Q for the married folks: how do your wives do in the ZHP? (RWD question)

[slater]

sorry; i guess you non-married/engaged/lady-partner guys can answer this as well. :)

when my wife and i got married, she had never driven a car with a manual transmission before. she wanted to learn, and she very much enjoys it. she's a very cautious driver (i.e., slow :) ).

we've had two FWD cars but mostly AWD (audi's), and she gets around without any issue in the winter (dedicated snows, of course - we've had about 5-6' of snow this winter, about 2-3' of it still on the ground!).

my concern is thinning the fleet down to a ZHP sedan; i will be running X-Ice3's on it, and while i will not be fazed by it, she WILL have less traction than our A4 and i'm concerned about her safety and competency.

how many of your wives/fiancees/ladies drive the ZHP in the snow/ice/winter junk and do well? i just want to make sure i'm not being irrational.

i could always source a 330iX sedan or a 325iX Touring, but i'd prefer to keep it ZHP. :)

thanks guys!

peter

[johnrando]

Interesting dilemma. No real world experience on that in SoCal but I'll be curious as to what people say.

[elsanto]

My wife does fine with the ZHP in the snow with blizzaks on it. I try to get her to use the Subaru when she has our son, but she's a good enough driver to know the limits.. I took her to an empty parking lot and let her slide around for a while to get use to the traction limits in the wet.

[slater]

My wife does fine with the ZHP in the snow with blizzaks on it. I try to get her to use the Subaru when she has our son, but she's a good enough driver to know the limits.. I took her to an empty parking lot and let her slide around for a while to get use to the traction limits in the wet.

that's what i am thinking as well. although i get a fair bit more snow than you do in NJ, and i live in the sticks - our road is plowed fairly well, but it's not uncommon to be driving in several inches of unplowed snow, and our road is hard-packed snow from december until march, usually. my avatar pic is my driveway, the day i brought the ZHP home - the snowbanks lining my 150' driveway are as tall as the ZHP, some are almost 7'!

that said i brought my ZHP coupe home in a storm, and it has fairly lousy 205/50/17 snow tires on it (lousier than the blizzaks, i am not a fan), and it still did pretty well with DSC on - although i need to send her out several times in it.... unfortunately we are away for an extended period of time and the ZHP is tucked away at home in the garage.

peter

[ICTZHP]

Our ZHP has been my wife's daily driver since we got it in 2004. We do live in the Plains and do not get that much snow, so we make do with all seasons (Continental DWS's). As long as the air dam is not acting like a snow plow she has no problem. Just have to know when to turn traction control off and don't be afraid to start out in a higher gear.

[elsanto]

I've had a few sets of Nokian hakkas, and the new blizzaks are holding their own to be honest, and are much much cheaper. We've gotten a few storms this year, and It's yet to leave me stranded.. I will say the front bumper drags on everything, and that is my biggest concern when things get a little deep.

[slater]

Our ZHP has been my wife's daily driver since we got it in 2004. We do live in the Plains and do not get that much snow, so we make do with all seasons (Continental DWS's). As long as the air dam is not acting like a snow plow she has no problem. Just have to know when to turn traction control off and don't be afraid to start out in a higher gear.

it must be pretty flat out there, right? it's fairly flat where i live too, which makes me feel like i can get away with it. :)

peter

[slater]

I've had a few sets of Nokian hakkas, and the new blizzaks are holding their own to be honest, and are much much cheaper. We've gotten a few storms this year, and It's yet to leave me stranded.. I will say the front bumper drags on everything, and that is my biggest concern when things get a little deep.

which blizzaks? to be fair, i am running LM-25V's in 235/45/17 on my A4 and they aren't great, but it might be the width. i was going to buy some X-Ice3's this year but the LM-25V's were a smokin' deal. on the A4, it works. not sure i'd want them on the ZHP.

you're not kidding about the price of hakkas - try pricing tires in canada, they are nuts. $250-$300/tire for hakka 5's or 7's.

peter

[brettbimmer]

Can't speak on the female front driving my ZHP in the snow, but 4WD/AWD only helps during acceleration, not with turning or braking. With your dedicated Michelin X-Ice winter tires on your car, I would think that it would work fine for any driver, because tire choice is far more important then AWD in winter weather. All that being said, there are times when I wish I had an LSD in my 318ti with Michelin X-Ice2's as it would help getting started in really slippery snow which we sometimes see here in Maryland.

[ICTZHP]

it must be pretty flat out there, right? it's fairly flat where i live too, which makes me feel like i can get away with it. :)

peter

Yes, Wichita is pretty flat. The biggest elevation changes you will encounter around here are on/off ramps to the highways.

[slater]

Can't speak on the female front driving my ZHP in the snow, but 4WD/AWD only helps during acceleration, not with turning or braking. With your dedicated Michelin X-Ice winter tires on your car, I would think that it would work fine for any driver, because tire choice is far more important then AWD in winter weather. All that being said, there are times when I wish I had an LSD in my 318ti with Michelin X-Ice2's as it would help getting started in really slippery snow which we sometimes see here in Maryland.

oh, i am well aware that the benefits are only under load. i find the ZHP actually brakes better in the snow than our A4 does (audi's always have really touchy ABS in the snow), i am just concerned about 1-wheel drive versus 4-wheel drive. :) when you need the grip, you need it.

i agree about the tires. cheap tires don't pay off.

peter

[tkundhi]

My wife has only driven the ZHP in the snow once because we just got it. It still has all seasons. But she's been driving a 00 323iT for the last 8 years without issue. That car has had X-Ice the last few seasons. That is probably what I'll put on the ZHP next season. This year we'll just driven one of the cars that already has snow tires.

I think your wife will be fine with better snow tires. The other thing is opt for narrow snow tires. 215 or 205s



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[jiggz]

In regards to snow I wouldn't let my wife drive my car in the snow, and honestly I don't even take it out - too many hills here in Seattle. Mostly afraid of other drivers - just safer to keep it in the garage.

But my wife hates my ZHP anyway and would never want to drive it - it's too hard to turn, the steering wheel is too thick, the exhaust is too loud, it's too low, etc. It's totally stock!

[midlandtech]

My wife drove a 5 speed ranger when I met her and has no issues with snow and the zhp

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[derbo]

I don't live near snow. :)

Girlfriend drives a stick 335i, and has a M50 swapped E30 project car. I'm glad I don't have to deal with this. :)

[HokieZHP]

Not married......but my mom has been driving a manual ever since college and loves driving it, wishes she had a manual car. Anyways she normally uses my dad's a6 avant when it snows but she's driven my ZHP in the snow (3-5") with pilot sport A/S's on it and did just fine. No trouble and I was riding shotgun.

My current gf is in the process of learning how to drive stick and i would say with practice I'd trust her with my car in the snow (granted I take the tune off of it beforehand). She lives in Buffalo, NY for grad school and so she knows how to drive in the snow.

I think that if your wife has good driving habits in the snow with her awd and you maybe just give her a quick rundown of what to be careful of with the rwd she shouldn't have any issues.

[orange260z]

I don't know about the e46, but my e90 330i sedan drove awesome in the snow with a set of winter tires. FYI, I live in Ottawa, the winter capital of the world (or so we like to think). The only issue I had was that the car was too low (stock non-sport) and would often bottom out or plow. I'd be worried about that with the deeper ZHP air dam and the lower ride height.

[WOLFN8TR]

No snow in Vegas so I can't comment on that but I will tell ya one thing my Splitters hate my wife!

[TheFinanceGuy]

I haven't yet found the ZHP that I'm looking for, but my wife has driven my 540i with snow tires on it. The 540 is heavy, and needs every bit of help it can get to get up any hill. That said, she vowed to never take it out in the snow (5+ inches) again. Said the car was fine, it just can't get enough traction on a hill.
I have the same issue with the car. So, I resort to the Subaru during snow fall.

I have to ask, because I think I am misunderstanding. Are you removing the A4, and downsizing to one car? Do you often drive the ZHP in the snow? I feel that the lower air damn would cause some plowing issues in 5+ inches of fresh snowfall or possible even get high centered with ice/ruts on other roads. My E36 328 had this issue.

[johnrando]

In regards to snow I wouldn't let my wife drive my car in the snow, and honestly I don't even take it out - too many hills here in Seattle. Mostly afraid of other drivers - just safer to keep it in the garage.

But my wife hates my ZHP anyway and would never want to drive it - it's too hard to turn, the steering wheel is too thick, the exhaust is too loud, it's too low, etc. It's totally stock!

LOL, I totally hear you. Mine says that but my car is lowered, with an extra thick steering wheel, a loud TSE3 exhaust... think what SHE says! :biggrin


No snow in Vegas so I can't comment on that but I will tell ya one thing my Splitters hate my wife!

:rofl

[3ZHPGUY]

I am very happy to say that in my 7+ years of owning my ZHP, my wife has never been in the drivers seat. On the other had though, she currently is in a 06 330Cic that is horrible in the snow with the Michelin Pilot Sports. The 03 325CIc she had before the 330CIc had all season Michelin's on it and that was no issue.

Took care of all those snow issues two years ago, when we relocated to southern middle Tennessee.:)

[RITmusic2k]

Heh, no snow where we're living right now, but I do notice my fuel economy goes down quite a bit when Tiffany takes my car :devilish

[JupiterBMW]

Its a rough winter day here in Florida... High was only 82*. As such, the wife is driving her car...

No, seriously... No winter in Florida, which is good, because she can't drive manual cars anyway... :facepalm

[slater]

My wife has only driven the ZHP in the snow once because we just got it. It still has all seasons. But she's been driving a 00 323iT for the last 8 years without issue. That car has had X-Ice the last few seasons. That is probably what I'll put on the ZHP next season. This year we'll just driven one of the cars that already has snow tires.

I think your wife will be fine with better snow tires. The other thing is opt for narrow snow tires. 215 or 205s

exactly. my ZHP came with 205/50/17s and it did pretty well. DSC comes on all the time though - even in the dry in 3rd gear with the snows on! :)



In regards to snow I wouldn't let my wife drive my car in the snow, and honestly I don't even take it out - too many hills here in Seattle. Mostly afraid of other drivers - just safer to keep it in the garage.

But my wife hates my ZHP anyway and would never want to drive it - it's too hard to turn, the steering wheel is too thick, the exhaust is too loud, it's too low, etc. It's totally stock!

ha! i think my wife will like it. she hasn't driven the ZHP yet (just got it and then we went away), but i presume she will like it. i eventually want just one car, so she will have to like it!



I think that if your wife has good driving habits in the snow with her awd and you maybe just give her a quick rundown of what to be careful of with the rwd she shouldn't have any issues.

i think so too, but i also think - she's had the security of the current setup... and she's going to say, "why did you take that AWAY?!?!" you know?



I don't know about the e46, but my e90 330i sedan drove awesome in the snow with a set of winter tires. FYI, I live in Ottawa, the winter capital of the world (or so we like to think). The only issue I had was that the car was too low (stock non-sport) and would often bottom out or plow. I'd be worried about that with the deeper ZHP air dam and the lower ride height.

yeah, the front bumper is a concern, even at stock ride height (which is likely where it would stay). my A4 is lowered a tiny bit below the stock sport suspension (ST/KW V1 coilovers) and we don't have any clearance issues - but it's not low by any means.



I haven't yet found the ZHP that I'm looking for, but my wife has driven my 540i with snow tires on it. The 540 is heavy, and needs every bit of help it can get to get up any hill. That said, she vowed to never take it out in the snow (5+ inches) again. Said the car was fine, it just can't get enough traction on a hill.
I have the same issue with the car. So, I resort to the Subaru during snow fall.

I have to ask, because I think I am misunderstanding. Are you removing the A4, and downsizing to one car? Do you often drive the ZHP in the snow?

yes, that's the idea - sell the A4 Avant, and ZHP coupe, and find a ZHP sedan. and have just one car. i just bought my ZHP coupe, so only a few hours of snow driving under my ZHP Belt, and it did OK - but lots of DSC interaction. i need to take it out a bunch more once i get back from my trip, to make a decision.

i just drove a 2003 330i M-Sport this afternoon (basically a ZHP up here in canada, without the cams, software, 3.07 rear end) and i found it very nice to drive, and i love the 4-door aesthetics and ergonomics. but this particular car was a rough example... dirty, rusty, etc. but it confirmed for me that i do indeed want an M-Sport/ZHP sedan, which is very important!

peter

[Vas]

My wife has driven my ZHP this past winter including some snow. She loved it soo much that we are currently working on the details to get her a zhp. :fingerscrossed

But winter tires are a must.

[tkundhi]

Our ZHP is the wife's car. We were originally looking for an E90 335 M-Sport but having a challenge finding one with a manual and not black/black. Somehow the ZHP got mentioned and about 4 weeks later we had one.


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