Forgive me if the question has been asked before. How do LS430s ride on ice/winter? I didn't encounter any snow last year so not sure if it works. Thanks

 

As long as you have winter tires on it, it will handle like a dream. Don't listen to all those anti-RWD people.

 

Take it from a person who has spun out both RWD and FWD cars on ice (last time at 40+ MPH) ...the LS430 is as good on ice as any car ONCE IT GETS GOING. You need to add some weight in the trunk to make it grip properly on take-off (personal experience).

However, it doesn't matter what tranny, engine, chassis, etc... you have; You MUST get good winter tires. They are the only part of the car in contact with the road and they are all that matter. I learned this the hard way and will never drive to the ski area again without good winter tires.

If you only use your car on snow and ice every once in a while, you might check out tire chains or something like spike-spider.com (a higher end solution).

 

Thanks guys. I don't have winter tires and never was. I always use max performance tires on my cars. This might be a problems!

See, my SL500 really really sucks on ice (that was why I wanted to know if LS430 any better) so every year around November I'd buy a use car for 'emergency' and would sell it around March. I thought about skipping it this year. It's only average about 3-4 big snows where I live ... hmmm

It's still 4 months away so let see what happens

 

The tires will make the difference. If you have a decent set of all-season tires you should be OK in most larger cities where they plow and salt. If you live in the boonies and drive in deep snow, get dedicated snows.

Max performance summer tires get hard at about 35 degrees and will not work. I had an Audi S4 and even with quattro the summer tires made it dangerous. A set of all-seasons made it a blast to drive in the snow. Good luck!

Bruce

 

HAhaha.. thats so baller. Wish I could buy a "use for emergency" car every year

 

Really, you could buy like a $3K car and drive like you stole it on snow/ice and wouldn't have to worry about washing it. When it warms up, you can sell it back for like $2.5K

I started doing it when my Mercedes stucked in snow and it took 4 big guys to push it out!

 

Really, too nice a car to take a risk on the ice.

 

I live in the Northeast, Boston. A few years back I got caught in a blizzard a few times. (went to work, no snow. Left work in a blizzard with several inches on the ground) And the LS is horrible in snow with all season tires. Probably cause of the 50/50 weight ratio. I found it hard keeping up with traffic and people were going around me. It was embarrassing. That experience forced me to get a fwd winter beater. I bought a 96 pontiac Grand am for $750 that I fully restored to near mint condition and driving that in the snow is like night and day. It is a beast is the snow!! Nearly just as good a 4 wheel drive. I can blast thru any amounts of snow with no problem. I sold my Ls and outright bought an Audi A6 4.2 V8 (not because of the snow) The Audi hasn't been battle tested in snow but I figure it will be amazing since it has awd, but I won't anyways. I believe if you have a high end vehicle you shouldn't be driving it in dangerous inclimate weather. Buy a beater. You can rack up miles on it and park it anywhere and not feel conciencious about something happening to it. Believe not my Pontiac is my favorite car. It is like a reliable wife that doesn't ask for much and the Audi is my expensive flashy girl friend on the side.