h22lude

I work with someone that has an 01 and she says she loves it but it handles bad in the snow because it doesn't have traction control and it has some much power.

How is an 04 SL with VDC in the snow? Do I really need VDC for the snow or can I get just the traction control system?

kmoney56

I have an SE w/o VDC and I loved it in the snow. It has a very heavy solid feel. I would go as far as saying it is the best FWD car I've ever driven in the snow.

h22lude

So what makes the 04 better than the 01?

Will the traction control help even more?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Having the optional Helical LSD would be better than having traction control IMHO. The 2001 year maximas didn't have lsd as an option so I vote 2004. With any car with power, you have to treat it with respect in the wet/snowy weather.

NYC TAR

iTrader: (2)

any car that has 17" or bigger wheel handles horrible in the snow. However- snow tire makes up for the lost traction.

h22lude

There is an option from the factory to get a lsd?

Right now I drive a 98 prelude and it doesn't do too bad in the snow but it isn't the best. In looking for a new car I want something that will do better even if it is a little better. For those that have driven a FWD honda, will the SL with traction control be better?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I'd visit Nissan's website and dig around the maxima options list. I'd prefer the hlsd. But that doesn't mean one is better. That might be a subjective opinion. IMHO, TIRES make the most difference in snow handling. Width also makes a big difference. Your prelude probably only had 195 or 205 width tires. The maxima has something like 225-235 width tires. Wider is worse for winter snow traction. But very necessary for good dry traction of it's 265hp motor

CanadianMoFo

Well I can tell you about snow and the 04 Maxima.

Its not the best car for it. But its certainly not the worst either. With the stock 18" rims that the SE comes with and the Goodyear RS-A tires I'd say its a pretty poor combination. In my opinion its barely ok for winter driving in that combination. The tires do not provide good traction that you can be confident in. Its a matter of the tires themselves and the extreme width.

The SL with its 17" rims is a better snow handling Maxima right from the start. The 225 width tires do have better traction than the 245's on the SE.

Obviously the LSD and VDC will make traction a bit better.

The best thing you can do is get a dedicated winter tire package. I purchased a set of 17" steel rims and Goodyear Ultragrip tires. They give a very positive grip to the vehicle in all but the worst conditons. They are performance rated snow tires so the feel on bare pavement is not that much different from the stock 18's. I would say that due to the low profile of the tires, and the fact that only performance type snow tires are available in our size that they do give up some traction compared to a dedicated old school big blocky lugged tire. A good example is the Yokohama Guardex series of snow tires. Grip is amazing. Steering feel is so-so, and they tend to be noisy.

I've never been stuck with my Maxima even in extremely snowy conditions. With the snow tires I have I'm confident driving in any conditon I've encountered up here in northern Ontario. I have a 6 speed SE with a LSD. No VDC so I can't speak to that.

My only complaint is that snow tends to build up quickly in the wheel wells. Which may be a function of the snow tires. They tend to pickup a lot of snow and throw it as they spin. Hot water at the car wash takes care of the build up.

Hope this helps you out.

h22lude

Thanks for the help. I will look more at the nissan site. I did a little but didn't find anything on the lsd.

I know snow tires will be a big help but my main concern is if the VDC or traction control is worth the money.

lightonthehill

h22lude - Unless you order your Maxima special-made, I'm not sure you will find one with only traction control.

On the '04 Maxima, Nissan normally sells traction control (TCS) as part of the vehicle direction control (VDC) package. In addition to these two nifty features, the package also includes a full-size spare and alloy wheel (both matching those on the car).

The MSRP on this package is $900, and the invoice is around $780. That is a very good price, as the alloy wheel alone would probably cost around $600 at your Nissan dealer.

I like TCS a lot, but VDC is my fav. No more fistailing all over the road in emergency situations.

I told my dealer I wasn't interested in any vehicle without the VDC package, and waited over a year until the silver SL with priver preferred, sunroof and VDC package arrived on his lot before making an offer on anything.

Having watched me cruise his back lot (where incoming cars are unloaded; an area posted as 'off limits' to the public) for over a year, scrutinizing every new Maxima as it was being unloaded, he gave me a very good deal. This was probably an effort on his part to reclaim privacy on his back lot.

If you can possibly swing the money, the VDC package is a very good investment.

6thGenMax

iTrader: (6)

If you have VDC, thats the traction control as well correct? meaning i have 1 button for the VDC, nothing for traction control. its just there and always on?

95Max

Yes. VDC on = Traction control on. VDC off = Tracs off

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

I can't find anywhere to buy tires for the
SE. Can anyone lead me toward some good winter tires?
If I find some would you recommend switching when snowy weather is on its way and back to stock in the spring?

6thGenMax

iTrader: (6)

www.tirerack.com you can try them.

CanadianMoFo

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compar...ng=ZR&x=12&y=7

DansMax3

My '04 SL with VDC has been the best car I've ever driven in the snow. My '01 Maxima was ok (had TC), but can't compare to the traction of the '04 (maybe the tires).

h22lude

So I am guess people say to go with the VDC. With the added snow tires, it seems it will do fine.

groston

Get rid of the crappy OEM tires and replace them with Real (tm) snow tires. Your handling will be more than adequate.

lightonthehill

For those living where winters are long, and ice and snow are frequent, the '04 owners manual says it is OK to change to a different profile 'mud and snow' tire for winter driving.

If living in the 'far north', I would probably put 225/55HR18 winter/all season tires on an SE, or 215/60HR17 winter/all season tires on an SL.

If I was getting a different set of wheels strictly for winter use, and knew I would not be driving over 65 MPH (75 max) with them on the car, I would get 16 inch by 6.5 inch wide wheels and go with a 205/65HR16 tire. The narrower tire tends to cut through snow and slush, while wider ones tend to slide across the stuff.

Always remember to never put tire chains on either the rear tires or the spacesaver spare.


edit - And one might change only the front tires for winter weather. The front tires do all the pulling, all the turning, most of the braking, and carry most of the weight.

Jay93SE

I've found that the BFG Traction T/A is an excellent all-season performance tire that works very well in the snow, and alson retains good tread life and noise levels. check out the reviews and ratings on www.tirerack.com.

SilverBelle04

Light - true about the points that you're making about the load on the front tires, but a matched set is the way to go.

When travelling down snow covered expressways, you'd appreciate the grippiness of proper rear tires while you're digging your way through ruts and mounds of snow (side to side swaying). It would track much more safely. eh !

Bob

RideTuner

iTrader: (13)

I waited an extra month to get my max with VDC. It ended up being really useful when the dc area was hit with a big snow storm earlier this year in late jan/early feb. It handled a lot better than I expected. Never had a problem off the line from a stop light and never lost control during a turn. However I saw many other cars slip and slide.
Also, the VDC kicked in and prevented me from fishtailing one night while driving down a windy road during a big thunderstorm. I thought I was about to spin out for sure. Very glad I waited and paid the extra 900 for VDC. Definitely worth it.

CanadianMoFo

[QUOTE=lightonthehill]

If I was getting a different set of wheels strictly for winter use, and knew I would not be driving over 65 MPH (75 max) with them on the car, I would get 16 inch by 6.5 inch wide wheels and go with a 205/65HR16 tire. The narrower tire tends to cut through snow and slush, while wider ones tend to slide across the stuff.

QUOTE]

Good advice. Always try to go down a size if possible.

In the case of the 6th gen Maxima, the smallest rim you can fit on is a 17". A 16" rim will not clear the calipers.

CM.

jc53

We didn't get as much snow as usual this winter, but the only problem that I had was one particularly icy day. Through snow, the car handled well, and I don't have VDC.

Manitoba Max

I went with tiretrends.com.

I got a set of 17" FRD 30 wheels and Hankook W300 Icebear 225-55-17's.

The tires are an enormous improvement over the stock 18"ers for the winter (as they should be), and didn't give up too much in terms of grip and comfort when the roads were clear. The wheels actually look like they belong as well, and the cost was great. Delivery was very fast, packaged very well, with all the hardware, a set of gorilla nuts, mounted and balanced.

We had snow from October to April this year, and extreme cold, and I have never had better control over a heavy front wheel drive car than I had this past winter.

Manitoba Max

The rolling circumference should stay the same though (or as close as possible). A 225-55-18 is significantly larger in rolling circumference, throwing the speedo and odo way off. 225-55-17 is a much closer match to the stock 18's in terms of the circumference.

The problem with snow buildup in the wheel wells is chronic, all season or winter tires. Partly a result of the felt liner in the rear, and part a function of the lack of clearance between the tires and wheel well opening. The shape of the interior of the wheel wells is also to blame.

lightonthehill

Manitoba - You are correct regarding the problems the oversize-circumference tire would present. In retrospect, I consider your choices for winter tires much better than mine.

But then one would hope a Maxima driver living in Manitoba would know much more about cold weather driving than a Georgia one (winkie here).

lightonthehill

CanadianMoFo - good catch about not being able to put 16" wheels on the '04 Max.

SilverBelle - I agree with you that a set of four winter tires is much preferred (over just having winter tires on the front), especially if one is going to do more than go slowly down to the corner grocery during winter weather. The two tire scenario should probably be limited to mid-U.S., where they will be used very little, and only in slow speed limited mileage situations.

gump

the diameter of the tire has nothing to do with it! it would be the width of the tire that makes for bad snow driveing. you dould have a 15 in wheel with 8" wide tires on it and it wouldnt go anywhere but with 6" wides it will go everywhere ex stock VW golf vs. VW GTI same diameter but different widths