Lowered car and winter

[chow]

So, I started this thread as a complaint-ish or buyer beware thread.

This is my first car. Never modded any car before, so this is my first for everything, it stole my cherry. I posted a few months back, actually in the summer time about winter driving and lowering your vehicle and didn't get too much of a response. Most people said it would be alright and w/e but didn't go into details . ( I'm referring to the Eibachs 1.5 inch front and 1 inch back drop)

So I'm reporting on them!

1) Winter tires are a must, because now you are essentially a shovel.2) While you're driving on the tire tracks that other cars have left behind you will be scraping the median that was left by other cars. ( The raised area of snow that sits between the two tire tracks). 3) This snowbank will not be a problem until it becomes iced over. Here is why I decided to start the thread and talk about it. I was driving home today and had to take small streets to get back to my place (Not plowed). So i'm driving along the small streets aware that I'll be scraping the bottom of my car. However, since its been 12 hours since snowfall, everything has iced. So when I'm driving over this snowbank I'm hearing this DISGUSTING scraping underneath my car. It feels like im driving on cement just destroying the underneath of my car. I can hear my exhaust clink with every inch I move foward. I've tried to manuever my car so as to minimize the bottom of the car and the ice but I end up damaging another area. Thus the end of my rant and winter driving.

Anyways, I really like how the car looks and feels lowered and I probably would lower another vehicle again but, I'd start another thread and b****.

Post your thoughts.

[ohiostate]

Hahaha..

Probably why I wont drop my car...

[JayStarr]

that's why i put away my A/C for the winter and take my parents pathfinder. Makes my life alot easier

[unique2.5]

i'm gunna go ahead and wait for spring to lower mine. the roads here are generally clean and dont get much snow

[imdavit]

yea i dont get that much snow here so im good. you shouldve saw it coming though, canada? lol

[Miss_Lanaya]

I wanted to ask this very question but didnt want to start a thread, but you answered my questions thanks for the review chow. Cant you get adjustable springs? lower it for the summer then adjust it to back to stock for the winter??

[Hussain]

ya isn't tien supposed to be making some ajustable ones? but if so, don't those things run like $1,000?

well, i guess ill be the first to say it.... glad i'm in cali and don't have to worry about the snow we got snow 1 day about 5 years ago and it melted before it even hit the ground plus in Sacramento, theres snow like 30-45 min away if you decide to play in the snow

[CanadianCoupe]

yes you can. I am waiting for coilovers to come out for our car, so in spring I can lower it and raise it back up in fall (or raise it higher!). Toronto and Calgary are not as bad as Winnipeg, but lowering a car in Canada is not a good idea.

[adidas2go]

Yea, if your planning on driving in snow like that, you shouldn't have a altima for that purpose in the first place. You should have bought a truck.

[LongBeachCoupe]

Can you take a picture of your street Chow?

[CanadianCoupe]

I have to disagree with you there. I live in probably the worst major Canadian city for our severe winters, but not everybody drives a truck (probably actually less people drive trucks here then in parts of Texas, Cali ,AZ etc.). Most people can only afford one vehicle and for me I wanted a sporty coupe, and have to live with it in winter. I invested in good winter tires and I think having a manual transmission can help, I wont lower my car though (should have seen that one coming 'chow'). Once I pay off this car and have some cash, Im thinking of getting an FJ cruiser for the winters.

[adidas2go]

You can disagree all you like, but the facts are simple. If you have to buy one car on the planet for 25k, for the driving conditions that most frequent Canada, I'm sure the Altima Coupe isn't the best choice.

[Miss_Lanaya]

Well I have to say people with trucks "think" their snow kings, but 9 times out of 10 its a truck in the ditch. I would say anything all wheel drive is a good purchase.

As for these coilovers, what would you guesstamate the charge would be to raise an lower your car twice a year? do you think a shop would charge a fortune?

[Calgary35SE]

i should run out and take a picture of my street... the snow(packed down for a month) is still well above the curb. I almost got stuck coming out of my gf's driveway 20 mins ago. had to floor it and plow through at stock height. damn canadian winters

[3.5SEBlackInTor]

CanadianCoupe,

Lowering a car in Canada is fine... just when it is really bad out you have to know you can't be driving.

I feel your pain as I am in Toronto and have the Eibach kit on my A/C. As was said, the smart play is the winter tires with the 6MT.

[mcheddadi]

You can disagree all you like, but the facts are simple. If you have to buy one car on the planet for 25k, for the driving conditions that most frequent Canada, I'm sure the Altima Coupe isn't the best choice.

I disagree, for CANADA, FWD and AWD is the only way to go for sporty coupes. The altima coupe with it's high 4x4 stock stance and smallish 17inch wheels is perfect for winter. 17 winter tires are cheaper, it's avaible with VDC to keep you from sliding of course and crashing, the high stance is perfect for snow and the STANDARD block heater is godsend!

that car is the sporty attractive alternative of a Scandinavian winterbeater Volvo lol

[adidas2go]

Block heater, you want a block heater? Get a snail

I still think owning a subaru would be the best idea for that place.

[Hussain]

how does the block heater work???? i keep hearing ppl talking about it

[mcheddadi]

open hood, find power cord, plug power cord done! lolit keeps to fluid hot in the winter.but its not standard for american Altima coupes, only for us canadians ha! lol

[Hussain]

lol ya i don't think my car has it

[dimitrinassis001]

Im not going to bother with lowering cuz I see so many cars being part time snow plows. Chow you should of seen that one comming. And there is no need for a truck, I mean it may make parking easier cuz you can park on snow banks but for driving around Toronto the AC ride height is just fine. I got a decent set of winters and I have no complaints.

[spockrock]

wait we have standard block heaters?? Where is the cord because I haven't seen it. Are you sure the dealership didn't throw this in for you?

Also I have a lowered A/C and yes you can scrape but I think the problem maybe that in the side streets of toronto the roads are narrow and plowing is more difficult. I live in the suburbs and I do not have the same problem as Chow I know exactly what he is saying because at stock ride height side streets in toronto do that to the AC. My best friend lived in Toronto and I would not visit him in the winter (before my lowering springs) because he street was not plowed and at stock height it would scrape.

My best suggestion is plan your trip carefully and if you have to get a cheap 500$ beater.

[Rolling Estonian]

98% sure block heaters are standard in Canada. Mine is behind the windshield fluid reservoir (left front corner)

On the subject of winter driving and ride height. I'd like my car lowered, but I also know that in the winter I need to be able to raise it up.

I was planning on buying adjustable coilovers, but since I just bought a condo I think my car is going to have wait for any new mods.

[spockrock]

yeah as soon as we have some good coilovers I think thats what my next mod will be and 4x4 it in the winter.
Modified by spockrock at 6:30 AM 1/14/2009

[marlin29311]

I disagree, for CANADA, FWD and AWD is the only way to go for sporty coupes. The altima coupe with it's high 4x4 stock stance and smallish 17inch wheels is perfect for winter. 17 winter tires are cheaper, it's avaible with VDC to keep you from sliding of course and crashing, the high stance is perfect for snow and the STANDARD block heater is godsend!

that car is the sporty attractive alternative of a Scandinavian winterbeater Volvo lol

The VDC is ghey in the snow. Turn that $hi7 off in the snow, and driving becomes 4x easier.

[nurseryboy]

I have my AC lowered and it hasn't been too bad so far. (I live in central PA, so it's kinda bad sometimes, but not nearly as bad as our Canadian friends though.) I do have Blizzacks, though, which help tremendously. Height wise I haven't had too much of an issue, but then again I haven't driven on really high ice-covered snow yet either. It's funny.. I actually traded my 350z in on the AC, for the specific purpose of having a car I could drive in the winter, LOL.

[Ferguson]

I live in one of Ontario's worst snow belts and drive 100km each way to work. My solution is simple. If the snow is too deep for the A/C, I book off work for 'weather reasons'. Really though, it's only that bad a few times each winter. I have Nokian tires and they handle everything as long as the snow isn't deeper than the ride height! The A/C still isn't as bad as my 2.5" lowered 240Z was!

[chow]

For those of you thinking about coil overs or adjustable springs you have to consider that after a while ( a few years) the adujustibility will cease. Over time, either the lubrication will run-out or rust will prevent the coil overs from being adjusted twice a year.

However, I doubt other places salt there roads as heavy as Ontario does. We basically drive in salt water (After snow fall the snow plows put down a sh*t load of salt, the snow melts and puddles form, puddles of salt!) So rust shouldnt be that much of an issue in other areas. Just my 2 cents.

[SHIFT_COUPE]

If feasible. A second car is a must in the winter months here in New England. The folks around here tend to have multiple cars for our crazy weather around here.

I've experienced the same thing you are describing but I expected it and have had it happen in previous cars. If your going to lower a daily driver that is to be used year round then you should make arrangements or accommodations when it snows (call out sick or tell the girlfriend to walk)

Have fun and be careful

[Silver Dollar]

I had the same issue driving in the ruts in the snow and having the median scraping along the underside - luckily everyone at my job had the option of working from home that week. Since I can't actually do any of my work remotely, it meant I had the whole week before Xmas off paid - yay!

If you have a CVT altima I do suggest putting it into manual before trying to rock your way out of deeper snow when you get stuck - otherwise I think you run the risk of the car being in 2nd or 3rd and taking off at the instant you get solid tire grip from the high revs haha (never happened to me but technically it's possible right?)