Last winter we went through the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. Our day on the ice was both educational and fun.
At the time their fleet featured front-drive sedans and all-wheel-drive SUVs, but check out the latest addition to their fleet: the Toyota 86 coupe. Both automatics and sticks are av…
Must have changed the tires, because the stock rubber on my FR-S is deadly in snow.
Appleseed wrote: Must have changed the tires, because the stock rubber on my FR-S is deadly in snow.
From the photo, it looks like they're equipped with Blizzaks.
trucke wrote:Appleseed wrote: Must have changed the tires, because the stock rubber on my FR-S is deadly in snow.From the photo, it looks like they're equipped with Blizzaks.
Yep. The whole fleet runs Blizzaks. It's amazing what the right tires can do on ice.
winter driving school is one of the most absolute most effective ways to learn vehicle dynamics at the edge of the friction circle. It helps you become faster around cones and on track as you'll have more situations in a single day beyond the limits of traction then you will in an entire season. It's excellent stuff.
My friend ran his for a single winter - the salt pretty much made the suspension unworkable. Standard fare for Toyota/Subaru construction. The rust and corrosion of Japanese cars is why I stopped buying them.
I had four EG/EF Civics in DC, not a spot of rust. I drove my brand new 2006 SI for a single winter in NY and it had rust on the fenders (which Honda wouldn't repair under warranty until the rust formed a hole all the way through).
Drove my Miata for a winter - wound up able to put my fist through the rocker panels.
Salt will do that.
I drive my Miata all winter on proper snow tires. It's a hoot. As for salt exposure, it's in its 16th winter. You just need a fun car and a MIG welder if you have to live with salted roads.
Just thought I would throw this out.
For those within driving distance of the lower Adirondacks in NYS The Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club, Inc. (AMEC) offers a 20 minute track day for $20 on our groomed race track. If you feel more racy, we have a member for the day in our street legal class (SL).
All that is needed is winter tires an a Snell 2000 helmet.
For more info: www.icerace.com click on the rules page.
We hope to be racing in a couple weeks.
Mister Fister... Fisting a body panel section... Imagine that!
In all seriousness though, living in Florida has its benefits when you can get past the fact that it's a one-season state.
I just sold my E30 for well over market value due to the fact that it doesn't have any rust and the buyers were from up north. 30 years and no rust!
Looks like my daily commute in the FRS from December to April.
Let's not forget every flatbill Subaru ever up here - all rusted out E36 M3boxes now.
BAM! THAT is how you photograph a car.
Maybe wash the salt off the bottom now and then and the old Subie might live? Had a 2005 Impreza RS wagon up here in Ontario, the road salt capital of the world and when we traded it in 2011 with 150,000 Kms it didn't have a spot of rust on it anywhere! Sucker used to eat its brakes like I eat chicken wings though.
I have an 09 WRX that I've used heavily in snow and salt/ice for the last 8 winters. Still no evidence of any rust or suspension issues. I spray off the underbody if I get a warm winter day, but otherwise the whole car basicall is coated with winter road gunk all winter. YMMV. I think Subaru has improved its rustproofing/paint coverage since the days of the GC's, which rust even in non-snow areas....
pinchvalve wrote:
Beautiful shot, huh? We have to thank the school for shooting that for us.
Mister Fister wrote: My friend ran his for a single winter - the salt pretty much made the suspension unworkable. Standard fare for Toyota/Subaru construction. The rust and corrosion of Japanese cars is why I stopped buying them. I had four EG/EF Civics in DC, not a spot of rust. I drove my brand new 2006 SI for a single winter in NY and it had rust on the fenders (which Honda wouldn't repair under warranty until the rust formed a hole all the way through). Drove my Miata for a winter - wound up able to put my fist through the rocker panels.
Blame the climate, not the car.
Tyler H wrote: Blame the climate, not the car.
That's a tough call when you see German cars go 10+ years in that same climate and they still have less corrosion than a lot of the Japanese cars do after 2 - 3 years.
Mister Fister wrote: My friend ran his for a single winter - the salt pretty much made the suspension unworkable. Standard fare for Toyota/Subaru construction. The rust and corrosion of Japanese cars is why I stopped buying them. I had four EG/EF Civics in DC, not a spot of rust. I drove my brand new 2006 SI for a single winter in NY and it had rust on the fenders (which Honda wouldn't repair under warranty until the rust formed a hole all the way through). Drove my Miata for a winter - wound up able to put my fist through the rocker panels.
Prepping cars for salt is the best way to protect them. Spraying the underside with used oil helps a lot. Make sure you get into the rockers and sub-frame holes. You can use a paint sprayer but I found an engine cleaner works best. If you think used oil is bad you can use fluid film.
My 2000 Rustang has never missed a NY winter. It is starting to rust on the rears quarters. Even the gas tank was clean when I changed it.
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