Another winter MX5 topic

[sparkybean]

Being new to MX5 ownership (and only my 3rd car), I have been wondering how i am going to fare in the snow and ice we are going to get over the next few months. At the moment the car is off the road for rust repairs with the hope of having it fixed before the new year, and it would be a bit of a kicker to find it immobilized by the weather when i finally get it fixed

How do they tend to cope, compared to say a small front wheel driven car? I had a polo which was remarkably competent, and learned a lot about limit handling (when noone was around )

[BAS231187]

I'm in a similar situation. Given the 1L Yaris to my sister and bought a gold 1.6l mk2 mx5. awesome car! So glad I got it. I've had it 2 weeks and so far I haven't had any issues with the mx5 although we have only had light frosts so far.

I've done auto tests with the Loughborough car club in the Yaris on grass. It gave me quite a good appreciation of what the car could do and what happened when I went passed that point in a nice safe environment. The next auto test is on tarmac next week so ill get back to you after I've seen what the mx5 can do .

[torqueofthedevil]

I'm investing in winter tyres this year. Got a mk1 eunos in feb this year and it was as bad as my BM in snow and ice!

[gd49]

In my experience, badly if you don't make any effort to adapt to the conditions. Mines on Toyo T1Rs, in the big freeze we had a couple of years ago it was hopeless, getting stuck in car parks very easily. Seemed to be more prone to getting stuck when reversing than going forwards. I didn't even try and drive it in the snow last year.

From what others have written, I think they do better if you put some heavy weights in the boot and put some winter tyres on them, at which point they become quite competent until there's so much snow that ground clearence becomes a problem.

[Manx1]

You just have to be aware of the fact that you are driving a low, rear wheel drive, reasonably powerful car. Ground clearance is the main problem however i have driven mine through two winters in North Yorkshire & have had no problems & it has TOYO's all round. The MX5 has 50/50 weight distribution so traction will always be a problem with little weight over the back wheels.

Find a nice deserted snowy car park & have a practice. You'll soon find out what you can & can't do

[tr7v8]

The missus Eunos is on Khumo M&S winters on standard tyres instead of its normal 16" low profile jobbies. She got to work in it yesterday fine. Then got around various patients houses in Maidstone. This is her first RWD car, first no ABS, TC etc. So I'd suggest a set of winters will help lots!

[Raffles]

I have found my Mk3.5 quite competent in the snow. There were only a couple of times I struggled a bit to get to where I was trying to get to in the famous winter 2010 in Scotland, but turning off the traction control with some good manual clutch control and I was never let down. In fact I had a lot of fun and enjoyed going out in the snow whenever I could.

I had some fun in my Mk1:


I have winter tyres, snow socks in the boot and I fitted heated windscreen washers. Hopefully I'll get through the winter unscathed...

[seany87]

Im not saying they are brilliant, but as long as you respect the road conditions and be smooth, you can drive them on pretty much anything unless there are snow drifts on the road.. Couple of cement bags in the boot, full tank of fuel and an LSD can help a hell of a lot. I find mine is better than my MG ZR I used to have, now that was hopeless!

[TomCooper]

I'm in a similar position! Had my MK1 since June so this will be my first winter in a rear wheel drive car! It's my only car so use it for my 100+ mile round trip to work and by the sound of things I'm thinking of investing in some winter tyres!