First off I've read the car handles like ____ in the snow, and that it handles even worse if you up-grade to "normal" size tires and rims. Is this true? Any way to fix his problem? I dive a lot in the snow (being in Northern Indiana, and driving 550 miles a week).

Second, after reading a lot about CAI over the past few months I have come to the conclusion that you run just to high a risk of sucking water or debre into the filter and either ruining the filter or causing engine to "hydro-lock" or whatever. Basically requiring a rebuild at your expense. The answer to this I have found is either use a "cone" which allows for the hot engine bay air to flow quickly into the engine, or to use a hood scoop, in which you suck cool, fast flowing air from over the hood. My question about this is how does this prevent water from entering the intake seeing it’s found on OEM cars (Subies and Minis) and is their currently any hoods like this available for the xA. A Mini Cooper S hood would look quite good I think.


Also, would lowering the car help it perform better in the snow?


Thanks.

 

I dont know how the xa handles in the snow as I haven't seen any snow.. I dont understand what you mean by "normal" sized tires. The xA comes stock with 15"s, My Echo came with 14"s, had the same basic chassis,engine and it handles snow more than fine.

"Hydrolock" is feasable to occur IF you actually get the CAI underwater, a little water splashing on it wont hurt it at all, and debris going into it isnt very lkely. I have the AEM CAI and if you could ever get it underwater you would have 5-6 inches of water inside your car as the AEM intake is about even with the bottom of the headlight, it also has a bypass valve to prevent hydro lock if for some reason you manage to get water up to the air filter.

Also the xA has a plastic underbody panel which will help to keep water snow and slush from getting up into the engine compartment from underneath.

And yes they make aftermarket hoods with Scoops for the xA, check out the C-One hood in the parts area.

 

On lowering, you will reduce your center of gravity, and get better traction, but there is the added problem that without adequate ground clearance, you may inadvertently turn your car into a snow plow, if you drive through thick snow. If the roads are clean, only with a thin layer, you should be fine. But if it is a severe weather area. . . lowering the car too much is a bad idea. . . anything more than an inch, IMO

 

With the proper tires even a Camaro can be good in snow.

 

I'd tend to agree with you. . . but Camaro maybe pushing it a bit. . . in a car so powerful, with so much torque, and a relatively little weight over the drive wheels, I can't see that thing getting much traction. . . secondly it's going to be real hard to massage that throttle in a Camaro, unless it's manual. . . but in the xA, no prob. This, of course is good for snow, but hahaha, bad for street (for the xA)

 

I have yet to see the snow but I have a set of Blizzaks just waiting to be put on for that whole "snow" reason! I drive a ton too (About 1k/week) ad am a bit worried about the handling in the snow.

 

as far as driving snow. the car should be fine. just drive safe (slow). the stock wheels should be good enough if you are a good driver. if you want a little added security, get a set of snow tires. they will cut through the snow a little better and give you better traction. if you have ever driven in snow before you shouldn't have a problem.

 

My SVO 'Stang took snow just fine with half bald tires and a turbo. The snow usually isn't a problem, ice is. If your really worried about the snow get trac control. I think the stability control is also ment somewhat for snow but I'm not totally sure about it.

I hate to say it but there is a pattern evolving with you. You come on the board. Ask a question, while talking crap about the car. You say you don't want to spend more than your spending now, but your talking CAI, new hood and snow tires now. Have you even driven one yet? My biggest suggestion for you would be go drive one, you'll know in 5 minutes if you even want to spend anymore time asking questions. A test drive can answer a lot of questions and give you ann understanding of the car. Also while your there you could have the Scion dealer price what they would give you for your Golf in trade and that might also help make a decision. The dealer in PHX gave me more for my old truck than anyone else in AZ. I even traded 2 cars in on the XA. About $30k worth of cars on a $15k car, don't know too many dealers that allow that. I thought I was going to have to buy a Cooper.

 

The same thought crossed my mind.

 

Am I gonna run into trouble in my xA RS? The wider tires might not do so wel in my opinion... Guess I just have to wait and see! Worst case sceneario I'll just get a set of 15's with snow tires for the winter months... At least I'll preserve my 17's that way...

 

just like driving in the rain, wider tires may hydroplane off the ground if you are going to fast easier than "normal" tires but if you know how to drive (Safely) it shouldn't be an issue.

 

Yeah, I know how to drive "safely". I should be all right with the O.E. wheels... Although i might do the swap just for the preservation factor.

By the way, I Love driving in the snow! I find it to be a chalenge that just asks to be overcome... I can't wait till it really comes down around here. Especially when ther are no car on the road in the middle of the night/storm and I get to have loads of fun... I am actually excited about having an RWD car that I can go out and play withthis winter...

 

Hahaha yeah. . . I kinda lump snow and ice into one category, because where you find one, you'll probably find the other. You got some mad skills tho. . . most people would not be able to handle that car in weather like that, especially if you don't have snow tires.

 

I'm brutaly honest about any cars flaws, I don't try to make cars out to be more then they are. I drove an xA back in the spring and liked it well enough. As for asking about an up-grade and being concerned about higher paymetns, being "forced" to pay out a certian amount every month is a liability, however saving up, or wasting money once and a while isnt. Some how in 3-5 years of ownership of a car I think I could afford a $120 intake and a $300 hood. If I couldnt, I'd have no right to look at buying a car.

As for handeling like ____, so sorry its a concern seeing I have snow today and it will likely be here till March again. I've seen seveal people mention that the Bridgestone stock tires don't fare well in the snow.

 

I do plenty of snow driving, and the xA handles great. It's a light car that is relatively solid, and that is a good thing when it comes to driving on snow and ice. I put Bridgestone Blizzaks on a few weeks ago, and it made a tremendous improvement over the stock tires. I would very strongly advise against lowering the car. If there is any accumulation on the ground, you may have trouble getting the car high-centered. I've only done this once, and it was in a parking spot at work. Fortunately, the car's low curb weight (~2300 pounds, if I remember correctly), I was able to push it loose with the help of only one other person. In contrast, it took four of us to break loose a co-worker's GMC Sonoma.

In summary, yes, the car does handle well in the snow, but you do need to have a set of winter tires for safety.

 

Corse I drove it like a drifter before I even knew what drifting was (which I didn't know they had a racing term for it until a few months ago. I had a set of BBS racing wheels on it that were nice and light and someone else had already taken most everything else out of it and was circle track racing it. Oddly the only body work was a couple of bullet holes through the pass. door (don't know didn't ask but the car came with a Spingfield 1911 .45 acp and 2 hi cap clip)s. They were just under the rear seat, don't think the guy I bought it from ever knew it was there, though might explain the 5 rounds through the door before it was repainted.

/end thread hi-jack

 

Been driving my wife's xA in the snow around here in IL lately. I have noticed it has excellent balance and great overall traction. Extremely predictable, and easy to handle in the white stuff so far. It did come with Goodyears as stock tires, so that might be some of the difference. Only problem I have noticed is that it is so narrow that sometimes it is hard to keep both tires in the previous cars tracks. Overall, it is the car I would take out of the two I own (and my other has snow tires on it). Other car is a Nissan Spec-V (anybody wanna race ) just kidding...

 

On the snow issue, my car handles great in Colorado, I have it lowered two inches and have not had problems.........yet. The deapest snow we have had so far is six inches. I really like how it handles, I find it to be better than any of the Hondas that I've owned.

 

To echo what Kremtok said: The xA is great in the snow, especially with the right tires. I am amazed every day at how my Nokian WR All-Weather Plus tires are working. When I lived in Alaska, I ran studs in winter (8 months of the year) on a 4WD Toyota and then on an AWD Subaru. Now I am in the southern Rockies at 9,000 feet with an xA and a set of Nokians. Which, by the way, can be run year-round. No more twice-a-year changeovers.

Check this out. Today the moving van arrived with all my stuff from Alaska. The terrible road to my new cabin was really terrible today. Hard-packed snow and ice. I could barely walk on it. In fact, I fell once. The moving van got stuck for two hours. Even with chains, it took 30 minutes to drive 300 feet. Then, a bit later, Sears tried to deliver my new washer and dryer in a 2WD pickup. Got stuck twice. Came back a third time with 4WD and still couldn’t deliver because the ground was too slick (and steep) to carry heavy appliances.

Me and my xA? Drove straight up to the cabin in one try, like I had 4WD and studs.

Whoever says the xA is crap in the snow is, well, full of crap.

Get the right tires and drive right!

 

P.S. And my xA has an automatic transmission. So you don't need MT for snow either.