hey guys so im planning to get a g37x or g37 soon, mostly likely a 2010 or 2011 sedan. So ive been reading alot of posts about winter driving. Here is my situation. I live in chicago so the only problem i will ever have when driving in snow is moving from a parking spot. All the streets in chicago are almost immedeitly plowed after a snow fall, so itll be pretty much wet ground only with salt on it,that includes even most side streets. Also I do not want to have an extra set of snow tires unless i absolutely have to simply because i have no where to put them, i dont have a garage and live in a pretty small apartment. so whats your opinion, should i get AWD or RWD. I mean since the ground will be wet and moving from a snowed in spot and not being able to have extra set of snow tires im guessing my best bet would be AWD? I know alot of people say that RWD with snow tires beats AWD but keep in mind my situation, I will be only moving from a snowed in spot most of the time (which i think AWD will work better for this) and driving on wet pavement. So wouldnt AWD be better for that? Thanks guys.

 

I just got a 2010 g37x and love it, but i would look for a best deal I can get AWD or RWD. Good set of all season tires on the RWD and some common sense (maybe some weight in the trunk) will get you trough the winter.

THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION and you should see what others will tell you.

 

If you can only have 1 set of tires, go with the awd.

 

just a quick question for you off the topic, do you get any acceleration lag on your 2010 g37x? like when you step on the gas does it take a few seconds to respond?

 

get the AWD and get a set of snow tires. chicago is increasingly not plowing streets. people drive like $hit and you have idiot bikers and bike lanes to deal with to boot. the awd loses pretty much nothing in dry performance and is great in the snow. but tires will be your limitation. i love love LOVE my AWD G37x sedan!

 

Based on your original post, you don't need AWD. But you're in good company, because few people do. People who think they're smart by running All-Season tires over snow & ice just because they have AWD are neither safe nor smart, no matter how loudly they tell you otherwise.

 

im guessing that you would agree tho that AWD with snow tires is better then RWD with snow tires correct? the only debate is AWD with all seasons or RWD with snow tires...

 

If it was me, I would get a 6mt RWD and swap summer and snow tires.

But, since it isn't me, and you can't do 2 sets of tires, I would get the AWD. At least that way you can drive like an *** in the rain

My last car, a Legacy GT, was awesome with AS tires in the snow. But I am in the south, and only had a set of AS to swap on for out of state travels.

 

Absolutely. That's the best setup for snow.

Except that's not actually a debate. Any FWD or RWD car with snows is better on snow than an AWD car with AS tires. That's just a fact.

 

It begs the question, are you a driver? Do you enjoy driving? Or do you just drive point a to point b? If you like flogging the car, do yourself the favor and get the RWD and put a good WINTER RATED all weather tire on it.

If you don't give a ****, get AWD and put a good set of winter rated ALL WEATHER tires on it anyways because chicago gets more than enough snow to warranty a winter rated all weather tire that will perform better in the cold and wet.

^Get something like the Nokian WRG3. You can run it in the summer and it will blow the doors off any 'all season' you come across.


I made the mistake of getting an AWD after my beloved 6MT RWD as in my avatar and i regret the decision every single day... yea the AWD with my General Altimax Arctic winter tires is amusing in the snow because it is like there isn't even snow on the road (they are that good) but i like the light playful nature of the RWD Gs with snow tires and I never had an issue getting around and never did i get stuck. (I live in North dakota and Minnesota)

 

and fyi, the AWD is 100% rear drive until and unless slip is detected, then it send power to the front wheels. it's a BLAST to drive in the dry. the above post asking if you like driving is utter nonsense. the X is a GREAT car, wet dry snow etc. and imho, a better car all around. safer, LOTS of fun, FAST, and a GREAT performer.

 

It is a great car to drive... until you have owned a RWD sport package. After that it feels watered down, overpriced, and like you have been ripped off.

There is absolutely nothing safer about the X than a RWD FYI. All it does it propel you towards death faster in the snow. In wet and snowy weather it comes down more to tires than how many wheels are spinning you forward.

 

Yes, it does. It has to do something with saving gas/getting better fuel economy(at least that is what I was told when I went to the dealership to complain and to do my ECU/TCU update. They just reset it and told me to come back if i'm not satisfied and they will do the update and it is better now(previous owner must have been an OLD lady and I noticed major lag right when i bought the car)..but the lag is much less in DS mode with the new peddle shifters

I live in the west subs of Chicago. Our streets get plowed right away so there is NO NEED for winter tires on my g37x. I understand the better stopping and few other things that dedicated winter tires provide in cold weather. But I don't see a need for that if you're a normal driver and have some sense of how to behave in the snow and have decent all season tires.

Also, you will find that mostly AWD g37's are sold in our areas anyways.

 

Compared to what? Other cars, sure. I'll give you that. But not the RWD Sport. One is relatively fun to drive... and the other has AWD with a somewhat lame transmission.

This. But Wannabe, you can't speak truth to True Believers. It's like discussing economics, or history, with Baggers... just doesn't work, man.

 

Coming from someone who went from an xS to a S I have to strongly disagree with you, and I'm sure wannabesport can chime in too. While I thought that my xS was the best thing around and loved the AWD I realized I was completely living in a state of denial. I will agree with you that the X is a pretty well set up, except for the neutered sports "appearance" package, but it is no where as fun to drive the RWD sport package. Breaking the back end loose coming around a corner and powering through it is an extreme adrenaline rush, which is something you don't get in the X.