so, i almost lost it TWICE this morning on the way to work. It was sleet/raining pretty hard, i don't know if i was hydroplaning or slipping on ice/slush, by while switching lanes I totally fishtailed and almost wrecked pretty hardcore.

i know the potenzas suck, i've driven them in snow and rain for 2+ years, but they seemed especially treacherous (sp) today. idk if they're bald (shouldn't be) or maybe my alignment is off.... but otherwise, i would say it should be illegal to drive on these tires in rain.

going straight, they were fine, as soon as i turn the wheel a bit, they are loose as hell. Its not even like i was speeding, just going about the same speed, maybe 5mph faster than the rest of traffic.

even more impetus for me to go get my Audi S4, VW R32 or Mazdaspeed6.

but seriously, if i die 2nite on the way home, you'll all know why...

 

bad weather = slow down or pay the price.

glad to hear you avoided an accident, keep it safe out there.

 

I havent had any problems with them and ive had them on forever..how fast is 5mph than traffic ?

 

I find no problem driving in the snow with the TC. Mine is also lowered 2in. I actually think that it goes rather well. For winter im running the stock Yokos too. Although I dont really like the plow effect I do from it being lowered. I live in Wisconsin and we have had over a foot of snow dropped in the past week. I mean sure it can suck if you give it, but thats a given.

 

seriously. you could do fine on a sheet of ice if you do it carefully. i dont care what car/tires/mods you have, 90% of it comes down to the driver.

with that said, glad you're ok.

 

idk, i was going about the speed limit on the PA turnpike, so about 55-65.

yes, i'm 26 and been driving for 10 years, i'm well aware that its safer to go slow (very slow in the tc's case) in inclimate weather.

i've driven in rain PLENTY of times. This was one of the first since i swapped the potenza's for my BFG KDW's, so maybe i'm used to having better rain rubber on there.

or i think it was the fact that the roads didn't look too bad at all, just wet....but there was actually black ice and sleet buildup. I'm telling you, almost as soon as i pushed the throttle from a roll, the tires just broke loose.

as far as snow driving, yes, the car will drive in the snow, and with the low end tq, its a lot easier to get started than a civic, i usually start off in 2nd in the snow...but again, its fine when you're going straight. Try changing lanes on a snow covered hiway! last winter i almost wrecked in the same fashion as today a few times in the snow.

i think its a combo of the crappy low profile tires, my lowered suspension and ride height, negative camber angles, etc... because like i said, i was fine going straight, but as soon as i turned the wheel, it was skid-city.

as far as slowign down goes, try doing 30mph on the highway when theres other cars whizzing by you at 50-60...that was me last year in the snow, driving like i was scared for my life, while subarus and audi's and SUV's BLEW past me on the snow covered highway. They were literally going past me so fast, that i felt the wind sweep against my car.

let me just say, as someone who has had nice BFGs on the car with the same suspension setup, the potenza's suck in wet weather. don't get too confident there obsoletepunk04--or else you'll be the next to end up in a ditch complaining about how crappy the tires are.

 

My take on this is Bridgestone Potenza's are good on dry pavement, but doesn't grip too well on wet roads. I've had these when I was on my stock 17s, then went with yokohama avids when I upgraded my wheels to 18 enkeis. I like the Yokohamas all around.

So it's a thumbs down on the Potenzas in winter season in my location.

 

i had the same problem, only i almost lost it when an f-350 FLEW past me in a downpour. It created a sort of tidal wave and caused me to fish tail a bit.

as far as the snow goes...it isnt too bad....just leave about a mile to change lanes without losing it...no joke

 

Yeah the potenzas blow when its wet. I have to accelerate from a red like a granny just so it doesnt spin and make me look stupid. I dont even accelerate that hard from lights in the first place but its rediculous when the 90's model ford taurus next to me can cruise away from the light faster than me because i dont want to spin my tires.

 

Yea i know what your talkin about. It was snowing all day today, then it started to hail and rain about a half an hour before I got out of school. Holy crap was it slushy. I could easily spin my tires at like 30mph in 5th gear, no joke. As soon as I got home I ordered a nice set of snow tires. You can say what you want and in the end, you're right, it does come down to the driver, but proper tires make driving a hell of a lot safer and less frustrating. Going from my Nittos on the rims to the Potenzas on my stock steelies was terrible. My car became Spin City. Tires have to be one of the most important and effective upgrades.

I also noticed how much of an effect a drop can have if it snows enough. When I pulled into my drive way, my car didn't have much clearance between the snow and the bumper... and we didn't have a serious storm either. Could definitely see my car becoming a snow plow...truck? easily if it seriously lets lose with the snow.

 

Hey sepatc, didn't we have this conversation before?
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...r=asc&&start=0

Get some snow tires and stop complaining!!!!

 

get a life and stop trolling SL!!!

 

trust me on this...unless u've driven the Mazdaspeed6...that car SUCKS MONKEY ___ above about 4000rpms! it feels liek ur driving a N/A car. i swear even thos its not, a N/A tC feels faster and is much more fun to drive. it has NO top end. and barely has midrange. all its giddyup is down low then it just dies hard as hell. one of the worst turbo'd cars i've driven. and it doesnt help that i drove a pretty quick Evo right b4 driving the Mazdaspeed6. still...that car...ugh...

 

Just trying to help you not wreck your car. Good luck finding your own solution.

 

no, you're trying to be a douchebag...well, maybe not trying, but you are being one. yelling at someone to stop complaining is not what i would call "helping"....its called being an a-hole, flaming or trolling, since you added nothing useful to the thread except to flame.


i don't need any help from you, I was probably one of the first few hundred people to drive a tc when they first came out, i've been through 2 (or 3, i forget) winters with the car and haven't wrecked.

when i do need some advice from someone younger than me with less tc-driving experience, i'll PM you. K? good talk.

 

Sounds good, let me know.

 

I'm pushing my bridgestones into the 3rd year. 34,000 miles. You really have to be on top of things when driving in snow and ice on these. I'm praying for the PA snow to hold off a few more weeks until I get my new shoes. I can honestly say I have never hydroplaned or had any problems with the bridgestones except for starting off in wet weather. They like to spin if you start off any faster then a grandma driving her 1962 falcon.

jjp

 

sure. don't hold your breath though, i've been working on cars since i was 18, aka. the last 8 years. but i'm sure you know it all. :D

 

ok so how do you not know if your tires are bald???


I agree the stock tires do suck...i replaced all 4 of mine with some conti extremecontacts after only 25K miles even though there was some good meat on them. but damn dude look at the tires. are they down to the wear indicators? how many miles on the tires? seems to me this would be a lot easier and faster than posting on a forum.

 

ok, some from someone who's on their 4th winter in a tC, and still have the original Potenza's (at 60,000 miles): slow down, stop complaining, or get some real snow tires!! of course the stock potenza's suck. they're wide, low profile, OE tires on a 16k car. they've sucked since I got my tC back in '04. there's tons of posts from back then about how bad the tires are, and of kids blaming the tires for everything from hydroplaning into a ditch to not getting laid on prom night (ok, that last one was an exaggeration). so slow down, know the limitations of your tires, or if you're really upset, go get some Blizzaks or something (mine are waiting to be installed).



edit: Blizzak's rule. can't wait for it to snow again...