Today it snowed in Chicago. A lot. And i wanted to know if anybody has any good winter driving tips that would come in handy about anything...the salt on the roads, the morons that will lose traction behind you and hit your car, anything.

Also, I wanted to put a big *** decal on my back window, but will the rear defrosters cause that to peel off?

 

Simple---Don't drive. Reason for the comment is simply what you wrote. If you don't know how to drive in extreme conditions, move!!!
Decal on the outside of the window should be fine. Don't put it on the inside of the rear..Common sense

 

Don't be an idiot.


It's like playing with a rattle snake, no sudden moves, take it slow. I'm guessin the OP is not from Chicago...

 

Drive slow. Brake early and softly. Accelerate slow and easy. If you have a manual you can start out in 2nd gear.

 

dont make any drastic or sudden movements (speeding up, slowing down, turning)

 

dont speed. get snow tires. the salt on the road is there to melt the snow, but its not good for the cars paint. oh and the rice decal would cause people to hit you from the rear, dont get one.

 

Not following so closely to the vehicle ahead of you is a big plus. I found people in Chicagoland followed way toooooooooo close to eachother, even w/ bad road conditions.

 

Speed up, crank the wheel either direction, pull the e-brake for EVERY turn you make.

Also, do as many reverse 180's as you can!

 

Snow tires.

Other than that.. if theres actually snow on the ground, start in 2nd, otherwise engage 1st slower. Don't shift into 5th/6th. Shift quick out of 1st/2nd, and keep it 3rd for a while. If your easy on the gas, the benefit to the higher revs is the car slows down faster with engine breaking without losing traction. In heavy snow I generally don't go to any gear other than 2nd and 3rd, and if there aren't any cars behind me, rarely touch my brakes unless I'm at a crawl pace. I rarely ever have the car in neutral either.

Before they plow, take your car to an EMPTY parking lot and try accelerating/braking/turning at low speeds to see how the car reacts. The maxima in my experience understeers like a ****, even compared to other FWD cars I've driven. Don't act like a ******* and just do donuts.

I've driven through 3 New England winters, and drove from nothern CT to PA through the largest blizzard last year. No accidents, and I go out at every oppurtunity to drive in the snow (sounds stupid, but I live in the sticks, so there aren't many cars and I enjoy the practice).

 

that's wa i did in my 98 Sentra last year haha and i f**k'ed it up so i got my maxima....i doubt ill be doing that again.

 

based on this statement, I suggest you sit in your house until the snow is all gone......if you do have to go out, don't try to be cool and slide the car. Just drive like a gramma and make sure you have good ALL SEASON or SNOW tires.

or, leave driving in the snow to the big boys

 

just do everything in slow motion.

or take a different approach: http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/fe...ool/index.html

 

Yeah. Don't expect your brakes to save you. Important in a Maxima that doesn't tend to rapidly downshift on its own like say a Honda or VW. Temper your speed instead, and only use the brakes if you must.

Oh, and reducing visibility while sticking shizz all over your car isn't a good idea any time of year.

 

For the record I think maximas suck in the snow.

At least my 5spd 4th gen sucked no matter what tires it had , I think my 5th gen will suck to ..... but i gotta wait and see.

 

You only have a certain amount of traction. Use it wisely. Don't expect to brake and corner well at the same time. Brake before a corner, not in one. This way, maximum traction is applied to turning instead of slowing down.

 

eh didn't snow much in chicago.....should be fine...i have driven in chicago winter since i first got my license. You're only gonna have to worry if you got a rwd car. Our fwd maxima can blast through the snow. Just don't speed and everything should be fine. and don't stay behind idiot who thing it's dangerous to drive over 10mph in their honda civic because it's snowing outside. My 4th gen blasts trhough the snow, my 5.5 blasts through the snow, my 3.5 4th gen blasts through the snow... oh yeah i pull the ebrake for fun sometimes...lol only in a parking lot though with no cars/poles around...makes me feel like i have a rwd

 

I think if possible go to a large parking lot at night with snow on the ground, and see how hard you can turn, brake, and accelerate without losing traction. Then at least you'll know what you car can do and can't do, and thus can avoid anything beyond what you've learned.

 

just take it easy and remember hands on 10 and 2.

 

damn i park on the street and my car got plowed in...that sucks...yesterday I saw a 4th gen maxima get read ended by a buik on a red ... that sucks.

 

In addition to everything everyone else had mentioned before it is very important to remember GO EASY and SLOW around curves especially on icy days. Ice is very unforgiving and brakes won't help you. Brake way before you go into the curve and take your time and if some moron driving a 4x4 truck or SUV is right behind you, following too close or seem like they are desperately in a hurry to go nowhere let him or her pass you because we all know what usually happens to those people that drive like fools at winter time.

 

Yeah they usually spin out in their dad's envoy and hit the median, causing lots of $$ damage and making their girlfriend's cry, also if you have michelin pilot sports on ur max dont attempt to get the car moving because you will not be able to turn or stop AT ALL

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....Blizzak+REVO+1

I had a set similar to these and it made a WORLD of difference.

 

the only problem with the REVO is that it's not a high performer when it's NOT snowing. It's great for actual snow days, but not really a tire to run all winter. Plus it's Q-rated which essentially means "squishy" with very soft compound that will wear down super-fast if driven on dry pavement for any extended time.

if you live in a place where there is occasional snow/ice/slush, I consider the Blizzak LM-22 or LM-25 to be a better choice, as they are higher-speed rated and perform decent (about as good as a Falken 512) in the dry and excellent in rain. And they're hard enough to run all winter, snow or not, without wearing them out in one season.

 

Leave your front lip at home....

 

I haven't driven the maxima in the snow yet, simply b/c I live in Tucson, AZ. But I have driven 97 Galant, a VW Golf gt, and a german Mazda 626 through 3 German winters. None of them drive the exact same, but if you drive smart you shouldn't have a problem. Follow most of the "rules" that folks have posted in this thread and u shouldn't have a problem. Your car will behave different in the snow than on dry ground. If you know ur car u should be just fine. Drive with common sense. Give yourself good space b/tween u and the car in front of u. Never slam on the brakes, it only leads to an accident. And take corners really slow. Hope this helps.

 

1. Tires are very important!

2. Definitely take your car into an empty CURBLESS parking lot with 2-4 fresh inches (I cannot believe this is not mandatory) and learn what the pedal in the middle does... cause it just suggests what the car should do in snow.

3. Learn how to turn into things or controlled spins... especially with black ice. I found myself headed towards a telephone pole on a straight road... I reacted quickly enough to avoid hitting it because of my self training.

4. In the same flat parking lot... reversies.... all the way buddy... it's educational. Try explaining that to any cops too!!!

 

When you practice, make sure there aren't any parking blocks either. Those can be easily concealed under snow.

Go slow, don't be in any hurry. Also, don't be so eager to pass people. Those folks you pass might be the same ones in your rear at the next stop light! Plan like everyone else doesn't know how to drive. Give them plenty of room to make their mistakes without making them right into you or your baby!

 

i meant to mention to pick a lot out BEFORE it snows... one you can drive through obviously no parking stubs know the boundries. it will be scary if you don't see it before it snows.. i mean potholes would hurt too ya know... be smart