G37S - Snow Shovel or Just Not Movin'?
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From: Princeton, NJ
G37S - Snow Shovel or Just Not Movin'?
Hey guys -
As I contemplate more and more to upgrade my 06 G35 Coupe to an 08 G37S (navi, premium, sports), I get more to thinking about its performance in the winter time.
Anyone can share their experience thus far?
As I contemplate more and more to upgrade my 06 G35 Coupe to an 08 G37S (navi, premium, sports), I get more to thinking about its performance in the winter time.
Anyone can share their experience thus far?
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Ontario, Canada
I'm not sure if I would recommend upgrading from an '06 to an '08 G coupe -- you will get nailed with depreciation costs. Ride it out at least another year so that any 1st yr gremlins are ironed out ... or better yet ... save up for a GT-R.
Cars are nothing but a money pit. I know you want the latest and greatest but the 1st gen G is a great car ... I don't think I would change to a new G in your situation (maybe if I had a '04 ... different story).
And based upon my experience test driving a G37S ... there's not much difference in slick conditions compared to a similarly equipped G35 coupe. Key is to slap on some good winter tires and use your head when driving in blizzard-like conditions.
Cars are nothing but a money pit. I know you want the latest and greatest but the 1st gen G is a great car ... I don't think I would change to a new G in your situation (maybe if I had a '04 ... different story).
And based upon my experience test driving a G37S ... there's not much difference in slick conditions compared to a similarly equipped G35 coupe. Key is to slap on some good winter tires and use your head when driving in blizzard-like conditions.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 352
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From: Duluth, MN / Miami, FL / Detroit, MI
i have a G37S with summer tires on. i drive it in the winter when the roads are clear and the sky is blue. otherwise, if its salty, snowy and just plain nasty out she sleeps in the garage. Im gonna have to store her in the winter time like it or not. otherwise i wont be enjoying what i really got the car for.
i'd say that the new g would probably handle a bit better than your current G. but not my such a margin wher it would justify a new 08. its up to you. some people in this forum drive it in the winter and say its okay. but it all comes down to what roads you take and how you take them in addition to the tires. also, if your looking at the g37s -consider the brake size and the need for specific rims that accomodate the calipipers etc.
goodluck!
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 31
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From: Toledo, OH
Like everyone says, the summer tires that come with the sport package are nearly useless in the winter weather. Not only does the tread pattern do a horrible job channelling snow and slush, the tire compound itself loses most of its grip around thirty degrees. So even in dry, sunny winter days when the temperature is low, the summer tires really just glide over the road instead of sticking to it. Speaking from personal experience with my own G37, you do feel a real difference in terms of handling, breaking and even acceleration.
Here in northwestern Ohio, we had our first snow storm of the season today and I'm really glad that I swapped out the summer tires for some Michelin Pilot Sport All-Seasons. Even though most of the roads that I drove down were not plowed (2 - 3" of snow) and lightly traveled, the traction control system only came on a half a dozen times, even at forty five miles an hour.
Of course, my G37 would have even better traction if I went for a set of winter tires. However, we don't get heavy amounts of snow (6+ inches) frequently enough to justify putting that type of tires on. I'd have to replace them every year because they would just needlessly wear down on all those dry, cold days.
Bottom line, with the right set of tires the G37 handles very well for a rear-wheel drive car. Of course, you're going to have to adjust your driving to fit the road conditions, but you have to do that with any vehicle. That being said, I wouldn't consider the sport package if you can't afford a second set of tires.
Steve
Here in northwestern Ohio, we had our first snow storm of the season today and I'm really glad that I swapped out the summer tires for some Michelin Pilot Sport All-Seasons. Even though most of the roads that I drove down were not plowed (2 - 3" of snow) and lightly traveled, the traction control system only came on a half a dozen times, even at forty five miles an hour.
Of course, my G37 would have even better traction if I went for a set of winter tires. However, we don't get heavy amounts of snow (6+ inches) frequently enough to justify putting that type of tires on. I'd have to replace them every year because they would just needlessly wear down on all those dry, cold days.
Bottom line, with the right set of tires the G37 handles very well for a rear-wheel drive car. Of course, you're going to have to adjust your driving to fit the road conditions, but you have to do that with any vehicle. That being said, I wouldn't consider the sport package if you can't afford a second set of tires.
Steve
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 352
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From: Duluth, MN / Miami, FL / Detroit, MI
Like everyone says, the summer tires that come with the sport package are nearly useless in the winter weather. Not only does the tread pattern do a horrible job channelling snow and slush, the tire compound itself loses most of its grip around thirty degrees. So even in dry, sunny winter days when the temperature is low, the summer tires really just glide over the road instead of sticking to it. Speaking from personal experience with my own G37, you do feel a real difference in terms of handling, breaking and even acceleration.
Here in northwestern Ohio, we had our first snow storm of the season today and I'm really glad that I swapped out the summer tires for some Michelin Pilot Sport All-Seasons. Even though most of the roads that I drove down were not plowed (2 - 3" of snow) and lightly traveled, the traction control system only came on a half a dozen times, even at forty five miles an hour.
Of course, my G37 would have even better traction if I went for a set of winter tires. However, we don't get heavy amounts of snow (6+ inches) frequently enough to justify putting that type of tires on. I'd have to replace them every year because they would just needlessly wear down on all those dry, cold days.
Bottom line, with the right set of tires the G37 handles very well for a rear-wheel drive car. Of course, you're going to have to adjust your driving to fit the road conditions, but you have to do that with any vehicle. That being said, I wouldn't consider the sport package if you can't afford a second set of tires.
Steve
Here in northwestern Ohio, we had our first snow storm of the season today and I'm really glad that I swapped out the summer tires for some Michelin Pilot Sport All-Seasons. Even though most of the roads that I drove down were not plowed (2 - 3" of snow) and lightly traveled, the traction control system only came on a half a dozen times, even at forty five miles an hour.
Of course, my G37 would have even better traction if I went for a set of winter tires. However, we don't get heavy amounts of snow (6+ inches) frequently enough to justify putting that type of tires on. I'd have to replace them every year because they would just needlessly wear down on all those dry, cold days.
Bottom line, with the right set of tires the G37 handles very well for a rear-wheel drive car. Of course, you're going to have to adjust your driving to fit the road conditions, but you have to do that with any vehicle. That being said, I wouldn't consider the sport package if you can't afford a second set of tires.
Steve
is it your daily driver???
thanks!
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 31
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From: Toledo, OH
So I ended up getting the Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season tires in the 245/40/19 size - this is basically the only choice available if you want all-seasons, Goodyear and Pirelli do not offer comparable tires in this same size. Even though they are 20 cm wider in the front, these tires fit really good and there is plenty of clearance between the tires and the front suspension components and wheel wells. Since the overall diameter of these tires is very similar to the stock tires, there aren't any problems with the speedometer, VDC or other systems. However, I really need to make a quick shout out to another forum member (NickL); he is the first person that I know of to put these tires on a G37 and he did a lot of testing with different types of tires in the process to make sure that they fit.
My G37 is my daily driver and I have put 1100+ miles on it in the month that I have had it. I've had the Michelin Pilots for only a week, but the difference was immediate. The average temperature here in northern Ohio has been in the low to mid thirties for most of the time I have had this car. Like I said earlier, the sport tires always felt like they were gliding across the pavement in the cold weather - on the few days it was near sixty degrees, you could definitely feel increased grip.
However, with the Michelin's I could feel the difference literally in the tire shop's parking lot. My G37 now feels like it is glued to the road - which is what the sport tires are supposed to feel like in warmer weather. I have driven both in cold rainy days and today, in the snow with these new tires and I am impressed. In the rain, the traction is excellent and much better than the stock tires.
As I said before, we had our first snow storm of the season today. Roughly two to three inches of snow on top of a thin layer of ice. I primarily drive back roads to work and these weren't plowed by the time I left. Some of the roads I was driving on this morning did not even have enough traffic to create tire ruts through the snow so I was literally driving on packed snow or through piles of the slushy mess that pile up in intersections. The traction control "Slip" warning light came on about half a dozen times during my twelve mile trip, despite the fact that I was going up to forty-five MPH on lightly traveled, untreated roads. Breaking performance was good because I was careful; had I needed to make a panic stop, though, I think the car would have skid a little. Handling was good - I went through a snow covered S-curve at 35 MPH without sliding or the traction control coming on. However, making hard right and left turns at around 15 mph an hour through the snow was approaching the limit of these tires. Had I been going any faster the front end would have slid into oncoming traffic.
Whether you get all-seasons or winter tires would really depend on how severe the winter weather is in your area. If I lived in Cleveland, where the lake dumps eight or more inches of snow regularly, I probably would have opted for winter tires. But like I said, we get snow in moderate doses and our winters are mainly just cold. Since the tread on most winter tires is so soft, these tires would have just worn down without giving me any extra benefit 90% of the time.
Hope this helps,
Steve
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Duluth, MN / Miami, FL / Detroit, MI
I have the Sport package with the 19" rims. I actually have the Michelin Pilot all-seasons mounted on the 19" sport wheels. The problem with the sport rims is that the rear wheels are wider than the front wheels to accommodate the larger tires in the back. To make matters worse, no one makes an ultra performance tire in the same sizes as the stock summer tires (225/45/19 and 245/40/19).
So I ended up getting the Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season tires in the 245/40/19 size - this is basically the only choice available if you want all-seasons, Goodyear and Pirelli do not offer comparable tires in this same size. Even though they are 20 cm wider in the front, these tires fit really good and there is plenty of clearance between the tires and the front suspension components and wheel wells. Since the overall diameter of these tires is very similar to the stock tires, there aren't any problems with the speedometer, VDC or other systems. However, I really need to make a quick shout out to another forum member (NickL); he is the first person that I know of to put these tires on a G37 and he did a lot of testing with different types of tires in the process to make sure that they fit.
My G37 is my daily driver and I have put 1100+ miles on it in the month that I have had it. I've had the Michelin Pilots for only a week, but the difference was immediate. The average temperature here in northern Ohio has been in the low to mid thirties for most of the time I have had this car. Like I said earlier, the sport tires always felt like they were gliding across the pavement in the cold weather - on the few days it was near sixty degrees, you could definitely feel increased grip.
However, with the Michelin's I could feel the difference literally in the tire shop's parking lot. My G37 now feels like it is glued to the road - which is what the sport tires are supposed to feel like in warmer weather. I have driven both in cold rainy days and today, in the snow with these new tires and I am impressed. In the rain, the traction is excellent and much better than the stock tires.
As I said before, we had our first snow storm of the season today. Roughly two to three inches of snow on top of a thin layer of ice. I primarily drive back roads to work and these weren't plowed by the time I left. Some of the roads I was driving on this morning did not even have enough traffic to create tire ruts through the snow so I was literally driving on packed snow or through piles of the slushy mess that pile up in intersections. The traction control "Slip" warning light came on about half a dozen times during my twelve mile trip, despite the fact that I was going up to forty-five MPH on lightly traveled, untreated roads. Breaking performance was good because I was careful; had I needed to make a panic stop, though, I think the car would have skid a little. Handling was good - I went through a snow covered S-curve at 35 MPH without sliding or the traction control coming on. However, making hard right and left turns at around 15 mph an hour through the snow was approaching the limit of these tires. Had I been going any faster the front end would have slid into oncoming traffic.
Whether you get all-seasons or winter tires would really depend on how severe the winter weather is in your area. If I lived in Cleveland, where the lake dumps eight or more inches of snow regularly, I probably would have opted for winter tires. But like I said, we get snow in moderate doses and our winters are mainly just cold. Since the tread on most winter tires is so soft, these tires would have just worn down without giving me any extra benefit 90% of the time.
Hope this helps,
Steve
So I ended up getting the Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season tires in the 245/40/19 size - this is basically the only choice available if you want all-seasons, Goodyear and Pirelli do not offer comparable tires in this same size. Even though they are 20 cm wider in the front, these tires fit really good and there is plenty of clearance between the tires and the front suspension components and wheel wells. Since the overall diameter of these tires is very similar to the stock tires, there aren't any problems with the speedometer, VDC or other systems. However, I really need to make a quick shout out to another forum member (NickL); he is the first person that I know of to put these tires on a G37 and he did a lot of testing with different types of tires in the process to make sure that they fit.
My G37 is my daily driver and I have put 1100+ miles on it in the month that I have had it. I've had the Michelin Pilots for only a week, but the difference was immediate. The average temperature here in northern Ohio has been in the low to mid thirties for most of the time I have had this car. Like I said earlier, the sport tires always felt like they were gliding across the pavement in the cold weather - on the few days it was near sixty degrees, you could definitely feel increased grip.
However, with the Michelin's I could feel the difference literally in the tire shop's parking lot. My G37 now feels like it is glued to the road - which is what the sport tires are supposed to feel like in warmer weather. I have driven both in cold rainy days and today, in the snow with these new tires and I am impressed. In the rain, the traction is excellent and much better than the stock tires.
As I said before, we had our first snow storm of the season today. Roughly two to three inches of snow on top of a thin layer of ice. I primarily drive back roads to work and these weren't plowed by the time I left. Some of the roads I was driving on this morning did not even have enough traffic to create tire ruts through the snow so I was literally driving on packed snow or through piles of the slushy mess that pile up in intersections. The traction control "Slip" warning light came on about half a dozen times during my twelve mile trip, despite the fact that I was going up to forty-five MPH on lightly traveled, untreated roads. Breaking performance was good because I was careful; had I needed to make a panic stop, though, I think the car would have skid a little. Handling was good - I went through a snow covered S-curve at 35 MPH without sliding or the traction control coming on. However, making hard right and left turns at around 15 mph an hour through the snow was approaching the limit of these tires. Had I been going any faster the front end would have slid into oncoming traffic.
Whether you get all-seasons or winter tires would really depend on how severe the winter weather is in your area. If I lived in Cleveland, where the lake dumps eight or more inches of snow regularly, I probably would have opted for winter tires. But like I said, we get snow in moderate doses and our winters are mainly just cold. Since the tread on most winter tires is so soft, these tires would have just worn down without giving me any extra benefit 90% of the time.
Hope this helps,
Steve
thanks for taking the time steve. i've been storing my G for the winter so far but i cant say that i havent entertained the thought of getting winter/all season tires. Im still on the fence but who knows... can i ask you how much you paid? thanks a great deal!
all the best,
Alex
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 352
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From: Duluth, MN / Miami, FL / Detroit, MI
I'm not sure if I would recommend upgrading from an '06 to an '08 G coupe -- you will get nailed with depreciation costs. Ride it out at least another year so that any 1st yr gremlins are ironed out ... or better yet ... save up for a GT-R.
Cars are nothing but a money pit. I know you want the latest and greatest but the 1st gen G is a great car ... I don't think I would change to a new G in your situation (maybe if I had a '04 ... different story).
And based upon my experience test driving a G37S ... there's not much difference in slick conditions compared to a similarly equipped G35 coupe. Key is to slap on some good winter tires and use your head when driving in blizzard-like conditions.
Cars are nothing but a money pit. I know you want the latest and greatest but the 1st gen G is a great car ... I don't think I would change to a new G in your situation (maybe if I had a '04 ... different story).
And based upon my experience test driving a G37S ... there's not much difference in slick conditions compared to a similarly equipped G35 coupe. Key is to slap on some good winter tires and use your head when driving in blizzard-like conditions.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 352
Likes: 3
From: Duluth, MN / Miami, FL / Detroit, MI
+1 ..when the G37 came out a couple of months ago I was going head over heels thinking about the new car...but considering I have an 07 coupe and also that the car has grown in me so well, I began to neglect the idea of a trade. Now every I log into this forum I can see the first issues with the G37 beginning to surface and that has made me decide to stick to my baby! =)
Arm flailing tube man
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 3
From: Northern Virginia
+1 ..when the G37 came out a couple of months ago I was going head over heels thinking about the new car...but considering I have an 07 coupe and also that the car has grown in me so well, I began to neglect the idea of a trade. Now every I log into this forum I can see the first issues with the G37 beginning to surface and that has made me decide to stick to my baby! =)
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 225
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From: Collingswood, NJ
honestly, i'm surprised some of these car companies still sell the cars with summer tires... especially in the winter time... i'm surprised their legal departments don't freak out about it.