jsmith

this post on the lex forum tilted my choice heavily towards the TLS. i had been vacillating between the GS3 and the TLS. i had been thinking that i would probably need a set of snows ready for the rear driver and maybe get away with the all-seasons on the TLS. this kinda made me nervous because my wife would be driving my car on occassion. comments?

http://www.clublexus.com/vb/showthre...threadid=19188

rockinTLS

Jsmith, my experience is really more like apples and oranges as is the case with the poster on the Lexus forum. How can you compare a low hp front drive Corolla with a higher powered rear drive GS300?

I deleted my long post and kept it short. I'll assume you know the whys and wherfores of front drive vs. rear: Front drive is so much easier to drive when it's slippery. My Legend with all seasons is awesome when it's icey out. My TLS has not seen snow yet but works great in the wet. If it's icey, my Suburban stays home.

jsmith

i discounted the original post - it was more the replies that made an impression on me. i do know how different fwd & rwd can be and would like to have a rwd at some point but i guess not as my daily driver that i may have to use in inclement weather. maybe the stock tires aren't that great but one would think that in a rwd "performance kuxo sedan" you would have better rubber...

rockinTLS

The problem is that what many consider "better rubber" is usually only better on dry surfaces. Unfortunately, all season tires are a compromise between wet traction and dry traction and it's impossible for any tire to excel in all road conditions, all of the time.

I am not the type to have two sets of tires around for different seasons and I feel like the tires on the TLS are just fine for the various conditions I, or my wife, encounter.

Good luck on your decision.

jsmith

i tend to agree with with you and am actually a big fan of fwd. i used to love it when the little coopers beat the cr*p out of the original ford escort gt's in short track action. i do think that you do need good rubber on front drivers if you expect not to have to change tires at all (hoping that the TLS is equipped appropriately). i found that out when my 96' camry shod in its "all seasons" couldn't get up this modest hill at the first hint of snow. i wound up having to get a set of blizzaks (and of course it never snowed again for the next two years)...

silver-s

I live in Vanc WA and I have 18" high performance tires on my 98 Accord V6 and I drive year around without a problem. Its mainly how you drive in poor weather that makes a difference. I had no problem when it snows or becomes a little icy, even when it rains I drive the same as dry pavement. My Proxis T1-s tires are great.

I have driven both RWD and FWD and I think skill is most important and understanding what you need to do to prevent traction loss. Sometimes that means taking different roads or avoiding steep hills and making a large buffer zone between you and other cars. I have never used snow tires or chains and I've been driving in the NW for 12-13 years. Even if you use winter tires you still have to drive slower or safer so thats what I do with performance tires.

VG