Should I add weight to my GR86 for better traction/handling in the winter time?
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Just put on 4 top rated snow tires.
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Sure, see how many bags of cement will fit.
lol … oh my … lol …
OP, I used to live in Colorado so drove on snow/ice covered winter roads frequently. I don’t recommend adding weight, except perhaps to the bed of a pickup truck. Weight can shift, cause car to become unstable. And even if weight is made un-shiftable, car’s suspension system probably not designed for it, so makes it hard to predict the result of the added weight. Hard to predict handling isn’t something you want for your Supra. Concur w/WW above, snow tires all around is the best method. I used a special type of snow tire that had metal studs, gripped he road surface better. Not sure if that type remains available/legal these days. If still legal, probably varies by location. Studded snow tires yield extremely good traction.
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I vote tires. Not sure what type you have but the 2023 BRZ tester in my driveway came with summer-only rubber. It’s slipping on wet leaves like crazy. But man, is it fun.
You can.
But not bags of cement.
They break open easily and can leave a mess.
A couple of sand tubes would be better.
Tester
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They actually don’t have good traction on wet pavement, so they might be worse for many people.
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Studded snow tires are illegal in some states.
Tester
If you do add weight, try to get it over or ahead of the rear axle, not at the far back of the car.
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Let’s think about this for a minute … so you’re going to increase the weight over the rear axle to improve slick weather traction but your’re doing nothing to improve the traction over the steering axle?
Congratulations. you’ve just improved your “Time To Ditch” by several seconds. 
The reality is:
- With RWD, low weight and wide Summer Tires, a inch of snow means call Uber
- With All Season Tires and the roads plowed and salted your chances are better but be prepared for a White Knuckle Drive and a numb shift leg especially if there’s any hills.
- Four Dedicated Snow Tires are the best for these conditions but frankly will drive you nuts the rest of the time.
Bottom Line there is no “Easy Solution”. The GR86, BRZ and all the other V6 RWD Sports Cars are optimized for performance, not optimized for winter conditions and frankly all drive like Pigs in Sh*t in snow or ice.
If you insist on driving your GR86 in serious conditions your best options are work from home, Uber or motel.
I have driven RWD sporty cars for 40 years in the snow, including a Corvette, Honda S2000 and a Mustang. 4 winter tires will make the car driveable in snow and on ice. You lose a bit of dry traction with winter tires but little else. Quality brands will ride nice and be quiet. Forget the ballast. It doesn’t help.
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Tester
I agree with all the others who call for getting four good “winter” tires. You’ll be amazed with how well they work in winter conditions.
I agree, but I want to point out to the OP that the modern term is Winter Tires, simple because these modern-technology tires are effective on ice, as well as on snow.
In addition to giving you a winter traction advantage to get the car moving, a set of 4 good Winter Tires–like Michelin X-Ice or Bridgestone Blizzak–will allow you to stop the car in a far shorter distance in an emergency situation.
Depends where you live. In Maryland we get occasional snow and ice. The roads in Central Maryland are plowed and salted except during the greatest snowfalls, and then it’s more a matter of the plow trucks not able to plow often enough. Still, I’ve never had problems with all season radials. If your car came with summer tires, you live where there is a fair amount of ice and snow, and you have drive in those conditions, then consider winter tires on four new inexpensive rims.
I agree with most of the posters, 4 winter tires will be the best.
But if you still want some ballast, sand bags on the floor behind drivers seat would be the best location.
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Tester
