3.8L in Snow - Nightmare

[iSOBigD]

I happened to have around 200 lbs of passengers in the rear seats, and another 75 lbs of luggage in the trunk. is this what made the difference? this time I only had 70 lbs of car seats in the rear and nothing in the trunk.

It's hard to say. It's usually impossible to drive twice in the exact same conditions, but once you're driving in a straight line you should be fine. It's when you stop and take off or turn that you will not grip and slide around.

In terms of driving knowledge, there's not much to it. If you press the gas pedal while turning, you will spin out because the rear tires will spin faster than they can grip, but if you press nothing and just steer, your car will turn safely. This works the same in the summer, except the point at which your tires stop gripping is much higher.

The TCS/ESC system also kicks in immediately which helps keep you from spinning out but you just have to not press the gas pedal when you're slipping a lot, that's all you can do.

At the end of the day, if you drive in the snow often, get snow tires. They're more expensive than summer tires, but you can also buy them slightly used because they go down in price by like 80%. I see used tires for $200 a set at every garage and online all the time and you can pay someone $40 to swap them on your original set of wheels.

 

[AgentSmith007]

I actually did ok with the same tires (with 15k fewer miles on them)...was one of the better performing vehicles on the OH turnpike. I happened to have around 200 lbs of passengers in the rear seats, and another 75 lbs of luggage in the trunk. is this what made the difference?

Yep. Front wheel drive cars have engine weight under the hood that pushes front tires to have good grip with the road/snow etc. That's why 200 lbs in the back seat and 75 lbs in the trunk made a difference with your Genesis.

 

[The Ruckus]

3.8 on P Zero Neros (6.1 deep snow rating) is also sketchy. Tires and weight make a night and day difference. I have the Manwagon in my stable, so I'm ultimately OK with the so-so handling of the Pirelli tires on the Genesis.

 

[Ldmf]

I have a 2011 4.6 and took it out in the snowmagedden. In my area we received just under a foot of snow. I have snow tires around on the car. With the ESC on, it stopped me on the first hill I tried to go up. It took a couple of minutes of spinning to go up it but she made it. After that, I just pushed the ESC button to turn it off. I had to steer a little more but the car did great. Mind you, it is no Subaru in the snow, but it left a bunch of front wheel drive cars behind. Overall I give my G-G-Geennny a solid B in the snow.

 

[amartz]

I have a 2011 4.6 and took it out in the snowmagedden. In my area we received just under a foot of snow. I have snow tires around on the car. With the ESC on, it stopped me on the first hill I tried to go up. It took a couple of minutes of spinning to go up it but she made it. After that, I just pushed the ESC button to turn it off. I had to steer a little more but the car did great. Mind you, it is no Subaru in the snow, but it left a bunch of front wheel drive cars behind. Overall I give my G-G-Geennny a solid B in the snow.

That's what I found out. Got stuck in the Poconos in a snow storm once. Had to turn off the ESC to climb up out of a parking lot. Got more wheel spin then, but it climbed up out.

 

[Binmonkey]

I am using Nokian WRG3 all weather tires. These are not all season, they are all weather with the winter rated mountain and snowflake symbol. They are designed to stay on the car year round. So far they have been excellent. They have a treadwear rating of 50,000km. My original Dunlop SP5000 had no treadwear warranty at all. The Nokians are also low rolling resistance which is a bonus. Not noisy at all either. Very happy with them.

 

[westvibes]

This is why I hate winter.

 

[Captain Howdy]

I bought mine on a Sunday when there was snow on the ground. I had no choice but to drive it after a night of freezing rain. The next day there was .3/8 " of ice on the road and I had no problem. The Torsen Locker and traction control did better than my open front and rear Wrangler.

 

[Buford T Justice]

If you drive this car in a winter climate without winter tires, you're a numpty.

The difference between snow tires and all seasons on snowy/icy roads is night and day. You'll be able to accelerate as fast or faster than the rest of traffic off stop lights.
Your stopping distance is probaby 20 to 40% better than cars around you without snow tires, and you have way better traction when you're turning. You also get less shifty when changing lanes over the build up mounds between lanes on the interstate.
And hill starts are no problem.

 

[radiohack]

The difference that snow tires make cannot be understated.

I live in the Boston area and regularly drive my Genesis on snow days here. For those of you who don't know, Winter tires are made up of a different compound so that the rubber stays soft aka "sticky" during cold weather, unlike Summer tires that freeze and to a lesser degree all season tires.

Even up here though people seem to think if you don't have AWD you're screwed. AWD will indeed help you gain traction in a straight line and get rolling, but please, tell me how your AWD helps you stop? Hint: it doesn't, only good Winter tires do.

The decision really comes down to will you face Winter conditions often enough to warrant the buying of a second set of tires for Winter. Obviously up here it does. In Atlanta, maybe not; you'd just stay home on those days. Please keep in mind you should decide this based on temperature not necessarily amount of snow. Your Summer tires can still freeze and become useless in the cold, even if it's not snowing.

For the record I'm using Bridgestone Blizzak WS80's and have absolutely loved them.

IMO to people having trouble with the Genesis in Winter... it's not your car that's having trouble with the ice/snow... it's your tires.

All that being said, yes an AWD with Winter tires is the best option. Audi's with Winter tires up here roll around like they don't even know it's not Summer

Link for reference: (BMW M3 (RWD w/Winter tires) vs Subaru Forester (AWD w/Summer tires) In an uphill ice climb

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[AgentSmith007]

Here is another video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhco57iRF2Q

 

[T_D_Diggs]

The Genesis is no worse than any other car in the snow. I drove mine for 3 winters in Fort McMurray Canada. -50 Celsius weather with up to 6 feet of accumulated snow. The car did great. I put true winter tires on it and it was great. Anybody who thinks all season or all weather tires are as good as winter tires is an idiot.

 

[66nexus]

I suppose from the comments I may be in the minority on this but: I have Milestar all seasons and I rarely ever have a problem (even with the 30 incher we had in NJ 3 weeks ago). Winter tires would of course be better. In really deep fluffy snow it can get slippery but I just keep my momentum and roll right through it (of course slowing down in such snow will spell disaster, but I avoid driving in it where possible).

I keep my Genesis Coupe track wheels in the truck btw.

 

[sleeksilver]

Nearly any RWD vehicle is going to be terrible in snow without proper tires.

All season tires are a jack of all trades and a master of none. If you need to drive in snow, buy dedicated winter tires and not just all seasons.

 

[Jerryss]

Hate to add on to what everyone else is saying but, if you have a rear-wheel drive, in the Northeast, or any Snow Belt area, and you want to truly stay mobile all year round, you need a set of snows, mounted and ready. From the early days of my Trans Ams to my RWD Cadillacs & BMW's, I always had a set of extra mounted snows - and the Genesis is no different.

Winter:

These are my General Champro Ice , mounted on my 17" Genny stockers.

I throw 150 LBS in the trunk, and I pretty much have no problems in Pennsylvania Winters. All Season Tires on a RWD car are worthless.

Besides, this makes me look forward to Spring so much more. 1st wknd in April I usually put the Snows to rest, and put the Summers on. Makes Spring all that much better!

Summer:

Don't fool yourself. Get a set of Snows.

 

[cyclotron0]

I am selling barely used Winter tires (Blizzack LM-60) + Rims + TPMS sensors. I am moving to warmer climate, so don;t need them anymore. Please contact if interested.

 

[MeyerKy32]

I am using Nokian WRG3 all weather tires. These are not all season, they are all weather with the winter rated mountain and snowflake symbol. They are designed to stay on the car year round. So far they have been excellent. They have a treadwear rating of 50,000km. My original Dunlop SP5000 had no treadwear warranty at all. The Nokians are also low rolling resistance which is a bonus. Not noisy at all either. Very happy with them.

I stay in Minnesota, and I was thinking about getting these exact tires! you recommend them ? They work good? I see you got the 235/50 r18 I was thinking about getting the 235/45 18 my car currently runs 225/60 r18 i believe. I was nervous about getting all season nokians over nokian Hakkas.. did you make it fine.. through most snow storms?

 

[EdP]

There are three factors in how a car handles in snow. Driver, tires,, weather conditions. An inch should not be a problem with any car, but if conditions under the snow iced up from earlier rain or melt, nothing is going to make. I've been through two winters with my Genesis and it handles a few inches easily, even climbing a couple of hills. How were other cars doing? If you were the only one in trouble, tires would be first to check. I'd get one with a real snow rating. Could have been very slippery ice that day too.

 

[MeyerKy32]

There are three factors in how a car handles in snow. Driver, tires,, weather conditions. An inch should not be a problem with any car, but if conditions under the snow iced up from earlier rain or melt, nothing is going to make. I've been through two winters with my Genesis and it handles a few inches easily, even climbing a couple of hills. How were other cars doing? If you were the only one in trouble, tires would be first to check. I'd get one with a real snow rating. Could have been very slippery ice that day too.

Do you use snow/winter tires or all weather tires with the snow rating? This is my first full winter with my RWD genesis, I used all seasons when I got in January last year for the snow storm MN had in March and it did fine, but I took it slow, and avoided all upward on ramps and tried to go downhill as much as possible or stay on flat roads.

 

[AgentSmith007]

Last summer (middle of April) I decided to try summer tires (Michelin Pilot Super Sport). What a difference compare to all season tires.
Last winter (middle of November) I put dedicated winter tires (Bridgstone Blizzark). What a difference compare to all season tires.
I also put four sand bags (120 lbs total) in the trunk. I had no problem with 5" of snow.

Here is the trick I found. If roads a messy from the snow and I need to start driving from the red light I put transmission into manual mode and into 2nd gear and accelerate gently. This way I don't get a lot of torque from the 1st gear, and no spinning of the rear wheels.