04AcuraTL

so i live in NY n we're supposed to get about 12 inches of snow tonight...i left work when it first started n let me tell u..this car in snow is shitty, i know the EL42's dont help so yesterday i had some pirelli p6's mounted..i put 6 salt bags in the trunk, did that help NO...i took off down the road at a steady low acceleration, n my VSA light kept flashing indicating no traction...once i got the car to a steady 30mph...i felt that the ass end is dancing a little...is this common..someone had told me cuz of the wide tires n low profile they tend to track other tire tracks...is this y i'm getting the side to side motion?? or something wrong with my car?????????? very disapoint with my TL, specially that i had to bum a ride in my bro's 04 accord cpe 6spd which me n him r debating on who's car is more bang for the buck.....04TL - 0 04accord cpe - 1

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

I don't think there's much of a comparison between the two. Each car is nice in its own way.

Wide tires do tend to fall into tracks left by other tires. Kind of hydro-planing in a way. Wider the contact patch, the more it's likely to lose traction in rain or snow. But of course, that's the downfall of having better traction in dry conditions.

rets

Sorry to hear that.


Pirelli P6 FOUR SEASONS ain't that good in snow. I don't mean mine are any better, however, my TL with Falken 512 wasn't shaking its tail but smoothly heading back home without any issues this afternoon. Roads were kind of unplowed and it's about 3~5 inch at that time. My VSA was flashing all the time, but I don't think my traction was lost too much, my car was slowly and firmly moving forward and stayed around 20~40 MPH from Upper State NY to NYC.


Maybe you could get better snow tires?

mickey3c

get some blizzaks at tirerack.com the tl should have some nice summer tires and winter boots...

those of you who opt for the non summer tires... well you might just as well get summer tires and get another set of tires for the winter...

rets

.

neuronbob

The EL42s are only part of the problem, when snow is falling fast NO set of tires will help that much, though snow tires are clearly ideal. One thing that can help is (if you have a 5AT) is to use the manual setting and start in 2nd gear rather than 1st--this will reduce wheel spin.

04AcuraTL

ok fellas this is the way i see it..next week im goin to a junk yard(hunts point auto parts) im gona find me a set of accord steels n tires n put them on 5 lug V6 of course...i cant stand the wide tires..i hope i have no mounting issues i dont have the brembo's so i doubt i will..what do u guys think of the idea?????

Rick F.

The first time I drove my Porsche 944 in snow, with snow tires in the back only, it scared me silly. The front end was much more likely to go sideways than to go forward--very disconcerting!

That's when I realized that a wide, low-profile tire has a contact patch that is wide from side-to-side but short front-to-back. Picture a ski that is perpendicular to the direction of the car's travel--that's what the contact patch looks like. And that ski wants to ski off to the right or the left rather than go forward.

A tall, skinny tire has a contact patch that is long front-to-back and narrow side-to-side. Like a ski pointing straight ahead. That helps explain why skinny tires do so much better in the snow than wide performance tires (ignoring tread pattern differences, tire compound differences, etc., which can also make a big difference).

If your TL is too much of a handful in your usual winter conditions with all-season tires, then it sounds like you'll have to invest in snow tires. I've only had my '05 TL for three weeks, and I've only driven it in about 2" of snow so far. It seemed fine (Michelins), but it wasn't much of a test. Maybe tomorrow, now that Maryland just got about 6" of snow! Somehow, I suspect the TL won't be doing as well as my Audi A6 Quattro, but everything's a trade-off.

One final point: I don't think the extra weight in your trunk is going to help you any. That was a standard "fix" to improve traction for cars with rear-wheel drive. At most, it might give you a little extra rear braking traction.

Rick

caball88

umm i dunno if you can blame the TL for the poor traction. this storm is kinda bad and alot of cars were having problems today. i came back from snow boarding in a friends rx330 and that spun out today with awd.

04AcuraTL

The only reason i put the salt bags there is becouse i had bad experiences with the back end of this car tending to break loose fasster then the front..so i figured i'd even it out a bit.

boosteddsm

I drove my TL for the first time in snow last week and was actually impressed! For having 17" low pro tires on there i think it did damn well FWIW. I have the Michelins so I don't know how much different in the snow they are.

A-TLvic882

I don't have any problems with my 6MT and EL-42 and Chicago snow. I love my TL.

SouthernBoy

My former car, a 2002 Altima SE, came stock with the EL42's also. With that car, the 42's hydroplaned MUCH worse than with the TL, but in snow (what little bit I drove the car in), they did Ok. I have not taken my TL out in this (we only got 2.5 inches yesterday) because I try to avoid driving the TL in bad conditions and certainly don't want salt and sand on my car. I have a Ford Ranger pickup for such use.

I was really temped to try the TL out yesterday before the plows came through just to get an idea about how it did. I suspect it will be Ok in the event I ever use it in snow, but will be much better when the time comes that I switch the tires to Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. I KNOW those are great in the heavy rain and suspect they'll do well in snow, too.

oppnyc

Cars are made for run, travel. Period. We have one car only (TL 04) and also we had Maxima 95 before , so I can say that Maxima did much much better on snow that TL . It is fact at least for us. There is something in structure of the car , low profile, torque, or even something else that make TL perform very poor on snow.
Otherwise we are in love with TL.

JohnDoe2

I thought my TL handled very well in the snow.

Except:

I drove though a very heavy storm and got home. The next day I noticed the snow had packed in around the wheel wells. When I went for a drive, at around 40 mph, the car started to shake so bad I had to pull over. I kicked the packed snow out of the wheel wells, and the shaking went away.

The snow clumps behind the wheels are pulling the "mud flaps" away from the car. I may have them removed.

PS: I've lived in Minnesota my whole life so I know about driving in snow.

EnJ

This car sucks ass in the snow. I didn't even bother getting in my car yesterday; I've had the same problems the original poster described in 1 inch of snow. Everyone on here can make all the excuses they want, this car sucks in the snow.

ndabunka

The TIRES are why you are slipping and sliding. The Accord and this car are nearly identical underneath. If your buddies Accord did such a great job, it's because of the TIRES he has on his. BTW - Isn't snow at least one of the reasons for the wife's SUV?

miiipilot

[/QUOTE]
Wide tires do tend to fall into tracks left by other tires. Kind of hydro-planing in a way. Wider the contact patch, the more it's likely to lose traction in rain or snow. But of course, that's the downfall of having better traction in dry conditions.[/QUOTE]


This is called refraction. When your tires, and i dont care what tires your have, run into something that has great resistance, WILL be pulled that direction. Try it with your lawnmower. Push it on the sidewalk or driveway at an angle going toward the lawn. when that FIRST wheel makes contact with the grass it will pull toward the grass and change the angle of the mower. DONT FREAK OUT and have to get skinnier lawnmover tires to lessen the pull into the lawn.

[/QUOTE]
I don't have any problems with my 6MT and EL-42 and Chicago snow. I love my TL.
[/QUOTE] finally someone whom agrees.




miiipilot

miiipilot

Or you suck as the driver. <---- I'll vote on that.

miiipilot

stevenr

I have not had any issues in driving the TL in snow/ice. I have a 6-speed and I find that starting in second or even third, depending on conditions limits the torque and makes it very manageable to drive. I travel to the mountains in Western MD and WV quite regularly, where it snow 150+ inches/year and lived there for 4 years, with reasonable success. If I lived in a place like this, I would have a beater 4WD to drive in snow conditions, not my TL.

Most everyone who lives in the mountains has dedicated snow tires. When I lived there, I did as well (used Blizzaks) and they do make a significant difference.

I have the junk EL-42s, which I hate. I am in the process of replacing these and trying to figure out which tires to select. Pilot Sport A/S or Falken 512. These seem to be within $20 of each other mounted and balanced.

EnJ

You see, I knew somebody was gonna be an ass and take offense to my post. Whatever, I don't care. When I'm going 5-10mph in a straight line on an inch of snow and my brakes don't work, and my car skids left and right while slowing down, and the VSA is flashing like a strobe light, it's not me, it's the car. I've seen people with beater cars out here tearing this snow up with no problems. OK, go back to loving your car now.

GUMP

I think I figured out how not to slid around in the TL...just wait until the roads are cleared! You're crazy to go out during a full blown storm anyhow. I not only care about my car, but my life.

TLXLR8S

i had no problaem with my TL. ye it skids here and there, but its a snow storm out here and for a storm like this in N.Y. i was able to go as fast or faster then most cars without skiding. i was even able to pickup like all the SUV's in front of me.

i was on the nassua expwy. and with no one in site i braked as hard as the car let me and yes it skid a little but it went from 40 to 10 in the same lane. it just took a little longer b/c of the snow.

remember to stay in the highest gear possible and you should be fine. and the VSA worked damn good for me. oh and dont forget its not summer out there.

SouthernBoy

To oppnyc;

"Cars are made for run, travel. Period."

Yep, but not MY TL and not in any situations where my car is going to be put in jeopardy. I have a truck which I also am quite fond of, but it's there for times just like this.. among others.

Sorry, but for me, my car is FAR more important than my convenience.

chas083

My MIch Pilot Sport A/S work quite well in a Minnesota winter. With front-wheel drive why would you put sand bags in back?

caball88

also when driving in the snow, the driver's ability to control the car will effect the car's handling. you can't completely blame the TL for poor snow traction. i know some people who can spin out a awd suv(which happened yesterday). i drove last year in my rwd 3 series in a similar size storm and managed to keep the car going straight without much incident.

ONAGER

its all about the tires.... and there co-efficient of friction. all season tires are nothing but trade offs... they trade warm weather traction for cold weather traction, dry traction for wet, and so on. a jack of all trades. they do many things ok but no one thing well. tires are all thats touching the road if they dont have good grip the best car in the world will suck. beaters with dedicated snow tires will drive good, as the car has traction.... that simple.

midas69

The diversity of opinion regarding the TL in the snow is pretty amazing. Personally I haven't driven much yet in the snow. We've had a lot of it so far this year, but I've been able to avoid the worst times.

But so far, what little I have driven has actually made me feel OK with it. Coming out of a 2002 Maxima, the TL seems to do much better so far. Prior to that I had a '99 Maxima and I'd say the TL is still slightly better.

2K2SilverTL-S

My 04 has done quite well........so i guess its a mixed opinion....

rets

Beside the tyres, chassis, and whatever factors would be, this is one of the main reason. Individualities. IMHO. Just like the drivetrain vibration, one of friends never felt the thing, but I do feel it on his car...

mio

why don't u put snow tires on first then blame ur TL~ ?

It is only a 2wd car, what do u expect ? expect ur tl better than a awd car on the snow road?

and i doubt if u a good driver or not...

blame ur skills first.

leeherman

How does putting extra weight in the BACK of a FWD car help your traction?

No wonder your traction control kept kicking in.

cliff

i have the stock 42s and my rear end dances big time, i pretty much drift into every turn

caball88

you know what i was wondering the same thing. the TL is a fwd car if you put weight in the rear its not really going to help with traction like it would on rwd car. if your tail is spinning out on you in a fwd car it means you are going too fast on a turn. so again i don't think you can blame the TL for the poor snow traction.

AutoGirl

We were in Boston during this whole blizzard thing... but I have to say that my husband had no problem with the snow - even uphill! Turning the VSA on or off at appropriate moments helped us in some situations as well. Getting it out of the snow was a problem this morning, but everyone had that problem. The only vehicles not having many problems were the Porsche Cayennes, Subarus and the lone Evo...

I'm VERY impressed with the capabilities of this FWD car

05TLTony

the 95 maxima would do better b/c it doesn't have lo pro tires. My ES300 was awsome in the snow. I drove on the highway in a store a few years ago going 65 and had no problems. My TL slips alot and am afraid to go over 50 in the snow. It's definitely the tires. My fiance's 2000 maxima has lo pro and does horrible in the snow, but her 95 with standard tires did great .

miiipilot

I've done this for 2 reasons:

1: Winter: By having a heavier back end, you can keep your car more planted to the ground and a lesser chance of something throwing the rear end out because the center of gravity has changed slightly.

2: Summer: Not on the TL though. Since FWD vehicles DONT have 50/50 weight distribution, I have put stuff in there to stop my rear tires from "cupping". Even with proper rotating, once "cupping" occurs, you cannot put them back on the front or they will SHAKE the car apart.
2b: For cornering, that is one of the purposes for the rear sway bar. To try to get a FWD car to handle more neutral than understeer.

miiipilot

A-TLvic882

Check your rear tires tread wear.

ToddL

Here is one that will bring a smile to those who are snowed in.

I was driving down from Big Bear, California on New Years Day. We just had several days of snow - but it was warm so the roads were clear and dry. Of course California is home to the winter storm watch (Insert Year) even when we get 2" inches of rain. So people just freak out with any type of weather. Anyway - my buddy points out a couple putting snow chains on their new 2005 Acura TL. I was thinking man - driving up that distance with chains and dry payment, that is not going to be good on his car. Then I realized he was putting the chains on:

THE REAR TIRES...

I had to: I promptly pulled off to the side and yelled "heres your sign"

A-TLvic882

Did you give to him this link https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...0&page=2&pp=25