1995LS400

The winters around here are usually weak, but once in awhile you can run into cold enough weather where the snow and ice can stick around. This is the first RWD vehicle I have owned since 93', so I cant remember what it is like to drive on snow with it. Back then I drove an 84' Z28 and it sucked in the snow, of course. Will my 95 LS with TCS help me out in the snow, or should I just leave it in the garage for the winter?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

with regular all-seasons and the transmission in "Snow" mode its decent i hear but obviously if u have a good amount of snow most people would tell you to buy a dedicated set of snow tires.......

....but then again, i live in SoCal

nthach

I was able to get up to Northstar on just bare Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S' after Caltrans lifted a chain control. I only spun out once in a parking lot.

sonyman

1995 LS400. No snow mode.

Kansas

There's been a gazillion threads on this forum about how various years of LS400s handle in the snow. Try doing a search. There are notible differences depending on if the car has TRAC, VSC, Snow Mode, etc.

If your location "SD" means South Dakata, global warming aside, you can have some really serious blizzards anywhere in the state.

I suggest you get an extra set of inexpensive new or used wheels for winter use and a set of dedicated snow tires - real snow tires have a mountain/snow flake logo on the sidewalls.

Winter tires and wheels don't have to look bad. Attached is a photo of mine taken in northern Iowa last Thanksgiving - Blizzak snow tires on the cheapest wheels I could get from Tire Rack back in 2003.

Brandicus

iTrader: (6)

wow those look really tiny on the big ls, what are they 14's?

Kansas

Nope, they are not 14's; maybe they are 12's!

Seriously, none of the rather large number of LS owners I know personally use anything except the OEM wheel size.

I think us geezers are more after comfort than some sort of "look" that the younger crowd seems to be chasing.

I suspect my next new car will have 18's or 19's since that it certainly the trend in new cars. But it will have a suspension designed for a larger wheel size.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

gimme a break, i havent been in a 95-97 in over a year

GKLCPA

I have a 96 and bought me a set of Blizzacks. The car was like a tank in the snow.

I live in eastern PA, so we tend to get a bit of snow and had about three serious snows this past winter. I was out there with the SUV's and had no problems.

trukn1

Well, in the first gen (no traction control, snow mode etc.), it handles like just like any other rear wheel drive vehicle. It can get really tail happy and can slide out from under you easily. A good set of snow tires will help some, but the key is to drive it slowly and always turn in the direction of the drift of the rear end, and take your foot off the gas until it catches. I have gassed it thru a rear end slide, kinda like a drift car but when it does catch to try to straighten itself out,, the whiplash effect can be really much; so you better know how to counteract and countersteer very very quickly. Just drive it slow, leave plenty of room to react to anything, assume the the other guy, not you is gonna mess up, and most importantly,,,,BE READY TO REACT TO UST ABOUT ANYTHING!!!!!

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

I get through the snow with dedicated snows on my 16 inch oem rims. This winter i will be rocking chrome 18's with a set of Michelin artic alpin snows.

I get through the snow better than almost any other car , the only ones that have better control and traction are suburu's.

akxx

iTrader: (1)

If you want just 1 set of tires for year-round, the only choice is the Nokian WR series. They have the extreme weather "mountain and snowflake" rating and can be driven on dry pavement without the extreme wear and chunking of other dedicated snow tires.

If you're going to run 2 sets of wheels then you can go with a dedicated snow tire--several good ones available.

I get over 300" of snow per year where I live, and the WR combined with TC gets me around just fine.

steveski

I bought my LS in Tulsa in the midst of a snow and ice storm. As for driving it, I thought it did fine - not as good as a front wheel drive car but it was stable, etc.

siamiam

im already sick of the snow

saturday

on my 92 LS400 i use stock sized bizzaks and weight in the back and it does well, the traction control is nice to have on it. on my corolla GTS i just have some crappy studded tyres and weight in the back

19psi

about as well as you can expect from a heavy rwd car... me, i hope it snows a ton, the LS will be parked and i'll be driving my grand cherokee with a 3" lift and 31" tires!