ericdwong

My c5 doesnt do that well in the snow so as I was attempting to head into work this morning, I used the trusty maxima I got down the driveway into the street (whcih had been plowed but still had snow on it). As I was driving I got down a hill and noticed that the rear of the car was very squirrly. Then as I tried to get up a hill the car came to a hault, tires spinning. This was embaressing, there was people starting to line up behind me and I couldnt get anywhere. I let everybody pass and tried to get back up the hill (im now stuck at the bottom between 2 hills). I looked down, noticed there ws some slack in the ebrake handle. Yup, it was frozen. The rear wheels were locked. My dad just spent $500+ to get the rear brakes replaced just last month because of this problem. Odd, how Ive never had a problem with the ebrake freezing with any other car. Meanwhile I look at my dash and every idiot light is on. The ABS + check engine. Frustrated, I left the car in the middle of the road with the keys in it still running and door open and walked back to the house. Told the parents where the car was and to go 'drive it off a cliff' and stole my moms 98 camry. That car had no problems at all getting up the hill. Hopefully either a snowplow hits the maxima and totals that POS or somebody gets in and steals it.

clee130

It's just you.

I got to work just fine.

97blackSE

iTrader: (1)

wow...uhm...greaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

Stephen Max

iTrader: (59)

Gosh, we are so sorry, Eric, and we really do care.

PoePoe2797

Thats exactly why I dont use my e-brake when it snows or when theres ice....and people tell me i'm crazy

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

My car is fine in the snow, I have some meaty tires in the front and an extra 150lb of sand in the back. As for a Maxima being unreliable, My uncle bought a 97SE new in 97 and sold it a few months ago with 100,000 miles on it. Since new he has had ZERO problems with the car.. I have also had no problems yet with my 99 SE-L with 48k.

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

Tires have more to do with snow performance than anything else about a car.

ABK

$500 for rear brakes, funny!!! You should pull up your handbrake some times it helps with siezing up of the calipers. You wonna give me your car I will gladly take it... You need to take care of what you drive that's it.

If the shop fixed the rear calipers a month ago they got to fix it for free BTW

OneToughMax

that's funny, my maxima works fine in the snow

Dave B

I'm running around on mostly bald 235/45R17s with the roads covered in snow and 1/4" ice and I'm able to get around. I doubt I could make it up a steep hill, but I pick my routes accordingly and if I get stuck, I have 20lbs of cat litter in the trunk that makes for a great emergency traction compound. I've never gotten stuck. As for the e-brake, she-ot happens. I've known of many Hondas and GM cars that have their e-brake lines freeze up. As for the idiot lights, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that when you're driving with the rears dragging and the fronts spinning, the ABS system will go nuts and throw codes.

Must be nice to be young, live at home, have a C5 bought for you, and have two other cars at your disposal


Dave

clee130

I have snow tires.

ericdwong

Ive had nothing but trouble with this car ever since i took ownership of it back in 2000. As for tires theyre bfg gforct TA kdws (all season ones).

And as for ebrake, go ahead and park it only in gear witha manny tranny car.

ABK

you are supposed to use the ebrake when you park that what keeps the calipers from seizing up

BTW leaving the car in the middle of the road is really smart, I guess your parents are bloody rich...

ejj

iTrader: (5)

I've got all seasons, and the Maxima is still just fine in the snow. Assuming you know what you're doing of course. I drove through 6" or so this morning to get to work....not a single problem.

Perhaps Eric isn't very good at driving in the snow.

ABK

yeah prolly but I think he said that his rear brakes seized up or something. But still if you can't notice that your car is dragging, who gave you your license?

ejj

iTrader: (5)

I do all the time. As long as your not on a steep include you _should_. Ebrakes freeze in sub-freezing temperatures. I've had it happen to me and seen it happen to just about every make of car...just a fact of life.

Its best not to use the ebrake is really cold temps if you don't have to. Espescially if you've been driving through snow and ice and crap that will freeze to the lines if the car is sitting for a long time.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Your car is getting back at you for all those silly stuntz you did with it before. ie... McD's trays doing donuts, crazy burnouts etc......

Question: Why do you even come back here just to complain about your abused maxima? Why do you even drive it? Wny not drive the Camry in the first place? Logic escapes you at every turn dude

ericdwong

OK #1, the ebrake was frozen. My driveway is also on a hill so no i dare not park on that hill with NO ebrake.

Didnt notice it sliding cause I only made it about 50 or 100 feet from the driveway (which is DOWNHILL). Then I got stuck between TWO hills. I dont care what car you have if the ebrake is stuck on, try driving in the snow up a hill. Its just very frustrating that I actually left early for work and had to deal with this and still managed to be late.

BTW, didnt take the camry cause that is my moms car. She drives that for her job, so i cant just take it.

RastaManMax

iTrader: (5)

Good to know. I should drive around with my Z-rated tires and claim the car is bad in the snow. It's almost as funny as the people with STi's on R compound tires complaining that their car is bad in the snow. Oh well to some people it's obvious and to others it's just not.

LEMAR

ejj

iTrader: (5)

So because your ebrake was frozen, that makes your Maxima horrible in the snow, yet:

But if it doesn't matter what car you have....I'm so confused.

gakary54

I was driving around last night while it was snowing and had no problems. Compared to my last car, a 86 Monte Carlo, my Max is great. But I have had my ebrake freeze on me and lock up my rear brakes. Is this a common problem? Is there an easy fix?

skiwalka

Maybe you should put a pillow under the wheels to try and gain more traction.

maxima98vspec

well that's too bad where did u say u left the car again.

endus

iTrader: (1)

Gee, I feel so much pity for you and your C5...

My max is fine in the snow, my ebrake has never frozen once, and the car is plenty reliable. It has been nothing but good to me...it's just you.

Give me your max if you don't care about it, I will GLADY take it off your hands. How pathetic to leave it in the middle of the street like that...what a retard.

ABK

Hey read above I got first dibs on his max, lol...

If treat the car like **** and park a C5 next to it that's what it's going to give back to you, lol.

Pappa Grande

Hmm. Well IMHO, the maxima is not a good car in the snow (but not bad either). As soon as I bought snow tires about a year ago, it was like night and day. Now I get around just fine in the snow.

As for reliability I think your issues are very unique to you. My car has been very reliable for the 155k I have put on her. The problems I have had, while frustrating at times, can all be attributable to reasonable wear and tear.

I don't think you should be allowed to drive the max anymore. :-)

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Ummm yeah. Like you're having such great luck with your C5. Let's see seat problems, complaining how "easy" and "cheap" your oil sender is, heator temp problems, rear tire wear complaints etc.. That's only the first page. search for ericdwong
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=733993

ericdwong

Ahhh yeah, see heres the thing though, the c5 is expected to be an ureliable car. Its a chevrolet after all with a big black ball under reliablity in consumer reports. The max is SUPPOSED to be a reliable car. But although the c5 has had alot of problems (minor ones and I've fixed most of them) it has yet to blow its transmission and the engine doesnt burn any oil (and its a much cooler car!). As for the oil sender in the c5- I had to replace that one in the maxima as well! At least the c5 has a real oil pressure guage and not the on/off idiot light. as for the air conditioner question if you read further, the c5 automatically will turn the heat full blast if the ambient temp outside is less then 30 degrees, so no it was not malfunctioning. as for the maxima's auto ac/ oh yeah thats right on my 97 it didnt even HAVE an outdoor ambient temp!

In any case ebrake or no ebrake, yes the maxima is lousier in the snow then most other FWD sedans I've driven. This includes the 98 camry and my old old 90 camry. So it must be the tires then? Well the BFgoodrich Gforce TA kdws (s for snow) gets a 6.3 snow traction rating according to http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

My mom's camry has Michelin energy MXV4 Plus tires and that got a 5.4 in the ratings http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

While these ratings arent directly comparable they should still mean something, why is that the camry is still much better in snow, despite its tires having a worse rating then whats on the max? (and yes my tires still have tread, I didnt roast them all off)

nismology

iTrader: (8)

Man you're just bitter. Leave if it's that bad...

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Please explain how a maxima would be any better or worse than any other fwd with similar tires and an open diff?? Answer. It's not.

blizz20oma

iTrader: (1)

I actually busted the pillow burnout out in a convo with a past .org member recently. Good stuff.

Eric, there's only one logical solution to this problem: have your parents buy you an Escalade.

MrEous

iTrader: (11)

I'm willing to bet your mom's camry is a 4-cyl and an auto. In any case if you were to put the 2 cars' dynos next to each other you will notice an alarming difference between torque patterns.

As said above...what are the dimensions of said tires for both the Max and the camry?

hotmax97

ok this thread is a perfect example of what happens when
school is close and why kids love the internet cause you
could be or have anything you think of

LithiuMax

Hey eric, you get the....

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

He actually knows quite a bit about maximas. Probably alot more than you do. Just that his particular maxima is a shat car. Partly because that's the way some are and partly because he beats the living poo-poo out of it when he drives it.

Iron Scimitar

iTrader: (38)

mine did fine...i have Sumitomo HTR+. It's not ur car, it's the driver.

hotmax97

blizz20oma

iTrader: (1)

He definitely knows more about the 4th gen M/T than most of the people on here...

I should run up and have him crack mine open now that, well...at least when my car is actually running which isn't very often lately, I notice a whine developing in second gear.

proguitar04

Just look under the driver's side passenger door, and give the brake line a yank! Mine freeze up, I do that, and it's fine.... duh..

MrEous

iTrader: (11)

Be careful getting up his hill right now...