What is your ultimate winter car?

[zipdoa]

So I found a minty B4 Audi 90...... but it's fucking FWD.

.... but the rear end from any B4/B5 Quattro bolts right in. Identical floor pan. Swap subframe, diff, trans, driveshafts and suspension components and she's golden.

I think I might have to buy it and do this, lol.

[K3RMiTdot]

Panamera Turbo S

[austic]

Nissan GTR, although not the best choice do the ride height if there is not a ton of snow it would be fun as hell

[msommers]

Originally posted by zipdoa
So I found a minty B4 Audi 90...... but it's fucking FWD.

.... but the rear end from any B4/B5 Quattro bolts right in. Identical floor pan. Swap subframe, diff, trans, driveshafts and suspension components and she's golden.

I think I might have to buy it and do this, lol.

Yes. Yes you do!

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer
I'd go with a continental gt. Just something about cruising around in luxury while the weather and roads are shit seems awesome.

Why is that this seems to be the most common high end luxury vehicle I've seen as a winter 'beater' on CGY streets and it's not the same guy I'm seeing it's different owners driving these.

For me, I have never had a good beyond baller winter beater so the '11 RDX-T with studded winters I'm driving currently has been the best. Between the tire package and the SH-AWD (albeit it's still mostly FWD biased, but watching the left and right power distribution on ice within the little screen shows me it's doing something), it has been amazing so far, feels like a T-90 on all road conditions, plus the snail is liking the Hondata reflash and cold weather. Downside: gdamned this is a heavy piglet but it handles pretty good for a CUV.

[mzdspd]

Originally posted by R-Audi


It has a strong rwd bias.... not great in the snow.

I don't get it.. The SRT uses a Quadra 4X4 which is similar to any other GC (just beefier for the higher power). But it has a clutch pack to engage whichever wheel needs traction, and it also has a E-LSD. This system works like any other 4WD system in a jeep. So in theory, it should work great in the snow.

If that was the case, then any truck with auto 4WD wouldn't be good because it has RWD bias.

[nismodrifter]

997 turbo

[Blue]

R35 GTR was pre fun..

[soloracer]

Originally posted by zipdoa
So I found a minty B4 Audi 90...... but it's fucking FWD.

.... but the rear end from any B4/B5 Quattro bolts right in. Identical floor pan. Swap subframe, diff, trans, driveshafts and suspension components and she's golden.

I think I might have to buy it and do this, lol.

Are you sure you don't want a URS4 instead? I'll even throw in the Boxster calipers.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I had a Civic RT4WD with Michelin XI3, that was pretty sweet. My GF8 STi is also pretty cool but the limits are too high for fun times on the road...

I'm looking for another mid power level RWD too kinda now for fun, maybe another cheap Miata or hail damaged FRS/BRZ if one comes up.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by n1zm0


Why is that this seems to be the most common high end luxury vehicle I've seen as a winter 'beater' on CGY streets and it's not the same guy I'm seeing it's different owners driving these.

When I went to the Bentley dealership, they had good lease incentives.

Granted the monthly payment was more than my mortgage but relative to the price, it's quite attractive.

[HomespunLobster]

Had a 1990 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4. That thing was my favorite winter vehicle, and was the go to for ski hill trips. Nice ride height, comfortable seating (rear seat laid down almost flat for those people to just sleep), roof rack for skis/boards, good trunk space for gear. Only problem was it had 400,000KM and transmission didn't have 5th gear. I'd buy another of those pathfinders in a heartbeat though and bring it back to life for more winter driving.

[R154]

I drove a couple "summer cars" (turbo civic, n/a teg) for years on all seasons or shitty winters. It wasn't until I was out of my early twenties that I came to understand the value of a dedicated winter rig.

My first dedicated winter car was an r32 gtr that was my parts car. Got it running and drove the piss out of it in winter 11/12. Had it apart for 2 years before I half assed an engine/transmission into that beat up body.

Pros: the most deliciously balanced line between power and grip on studded Michelin xice. Mechanical grip. Started just fine when plugged in. Warmed up quicker than what you'd expect. Was about the most fun I have ever had in winter. Pretty much stock minus an exhaust (3") w/resonator + cat.

Cons: rhd. Sucked for low sun angle left turns. The shit rattled and drove me insane. Sort of uncomfortably unpredictable with the ice berms and dips on ice. The tcs allowed alot of slip. Very loud because of the winter tire noise/ old sound dampening. Vibration in the summer is tolerable because of the fast speed fun. In the winter it is grating. Paralysing fear that idiots would rear end me and I would die. Very little interior comfort features. Without surgical precision with the fun pedal I would spin all 4 in gears 1/2 on snow/ice/pavement/when the car was off... Pretty much always. Took some learning.

Overall, I absolutely loved hooning in that car, and I still will one day built an r33/4 specifically for winter. When I'm able to enjoy the luxury of a 4 car garage. The engine/awd and gearing make it a riot. But for a daily, it isn't something that I would care to do now that I am not young anymore. My passengers never found it as awesome as I did. The r32 that is.

My second winter only car was an 08 4x4 Duramax has a webasto. I still own it. But only for the retardedly bad days. Usually it's a tow rig only. My brother drives it more than me.

My 15/16 has been my absolute hands down favorite winter beast. It's a b6 all sport (not allroad) a4 (sedan). 6mt, 30v v6. I did the a/c delete (common Audi issue, clutch fails and stalls the engine) and installed high flow cats. Battery relocated to the trunk. Had a webasto now it has an espar diesel fired coolant heater. Plumbed the heater into my rad and retrofitted the (boat kit) oil heater to the sides of my oil pan w/a skid plate. Did the bigger anti roll bar. Put the diesel tank in the trunk. Michelin x ice no studs. All the bushings replaced with urethane ones. Added more sound dampening to the floor. Changed the door harnesses (common Audi problem). Installed 65w ballasts and decent bulbs from theretrofitsource (stock HIDs are woefully dim). Installed s4 brakes w/ slotted rotors and better pads.

Absolutely hot/quiet and comfortable for winter. It's reasonable on fuel. Dead reliable. I think it's a beautiful car. With the espar it heats my coolant to 85 degrees c in about 3 minutes. (circulating). Oil is probably room temperature by the time the heater shuts off. This is at - 31. (Tested when I went to edmonton last year). Absolutely flawless driving experience. Only complaint is that the awd bias and tcs makes it suffer from slightly exaggerated understeer (lowish speed) characteristics when on throttle through icey corners. If I brake into an Icey corner it counter intuitively grips more. Weird. If I slow in fast out the car seems to be fairly balanced for being the same weight as a dump truck. The same characteristics that make this car mildly boring in summer, make it so very wonderful and confidence inspiring in winter. Every modern feature you can think of other than blindspot/radar cruise/fancy cluster.

Overall, aside from random quirks like the oddly short first gear and precarious main cup holder I absolutely treasure this car. I can't see myself changing it out until I'm baller enough to swap my winter parts into a b7 v8 Audi and yolo it (rs4). Do they make platinum AMA for when the rs4 would inevitably explode?

Part of me still yearns for the gtr days, but it is way more impractical and uncomfortable than what it is worth as a pure daily. But seriously, so much fun. An absolute riot.

[Skyline_Addict]

Nissan GT-R

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict
Nissan GT-R

[R-Audi]

Originally posted by mzdspd


I don't get it.. The SRT uses a Quadra 4X4 which is similar to any other GC (just beefier for the higher power). But it has a clutch pack to engage whichever wheel needs traction, and it also has a E-LSD. This system works like any other 4WD system in a jeep. So in theory, it should work great in the snow.

If that was the case, then any truck with auto 4WD wouldn't be good because it has RWD bias.

Different AWD systems carry different front and rear bias... the SRT Jeep uses a higher rear bias to be sportier than your standard Grand Cherokee. There are quite a few different Audis with different front/rear bias as well, in their case its a different differential that changes the ratio. (4:1 vs 2:1 etc)

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Chester]

STI with studded hakka8's

[Murray Peterson]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo

I'm looking for another mid power level RWD too kinda now for fun, maybe another cheap Miata or hail damaged FRS/BRZ if one comes up.

I love my S2000 in the winter; awesome heater, limited slip, and it will happily drive through snow deep enough to make the front into a plow

I think an NA Miata would be ideal -- not too much power, although a LSD would be a nice addition.

[94boosted]

I must of driven 100+ different cars out on Ghost Lake over the years and I personally believe that the EVO X is arguably the best. 911T, STi and GTR are also pretty damn good and the S4 w/ Sport Diff probably rounds out my personal top 5.