Versa in the Snow

[marleyfan]

Ok now that we've had our first significant snowfall in the Vancouver area I'm wondering if anybody took their Versa out in the snow. If so do you have snow tires or the stock Continentals, 6 speed or CVT. How did it handle? As for me, since my wife has snow tires on the Vibe and I'd rather not risk my Versa being crashed into I'll be taking her car til the snow disappears.

[campersand]

Can't answer your question since I haven't gotten my Versa yet, but I drove from Vancouver to Portland in my Toyota pickup today and it was HELL!!! What is usually a 6 hour drive took me 11 hours and about half of it was totally white-knuckled. Had no idea it was going to be that bad or I would've never left.

[Legacy40k]

I can't answer it either.. I have snow tires on.. However, Ontario is getting Vancouver weather! Its all fog and rain here, no snow! You're stealing our weather and I want it back!

[marleyfan]

Let's just trade weather for a little while and see how we both like it. I'm a teacher and all the schools are closed today so I'm liking it pretty good so far. The biggest problem so far is all the people that think their half bald all seasons are just fine to drive in because it says "all season." So those of us who have snow tires get stuck behind them as they spin their tires trying to go up a hill. Frustrating as hell. Wish I had snows on the Versa so I could test it out.

[red98s14]

I can't answer it either.. I have snow tires on.. However, Ontario is getting Vancouver weather! Its all fog and rain here, no snow! You're stealing our weather and I want it back!

I'm happy with our current weather.

[Nolalove06]

hey Marley, in the Versa checkin for ppl with new versa, someone posted about driving in the snow, might wanna go check it out, it was on the last page i believe Hope this helps

[BenDupre]

Seahawks/Packers game is on right now and it's snowing pitchforks and hammer-handles in Seattle right now.

EV.. don't you live in Seattle area?

Ben

[proxim2020]

Thanks for the info. I totally forgot the game was on. It's on now

[marleyfan]

Gonna take the Versa out for a spin in the snow this evening. Running with the stock Continentals. I'll let ppl know how it went later.

[rwanttaja]

Seahawks/Packers game is on right now and it's snowing pitchforks and hammer-handles in Seattle right now.

EV.. don't you live in Seattle area?

EV's from up north, I'm from the south end of Seattle. Just drove home from a meeting through pretty heavy snowfall, with 1-2" accumulation, up and down some pretty good hills. The Versa certainly did no worse than everyone else, and only came free if I deliberately tried.

I live atop a 400-foot hill at the end of a switchback 3/4 mile road. I turned the overdrive off and just started going uphill at about 20 MPH. Came around a corner and found a van and a 4WD pickup stopped in my lane with a bunch of people standing around. Don't know if they'd had an accident (the cars were pretty well separated) or if the van had lost traction and the 4WD was going to tow it. I just swerved into the downhill lane long enough to get past them, then kept going uphill. Never lost traction the whole way. Did a donut in the cul-de-sac before putting it in the garage. :-)

Ron

[marleyfan]

Ok just got back. I dug my Versa out and went for a spin. We have about 10 inches of snow in our cul de sac. some of it has been driven over but some hasnt. I was very surprised that the Versa with the stock tires handled it very well and got me out onto the side streets with no problem. The side streets are now compact ice and snow and quite slippery. Again no real problems. The only problem I encountered here is a bit of an incline where I had to stop to pull out onto the main road. The tires spun and i had to take a couple of tries but got out ok. The main roads are mostly bare but some snow cover and black ice in spots. The Versa handled with confidence and felt solid. Back in my cul de sac again I actualy circled around and backed into my driveway. Car performed like a trooper. With snow tires on this thing I would feel 100 percent confident. Gonna let the wife take back the Vibe tomorrow and I'm going to work in my Versa.

[Nolalove06]

Be careful!

[marleyfan]

I'll try to keep it under 110.

[dudealex]

yeah... Surrey its around 8-10 inches of snow.. drove my baby Versa out spin in the parking lot with my stock tire on with fresh snow and i went again yesterday.. i'm gonna have to say the handlein are pretty GOOD~!!

[Ever Victorious]

Oh, MAN my commute home SUCKED...

I left Kirkland (east side, north of 520) at 5 pm. It took 2 hours to get 5.5 miles to just north of the Beardslee exit, halfway between it and Highway 527 (a total distance of 1.5 miles between ramps).

I got stopped, along with everyone else on the freeway. I was unfortunate enough to get stopped halfway up a hill.

The state patrol closed the road just before 527 because of 2 jackknifed articulated buses and at least 4 spinouts (including a Bronco backed into a jersey barrier, and an out-of-state crown vic that managed to JUMP off the road and into a deep hole.)

3 hours later, the WSP opened ONE LANE.. with a speed limit of 25 mph.

Had to maintain that speed the remaining 4 miles to I-5, where I could bump up to 40.

I got home at 11:00 PM!!!! ( the total journey is 18 miles...)

I can't say anything for the Versa's abilities, for obvious reasons.. but the 2WD V6 Tucson did remarkably well. ESP + ABS + extreme caution = nearly flawless driving in some of the worst conditions possible in this region.

oh, and FWIW, in the first 90 minutes of my commute, it snowed 6" on us. Rwanttaja must have been somewhere that got almost completely missed. As hammered as we got in the north end, South seattle and tacoma got it infinitely worse. They fared only barely better than Bellingham.

Now back to a little bit of on-topic.. I would imagine Versas do well in snow for a couple reasons. Those narrow tires we hate? GREAT for winter driving.. you don't want wide tires in the snow or ice. Light weight, decent weight distribution, the 6-speed's great choice of gearing...

[rwanttaja]

Rwanttaja must have been somewhere that got almost completely missed. As hammered as we got in the north end, South seattle and tacoma got it infinitely worse. They fared only barely better than Bellingham.

Extreme south end of King County, about 10 miles south of Sea-Tac airport. Our house got about 2" of snow, and it didn't start until about 7:30 PM. Was done snowing by 11.

Drove in to work today, and many of the roads were sheet ice. The Versa did well; didn't spin the wheels too much, and I never had a case where it tried to break free. When I parked at work, it turned out that the lot was so icy I darn near couldn't walk, but yet the Versa had gone through it nicely, including turning into the stall.

I did turn the overdrive off for the slippery parts; I like the higher revs and the finer control it gives when the ground is slick.

Ron

[Ever Victorious]

Odd that you got so little.. Kent/Des Moines, even today, is in bad shape. I saw an overhead of basically where I was stopped last night, and they showed 8 abandoned/spun out cars in a 1/4 mile stretch... and I know that stretch of road had at leat a 6 mile backup last night. So multiply that out. I don't think there were this many abandoned cars in either '90 or '95.

I measured the snow when I was stuck and bored last night. 4" on the shoulder of the road, 6" the moment you stepped off the road. And it was clear and dry before this all started.

Good that the V handled so well, though.

[Justforfun]

I've taken my Versa in the snow! With and without chains. I had the chains on for about 1 1/2 miles then took them off. After that the road got bad over the pass. I drove over Mt Hood to Sisters and then the next day drove back over Hood without chains. The car did just fine. I do not have ABS and have an auto transmission but had no problems at all. Take it easy and watch out for all of those 4x4 owners. (former Jeep owner)

Good Luck!

B

[dalversajock]

My Versa's first experience in winter weather. Unfortunately, we have a winter storm with a combination of ice and sleet. Driving on ice is pretty scary- especially when you're driving on overpasses. My Versa handled driving on the tollway very well. Got into some light snow on the ground and it did well also. This morning it warmed up within 5-10 minutes. Overall, it did quite well.

[versace2007]

Tacoma, WA. - Driving for me around Tacoma in the snow was GREAT. I was driving about 20-30 mph slammed on the brakes to test stability on ice, I skidded a few feet, but stopped shorter than expected. The back tended to drift forward like it was trying to fish tail. Climbing icy hills was not too much of a problem, since it was front wheel drive I was not too worried about the car sliding from side to side and hitting other cars. But when I did come to a steep incline, the tires would spin out and the engine revved up to about 4,000 RPM and the speedometer went from 0-40 in less than a second...which was cool....anyways. But I recommend getting a head start if you plan to climb a hill instead of gunning it at the last minute....Overall my driving experience in the snow was 3 out of 5.

Sorry forgot to mention this:1.8 S AUTOMATICNO CVTNO ABSStock tires.Pretty much just the base model with a convience package...

P.S. I'm interested in chatting with other drivers who own a 1.8 S Auto non CVT, about gas mileage or whatever... please contact me at [email protected]

[Quotacious]

I drove my Versa SL CVT/ABS/EBD (regular All Seasons) home in late December, and she handles fine in the snow. The cruise control turned off twice, so I figured that was my clue to slow down and watch the road a bit more. Later on in this 3 1/2 hour drive, I was trapped in a snow squall from hell; it was as if we were in the middle of the woods somewhere - the TransCanada Highway seemed so very narrow, with no pavement to be seen anywhere, and very limited vision. So, with our 4-ways on and several other drivers together in a little procession, we drove 35 minutes at 35kph (22mph) sort of down the middle of the highway, moving over whenever other little processions came from the other direction, until we were out of it... All of a sudden, there was absolutely no snowfall, and the roads (and surrounding areas) were completely and utterly bare within a minute.

That said, I didn't escape the squall until I managed to follow the lead car onto an off ramp and thus off the highway, and had to get back on it. I have a picture I should post that has the front of the Versa completely clear, and the back is completely and utterly covered in an inch of snow...

[DocPlez]

Drove mine home yesterday from Las Vegas to my house 220 miles north. Half the trip was in 2 inches of fresh snow and only about half of it had been plowed. Stock tires and 6 speed MT and I didn't have a problem running 60 to 70 miles per hour the whole way. I had about 300 pounds in the back which helped make it a lot more stable but I had no problems in the snow at all.

Doc

[Slither]

I wonder how the 'L' position works on the CVT. Is this equiv to 2nd gear for start-up on a slippery grade?. 4AT's vary, selecting 2 locks out 3 and above on some or better on others both 3 and above and 1.

I wonder what 'L' on CVT locks out?

[rwanttaja]

I wonder how the 'L' position works on the CVT. Is this equiv to 2nd gear for start-up on a slippery grade?. 4AT's vary, selecting 2 locks out 3 and above on some or better on others both 3 and above and 1.

I wonder what 'L' on CVT locks out?

I believe the "L" stands for "Low Gearing." We live at the top of a hill with a slippery road down, and for that past several days, I've popped the transmission into "L" for the trip downhill. The transmission stays in a low gear, with the engine providing most of the braking. Coming up the hill, I use the normal "D" setting and disable the overdrive.

Ron

[XterraVersa]

Ok...Make it stop snowing in Denver.

Four weekends of snow. 34 inches Christmas weekend, 30 inches New years weekend, 8 inches last weekend and 5 so far this weekend.

The Versa is great in snow as long as it is not more than 6 inches deep. I have been commuting in the slop & slush with no complaints. It handles better than my Xterra. The skinny 40 psi tires cut through the slop to get great traction. Lack of ABS is great in slop. Stops straight and faster than expected. Compression braking helps a lot too with the Versa's low gearing.

Good thing this car gets me to work since the Xterra has a broken clutch & is going nowhere fast.

This weekend along with the snow, it is damned cold. 0 degrees +/-5 degrees for the highs. The TPMS light came on, checked the psi and all are at 30 psi. I am going to leave them there for now since the roads are iced over & low psi helps a bit with traction on ice.

Who wants snow? Denver has plenty to spare.

[Legacy40k]

I've driven mine in the snow several times now, 4 Snow Tires, no problems!

[NewToNissan]

I have had no issues driving in the snow or stopping, maybe cause I am used to driving an Intrepid that took an eternity to stop.

[OKVersa]

If you have seen the weather the past week, you know we had a massive ice storm here, followed by eight inches of snow (where I live.)

In last week's ice storm, I had no problems. I didn't try to slip and slide, but I didn't have ANY troubles going back and forth to work.

One day, I had a little trouble getting up my driveway which is on a huge hill, but that was after the top layer melted and froze back.

Yesterday, we got eight inches of very heavy and wet snow. We blazed trails getting home from a wedding in another town and never once slid or couldn't make it in the drifts.

It's amazing.

[BenzTech Gone Versa]

We Had BLACK ICE Last week and my dumbass was out and the highway was full with flashing lights and pile ups!the highway was shut down but i saw an open entrance and went on.To my surprise the car handled very well on stock conti's.until my i hit the brake a lil too much and begain to skid.WHERES THAT ABS WHEN YOU NEED IT!!!!!!!I gained control right away after a few fish tails.so im koo with the V n Snow BUT im not hitting the brake hard again just to see if ill skid.ohh yeah and a bunch of expensive cars including 4x4 could not make it up a hill that the V did!