There's my RWD performance car in the snow.
With four Michelin X-ice 3's, of course!
Poor thing. Sucks getting old. It was a garage queen for a very long time. It then got enlisted into kid duty as a nannymobile, and now being considered for ski duty.
It sat for a few days after the recent storm as I was having way too much fun with my more capable vehicles. I think that answers a lot of my questions right there. It's just more fun to have the right equipment for the conditions (like powder skis).
I've got a nice hilly test route in my neighborhood with a great spot where I try to get my vehicles stuck on a steep incline. I'll stop on this super steep roundabout driveway then see if I can get going again. No way that car could do it in the 14 inches of new but did it with a bit of difficulty once packed down. With the OEM tires, it would be sliding backward there. That actually happened to me in that car on a lesser incline when it was new with brand new tires. Garaged the next few winters after that if the slightest chance of snow. Totally different car with appropriate tires.
I took it out and had some fun after it softened yesterday. I had no problems on steep hills with surface conditions like this, I just had to pick the right line to not bottom out in the ruts.
Except for having to be careful about the suspension, it was a lot of fun and I found some nice drifting lines. The X-ice's make turning off stability control seem just scary and not absolutely nuts, but I don't think it's the right car for that. Maybe a G35 coupe or 350Z instead with less weight in the back.