| Author | Message | ||
| Michael Fennell (Mfennell70)
Junior Member Username: Mfennell70 Post Number: 76 Registered: 7-2001 |
Put real snow tires on just about anything anything and the results are amazing. I drive an '86 BMW 528e (RWD) with Dunlop Graspics. With the tires and a limited slip diff you're Shuey on fresh snow. I think my Esprit would be a disaster even with snows though. The weight distribution is the only thing working in its favor. Peaky power, less than 5" of ground clearance, and a not-so-great limited slip diff would mean slow going. | ||
| Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member Username: Verell Post Number: 460 Registered: 5-2001 |
Hmm, re:"These things are like a "Hog on Ice" on a slippery road even with a very light dust of snow." Why with almost perfect weight distribution is the car touchy to drive in low traction conditions such as snow? Is it just the wrong tires for the conditions? I can see having all kinds of problems with high performance tires when they get cold & the rubber turns hard as a rock(been there, done that). But that'll happen with any car. However, with all season tires I'd think a 308 would be fine. My winter driver is an '87 Rx7 Turbo with all-season tires. It's got 50-50 weight distribution, rear drive & a limited slip differential like the 308. It goes great in snow until the snow gets deeper than the car's road clearance, at which point it floats on the snow & the tires loose traction(been there, done that too.) I've pulled up hills that had a long line of traffic spinning their wheels to no avail. I've had great fun 4-wheel drifting around curves at 10-15 mph! Just let up on the throttle & you've got all kinds of control. I've only driven my 308 in snow once. Had a surprise mid-April snow storm & had to drive 10 miles home from work in a couple of inches of fresh snow. No problems or instability. My car has new Avon CR28 TR 390s which seem to be an all weather tread pattern, not sure about the rubber tho. | ||
| Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member Username: Vwalfa4re Post Number: 450 Registered: 5-2001 |
My bushings are shot. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 3773 Registered: 2-2001 |
Tommy, I agree with Ron in that if the noise wasn't there in the warmer weather and just started now it probably is the bushings. Probably if you had it in a heated garage and then tried it you wouldn't hear it. | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 265 Registered: 4-2002 |
Phil: If I don't space out like last time, I'll be at the next FCA breakfast! | ||
| Ron R (Ronr)
New member Username: Ronr Post Number: 44 Registered: 10-2002 |
I've had rubber bushings make more noise in the winter. The cold makes the rubber stiffer, so it doesn't give as much, and the adjacent metal shaft or bolt can slip more, causing some squeakage. I assume if it's the shock making the noise it would be pretty identifiable from the creaking/squeaking rubber. | ||
| Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member Username: Vwalfa4re Post Number: 446 Registered: 5-2001 |
If it gets cold my suspension gets really noisy. Strange but true. I was told it was an indication that my shocks needed replacing. | ||
| David Harris (Dakharris)
Junior Member Username: Dakharris Post Number: 157 Registered: 6-2001 |
It drops down to a chilly 58F here in San Francisco, so I roll up the driver and passenger windows and turn the heater up half way. I have found that water temp. won't rise above 200F, but oil temp reaches normal. If it rains before I can scurry back to the garage, I will put the top up. | ||
| Charles Barton (Airbarton)
Junior Member Username: Airbarton Post Number: 62 Registered: 11-2002 |
There's hills in Texas? | ||
| Phil Bryson (Phildo)
New member Username: Phildo Post Number: 46 Registered: 8-2002 |
Mitch, Let's talk at the next FCA breakfast - I want to find out about these roads without cops! For those of you not from around these parts, in Texas, we've got city cops, state troopers, sheriffs, constables, Rangers, and who knows how many other entities trying to find us. The good news is this is the best time of year for driving! | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 252 Registered: 4-2002 |
I don't spend much time on straight roads. In fact, I have a dozen routes that lead from my garage to my garage over 100 miles in length that don't require being on a road* where there is traffic for more than 5 minutes of the entire trip. Ferraris are made for corners, the Texas hill country is filled with corners!! * These roads don't have: A) traffic, B) cops. Whereas, the straight wide roads do! | ||
| Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
Junior Member Username: Tillman Post Number: 204 Registered: 11-2001 |
Charles, That's not entirely true. Heck, it got down into the 30s here today. "Coldest day of the year" so far. The car runs fine  My commute is 40 miles each way, so it warms up a few miles in and away we go! | ||
| Charles Barton (Airbarton)
Junior Member Username: Airbarton Post Number: 60 Registered: 11-2002 |
Mitch, you and Dave are killin me with the Texas weather stuff! How do you guys like those wide open long straight roads out there? I'll bet you can seriously haul butt and not see a trooper for miles! | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Junior Member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 248 Registered: 4-2002 |
Dave (Maranelloman) : "Winter? Winter???" Yes, Dave, you know that time of year that the air gets below 70 degrees and the road surfaces stay above 50 degrees--Winter! Thats why we live in Texas! | ||
| Mike Fisher (Mikef)
Junior Member Username: Mikef Post Number: 136 Registered: 11-2001 |
I bought my 308GTB in St Louis in the middle of January. It was an absolutly beautiful day, sunshine, and about 40 degrees. I decided I would drive it back home to Indiana that day and come back later to pick up my other car that I left behind because who knew when there would be another nice day that time of the year. WELL........about 50 miles down the road it started to sleet and snow. I literally couldn't go over 30 mph the whole way. I was all over the road, sideways, broadsliding you name it. (And the tires had real good tread) To top it all off, all I could see out the windshield was about a six inch circle because it never got hot enough to deice. I plan on driving it to the Cavallino Classic in January. Hope the weather holds!!!!!!!! | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Junior Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 115 Registered: 10-2002 |
So to recap, this is what needs to be done: - place a cardboard in front of the water cooler (in the front of the car) - clog the right intake (behind the passenger door) to raise the oil temperatures Did I get this right? So what is the left intake for? Just cosmetic? | ||
| George Daina (Oof_n_goof)
Junior Member Username: Oof_n_goof Post Number: 124 Registered: 7-2002 |
I shoulda bought some Blizzak's for the GTSi, but dum dum here spent a grand on an 87 Fiero to get through the winter...went to look at the piece of crap twice, drove it all around, decided it's a safe buy and will get me through the winter...my kid totaled the Caddy Catera in April, and I never replaced it as I drove the 308 all summer. Anyhooo, I bought the crap and drove it around a little bit and as soon as I pulled in the garage, the bearing spun....pulled the pan...the yahoo stuffed a bearing on a scored crank..and it held long enough to sell the car...now, dropped the motor, getting the crank turned and next week, hopefully I have a reliable beater to get me through the winter....yup...shoulda bought the Blizzak's....woulda been better off | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 641 Registered: 4-2002 |
You mean other cars don't have the oil cooler 'shut off flap'? It's the only way I can get any temp at all in the oil. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 3631 Registered: 2-2001 |
Sounds like it would work to me. | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member Username: Peter Post Number: 2243 Registered: 12-2000 |
Ha ha Magoo!  I think it's because the oil-cooler housing is in a less accessible area of the engine compartment than in the GT4. Which would make it awkward to open and close. I can't remember who here did this, but someone simply stuffed (black) foam rubber in the vent to keep air from going in... | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 3630 Registered: 2-2001 |
You are right Peter. Do you think they wanted to save a buck or two? | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member Username: Peter Post Number: 2238 Registered: 12-2000 |
(Dave, I was typing my post while you posted yours, so...) On my GT4, the oil-cooler housing has a trap-door that closes off the opening. It is very effective (that would answer your oil thermostat question in a way. Too bad they didn't put them on the GTB/GTS'...). | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member Username: Peter Post Number: 2237 Registered: 12-2000 |
I drove mine last winter and will again this one. Having synthetic oil gives me no worries about driving it as hard, even when the engine is still relatively cold. With those low engine temps, the heater still works wonderfully! (Windows clear up in an instant and the cockpit becomes nice and warm and cozy... ) | ||
| david handa (Davehanda)
Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 314 Registered: 5-2001 |
I drive my current 328 and previous 308 GTS at least twice a week in the winter here in Seattle. This usually just means occaisional rain, and temps that can dip into the mid to high 20's. Both cars ran great, but on real cold, rainy days, the windows could be hard to clear of the fogging up. FI rocks over carbs in cold weather, but I do miss the induction sound. Michael makes a good point about the cool oil temps; why doesn't Ferrari incorporate a thermostat in the oil lines to the oil cooler? I have seen these in-line oil thermostats, and thinking this would be worth installing. But would be awful expensive, what with all the needed fittings and such, plus labor to install. | ||
| Dave (Maranelloman)
Member Username: Maranelloman Post Number: 587 Registered: 1-2002 |
Winter? Winter??? This is Austin, Texas, man. 'Nuff said!!  | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 3627 Registered: 2-2001 |
I don't drive my 308 in snowy or bad winter weather. These things are like a "Hog on Ice" on a slippery road even with a very light dust of snow. | ||
| Ken (Allyn)
Member Username: Allyn Post Number: 575 Registered: 10-2001 |
I drive my Lotus year round as long as the roads are dry. I would NEVER drive a mid engine car in snow except by the most extreme accident. Even a hint of snow and I use the Honda. It's a toy, not an SUV. | ||
| John Bicsak (Funshipone)
Junior Member Username: Funshipone Post Number: 151 Registered: 1-2002 |
I only drive it during winter when their is no salt on streets looks like it will be a while before I get to drive the Ferrari. We just got 3 to 6 inches in Detroit 12/2/2002 lots of salt on streets. | ||
| Michael N. (Man90tr)
Member Username: Man90tr Post Number: 728 Registered: 4-2001 |
One thing I found is I cannot really drive very F-car like (i.e. sporty). On the highway, below 40 degrees my temps (oil) stays around 150 and water is 175 max, so I refrain from full throttle applications. I then limit myself to 4500 in 4th. Fifth gear while fast is a useless gear(4500 rpms is like 120 mph) way too fast and cruising at 70 mph in 5th the engine temps drop to 140 (oil) -- too cold. 4500 in 4th is 85 mph and I don't go beyond that. Maybe I am being too careful, but I do not use full throttle applications until 175 on the oil. On the back roads, if I drive slowly in 2nd gear for a about 5 minutes I can sometimes get the temps up to 175 and then I can play a bit, but I am careful as once you start moving it cools off below very quickly. Shifting -- I have been lucky mine shifts great hot or cold. | ||
| George Daina (Oof_n_goof)
Junior Member Username: Oof_n_goof Post Number: 123 Registered: 7-2002 |
shity....got cought in a white out at I-71 Saturday evening, and not having all season tires, made the drive from Columbus to Cleveland a white knuckle experience... Driving all over the lanes, like a garter snake slivering through the grass...what got my gander, yahoo's see I'm having trouble climbing grades, fishtailing all over the place, and they are right on my rear bumper...where is the common sense and intelligence here? I swear, stupidity should be a reason to revoke driving priveleges. Ended up in a ditch, don't know how I was able to avoid hitting the guard rail, and thought I was there for the duration, but as luck would have it, was able to back up and pull on I-71, go figure, fishtailing driving straight, but got tons of traction backing up a steep grade out of the ditch. Another thing that's bad....getting the motor up to operating temp....got cardboard stuffed in front of the rad and just manage to get the needle off the 140 degree mark both water and oil | ||
| David Jones (Dave)
Member Username: Dave Post Number: 438 Registered: 4-2001 |
I don't drive the Ferrari much when the temp is below freezing.... that's what my Range Rover is for. But as long as the temp is up, and it's not nasty out, I'm in the old red beast. | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Intermediate Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 1031 Registered: 8-2001 |
Drove the 360 last winter without problems. It's an year-round car to me and never stored away. | ||
| Matt Lemus (Mlemus)
Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 749 Registered: 8-2002 |
My 308 windows fog up and leaks like a sive but it does fine in the frigid 50 - 60 degree winters we have. It's fine once it's up to temp | ||
| Charles Barton (Airbarton)
Junior Member Username: Airbarton Post Number: 57 Registered: 11-2002 |
Heres a Q for anyone who uses their Ferrari as a daily driver. How does it hold up in the winter? Any problems asscociated with the cold? Here in ATL we have fairly mild winters but our temps do drop down into the low 30's and 40's with an occasional dip into the 20's. My 348 has been ok so far though I have noticed the shifter is even more temperemental in the cold! |