Infiniti G35 In Snow

airtasairtas Member Posts: 8
in INFINITI
I currently have an acura rsx which i love but I am leaning towards getting a g35 coupe.
The RSX is FWD and the g35 is RWD.
I live in upstate NY so winters are harsh at times. Is this a bad idea looking into a RWD car?
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  • scottm123scottm123 Member Posts: 1,501
    Short answer... yes.
    You can get away with a great set of snow tires if your winters are moderate at best, but if you see any real storms, the G35 Coupe shouldn't be anywhere but the garage, snows or not.
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    I had the coupe w/ all-season tires for 2 years in Philly and I never had a problem w/ the snow. However, if you live in Buffalo, I think a set of snow tires is better.
  • airtasairtas Member Posts: 8
    what is the issue? getting a grip from the start and being stuck or too much sliding while driving?
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    I drive a 330Ci... but I come in peace... :)

    I live in S.E. Pa where we get a moderate amount of snow. My house is in a very rural area, so clearing the roads isn't a top priority for the state. With a good set of winter rubber, I have had very few problems getting around in winter.

    Don't expect to be outrunning anything from a standstill, but stopping and handling have been fine.

    The biggest issue I've had, and I would imagine it would be just as bad in the G35, is ground clearance. As soon as the front plastic starts to plow, the rear wants to come around. Stability control will prevent that from happening, but in doing so, will slow the car down. Not too much of a problem on flat roads, but if you're trying to climb an incline, it can bring the car to a complete halt. The couple of times this has happened to me, I've backed down the hill, turned off DSC, and hit it again relying on countersteering to keep the backend in check. So far, it's worked okay.

    This past winter, we didn't have much snow but got lots of sleet and freezing rain. Obviously, I stayed off the roads when I could, but the Dunlop WinterSports performed very well in these conditions when called upon.

    FWIW, if there's less than 4-5" of snow on the road, I'd rather drive my car than my wifes 4500lb FWD Odyssey shod with all-season rubber . For more than 5", her van's an easy choice.

    Good luck! (and sorry for the length of the post)
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    what is the issue? getting a grip from the start and being stuck or too much sliding while driving?

    I had none of those issues, good grip from start and no sliding, and I drive a little more aggressive than average people even during the snow. BTW, I had the coupe from Jan. '05 to Jan. '07.
  • airtasairtas Member Posts: 8
    where are you from?
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    Philly, PA
  • sjaievesjaieve Member Posts: 252
    Car & Driver has clocked the G35 @ 5.2 secondes for the G35S & 5.4 secs for the G35X so not much of a loss there. :)
  • scottm123scottm123 Member Posts: 1,501
    Ask 5 people this question and you'll get 5 different answers.
    The fact is that if you are asking the question in the first place, you pretty much know the answer.

    I don't care what anyone else says... I have a 50 mile commute here in MA and when it snows, getting to work sucks. I have hills, curves and plenty of stop and go traffic. I see lots of cars having one heck of a time trying to get their RWDs going when a red light turns green and they're on a slight incline. I didn't want to risk my investment, other people's safety, or most importantly, my children who ride with me to school each morning.

    Get the X. You live in a part of the US that sees substantial snow fall and the roads can be horrible up there. The X is only AWD for the first 12 mph when you're cruising around in the summer so you'll have all the benefits of RWD in the summer and no issues in the winter.

    My friend just traded in his 03 G35 coupe for an 08 G35xS and he couldn't be happier.
    His 03 was so bad in the snow, that he ended up leasing a Toyota Tacoma for the winter season.
  • jennmajennma Member Posts: 40
    If the snow is deep enough, ground clearance at the front becomes an issue. That was the only time I got stuck in the snow in the Chicago Winter, coming home from work driving into my unploughed sub-division when there was about 5-6 inches there. I managed to dig my way out and get moving after 5 minutes removing the snow that built up. For some reason I drove out that night, again on the snow, thinking the roads would have been ploughed more, and got stuck in a left handed turn lane. Honestly, apart from that one evening, I didn't have a problem driving, stopping or starting at a light or a line. I'll admit that overall my driving style was more careful, but not to the point of going 15mph in the 30mph area, it was more like sticking at or just below posted speed limits, or less when turning at a light or going around a bend.

    When my 2007 G35 6MT was in for a service, I had a 2008 G35x overnight. Not once, even in the snow (only 1-1.5") did the VDC come on, grip was definitely improved. If you're looking at one of the models that are automatic transmission, then I would recommend getting the G35x to be safer in the snow and ice. The only reason I didn't get an x is that there was no manual transmission available with AWD. As it's my only car, not having a manual transmission is a much bigger deal breaker for me as there are far more days per year when I can have fun with that. At least now with the xS option you can reclaim some of that sensation of shifting.

    If you really want the RWD I'd suggest getting Winter tires and the 6MT rather than an automatic, I think it is easier to control the revs and power to the wheels with that type of transmission. I know I'd have had problems in an automatic RWD.

    With either choice, you will enjoy the G. I still grin from ear to ear whenever I see mine. ;)
  • misha1641misha1641 Member Posts: 9
    Hello every one, i am considering purchasing g35s Sedan i am a huge fan of manual transmition but g35s is RWD i live in CT and we have pretty nasty winters here. i would get a AWD but i really like stick. i am trying to see if any one out there has g35s in the state where it snows and how they get around in the bad weather on g35s? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! thank you
  • silvertlsilvertl Member Posts: 8
    Only had a few snows stick in NJ this year....but the car did just fine. The lights on the dashboard are an interesting sideshow as the computer keeps correcting (I was playing around to test it). I actually went down a side street with the throttle to the floor while travelling maybe 15 mph...it was all slush and snow...some wheelspin...some sidestep...all corrected. The RE050's suck in the cold regardless of what car they are on though.
  • jfon1jfon1 Member Posts: 1
    We had a fairly snowy winter here in Kansas City... stormed often though not more than 4-5 inches at any given time. Lots of cold. Overall, a bit less than average for your neck of the woods ( I grew up in CT). I had the same dilemma last year; wanted a manual (I've never had anything else) but was concerned about the tires in the winter.

    No problems at all getting around... BUT... I put Goodyear FI A/S tires on in place of the silly summer RE 050's. The Goodyears were the first, and maybe still only, A/S tire available in both the front and rear sizes on the G35S. I like them very much, though I jusrt remounted the Bridgestones to get some more mile sout of them before snow flies again.

    If I were you I'd insist the dealer replace the RE050's with the Goodyears, or an equivalent if now available. Infiniti designers had their heads up their tails when they selected tire sizes not easily available in A/S models.

    Good luck!
  • paulo6paulo6 Member Posts: 94
    Got a 2006 6MT sedan myself and I live in MI. We got a record snow this year in Ann Arbor, and considering that I got stuck twice. I purchased 4 USED (My car is leased) snow tires from Ebay, and I tell they make a whole lot of difference. Actually, without them I would never consider a RWD in MI.
  • misha1641misha1641 Member Posts: 9
    so you had no problems getting around up the hill with snow tires on?
  • paulo6paulo6 Member Posts: 94
    It was no AWD for sure, but it was perfectly manageable...you have to look at in perspective....as I said maybe 2 or 3 days of the year where it will turn me in a bad mood, when I get stuck somewhere...again, that was the worst winter (most snow) on record in Ann Arbor, MI. My lease ends in October, if I stick with a 2009 G, I might do a RWD again...or the new g35Xs (hopefully G37 by then).
  • misha1641misha1641 Member Posts: 9
    so if you had to do it again you would get an X is that what you are saying?
  • paulo6paulo6 Member Posts: 94
    No, as i said for 2 or 3 days a year of getting stuck and getting pissed, it is worth the Manual RWD and the extra ponies I got in the 2006. Rest of the year was a blast. For 2009, I might get the G35XS, for a change and the paddle shifters...but would not have an issue getting another 6MT RWD with good snow tires. Again, keep in mind the above scenario took place in a year of RECORD snow fall here in Ann Arbor, MI.
  • sweendogysweendogy Member Posts: 1,310
    why doesnt infiniti fix this situation-- just make the G35x in stick and we all would have the best of both worlds..sport and awd--
  • rustynail2009rustynail2009 Member Posts: 1
    Can an over active VDC system cause premature tire wear? I have dedicated summer and winter tires with a total of 21,000 kilometers on them and they have very uneven wear and almost done. Driverside rear tire on both summer and winter sets are the most worn. And to add to the problem I noticed this winter (2nd on my winter tire set) at highway speeds and at light throttle, the car cannot run straight and stable, the steering has to be constantly corrected (VDC always left turned on) the SLIP indicator has not been blinking more than normal. I had a four wheel alignment done, the brakes are OK. Anyone suffering a similar problem, any ideas?
  • g35asbg35asb Member Posts: 2

    Wanna drive in snow? Get Blizzak tires, manual tranny (automatic transmission is useless in snow no mater what car it is), turn off VDC, and learn to steer with right foot as well as the steering wheel. I regularly take my 6MT 2005 G35 Coupe skiing in New England and never have any problems in the snow.

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