wombats3

Hi everyone. I'm new here and am considering buying an '04 TL. I'm debating between this and an '05 G35x. I live in Colorado so I'd really love to have the AWD of the G35x but the TL is just finished so much nicer.

Can anyone tell me how the TL handles in the snow. Obviously it's not going to be as good as a car with AWD but is it decent?

Appreciate your help. Thanks.

knavinusa

Yep, it does fine in the snow. You're gonna need to get winter tires though, because the stock all-seasons are crappy and can't handle more than an inch or two of snow.

o4Komodo

iTrader: (2)

Hello wombats. Welcome to Azine!
The TL is AMAZING in snow! And take that from someone who's still running 245/40 Falken FK452 on the stock rims.

The TL is a real performer.... Everyone always seems to think the TL can't handle with the IS/G/3series.

Although I have UHPS on the TL.. I only drive it when the road condition isn't so bad with less than 1 inch of snow/slush.
My TL was on Proxes4 All Seasons before--and it did pretty good in very bad winters..
Not much info but.. hahah that's all I can say.
It's just a darn great car!

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

I wouldn't say that it's "amazing" in snow. The TL handles about as good as any other FWD in snow, which is to say adequate. A good set of snow tires, as mentioned, will aid in turning & stopping in the heavy white stuff.

But 4WD/AWD always trumps FWD/RWD in Winter....always.

dudechewy

its awesome in the snow.....but i would rather have an all wheel drive car....the g35x is a great car to go with

darksky

+1 for the TL being a nice car in the snow BUT you do have to purchase rubber for it. I have Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires are the great. A dedicated snow tire will be much better and considering you're in CO, you might wanna go that route.

luistypes

The TL is good in the snow with snow tires. I had bridgestone blizzaks and they were great.

dannyboy10

Both cars are a fine choice. Infiniti improved the interior for the 2005 G35's. I would give a slight advantage to the G35x since you live in Colorado.

My 2006 TL with Turanza tires seem okay in light snow (NYC). I haven't driven the car yet in heavy snow.

If you pick the TL, buy a set of OEM wheels from a board member here and install a set snow tires.

Jesstzn

I came from a 03 Passat AWD to the TL and the TL withthe stock tires is scary if there is more than a 1/2" of snow. I put on a set of Dunlop Graspics and and its a very good handling car and climber now.

TL|GTX

If you can get a G37x get that for sure. And idk how u think the TL is a much nicer car then the G35x, maybe the oldest 1. But the 2007-08 looks the best, and have much more features +horsepower.

DevilDogge

4 Door G35 = in the styling department

Get the TL and some snow tires, imo.

TL FTW

TL|GTX

Then go for the G37. Btw good luck if u have bad winters like hear in michigan, and your street hasn't been plowed, ur not going anywere with fwd. It was funny 6 cars were stuck thier, then add on to me, i was like my tl can do this. THen some guy in a audi a4 quatro came buy, and went through easy.

Babnik

Snow tires make all the difference. AWD doesn't help much if you don't have snow tires. FWD and snow tires will be better than AWD and all seasons in most snow/ice situations. AWD might get you going better but you need snow tires to steer and stop.

They really should call all seasons tires 3 season tires because that's what they are, the all-season moniker misleads people into thinking they can use snow tires in snow and they'll be just as good.

PhillyxMartin

iTrader: (2)

This is my first year with my TL in the snow and my second fwd vehicle I think it handles great in the snow. I had no problems what so ever this winter so far

wombats3

I wish I could get a G37 but I'm limited to an '05 G35x. I have an A4 Quattro now so I'm used to the amazing AWD - I've never had a problem getting anywhere, even in mountain storms. I guess it's a trade-off between the AWD and better power of the G35x and the more refined interior styling of the TL.

Thanks for your guys' comments!

HOCKEYMAN23

I'm in Denver, TL is solid in the snow. Just some traction control kicking in every now and then, nothing bad. I have Michelin pilot sport also, very good tires all around. Definitely good experiences so far driving on c-470 and I-25 to work every day.

1995hoo

My TL does fine on the snow we get in the DC area. On my last ski trip to Mont-Tremblant and Ottawa I had mixed results on all-season tyres, Pirelli PZero Nero M+S (recognizing that for me to buy snow tyres would be a waste of money living in the DC area). I now have Michelins but would expect the same experience. In general, the car did pretty well on hard-packed snow of the sort shown below in the first picture below, which I took right after attempting to turn a donut in the large empty car park shown in the picture (it's at the base of the Versant Nord at Tremblant). I didn't succeed in turning the donut because Ms1995hoo was in the passenger seat and started berating me, although the car didn't skid.



Likewise, on the snow shown here atop the unpaved car park at the condo where we were staying, the car did fine. However, I had to be selective about where I parked. We got 25 cm of fresh snow the first day there and I ran into trouble when I parked in a space that wasn't already cleared out (it was up the hill to the right in this picture; getting up the hill was no problem at all, but getting out of a 25 cm pile of fresh snow wasn't so simple). I imagine snow tyres or chains would have solved this problem, but as it was I put Ms1995hoo in the driver's seat and I then pushed the car out.



Driving following the 25 cm of snow required a little care before the plow came through. The condo car park's exit was right at the base of a hill and the TL would not go up the hill on all-season tyres (not enough momentum). Had I been coming from the village to the west, I'm sure it would have done OK because I would have had more time to get up to speed, but making the left turn out of the car park didn't work. It did fine when I went around in the other direction (the road through Village-Mont-Tremblant is basically a long loop) because the momentum at 50 to 60 km/h was sufficient to carry the car up the hills.

My overall impression was that if you live in an area where snow tyres are the norm, then the TL will do fine IF you put snow tyres on it. If you live in an area like DC where we get the occasional big snow dump every couple of years but otherwise generally get mild dustings (that nonetheless fuck up the traffic for hours due to the idiots on the road), all-season tyres are fine as long as you (1) know how to drive in the snow and (2) are prepared to recognize the car's limitations in heavier snow and know how to work around them.

The snow in Colorado is also very different from the stuff we get in DC; we tend to get wet, slushy crap that freezes easily (witness President Obama's recent comments about people here being weather wimps) and not the nice powder you get out there.

wombats3

1995hoo, thanks so much! That really helps in my decision.

blkaspec

like others have said FWD will have its limitations, but the car will perform MUCH better with snow tires. i had all-seasons last year and picked up some X-ice Xi2 for this winter and it made a HUGE difference. no sedan will do all that great in huge drifts, but with the right tire that car will perform very well in a decent amount of snow. get the car you really want but make sure you get the tires that fit the climate and conditions.

welcome and good luck with your purchase

hata_61

the car is pretty good in the winter.i have general arctic altimax studded tires on my car. all i can say is i havent been stuck once or been scared about sliding into a car in front of me. the handling is so much better with winter tires. dont forget i'm also lowered and i still have no issues with clearance.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Great pix 1995hoo...I love Tremblant, we're up there a couple of times a year. Great golf in the Summer too!

Hope that you took Grand Prix a couple of times!

csmeance

A car can be AWD or RWD or FWD, having good tires is all that matters really. A person could drive a ferrari in the snow if they wanted to on the right tires.

I suggest you go with the TL since it is much more rounded than the g35x. The g35 will get much lower MPG due to the AWD system, and also sucks a bunch of gas on the highway. As you mentioned the G35 interior isn't that great, the TL far exceeds in this department. I suggest that if you look into getting a TL, look at getting an 05TL rather than an 04 since it has a few refinements which make it slightly better, like different leather stitching.

avs007

Depends on what all season tires you are looking at.. The stock Michelin Pilot MX tires are garbage in the snow... I have Good Year Tripletred A/S tires on my Jeep... I took that sucker out in 27" of snow (and we live on a hill), and it made it no problem.. In fact I made it up our hill while I watched 30+ cars and SUVs spin out, and pull over to install chains...

A few days earlier, I drove the TL with Potenza RE960AS tires up the same hill when there was about 10-12" of snow on the ground, and also made it up just fine, even tho lots of other people were still spinning out trying to get up our hill.

bdogg77

I used to live in denver and used A/S tires that were "Syped" (fine angular cuts made into the tire) that seemed to work well. i also used the same in Minot ND when i was stationed up there with no real problems.

I think if you get the BEST out of you vehicle (no matter what it may be), get a good set of winter tires.

Second option, get your tires syped at your local tire shop.

Good luck with your decision.......TL FTW!!

blazinginder

simple answer...get the G35x...it will out handle the TL rain/snow or dry road

bdogg77

^^ HATER! I thought people were supposed to speak good about the TL....J/K.

The G35x will handle better, but you will sacifice looks by getting the nissan...i mean G35x.

avs007

Yeah definately. Only reason I didn't get winter tires, is that it doesn't snow often enough over here to justify it. (Last time we got 27" of snow was 40 years ago...)

Snows maybe one week out of the year....

shftl

We had the first serious snow in three years last week, over ice like I've never seen before. I was out in the TL with Kumho Ecsta ASXs while it was coming down, and I made all my stops and made it home, but it wasn't a relaxing trip. I drove my wife's CRV the next two days. Frankly I thought the TL did very well, considering. AWD and the right tires would be better, of course.

I don't know what the rules are in Colorado, but in the Sierras in California there are "chain control areas," where you have to have chains or 4/AWD and dedicated snow tires. If it's like that in Colorado you'll have to get winter tires regardless of which car you buy. With that in mind, I'd suggest you go with the car you like better for other reasons. Here's why: Both the TL and the G have fairly low ground clearance. You can't hope to take on really deep stuff with either one of them. Snow packs up underneath, and your wheels can literally come off the ground. Further, I don't know where the CAI is on a G, but on the TL you risk water lock if you get in too deep. Neither one is a Jeep; either one will get you through the winter just fine if you use your head.

avs007

The intake on the G is the sides of the front grill. (The top part)