Driving and LS400 in the Snow

[Keith Bowler]

Drove my LS back from the station after work last night in the snow a 10 min drive took nearly 2 hrs.

Ok I had two hills to negotiate one was fine the other quite frightening, snow traction control facility better than useless, had to stop on an incline brakes just about held but even in low gear control moving off was useless and I nearly squashed a Fiesta on a slight incline at less that 5mph.

If it continues I am either going to let the tyres down a few PSI to try and get better traction or just leave it on the drive and walk to the station.

Why are Lexus's so bad in the snow, even my old Mk1 GS was the same, my work colleagues who have BM's Audi's and Merc's don't seem to have such problems.

Any tips on how to drive a big old Lexus in the snow apart from the obvious, slowly and carefully?

[royoftherovers]

9 minutes ago, Keith Bowler said:

Drove my LS back from the station after work last night in the snow a 10 min drive took nearly 2 hrs.

Ok I had two hills to negotiate one was fine the other quite frightening, snow traction control facility better than useless, had to stop on an incline brakes just about held but even in low gear control moving off was useless and I nearly squashed a Fiesta on a slight incline at less that 5mph.

If it continues I am either going to let the tyres down a few PSI to try and get better traction or just leave it on the drive and walk to the station.

Why are Lexus's so bad in the snow, even my old Mk1 GS was the same, my work colleagues who have BM's Audi's and Merc's don't seem to have such problems.

Any tips on how to drive a big old Lexus in the snow apart from the obvious, slowly and carefully?

 

[Malc]

overseas Nordic country Ls400 owners do manage ok from posts I have read on here in the past  ......  with special winter tyres.

I have only found that the safest option is just to leave the car at home during snow and icy conditions. I've never successfully, easily, confidently and  safely driven anywhere in any of my Ls400s over the years ....  on ordinary tyres anyway.

My 1994 Mazda 323 f is brilliant in the snow  175/70/13 tyres and the SH-AWD Honda Legend will I'm sure be BRILLIANT

Malc

[The-Acre]

I once drove mine in the snow, never again, a terrifying experience!

[harrylime]

After a terrifying journey many years ago in my Mercedes, I'll never drive an automatic with big fat tyres in the snow again. Luckily my Octavia has its Continental winter tyres on and my wife's Panda has Goodyear 4 Seasons tyres, so the Lexus stays at home

[MLW]

That is interesting. We had a dusting of snow today and my wife was OK in her Mercedes SLK. She does not like snow and has a bit of a snow phobia.

For me it is no problem, having driven my old SAAB and Mercedes 124 E class in 6 inches plus over the years.

I am surprised that guys on here seem to be saving the LS is a no-no in the snow.

Why is that?

[The-Acre]

Being auto with wide tyres, rear wheel drive and a powerful engine is not a good combo, and as for the snow button...What a pointless thing that is.  I'm much more confident in my Volvo with front wheel drive. Actually, I'm even more confident walking!

[plastic orange]

Ls is a lot better than my old merc 190E that got stuck in the high street in light lying snow because of the road camber when trying to move off, A point folk may overlook is that if you get stuck, you'll need a few folk to shove, and 2 tons of Lexus will have a lot of folk looking the other way.

 

Pete

[GEN]

I drive year round and the LS400 is ok provided the winter tyres are used,  and, of course, in the snow /ice extra  - careful driving is essential.   Of course if you can walk it and enjoy it so much the better. 

[Bluesman]

I keep the same tyres on all year round and haven't found the LS to be a problem, I use Falkens which have had around 5K miles on them and they work perfectly all right.

[alien1974]

any rear drive car is a nightmare in the snow as there's lack of weight on the drive wheels, unless you fit winter or all season tyres 

[ambermarine]

Only ever went out in snow in my Mark1 years ago (96) The road I lived on then had a slope at the junction to a major road  with a blind corner.

The car started to slide both forward and sideways into the kerb  which fortunately stopped the car, otherwise I would have careened into the traffic coming at me from the right on the major road.

Braking is a nightmare as the anti-lock works in a bizzar reverse of what it should do because the brakes lock the car skids and the anti-lock mechanism releases them.

The snow feature is simply a  gear lock which as someone as correctly described as useless .

I have to say it was the most frightening experience I have had in a car apart from an incident back in 1969 when driving  a taxi for an early morning pick up,the ford consul 375 I was driving had a brake fluid leak and when I got to the end of the street to enter the main road frantic application of the brakes produced a brown stain in my pants,luckily it was 4 30 am and I survived the no stop entrance to the main road.

[riskegp]

Sympathise had a 400, 2 430's and a GS450 hybrid and would have to agree snow mode useless. I then had a Audi Quattro A8 amazing but not an LS so I got a 460 AWD Bad weather a thing of the past.

 

[dendonc]

Have you (anyone) ever tried snow chains, I knew an austrian girl once & there they literaly used them as a normal thing to do with 2 wheel drives & thought little else of it.

[plastic orange]

We used to use snow chains on our Fire Engines. They took a while to put on and some types we had to remove wheels to do so. Some winters they were on and off several times a shift, but if they were on and there was a thaw, then they could (and did) fly off damaging wings and throwing shrapnel at passing vehicles.

A newer type were permanently fitted and at the press of a button would come down to bear on the inside of the rear wheel and flail the chains under the tyre. They weren't too bad, but were unreliable and no use if stuck. As soon as we went on to air suspension, these couldn't be fitted. I'm not sure what happens now as I've been retired 12 years. 

Modern car types may work, but need removed the minute clear tarmac is encountered - prepare to get wet and filthy if you go down this route. I think winter tyres are the best way to go, but any time I fit them there is never any snow, although never on my LS - I just leave that at home if very icy or major snow.

 

Pete

[dendonc]

Plastic orange

 but need removed the minute clear tarmac is encountered

DD

Ahh, Now I understand the austrians situation, once the snows came that was it for most of the winter, permament cover of snow

 

[Mybikes a cx500]

All season winter tyres, amazing the difference they make.

[Scribe]

I won't drive mine in ice or snow.  It appears to have very little grip even on wet leaves.  The rear wheels, I mean.  They spin very easily.

[dutchie01]

Only one word, Wintertyres. Living in Holland with almost no hills i did make the decision to go for them some 8 years ago when we had a 2 weeks of snow. As both my wife and me were driving BMW's at the time we found out we could not reach the mainroad as the driveway was too much of a hurdle for rearwheel drive summertyres and snow. The cars moved maybe 1 or 2 meters and that was it! could NOT drive until the snow was gone. Imagine shopping by foot etc etc. The difference of driving in snow or icy slippery winterconditions with summer or wintertyres is beyond belief. You will have to experience it for yourself. it's not only about the deeper profile of the tyre clawing through the snow but also the different rubber that keeps it soft a low temps. Brakingdistances are considerably shorther even on dry tarmac. Below 7 degr celcius is where they start to work. I will never drive a car on summertyres in the snow again for sure. It is of course an investment but it is for safety and if you use the winters the summers keep clean!