Q45 in Winter

[Haitian_King]

For you guys up north and here on the East Coast, how do you handle the winter in the Q?

I had a pretty mild winter because I bought my Q in January. This will be my first December with it. My uncle told me that his friend has to fill the trunk of his Q with sandbags for extra weight in order to maintain traction.

Is this a good idea? Or is there something better?

This car is dangerous when it's wet. I almost spun out making a left turn in the rain. I'm sure snow and ice are even worse.

[goody90q45]

The 1st gear start TCU you just installed is making your tires spin faster from a dead stop than you've been used to. I've seen more than a few guys putting in their 2nd gear start TCU for the winter. I have problems with RWD in my Q in the CA rain, I can't imagine what driving in the snow must be like.

[Q45tech]

Proper expensive snow tires [brand new each season*] on all 4 wheels and a fresh working VLSD are all you need..........

* Snow tires get hard if they are ever driven above 50F even for a short distance at speed............sell old ones and buy new ones each fall.

[superuber]

Get a beater.Sit the Q.Smile!

[Qship4life]

You just have to be careful. nice and easy on the gas. My first car ever was a 1990 q with 180.000 mi on it. I live about an hour north of chicago right below the Wi IL border so winters got messy. It was a lot of fun driving it in the snow, you just have to be careful. try finding a vacant parking lot the first time you get a couple of inches of snow to get the feel of her when shes side ways

[Haitian_King]

It's hard to tell if I'll need snow tires this winter. It's been really unseasonably warm for Late October. I'd hate to shell out the dough and not need it.

I can't get a beater. I'm too good looking for that. I have an image to maintain. I might sit the Q during snow fall and drive my MDX. But let it be dry, and the Q will be out smoking people.

[Haitian_King]

I might try that.

I saw this guy's Q and it has a nice sized dent in the rear fender (high up near the trunk) from hitting a divider after sliding on the snow.

I try to go easy in adverse conditions, but this new TCU man, wow. I took off slowly last night during the rain at an intersection, and when I reached the middle, I accelerated normally, just like I did with my second gear start. While slightly scary, I was impressed with how much power can be sent to the tires while doing over 20MPH. You would think that it would have been fine.

First Gear Starts = Dangerous if not handled properly.

[96Qowner]

I agree with the others.

1.) Drive a different car - RWD cars are just silly (and/or great fun) on slippery road surfaces. I drive the Accord all winter - it's sure and nimble on ice and packed snow - goes where you point it, unlike the Q.

2.) Put soft winter tires on it.

3.) Get some practice - all cars behave differently in a slide. This one's not too bad - it likes to return to its line.

4.) Put your 2nd gear start back in for the winter.

5.) Only drive it on dry roads.

Or, as noted above, drift like a maniac and have as much fun as you can.

[Haitian_King]

Yeah. I'll be off for semester break for most of December/January anyway. I'll just drive the MDX.

Occasionally take the Q out.

Should I throw a cover over the Q if it's not going to be driven then?

[96Qowner]

I'd be most concerned about road salt - keep the underside clean. Shops in the South can spot a NJ/NY/Chicago car immediately from the ugly underside - very obvious rust and corrosion.

(Fortunately, it's too cold around here for salt to be effective - they don' use it. )

[maxnix]

Get a beater.Sit the Q.Smile!

Really, no salt!

[Haitian_King]

WOW!

How cold does it have to be to render road salt ineffective? I'd rather just run the car through a wash then have to live through that type of winter.

And here I was thinking I was hot stuff for braving Montreal winters.

[superuber]

Should I throw a cover over the Q if it's not going to be driven then?

Only cover it if it's garaged. I throw a couple of cotton sheets over minein the garage. Even inside it collects a lot of dust. So when I pull the cover off it's still nice. A climate controled garage is even better!

Yes, Pa roads are horrible because of salt. It really does eat your under side. You guys down south are lucky. Although we have seen many flood cars come up this year. I think it was predicted hundreds of thousands to hit the used car market from katrina! It's true! We see it!

[1990QOwner]

Q's and snow don't mix. One of my friends had one and he took it around the block on the snow packed roads and he spent about 1/2 getting back into his driveway. He said that he came to his driveway and he turned the wheel and the car just kept on going as if he never touched the wheel....

[Q45tech]

Depends on the amount of salt but -21C [-6F] is the lower limit. Economic salt levels might be +15F and above to spread.

From 1967-1981 I drove Impala Station Wagons with Positraction [mechanical LSD] and Big V8 and 4 snow tires all over Pa, NJ, NY everyday.

I'm sure a Q45 will do as well and probably a lot better since the viscous LSD works better...........the secret was to only use snow tires for 1 [ONE] winter season and sell them to two dumbos who wanted a deal on 2 barely worn units in September.

[Haitian_King]

Sounds like a good angle Tech. What could I expect to spend for a set of snow tires? Would I need all four or can I just put two on the back?

[Q45tech]

Always 4 snow tires as it is important to brake and turn as it is to get going. Other than accelation rears are useless most of time.

Not much use if you rearend every one on the road.

Always buy H rated or better as Q rated are weak above 70 mph.

[Rex]

Any RWD car with good snow tires (not hardened from previous years or heat) will be able to get you to and from in the snow.

Now if you're talking feet of snow or ice, stay home.

[Haitian_King]

I doubt I'd be going 70 MPH in snow. I'd probably never break 45.

Either way. If it snows, I'll be in the MDX.

[Rex]

I doubt I'd be going 70 MPH in snow. I'd probably never break 45.

But you "might" drive the car on cold days when it doesn't snow ... would you get near 70 on those days?

[Haitian_King]

Yeah. I probably will. Not a good idea then?

[96Qowner]

Just drive the MDX when it's slippery. When the roads are dry, drive the Q45 - watch out for the icy spots.

I drove my Q through one of the worst ice storms in the South a couple years ago - highway speeds 70 mph - freeway coated with lumpy ice. It keeps a good line. I mildly lost it a few times and it came back in line with a satisfying snap - keeps you alert at those speeds. The roads were so icy that when I got to my Mom's house in Greenville, SC, I couldn't even get the car up a mild grade into the parking spot - short a foot even after backing up and getting a run at it. The next morning, it had slipped a couple feet on its own. And this was with relatively hard Michelin Pilots.

It's better than most of the RWDs I grew up driving.

[Flagship-Q]

If your plan is to keep the Q for quite awhile, then you have your answer.

1) Fill fuel tank up with fuel and stabilizer2) Park and cover Q till spring's here (your fortunate to have a alternate, capable SUV for the winter business). 3) Uncover in spring and enjoy like you haven't driven her for 3 months!

Salt will eat the crap out of the car. Washes and uncarriage flushes help, but you'll still get some corrosion somewhere, sometime. Also wax frequently.

I've just parked and covered my Q the last 3 years and drove the grand cherokee (makes you smile drift busting in knee deep snow). I have a 92 Q and the only corrosion flaw is a dime sized paint bubble on the left rear by the seam. Keep her as long as possible! IMO

[Jesda]

Put the sand bags in the rear seat, not in the trunk, otherwise you'll throw the tail out. You want the weight over the rear wheels, not the overhang.

Except for black and purple, the Q's paint is incredibly durable. Wash it when you can and just plow through the snow. The salt will harm rubber bushings and mounts before eating through anything else.

Yes, the Q45 is RWD and front-heavy, but its better in the snow than almost any other RWD car from that era. Be sure your winter tires, whether they're all-season or winters, are OEM SIZE. Wider tires will leave you stranded. In 2005 I had to drive home backwards (simulated FWD) because I had wider tires.

[Haitian_King]

Damn. It seems that all of the negatives associated with a Q reside within mine.

Curse my taste and penchant for black luxury cars!

Oh well. I hope we have a mild winter. And if we don't, I'll park my Q at the top of the driveway and drive the MDX.

I wonder what it would be like to have an AWD Q45.

[twebster725]

I've driven my '98 Q45 for three Toledo winters with Blizzak snow tires and have had no problems. True, traction from a standstill is a little slippery, but eventually I get moving. Of course, I love RWD cars and the way the rear-end slides a little (as long as it straightens out quickly).

[maxnix]

Put the sand bags in the rear seat, not in the trunk, otherwise you'll throw the tail out. You want the weight over the rear wheels, not the overhang.

Ah, polar moment of inertia. But I would put them on the rear floor to lower roll center, but mostly to save the seats.

[DjElastik]

I bought my Q last November and started driving it in January, I bought The Blizzak tires and for real tha Q was alright UNTIL I was on the highway and a Snowstorm hit, I was doin about 40 km/h on tha highway and even with tha low speeds i almost wiped out a few times. For real I'm actually thinking about buying something else for the winter and storing the Q

[Q45tech]

Failure to take the mandatory 2 week Police Pursuit driving courses can lead to low snow ice skills.

Many more RWD emergency state owned vehicles than FWD.

[Haitian_King]

Those are available to the public?

The cops are just GIVING their secrets away?

Wow. Sign me up!