bad storms, I leave the S home and take my Sidekick to work.

 

Personally I would not drive a RWD sport car in the snow....EVER.

I have had nothing but success with my 1991 Honda accord in the snow that I bought just for driving in poor conditions. I've driven a 300ZX and an MR2 in the snow and it was VERY hairy. Snow tires will help but packed powder or ice and you are in trouble. RWD in ice/packed snow is the worst combination I've ever experienced.

If you must drive in snow with it...at least take it to a deserted parking lot first time the ground is covered and play around with it just to see how the car reacts in snow and get a feel for how to recover slides.

One accident in the snow will cost more than just buying a $1500 beater for snow days. Having a beater also dropped my insurance on the sports car by 30% +

 

One storm a while back I could have put a salt spreader, and one of those "keep 100 feet back" signs on the car and passed as a snow plow (lake effect can drop a lot of snow in such little time).

 

(The I agree was meant for chazmo not jlude.)


As for packed snow and ice, thats what separates the LM-22s from the WS-50s.