RWD coupes in the winter...

[ChrisV]

My parents had an 86 XJ6.  The engine died with 86 miles on the clock...then with 3000 miles.

It was sexy as hell, and glorious to drive, but was about as reliable as a politicians word of honor.

Do you remember what died? Was it dropping a tappet guide? Turns out, the US bound cars in the '80s had the forward catalytic converter mounted up by the head, and would heat the head to high enough temps that the tappet guide could come out of the head, hitting the cam, sending metal all through the engine. Thre is a $25 kit to fix that, that I installed in mine. It isn't necessary on non-catalyst equipped Jaguars.

Other than that, the engines are strong, reliable, and had been used in that form since 1948 in Jaguars. With the kit in them, 300k miles is not uncommon on the (otherwise) original engines.

Kind of like getting one of the few BMW E38s with the nikasil engines AND bad fuel. Don't damn the whole model because of one situation.

[omicron]

Series 1 XJ12

[Nebtek2002]

Yep, my FWD Honda positively sucks in the snow.? I'd rather have my old Ford Ranger 2WD (it was 4WD, but Ford's damn electrically actuated transfer case just blows) than a lightweight FWD car.? My 1988 Bonneville was a great winter car, it was so heavy that it just went wherever you pointed it.


Honda Civics without snow tires are just worthless POS's in the snow though.

One of my sons has a '97 F150 with an old-fashioned manual transfer case.

He routinely helps pull Ranger/Explorer drivers out of situations their auto 4WDs got them into because they wouldn't stay in 4WD.

Don't know about the newer stuff, but late'80s/early'90s Accords weren't very good on snow, either.

[The Pirate]

One of my sons has a '97 F150 with an old-fashioned manual transfer case.

He routinely helps pull Ranger/Explorer drivers out of situations their auto 4WDs got them into because they wouldn't stay in 4WD.

Don't know about the newer stuff, but late'80s/early'90s Accords weren't very good on snow, either.

The car is okay, but it's so light that traction can be hard to come by.  If the car was heavier, it'd be fine, but there goes the fuel economy.  With a good set of snow tires, my car just does just fine, but all seasons leave it a bit wanting.

My dad had a '97 Accord when I was in high school, and that thing was just terrible in snow, worse than my car for some reason.


Gotta love those old manual transfer cases too.  I'd take one of those over the new electronic ones any day.

[TBR]

Don't know that you can get one in anything but a Dodge these days.

[Guy Legend]

If you go the coupe rwd coupe route (G35, 350z, etc.), I would get a set of dedicated snow tires for the bad months.? Snow tires will provide tremendous improvement - enough so that a rwd coupe should have no problems in moderate snow conditions.? Of course if the roads are extremely terrible, I wouldn't be driving out there in the first place.

[Catman]

If you go the coupe rwd coupe route (G35, 350z, etc.), I would get a set of dedicated snow tires for the bad months.  Snow tires will provide tremendous improvement - enough so that a rwd coupe should have no problems in moderate snow conditions.  Of course if the roads are extremely terrible, I wouldn't be driving out there in the first place.

Nice, Guy Legend has arrived.  Welcome.

[manuel]

When I had my 330CI with PP('M' here in Canada) I swapped the OEM tires (Pilot Sport) for a set of Perilli P Zero Nero M&S ultra high performance all seasons which was an excellent compromise between winter and dry traction while keeping the low profile look. I can honestly tell you guys I had very little trouble with these tires in our winters (and it gets bad here at times!) but the beauty was that they still performed exceptionally well on dry and you never needed to swap rims/tires twice a year. I highly recommend these if you're willing to accept it is not the best winter option but good enough to get you there if you must drive the car in heavy snow at times.

[J86]

The car is okay, but it's so light that traction can be hard to come by.? If the car was heavier, it'd be fine, but there goes the fuel economy.? With a good set of snow tires, my car just does just fine, but all seasons leave it a bit wanting.

My dad had a '97 Accord when I was in high school, and that thing was just terrible in snow, worse than my car for some reason.


Gotta love those old manual transfer cases too.? I'd take one of those over the new electronic ones any day.

I had a '96 Accord which was the single worst car in the snow I have ever driven.  Of course, I had cheap all seasons on it, but in order to make it to school, I would use the ebrake to make turns on t heback roads around my house.

[Submariner]

Do you remember what died? Was it dropping a tappet guide? Turns out, the US bound cars in the '80s had the forward catalytic converter mounted up by the head, and would heat the head to high enough temps that the tappet guide could come out of the head, hitting the cam, sending metal all through the engine. Thre is a $25 kit to fix that, that I installed in mine. It isn't necessary on non-catalyst equipped Jaguars.

Other than that, the engines are strong, reliable, and had been used in that form since 1948 in Jaguars. With the kit in them, 300k miles is not uncommon on the (otherwise) original engines.

Kind of like getting one of the few BMW E38s with the nikasil engines AND bad fuel. Don't damn the whole model because of one situation.

Ha...I was 5 months old when it happned, and neither of them are as car savvy as me.  SO I have no idea.  :P

Too bad, I sometimes see one driving in my town.  Sexy car. 

[TheIntrepid]

Ha...I was 5 months old when it happned, and neither of them are as car savvy as me. SO I have no idea. :P

Too bad, I sometimes see one driving in my town. Sexy car.

Your parents are loaded as hell aren't they?

[gasoline]

If you go the coupe rwd coupe route (G35, 350z, etc.), I would get a set of dedicated snow tires for the bad months.  Snow tires will provide tremendous improvement - enough so that a rwd coupe should have no problems in moderate snow conditions.  Of course if the roads are extremely terrible, I wouldn't be driving out there in the first place.

Welcome, Guy Legend! Were you from C/D?

[Guy Legend]

Nice, Guy Legend has arrived.? Welcome.

Thanks.? ?

Welcome, Guy Legend! Were you from C/D?

Yes.? ?

[rohan]

I learned a lesson today always come prepared.  I got a set of Blizzdacks with my new car from the guy and I didn't get them on in time for this snow.  I don't intend on driving it much during hte winter but just to have them on in case I get caught.  I got caught.  It took me about 45 minutes to drive the 22 miles and I won't make that mistake agian.  The winter tires go on tomorrow.  How can that car be so bad when our CVPI's aren't even that bad?

[MX793]

I learned a lesson today always come prepared.  I got a set of Blizzdacks with my new car from the guy and I didn't get them on in time for this snow.  I don't intend on driving it much during hte winter but just to have them on in case I get caught.  I got caught.  It took me about 45 minutes to drive the 22 miles and I won't make that mistake agian.  The winter tires go on tomorrow.  How can that car be so bad when our CVPI's aren't even that bad?

I'm sure the wide tires on the GTO don't help.  The CVs have significantly narrower tires, do they not?

[The Pirate]

I learned a lesson today always come prepared.  I got a set of Blizzdacks with my new car from the guy and I didn't get them on in time for this snow.  I don't intend on driving it much during hte winter but just to have them on in case I get caught.  I got caught.  It took me about 45 minutes to drive the 22 miles and I won't make that mistake agian.  The winter tires go on tomorrow.  How can that car be so bad when our CVPI's aren't even that bad?

You have a second car for winter?  That's probably a good idea.  Winter is hard on cars, the GTO will be much happier as a summer car.

[JYODER240]

You have a second car for winter?? That's probably a good idea.? Winter is hard on cars, the GTO will be much happier as a summer car.

Screw that, cars are meant to be driven.

[The Pirate]

Screw that, cars are meant to be driven.

Until all the freaking salt they use makes them rust away to nothing.  When I sold my first car, the rust was pretty much the only holding it together at that point.

[JYODER240]

Until all the freaking salt they use makes them rust away to nothing.? When I sold my first car, the rust was pretty much the only holding it together at that point.

would you rather walk

[The Pirate]

would you rather walk

Yeah, I probably would rather walk.


But if I had a decent car, I would definitely pick up a $500 shitbox to get through winter in.

[Champ]

Screw that, cars are meant to be driven.

I had the hardest time deciding what to do with my car for winters.  On one hand it is in perfect condition and will be a collectors car in 10 years (much like the C900 is now).  However, it is WAY too much fun to drive to store.  :)

Side benefit, it gets around like crazy in the snow.  :D

[Submariner]

Your parents are loaded as hell aren't they?

They do alright.

[rohan]

I'm sure the wide tires on the GTO don't help.? The CVs have significantly narrower tires, do they not?

Crowns have 225/60/16 adn mine has 245/45/17 or 18 I dont' remember.  I don't think going from 225 to 245 is that much a of difference is it?  That's what 1/2 inch?  And I do have a pick up I just don't think a car should sit much they need to be driven I just didn't know we were going to get a buch of snow.

[Raza]

I drove a GTO in snow before.  It's not that bad.  But damn, watch that rear end.

[MX793]

Crowns have 225/60/16 adn mine has 245/45/17 or 18 I dont' remember.  I don't think going from 225 to 245 is that much a of difference is it?  That's what 1/2 inch?  And I do have a pick up I just don't think a car should sit much they need to be driven I just didn't know we were going to get a buch of snow.

40 mm is roughly 8/10 of an inch.  But when you combine the wider patch with less weight (I'd guess at least 500 lbs difference in curb weight), the Goat will have a harder time sinking through the snow and to the pavement.

[Catman]

Crowns have 225/60/16 adn mine has 245/45/17 or 18 I dont' remember.? I don't think going from 225 to 245 is that much a of difference is it?? That's what 1/2 inch?? And I do have a pick up I just don't think a car should sit much they need to be driven I just didn't know we were going to get a buch of snow.

I can't imagine it being much worse than a CV.   Put a block of wood under the gas pedal.