Snow Worthiness

[corpsecorps]

We were supposed to get Snow last night, but No!

What is everyones experience with your versa in the snow?

I have not had the pleasure yet.

Good?Bad?Same Same?

CC

[bikeman]

We've had lots of "pleasure" and I'm satisfied with the Versa. Haven't gone to snow tires but I plan to in the future.

David

[frankoV]

no probs on ice and snow [yet].

stops when I want to stop . . . but we haven't had a "big one" this [calendar] year yet.

I'm tinking about snow tires for nest winter, but also going to see how things hold up until March before my decision/

[hmmmm . . . March . . . close to April and the two-wheeler]

[biggie]

Kinda looks like I will get to test the Versa in snow/ice in 2 days. If it happens will be the first snow we've had in years. Of course its the year after I sell the 4x4 vehicle.

[CopyChief]

We don't get a ton of snow here in St. Louis, but we had a decent storm earlier this year and the Versa did just fine. I don't have the ABS package, but compared to other cars I've driven it did just great, even with the stock tires. I was nervous, having read on this form and others about how the stock tires were practically "dangerous" even under normal driving conditions. This has not been anywhere close to my experience in dry weather or in rain or snow.

[Guat]

I'm from Toronto and we've had a bit of snow to contend with already. I have an SL hatch, stock (thinking of getting winter tires next year). When 30cm (1 foot) dropped down on us the car still handled pretty well once it got going. It did take digging out of the parking lane first (the snow was higher then the car's clearance). The ABS (standard here) has been very helpful and I have found stopping on snow to be quite manageable. In driving in less snow (under 5cm, 2 inches), the car handles beautifully. Overall, it's not a 4X4 but it will get you around safely.

[Ever Victorious]

This morning I woke up to a thick layer of ice on our roads (no snow, it just rained then froze really fast overnight). My driveway dumps out halfway up a hill, so I had to start on a hill that was icy from a dead stop.

No trouble at all. And no trouble on the subsequent side roads getting to the deiced freeway.

I do have studless traction tires. I wasn't about to trust my life to those crap OEM tires.

[Ever Victorious]

Update...

I found an achilles heel in the winter performance. And it's one that would nail any car not equipped with studs or chains.

At about 10AM this morning, as the glare ice was heating up and developing that nice, thin layer of water on top of it, I had a little incident.

I was on a street that had a slight decline, and I needed to turn left halfway down the hill. When I got on this street, I knew it would be quite slippery, so I only got 'er up to 15 MPH.

I started braking nice and early for the turn, and the ABS module immediately kicked on and started, well, modulating, and the car did NOT slow down (anti-ABS people... your cars would have already been backwards by now, there was NO SNOW to dig into and slow down). The car did track straight as an arrow... in fact, so straight that when I started turning the wheel, the car barely moved to the left.

I ended up, right as the turn came up on my left, pulling the e-brake to force a lockup of the rear wheels and to spin my back end around (Also to prevent gliding into a city bus parked on the street on the other side). I came to a stop backwards, in the correct lane of travel, without hitting anything.

However, I don't reccommend repeating this. Wet ice is hell to drive on with ANYTHING.

[reyes1212]

well im the phoenix area of arizona and its impossible to snow here...well not impossible, but you get my point. its a desert. well i went up north to flagstaff where it DOES snow with my performance tires and...well not so well i slid and fake drifted on turns im glad i ended up not going 25 mph and stuck with 10 or so mph and i was fine...lolololol

[ghrshow]

well im the phoenix area of arizona and its impossible to snow here...well not impossible, but you get my point. its a desert.

In 1985 I went to visit my brother going to ASU, I was a little kid and was told of how hot it was. We went for my dads birthday (dec 11) and it snowed that morning, my first morning in Pheonix!

However, I gone a lot since then and have never seen snow again.

[reyes1212]

And I was born in '88 so let me correct myself...since THEN, it hasn't necessarily snowed normal.;p

[biggie]

Had no real issues this morning, even with the stock tires. 3-4 inches on the local back roads, only went about 20-25mph in 2nd-3rd gear. Rest of the drive this morning was slush, part of it at 45-50mph, no issues.

[kc5f]

I had fun this morning at one long hill, where I had to wait while a pickup backed down the hill after failing to make it. I went around him, over the hill at a nice slow speed and continued on my way. We never get a lot of snow here, but I've been quite happy with my Versa and the stock tires over two winters, so far. (I also learned to drive in the Chicago area, plus four more years in Connecticut...)

[skwerl]

I'm in Winnipeg, Manitoba. We've had snow for about a month and half, and since then the only problem I had was taking a turn very slowly, the car wouldn't turn, and I hit a curb. The car's still in the shop

[achr]

As far as Front Wheel Drive Vehicles go, I've owned both Better & Worse vehicles for use in the snow. My best was an old Dodge Omni (couldn't stop that thing) and the absolute worst was a Honda Accord with the double wishbone suspension. That car had a mind of its own as far as lateral traction went and I saw all manner of them with winter battle scars. I've talked to other Honda owners who concur.

The Versa is pretty decent and would probably be quite exceptional with a proper set of winter tires. As far as deep snow goes, the less the chin spoiler sticks down at the front of the car, the better. On some vehicles, I've actually removed the chin spoiler for the winter as it just acts as a snowplow. The decrease in gas mileage is negligible unless you do an awful lot of highway driving. Personally, I'd rather have a better shot at getting through the deep stuff should the need occur.

[cww]

We bought good snow tires for our Versa SL 6sp hatch with ABS. It rocks in the bad weather! In western MA we've gotten quite a number of storms and the Versa has handled as well as our 4x4, through deep snow and light snow, slush and sleet... When we get black ice or freezing rain, we stay home - because you just don't mess with that stuff!

[krill69]

i also live in Winnipeg Manitoba and I find the versa horrible on the snow and ice so far. The car just can't accelerate and has slides all over the place. Usually I love having a standard in crappy weather but the 6 spd just isn;;t working for me....i also have just the factory crap tires so i'm hoping thats the biggist problem. Still love the versa

[frankoV]

17 mpg? I don't feel so bad! [sorry -- I'm anal about the mileage, and will be until it improves. Fill-up coming today, and it don't look pretty]

[bikeman]

The car just can't accelerate and has slides all over the place. Usually I love having a standard in crappy weather but the 6 spd just isn;;t working for me....i also have just the factory crap tires so i'm hoping thats the biggist problem. Still love the versa

Your driving style comes into play here. I have the "crap tires" and don't experience sliding. If you want to be a bit more aggressive in acceleration than me, appropriate tires would be in order.

David

[krill69]

I accelerate slow, trying to get the best gas milage, it just dosen't seem to help..

[frankoV]

Ah, Winterpeg . . . ya just can't win there. They still just half-sanding the roads?

I'm not having too many troubles and we had a good snow that turned into a skating rink yesterday.

[Snookums]

i also live in Winnipeg Manitoba and I find the versa horrible on the snow and ice so far. The car just can't accelerate and has slides all over the place. Usually I love having a standard in crappy weather but the 6 spd just isn;;t working for me....i also have just the factory crap tires so i'm hoping thats the biggist problem. Still love the versa

I can't believe you're driving around in Winterpeg on those cheapo OEM tires - isn't that illegal??? Put a decent set of winter tires on that car before someone gets hurt!

I drove my Versa through more than a foot of fresh snow a few days ago with no problems at all. The Nordics are great in the white stuff and a hell of a lot better than the OEM's on ice.

[krill69]

I want to get some good snow tires, just don't have the cash right now.

[frankoV]

A foot of snow on the ground today. Decent from the start, not too much slippage on the ice underneath (a bit granted) ABS kicks in nicely when needed. Only near accident when someone jammed on their brakes just ahead of me and stopped dead in the middle of the road. The V stopped in time. *whew*

Made my thoughts of snows move from a possible to probable/definite for next year though.

[manvan]

got a heck of alot of snow all week, took me 20 min to get out of my drive way, snow was about 2ft high on my drive way, but once i was on the road, forget about it!, i was crusin past people and my car had full control, the only car that past me was an STI, lucky

[frankoV]

gotta get me some of them thar winter blades pronto, though.

[water500cc]

i got rid of my all season tires a week or two after i got my versabecause i need them for sure hereall season tires they work horrible here

i would say mine drives ok on the snownot greatbut ok

[Juelze]

I live in Green Bay, WI and we have had some real hellacious winter storms. I have an 07 6 spd and haven't had any issues. If you take your time driving and allow enough space in case you need to stop, you'll be fine. Unfortunately, I had 3 prior cars that all went in the ditch due to not taking my time.

The only real issue is going from 1st gear to 2nd gear when wearing snowboots. That clutch is soooo touchy that sometimes going into 2nd gear will just spin the tires.