Limited-slip rear differential

[Alto101]

Hi everyone. My fiancee is considering trading in her 2001 Mustang GT for the G35 coupe. She is planning on going with the automatic tranny not the manual Anyway, I am not too familiar with what a limited-slip rear differential is but the car she is looking at does not come with the performance tire and wheel package so I assume that it does not come with the LSD. Can anyone offer their opinions as to if the LSD is worthwhile and if it actually helps driveability? Also, she is used to the problems RWD cars have during winter. Any experience as to if the G35 coupe will handle better during the winter then her old 2001 Mustang GT? Is this a situation that the limited-slip rear differential would help out?

Thanks!!

Ryan

2002 Nissan Maxima Owner

[struan87]

The mechanical LSD will help in any case where one rear wheel has more grip than the other. However, you're not too bad off without it, because the stability control (VDC) has a brake LSD, which uses the individual wheel brakes to the same end. If you don't mind bleeding off some speed when the VDC kicks in, then you won't miss the mechanical LSD much.

In snow, your best bet is snow tires. In all other bad weather (by which I mean wet), your car should do fine without the m. LSD.

2003.5 Sedan 6MT | Sport/Aero/Premium | Desert Platinum/Willow | 350Z intake | Pictures

[whitelightnin]

An interesting thing about questions on bad-weather driving. It depends on how bad the bad weather is. I am an old 4-wheeler, and can tell you an open diff is actually best in icey on-road conditions. An axle that locks up on an icey road surface will drop you in the ditch if the road has any crown to it at all. You want one wheel to push....one to hold laterally without spinning.

In wet conditions, you will find a posi-type device quite useful as has been previously described here. In either case the systems on the G35 (although I have not driven over ice) ought to be satisfacory.

Gt
Pearl White Coupe/6MT/Premium/Aero/Sat