My Winter Beater

[CDGuy]

How poetic.

I used to have a Z32, thus the "Z" in my username. Great cars. Horrible in the snow, heck even in the rain it can be a handful in NA trim. RWD, heavy, under braked. TT's are even worse. Good luck. Chains are not permitted in Ottawa btw.

Invest in a set of Blizzaks and some sandbags for the rear end. Learn to start from 2nd gear. Good luck.

I can start in 2nd gear, and my friend used this all last winter as his winter car. It should be interesting that's for sure! I love it in the rain, she likes to get frisky!

If you ever see me driving around, wave!

And I hope you weren't being sarcastic about the "how poetic".

[Daryl @ RightDrive]

I'm kinda sure he was lol.

Anyways, it is an awful car to drive in the snow, I had 2 neighbours, one with a Z32 TT, and one with a previous gen to that. I can't count the amount of times I had to help them push their car out of the snow. Completely useless, they would even get stuck in the ruts other cars made in the snow. I'd highly recommend Blizzaks and sandbags, or even better, another winter beater. The last thing Ottawa needs is another RHD Fairlady in an accident, regardless of the reason why.
BTW, I do have experience driving my father's Camaro in the snow back in the day, with concrete patio slabs in the back, what a joke that was.
Good luck and go slow.

[CDGuy]

Full Album:

FB Album.

All my pics are there! I dunno, but lately I've been going photo crazy.

[JZ]

I was being sarcastic. Sorry dude, but you have a penchant for melodrama. Car forums are not good places to be emo.

I just don't get it why you choose *this car* as a winter beater. Why not a Pajero or even some FF kei car to get you through the snow. The Z32 is simply a bad choice. This is coming from a very true and loyal Z32 fan (go to twinturbo.net and look up the join date for "JohnnyZ"). I also agree with you that cars are meant to be driven. If I lived in SoCal, my NSX would be on the road year round, but it's simply not possible in this city. Heck, even this whole month with the Queensway all dug and scraped up from Pinecrest to Parkdale I've been avoiding travelling to the east side in my track car so I won't lose a chunk of my bodywork in the transitions.

[starboy869]

I think you forgot what a winter beater should be? $1000 to $2000 POS that hopefully makes heat and doesn't get stuck all too much. Plus if you hit the +whatever+ it's meh.... I'll buy another piece of **** car. It's ok.. 2nd 300zx RHD accident coming up this winter.

Who wants to put $$ down that the OP will make "i wrecked my beater' thread some time this winter?

[QuietChaos]

Why? A car is meant to be driven. I've rust coated her, and I even have a rust module installed. As for maintenance, I have snow tires and chains at the ready, and a new black turbo front bumper at home for spring in case I pop this one out.

Cars are not meant to be hung on a wall. My Fairlady Z is my girl, plain and simple, and why, for any reason, I would park her for the winter is beyond me. She's a car, she should live life like every other car.

I'd think if a car were real, it wouldn't wanna be put under a tarp for 6 months and brought out only when it's sunny. It would want to experience all that the world has to give it.

I agree with this, without the sarcasm. With that said, I still can't drive my main car in the winter for practicality's sake. It's bad enough in the rain. Do over 20k in a turn and the tires will kick loose with the 1-2 shift, every time.

[CDGuy]

I think you forgot what a winter beater should be? $1000 to $2000 POS that hopefully makes heat and doesn't get stuck all too much. Plus if you hit the +whatever+ it's meh.... I'll buy another piece of **** car. It's ok.. 2nd 300zx RHD accident coming up this winter.

Who wants to put $$ down that the OP will make "i wrecked my beater' thread some time this winter?

I paid that price range for this car. Don't be douschey. Haha. I bought it just to be able to save to buy a nicer car come summer! You also make it seem like I'm irresponsible, and can't drive for ****.

Well, JZ, hook me up with your cell, and you can help pull me outta some banks this winter haha.

[quadracer111]

I paid that price range for this car. Don't be douschey. Haha. I bought it just to be able to save to buy a nicer car come summer! You also make it seem like I'm irresponsible, and can't drive for ****.

Well, JZ, hook me up with your cell, and you can help pull me outta some banks this winter haha.

Ignore him, starboy is a rhd hating troll.

[Daryl @ RightDrive]

You also make it seem like I'm irresponsible, and can't drive for ****.

Not to be judgemental, but you are a teenager, so you can't drive for s*&t.
I wish someone had told me that and slapped me in the head when I was a teenager, I thought I was the bomb driver, and could handle anything. Well, I was wrong about that, just check my teenage driving record :P
Just do everyone on the road a favour, drive what you feel is safe, then double that. I really can't tell you what a bad choice this is as a winter car, but I've made myself clear already.
Good luck and please don't hit anyone.

[CDGuy]

Not to be judgemental, but you are a teenager, so you can't drive for s*&t.
I wish someone had told me that and slapped me in the head when I was a teenager, I thought I was the bomb driver, and could handle anything. Well, I was wrong about that, just check my teenage driving record :P
Just do everyone on the road a favour, drive what you feel is safe, then double that. I really can't tell you what a bad choice this is as a winter car, but I've made myself clear already.
Good luck and please don't hit anyone.

I'm 21, and I've been driving diligently since I was 16. I've never been in an accident, nor gotten a ticket. I also have track experience - which means nothing on a real road.

I know this is a bad choice - it'll be alot of fun to see how it goes. But I'm at least happy to see where it leads me.

[RABBIT]

still suunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnkkkkk

[G.T.R]

Good luck in the winter pal, get a great set of snows and let her rip and be careful. Winters in ontario at least in toronto are not too crazy, I drove my 1991 Nissan Skyline GTS T 5 spd in the snow, on summer tires. She had good manners, but its not like if there is bad weather I would go out in it anyways. I have to have a reliable winter beater now since my job requires me to be available all the time so getting to work in snow storms is a possibility, but just keep her slow and careful, no sudden movements, and such. I am young as well only 20, but with my job I drive quite a bit. prolly close to 15,000kms a month in company car and another 3K in my personal car and I can tell you in the snow, I dont care what you have Snow tires, AWD, ABS, TCS, etc, When you loose control getting it back is a challenge, when you get some snow, take it to a safe area and learn the manners of the car and what it takes to correct a skid, that way you have an idea what to expect before it happens.


How I managed

[RABBIT]

^ toronto winters can no where compared to that of ottawa.
i grew up there it was awesome i moved here and was like "the army ? really?? "

[aN4rk1]

Steve, OT but how did you get the Skyline on your back bumper to be red?

[G.T.R]

Steve, OT but how did you get the Skyline on your back bumper to be red?

It was a factory option, they came on the type m, when i got it someone in japan painted it black i had to take paint remover to get it off and that was the outcome.