judging from my g35c experience..... no, the best winter tires would not be enough if the snow is quite thick .... but it does help a lot compare to inot having snow tires thou.....

 

That has always been my feeling about RWD car in heavy snowfall. I sometime drove my brother IS300 with dedicated snow tires after a blizzard and I would get stuck going up a small hill or it felt like driving on egg shell when ever it was moving.

Maybe I'll wait for the G37X, afterall, I intend to keep my next car for as long as my current one.

 

I just came off 5 years with a '03 G35 6MT Coupe and now starting winter with a G37 .. same everything.. black and 6MT (I know.. black has nothing to do with winter, other than trying to wash it!). I always had winter tires on 4 or 5 months of the year as I'm in Western Massachusetts where it SNOWS. My driveway is up a steep road and then a sharp turn up my even steeper driveway. I don't get home without 4 winter tires.. thats only common sense if you live in snow country. What really amazed me was how effective VDC is in the snow. The rear end has never slid more than 12" on snow before it feels like it hit dry pavement. Negotiating my driveway (up to 6" of snow) required a sideways slide to keep momentum up and the VDC just plants me straight after a slight slide. The only real trouble is the power cut at the crest where I WANT to spin some rubber to get over the crest. In the end, I just cut the VDO off three quarters of the way up. Before my wife got winter tires on her Audi A4, the G went up the hill better.. she had to make a couple tries with her Quattro ,, heheh The G37 had the winter tires mounted on some 17" rims, btw.

Now I'm anxious to see how the G37 performs the same feat this winter with 19" winter tires. [SLIP] [SLIP] ;-)

A a footnote.. don't try ANY vehicle on snow without winter tires unless your brother owns a body shop!.

 

Great post, I am actually going to trading an A4 for a g37 in the spring. My only concern was getting around in the winter. I feel better now.

 

I used Pirelli Snow Sports on my "04" G35 for 4 Chicago winters. As long as I could plow out thought the snow in my alley I was OK on the road where other traffic had blazed a trail. Always had good control. Heavy snow on a travelled road was not a problem. I went down from my 18" stocks to 17" on some stock Infiniti wheels I found.

This time with my G37 I used my stock 19" wheels and swapped a set of Blizzaks the same sizes as the summer tires. They look good and don't make as much noise as the Pirelli's. In fact I didn't notice too much of a difference in noise from the summer tires.

If anyone is looking for snows + wheels (17") for a G35, let me know.

 

Thanks for the info on winter driving. I'm in central MA and drive to Springfield each day. The only thing keeping me from a G37 is the winter capability/performance. I have to drive about 140 miles each day including winter here in MA. Please keep corresponding about your winter experience with your new G...it may help me make the right decision.
Understood about the need for winter tires. I'm a big Blizzak fan...just haven't had any on something RWD or as powerful as the new G. BUT I want one badly...just need some info/evidence that i'm not going to be driving a skate in the snow...

 

18" rims with michelin pilot alpins live my wife drives 280km each day to teach at her school and that is what she will be driving on. I live in Edmonton alberta by the way and we know snow.

 

great comments guys.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....e1=yes&place=0

I'm getting a G37 sport pkg saturday with 19" wheels
do winter tires do anything at such low profile/??
i want to think they do but whats the deal? the link above are the tires i wanted to get. tirerack says they fit. the only problem i've been having are the large brakes on the sport.... cant just put some 17 inches on there with snowies -the brakes are too big.

i live in Duluth ,MN btw

nice to hear that VDC is doing its thing out in the field

what to do.

 

It is not about the profile it has everything to do with the rubber compounds. Why not check out Michelin pilot alpins? Blizacks are good to but check all options.

 

He's right and has some credibility living Edmonton...the compound is EVERYTHING...and to some degree the tread pattern. Keep in mind that these tires will wear very quickly in warm weather so they need to go on and come off when it's still cold...my rule of thumb is consistent temps below 40-45. If you abide by this you should get 3,4,5 winters depending on your mileage.

Also don't forget about TPMS sensors on new rims as well as fitting over those gi-normous, oh so beautiful, calipers.

There are apparently some rims that work with both of these constraints...at least that's what a dealer told me when I was looking and asking...he didn't elaborate though...sorry...

Please keep us posted on what you buy, how it works, and all that...I need to convince my better half that I'm not out of my mind when I tell her I'm going to buy this car...

 

+100000 for compounds. With winter tires, the compound is every bit as important as the open tread patterns. The compound used in winter tires has been engineered to stay pliable and to grip better on snow and ice when the temperatures drop. This is where AS tires fall extremely short. AS tires get extremely stiff in cold temps and therefore traction sucks.

 

What are you running on your G35 in the winter Garnet? Interesting that you chose RWD sport over AWD...in New Brunswick

Did you buy separate wheels for winter or doing the re-mount shuffle?

 

I am running Blizzaks mounted on 17" 350Z wheels. I don't have them mounted just yet, but will be installing them before the month is out.

I considered getting the X, however I didn't want to forgo some of the Sport model features such as VLSD, sport seats, paddles, etc. I had Blizzaks on my 03 G Sedan and I made out just fine. Winter tires and some common sense go a long way. Plus I work from home a fair amount so if the roads ever get too bad, I just stay home.

 

I've had Blizzaks on 99 Accord coupe and most recently my 04 TSX...those tires turned two cars with scary and dangerous snow handling into what felt like AWD...simply amazing and hard to believe until you experience it.

350 Z wheels...that could look very cool...and unique..

please post some pics when you get them on...

 

Just got some 19" Blizzak LM-25's mounted on my G37s 6MT original rims. They are a chunkier looking tread pattern than the Blizzaks I had on the G35, but the sound on dry pavement seems much quieter. The tread pattern defiantly looks more like a typical winter tire so expecting some great grip in the snow.

So now, where's the snow?? .. next report when the white arrives.. ))