First Winter in the Supra-any advise/driving tips

Hi all

As the title says,this will be my first Winter in the Supra and its also my first RWD car.I normally drive very sensibly anyway ,but would appreciate any advise on driving on icy roads and snow.I usually crawl down the road when it pours down as I don't want to lose my baby or get injured due to some mistake/underestimation on my part.I've suffered too much a few years ago when I was involved in a terrible accident.She's a completely standard UK auto and I replaced the rear tyres with new F1's a few weeks ago.

Cheers

Ant

Im in pretty much the same position, apart from my slip up, and my advice is stick it in the garage! Thats what im going to do, obviously i will still do bits to it, and it'll come out at weekends. Its pointless having it as an everyday winter car. im getting a run around

The advice i have been given by every one that has it is to buy race logic traction control. Envy is doing a group buy on it at the moment.

dont wanna see another dead uk. there must be hardly any left now

My tip is ..drive with caution like you would do in any other RWD car or in fact with any car. Your driving must suit the conditions at the current time. Go mad when you know it -3 and raining outside then at some point you will be kissing the wheel. How do you guys drive when its pi$$ing down in the middle of summer? it's the same just be careful. Also making sure you have good tyres and everything is lined up correctly to make the car as safe as possible is a good idea. RTLC is fantastic and brings the the odds down but it's not infalable. It will no way save you on a black ice road at 130 MPH while taking a 90 degree bend in kamikazi mode. RTLC moves the goal post up a lot and gives you the scope to drive the car more forcefully but it will not cover super hero moves. The best form of caution is the driver in the winter.

I just leave mine at home and take a different car, not because the Supra is a nightmare or that I'm scared of the snow - it's the other idiots that worry me more, the X5 drivers who think their road tyres and half baked 4WD system makes them invinvible, the scared new drivers in their mobile crash machines, as we all know the general standard of driving goes out of the window as soon as the sun disappears, I'm not willing to risk my car out there.

Paranoid I know but I'm happy that way

(They get revenge by hitting me in the summer anyway)

I would also say drive something else when its nasty. safer to leave it at home during the winter weather

My tip is ..drive with caution like you would do in any other RWD car or in fact with any car.

Totallly agree mate, just dont take the piss out driving when its wet and there is ice on the road, drive with caution.....Supras are a high performance car and will bite back if your not carefull.....as Mig said RLTC can help in a straight line but not good for depending on when taking a corner at 120mph in the wet

Good winter tyres - which by the sounds of it you have.

My main advice is to be aware of the road conditions.

I drive my tt all year round in all conditions and respect is a key factor.

No overtaking unless in 3rd, it can still be a little twitchy with the traction on if the roads are wet.

Feel what the car is doing and if nescesary react gently and smoothly.

Don't raise to any sort of bait, let the idiots go by and just smile, safe in the knowledge that you will still have a car to play with next summer.

If your that worried I'd garage it. I do but it's more to avoid the salt on the roads

I would just drive it to be honest...carefully!

When I passed my test I was driving my dad's rear wheel drive Carlton 1.8, which was a nightmare in the wet, even in the Summer it would lose the back end in a shower... I find the auto box helps loads with traction and handling... it's just the weight of the car you need to worry about when driving on snow..

I would find an empty car park or something and get used to how it handles in the wet/snow - you never know when you'll need the skills!

I won't be driving my Supe here this winter. Not a good idea. She will be tucked up in the garage for a few months.

I usually have a Volvo 740 for the winters, still RWD and therefor still fun but of no value, fina´ncial or emotional.

My idea for this year however is to get an LS400 for the winter. Also RWD and will be an interesting experiment. How long will I be able to keep it on the road! Dunno yet.

You could always learn drifting, then you'd welcome the winter!!

Don't be tempted to blat the throttle to over take someone or beat someone to a junction.

This is the only time I've had problems and caused oversteer.

Just RELAX and take your time. Don't rush anywhere.

The key to driving in difficult conditions, infact at any time is being smooth with all the controls.

Smooth steering, smooth on the accelerator and brakes, smooth gear changes.

Feed power in progressively coming out of corners, if you're at all worried make sure your wheels are straight before feeding in the power. Be aware the effect white lines can have on your rear wheels during overtakes in the wet. They can catch you out. Diesel on roundabouts, the motorcyclists enemy can effect you too.

But don't be put off driving your Supe in the winter, you'll learn alot more about your car and its limits, gain confidence in it, and enjoy it alot more come spring time. Safe motoring,

One Supra-specific thing I found helpful in the snow was to "lock out" first gear by turning on the "manu" mode of the gearbox but leaving it in "D". Pulling off in second reduces the potential for wheelspin. When you reach cruising speed, turn "manu" off again so the box drops into top gear.

Yeah that. Driving an auto in manu mode around roundabouts and nasty bends will prevent the biggest killer which is the unexpected auto kickdown on the apex exit of a roundabout or bend. RLTC will help you not overaccelerate and lose the car that way (it won't stop you going too fast for the conditions). In snow and ice I would straight up say forget it. I got out of mine last year and had to run back and physically stop it as it proceeded to slide off on its own accord it was also the only time in my life I have had a queue of traffic behind me and being the cause of it.

My advice..is...

carry on driving if you want to!

BUT... drive it like you have the Queen sitting in the back seat, especially in the rain or potentially icey conditions!

A lot of us put the Supra away for the winter as its not the safest car to drive on winter roads..even if you are a rally driver..and if it was a good rally car..it would be in a rally and it isn't!

RLTC..I dont have this but as with all traction control systems it can lure you into a false sence of security, thus you push the bounderies out...I personally just drive carefully in the winter, accelerating off slip roads, round bends and coming off roundabouts normally catches the Supra out...

Always wait till you are satisfied that the Supra is in a straight line exactly before plodding on the power...

Learning to drift is always a good idea, so you know what to do when it happens AND IT WILL HAPPEN!

Over the next few weeks I'm sure there will be some drift meets organised...if you want to learn..then talk to Paul K he is the king of drifting:clap: ..(use some old tyres though!!!!!!!!)

Good Luck

Si

Thanks a lot for all your input guys.I make a 9mile roundtrip to work everyday and I do generally just cruise along the way.I usually get the odd twit that wants to take me on,but racing on public roads is irresponsible and dangerous:whistle: I was quite intimidated with the car when I first started driving it in April and it literally took me a week before I started driving it with confidence.However,I do respect it very much still as I am no seasoned racing/rally car driver.I used to drive a Corolla TSPort with lowered suspension and also an old Corolla Gti and could push them as they were FWD.

Ideally I would like to hone my driving skills in the Supra to deal with difficult driving conditions as I do like to drive it all the time.I'm generally very calm when I drive it and I think this helps a lot.I sometimes go a couple of days without the second turbo coming online:limp: .Whether thats a good thing I don't know.

Yeah that. Driving an auto in manu mode around roundabouts and nasty bends will prevent the biggest killer which is the unexpected auto kickdown on the apex exit of a roundabout or bend.

I don't know what all that Jap writting is on my sun visor but if was to say anything I would wish it was the above

Even taking it easy in the Supra I have been caught out with the kick down, great advice indeed.

I just don't like my P&J getting covered in road grime in the winter more than anything else.

I find shutting my eyes helps.

I know but just because you can't see that white salty grime all over your car doesn't mean its not rotting it away slowly

Class One is correct (of course!), its all about smooth driving - feeding in the throttle steadily (2nd turbo is perfectly possible so long as you bring it in smoothly), smooth steering inputs and being very aware of what’s going on around you.

Personally I find cold weather (sub 8 degrees) worse than wet weather. Its only when it snows that I find the Supra hard to drive... however last year I fitted two space savers to the rear and it worked much better than the standard wheels Did get some weird looks though!

It's my first winter in the Supe aswell. I don't fancy my chances with the icy roads so Im gonna go back to my learner days and buy an L reg fiesta! ive got my eyes on one already....£400.....can't go wrong.......skinny tyres!.....wind down windows.....uh oh......could be a wrong move!!! no electrics.......arrrrrggggh:blahblah: