fongshr

Hi,

I am thinking of buying another LS rear drive sedan...My 1995 LS400 has 270K on it....

I have found a very nice LS460 2008 with 27000 miles on it. But...I am wondering if the LS460 RWD drives any worse or better in snow than my 1995 LS 400 RWD?

The LS 460 I am looking at is a beautiful car, and I do want it....

so my question is how do the LS 460's handle in ice and snow. (With Snow tires--I have been using Michelin snows) I live in Northern CT , and I need to be able to drive in 4-8" of snow...Please let me know your thoughts??

Thanks,

T.

CJITTY

Pretty sure this has been discussed before. I would search. From what I have heard, there is a lot to be desired with a 360+ HP rear wheel drive car on 50/45 series tires. I say a set of oem 18s with 235/50/18 snow tires and swap for seasons for best results.

peteybabes

if you have 4-8" to drive through I would almost recommend you going AWD. . .

My car handled very well this winter, but i got stuck for about 5 minutes in 6" of ice/snow mixture when i was turning around in a cal de sac. . .that being said I had all season tires on, not winter.

other than that, you could benefit from the extra 20HP you get without AWD!

96zenki

iTrader: (5)

being from the east coast and having experienced one of the worst winters i'll say that it handled decently enough for a rwd. you will definitely need snow tires, which i had on my stock 18" wheels.

snow isn't much of a problem, its the icy roads that will get you stuck, but even awd cars will have problems on those too.

it doesn't help that our cars are not equipped with an lsd, which i am looking into possibly getting through cusco who makes one for our cars.

cerbum

I expect that on plowed roads, you won't have much problem. I didn't this year, mid-atlantic region. However, I opted to hold off on doing a lot of driving on completely unplowed roads. Stock 18's with all weather tires, not snow specific.

-cerbum

fongshr

Thanks very much for the reply.

The only serious issue with all of the snow storms and ice I had this winter here in Northern CT area was the very fast 10"-12" snowfall in March here in CT , when I had to leave work late with 3" per hr heavy, wet snow accumulating, no one was out driving save the plows and me... ...I drove the 25 miles home on the back roads with my trusty 1995 LS 400 RWD, with Michelin Alpins snows, and it wasn't until I filled the tank up with a full tank gas that I really felt confident (Almost got struck in the unplowed gas station parking lot as a result.)... It does help getting that gasoline weight over the rear wheels...and eventually managed to tobbagon off the main road into my 8"-10"unplowed driveway , not stopping and zipped into my garage as well. Snow tires sure do help!, but only if your car is not floating on top of the packed down snow!. I will remember that drive for sure, but I was raised with RWD cars , all there were before FWD...so I well understand the importance of momentum when driving in snow!... So I basically like RWD cars...my question is with a 350HP V8 engine driving those wheels, and the wide, fat tires, how bad is the LS460 really as compared to the old LS 400? really?

Thx for your help! T.

robert1408

Ice and snow are the nemesis of any rear wheel drive vehicle. An LS 460 is at least 600 lbs heavier than a '95 LS 400. More often than not, that extra weight doesn't help.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

With narrower winter tires and your A/T set on SNOW, you should be every bit as capable in an LS460 as your LS400. Computerized traction controls have improved a lot over the last 20 years (your LS400 was designed in the late 1980s).

peteybabes

exactly my thought! you can't compare the two computer systems. . .

hjones4841

In a surprise snow/ice storm here in Alabama I can tell you that my 2011 LS 460 made it 2 blocks before I had to turn around. I was trying to get my wife who was across town, but gave up. She ended up spending two nights with a friend before I could get to her. But, this is a hilly area and there was a coating of ice on the roads before the snow started. LOTS of other cars stranded on the roads and I simply did not want mine to be one of them when she had a safe place to stay. BTW, Michelin Pilot tires on the car.

GregoryNP

We must be neighbors as I live in Suffield CT. With snow tires it is great in the snow. Greg

triniexr

I live in Toronto, we had one of the worst winters in 25 years. My LS460L handled really well throughout the winter. I did not get stuck once. I have OEM rims with Bridgestone Blizzak's stock 235/50/18's. The traction control to me was amazing. Any little slip of the wheels I found the car to detect quickly and straighten itself out.

PeteinPA

iTrader: (2)

I also have a 08 RWD and live in the mid-Atlantic (just south of Philly). I put snows on this winter, I did not drive when roads were covered with 6+ inches but for the most part I had no issue with light covered roads.

edarte

I have AWD but I firmly believe that winter tires make the biggest difference. Compared to my LS430 I think the 460 handles much better.

I would not hesitate to drive a 460 in the winter with good winter tires on it (with or without AWD). However, without winter tires, I find the least bit of snow makes for an uncomfortable drive with a sensation like the car could easily spin out of control. And this would not be a pleasant sensation in the mountainous areas around where I live.

slimm

I completely agree. I haven't driven in the snow with the stock wheels but be aware of driving with aftermarket wheels. It's very unsafe. Today I couldn't control the car at all during braking.