Alright fellow TL'ers - For those of you who have to deal with snowy conditions this winter - this one is for you.

Went home for the holidays to the northern most point in Maine - Fortunately, the roads were clean going north and the trip went fine.

Well, much to my surprise I ended up leaving to come back down to Central Maine on Christmas night - right when a winter storm began battering the area with snow and high winds.

Finally got on the road at about 7pm – Drove in the storm for two hours before it cleared. We’re not talking slow moving snow either – this was a downpour of snow making visibility 5ft or less. I ended up driving on unplowed roads for a good 45mins – there was about 4 inches of snow during this time. I thought I might get stuck or go off the road – but this is why I wanted to share my experience. I was not worried about the snow most of the time, it was ice I was concerned about. I was able to maintain a speed of about 45-50mph on roads where I usually travel 80 (non-interstate). The TL plowed along and only got upset once I hit some slushy areas, where the TL seemed to get pulled to the side. This was prevented by slowing down. Going up large hills I turned off the VSA and brought it down to 2nd gear – a little slipping, but no major problems.

After the 2 hours of snow, I hit fog for the rest of the way. I did find the fog lights to be somewhat useless when switched between regular lights and the fog lights – overall though, I maintained OK visibility, enough where I could travel at a normal speed once I hit the interstate.

Have had my TL since August – it is all stock right now (except winter mats) Quite happy with it and glad to be one of only 2 or 3 on the road in my area. Nice to finally drive a car no one has around here. Just my…

 

I am surprised it did so well, my car with the crappy bridgstone tires seems real slipery just in the rain...man these tires must really suck to be so bad in a light rain, slipping and sliding all over the place like it was snow and/or ice...

Brett

 

Well...after hearing a fellow AZ member say that he ran on A-spec rims and tires in Chicago all year long with no probs...I gave it a shot. NOT RECOMMENDED WHATSOEVER! I kind of wondered when they said that (I am in Indianapolis) but figured - hey...I'll give it a shot too. After nearly wrecking my car and going nowhere fast the first snow that hit.....I decided to get 18" snow tires. Doing better now...but still not as good as the front wheel drive caddy I have had in the past. A matter of fact.....I could go as far as to say it SUCKS compared to the caddy in the snow.....but still wouldnt trade it for the caddy back...thats for sure!

 

If I had to regularly contend with snow I'd go with an Audi [quattro], Subaru, or Acura RL. Although not the reason I got mine, it's nice to know I can plow through the heavy white stuff.

 

With a little patience, snow driving is indeed possible in the 3G TL. This is my third winter doing it, and it's not so bad with decent all-seasons. Thanks for sharing your experience, randoum!

 

Yeah he failed to add that he lived downtown and worked downtown, that means he didnt have to drive through much of anything.

The TL is in storage because of the Chicago winter. I pulled it out last week just to see and those aspec rims/tires cant handl 1.5 inches of snow let alone the 8 inches we saw a few weeks ago.

 

The Bridgestones that came with the car are simply the worst tires I have ever experienced on ANY vehicle. As someone else mentioned, they were horrifying in the rain. In the snow, as we say in New York, fugetaboutit.

That said, I switched over to Pirelli PZero Neros and they have been great so far in the snow. The car does very well with the right tires.

 

The stock Bridgestones are nearly worthless on even a minimal amount of snow. They're probably the worst all season tires I've ever experienced.

I'll run them out for this winter, but I'll have something different on the car before next winter, guaranteed.

I have a 6MT and the wheels will spin and the VSA kick in even starting out in 3rd.

 

I have to agree with Bob. Got caught in snow in KC earlier this month. I just purchased the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires (thank god) and my TL handled fine. Having said that there were only about 3" on the road and I believe the tires and driving like you have some sense made a BIG difference. Never did like those EL's.

 

If u got better tires, it will be ok.

 

The tires on the TL are as similar as the Michelin Pilots that where on my 2002 RSX-S, I learned to deal with them until I traded them for Nitto's, now these Turanzas will eventually end up in the Spring tag sale.
Funny thing is that now some people on the Board have switched to Pilots and claim that they're the best tire owned ( for over $200 ea...wow ) I wouldn't put them on if they were free...but today I saw the Turanzas on a Jaguar type S...lol go figure

 

My own experience with the stock Bridgestones EL42s one rainy day in September shook my confidence badly. I figured it wasn't worth the risk of injury to myself and my family to put up with the crappy tires in a Michigan winter. I put on Falkens Ziex 512 at 15K miles. With the Falkens on, I have driven after a 6-inch snowfall and the car was fine on unplowed side streets.

Don't risk life and limb; just get better tires!

 

You too huh! I know....I had to leave to car here at the office (to get buried in the snow) and take this old friggin 91 caddy fleetwood home that sits here at the office (got it for a motocross trailer hauler - 7000# towing cap!) I use from time to time. That was rear wheel drive and still did better than the TL with A-spec tires....and thats not saying much! I should probably store mine too...but I dont want to get another car...already have 3 and never drive one of them hardly ever.

 

Yeah - I don't have the bridgestones - I have the Michelin Pilots which came stock on the car. Haven't had any problems with them - decent in snow and rain.

 

Original tires suck...
I get Turansa LSZ, not the best around but in my experience very good tires.
For winter I get Pirelli Winterport 310 with new rims.
Pirelli also very good tires for cold, ice and light to medium snow weather.
Heavy snow possibly dangerous for any type of cars, better to stay home.

 

I've had Pilot Sport A/Ss on the TL since I got it. It's been fine in the snow, though the car does depend on the traction control and VSA to a fair degree. I did an experiment once last winter; turned off the VSA during a snowy day. The tires spun and the TL was immobile, but the moment I pressed the VSA button, the tires 'grabbed' and the TL began
moving forward normally.

 

I had the Pilot Sport A/S on my car a week and a half ago when we got a good amount of snow and I lost control and nailed a curb breaking some goodies up in the front of the car. Needless to say, I had no confidence in the TL in the snow and like an idiot I went out and ended up losing it - it was only a matter of time before it happened. Yes, the PS A/S was an upgrade from stock - but not a good enough one. Blizzak LM-22's just got put on. A report will follow once we actually get some more snow...

 

Van Buren? I lived in Presque Isle for 4 years (4 winters) with a Toyota Supra Turbo. Drove with studded tires (all 4) Nov-Mar. Was a little noisy, but it kept me out of the ditch. Ofcourse, we got about 120-150 inches of snow each winter.

I'd say if you were able to do 45mph in 4 inches of snow, the car did pretty damn good. I bought the Fuzion all season tires and will soon put them to the test in my trek to North Dakota in mid-January.

 

in <5in snow,
i'll take the TL (w/ Goodyear GW3 snows) over my 4wd Toy pickup (Bridgestone all-terrains) any day. the limiting factor is the depth: after 5 inches the TL starts to ride up on top....(a-spec suspension prolly doesn't help).

i would not (did not) go anywhere in snow w/ the OE Turanza's. literally.

 

Hahah too funny. Fort Kent actually. You speak Franglais?

 

Living in Toronto, I drive my TL in the winter keeping my other car out of the snow. The TL is ok, but is really helped by snow tires. I had them on one season as my originals were being replaced by Acura and they lent my some Bridgstones EL55's maybe? Very aggresive tire, very good in the snow.

 

My '05 6spd/nav does pretty well in rain and snow with the stock all-season Michelin Pilots, much better than my old '99 Accord EX V6 did with its Michelin MXV4+ tires.

 

I bought the 16" Blizzak WS-50 tire package mounted on alloys from Tirerack. This car can climb the face of Yosemite's El-Capitan with these tires. I would rather drive this car in the snow than my wife's Envoy.

 

Here in Alaska, (here in Alaska), we learn to drive in the snow. I would think that Maine has the same weather (it seemed that way when the Air Force had me there) You cannot buy a car and believe that its mechanical features 'will guide you through the worst of weather'! Buy a nice Ford 4x4, put the car up for the winter if you're not willing to learn how to drive it during ice and snow conditions. Or, tell the limo driver where you need to get to. Alot of problems and accidents are created by drivers that put too much trust in the abilities of their vehicles, and spend little or no time learning in a safe place, how to operate their vehicle. I'm sorry if my post seems harsh, but, I've had my 05 TL as far as allowed on the 'haul road to the oil fields' (up the Elliot hwy, onto the Dalton, parked at Jim Creek') Check out a map, these cruises are hellllll. Never had a problem till the snow drifts got bigger than a foot and a half. I just got home from spending a holiday at the families cabin in Livengood, and it was only -15F. (The OEM perk heater allowed my car to start without hesitation.) I'm sorry, I feel like I'm preaching...please learn to drive your vehicle, regardless of the make, model, and weather conditions, please!

 

These are good snow tires. Very effective and I believe they are the ones I was referring to.

 

Quite the public service announcement. I live in Toronto and although the city does not really get that much heavy snowfall other parts of Ontario do. If you drive your TL in snow that approaches a foot and a half, you are one brave guy. A 4x4, particularly one with aggressive snow or all terrain tires is a very, very different car in snow and certainly more practical in the conditions you describe. I think this thread is about how people feel about the TL in the snow, with exisiting tire configurations.