I just ordered a set of Michelin X Ice XI3 tires for mine. Was wondering what everybodys experience is, especially at speed on a snow covered highway, and climbing inclines? I've driven RWD Benzes with snows years ago, and they did pretty well, so hoping this is at least as good.

 

I guess I'll never know !!
Does not snow in Queensland Australia !!

 

Those are the tires I have. I feel confident on the road (in motion), but am careful not to "park" or "stop" in a place that is questionable (ice, steep, etc.). Sorry if someone else's experience is different, but I find zero benefit to the button on the dash, and also it's not easy to feather the accelerator (our car was 100% stuck in mud once after a heavy rain storm and parked on a soccer field--futility trying to get out). The part that makes it difficult is that most have AWD today so they are not that keen on people who are stuck and blocking the road lol

The tires also make a howling sound. I prefer to think the howl means traction haha

On a scale of 1-10 I give it a 6, where a subaru wagon with 4 snows is a 9

 

Mine does a heck of a lot better than I expected it to, when I first got it the car had summer tires on that were quite hard and worn down. Even with those when Ohio had that weird super cold week and we ended up with 2-3 inches of snow on unpreped roads I was able to make it to al my usual places. I was expecting to not be able to even leave my driveway or slide down it entirely, on the way back I stopped at a parking lot to test when and was trigged and tc kicked in and I was very surprised to see it only happens at about 40% more input than I normally give. The VSC system quite simply makes the car idiot proof to top it all off, it will not let you spin it out unless you turn it off.

Still I didn't trust those tires and ordered a set of cross climate + but have yet to try them since naturally now that I have a much better tire the weather has stayed unusually warm lol!



Every other vehicle I own is a true low range equipped 4x4 and two have mechanical LSD systems (one clutch one torsen) so I've never actually had any issue. Tire choice on all of them are falkens of some sort that are very nice all seasons unlike the superior severe service tires I have now on the 430. The best of the bunch was actually my 2003 ram 1500 with the clutch type LSD and wildpeak AT tires, since the restoration it doesn't see snow anymore but it was the best. The sequoia is next if you lock the center diff and disable all TC and assists, the 2017 ram is after that due to being slightly less effective due to an over sensitive ABS system that can't be dialed back and not quite as good LSD operation and throttle control. The Jeep is a Jeep, doesn't care at all but mine lacks an LSD so it requires to be in 4x4 a lot more than the trucks do it can have some wheel slip.

I'll update how the 430 does

 

It's just fine. I run General Altimax Arctic 12s on mine, and had X-Ices before. The LS is heavy enough that it does just fine as long as you have a good set of winters. The photo is obviously not my 430 but the '99 LS 400 I owned prior to it, completely sideways (intentionally) at Toronto Motorsports Park with a half-foot of snow on the ground. Full beast mode.

 

My car is fine in motion at any speed but I need to be extremely careful not to park or stop in deep snow, especially in a deep rut and/ or on a steep incline as the car can be hard to get moving again.

 

My Xice 3's are half worn and still almost as trustworthy as my AWD VW within reason.

 

Plus they handle almost as quiet and well as my P7's within reason.

 

I realize we are discussing our LS's here, but really how a car is in the snow comes down to 1. Rubber, and 2. The Driver. I was nervous about a rear drive V8 in the snow too, so I went and bought X-ICE 3's like many others. They are good tires for sure. Any of the higher rated winter tires are good, just to get that softer compound. The X-ICE 3's are superior in quietness and mpg preservation. So much rests on the driver. Learn to engine-break, leave distance, and work that shifter like a manual. Don't worry about your tranny, it can handle it, so long as you back off the gas when you shift, like a manual. Last February in the Seattle area we had the most snow in 70 years, and I honestly forgot about the button on the console. Anyway, I got through it, save for a couple of ground clearance issues. I have seen plenty of 4x4 Subarus and trucks off the side of the road, the result of too much confidence. The LS430's are not the best, but they can do it.
@Vantage007 sweet shot. Yes, there are times I love to kill the traction control and go for it. These are heavy cars and will give nice slides.

 

I have Blizzak WS90 tires
I haven't come across any scary situation
It's snowed quite a bit here in Denver this season so far.

 

Thanks for all the feedback! My new tires shoudl be installed tomorrow. I have a pretty steep driveway too so that part will be interesting. I did come across a couple up hill ice patches the other day and the balance of the car combined with the nannies make it confidence inspiring. I could hear the wheel spinning a bit, and feel the car wanting to slide a bit, but all was kept in control by the systems. I would hope that the snows kick it up a few notches.

 

I've had my Michelin X-Ice Xi2 225/55/17 (original spec) for 10 winters (and 32,000km). Snow handling was always fantastic. However, this past summer, I changed both my rear wheel hub bearings from factory-installed to Koyo 3DACF044DCFG, and my front left from factory-installed to Raybestos 713163. My VSC does not work as well as it used to.

My theory is that the speed encoding notches inside the hubs are a fraction of a millimeter further away from speed sensors (all original sensors) than the original hub's encoder, causing a less sensitive reporting of speed changes in the wheel, causing a delayed VSC response in the range of 10s to 100s of milliseconds. No CEL or VSC OFF warnings, meaning the speed sensors do work within spec, but perhaps at the further end of the specified tolerance range.

With my 3 new wheel bearings, I can do doughnuts in an empty parking with VSC on, whereas on original bearings, the VSC system would kick in near instantaneously upon detection of a slide. Same tires, same everything else, the only things changed were the 3 bearings. The TRAC system allows me more wheelspin before kicking in, which may or may not be more helpful for getting up a snowy hill. Never had a problem before, so can't say until I drive up more snowy hills this winter.

Just something to keep in mind if you are replacing wheel hub bearings with non-Lexus parts.

 

We don't get crazy snow here but I'll say this. Last year was no issues for me. I was impressed actually. My old Lincoln ls v8 hated snow. This car must weigh more because I only spun when I wanted to. Some people won't own a rwd daily here, I don't even worry about it now. Good all season tires are all you need, of course if you live in an area where people run snow tires, I'd say plan on that. I can take roads that aren't super hilly as well.

 

What are snow?