Cars that are 'good in the snow'

[Right 10]

how do you know what your car is? Fwd rwd 4wd? I've got an audi a2 1.4l dti. No idea what it is though

 

.........fwd

[chocki 13]

.........fwd

 

....is that good or bad for driving in snow

[carosio 186]

As usual this thread is full of nonscence and this quote being the worst of the lot!

 

What on earth has slogging power got to do with getting grip in the snow?

 

Which car can you think of that will pull up a hill in top gear at 20mph in the snow?Infact in any weather?

Perhaps I should have said "high gear" instead of top.

 

Evidently you have little idea of the ideal engine characteristics that are suitable for better traction in the snow. Cars do vary in their pulling power at low engine speeds, and the ones giving more torque will maintain traction at low engine speeds in a high gear better than one which is designed to give maximum torque at high revs, all other factors being equal.

 

You're entitled to your opinion on the posts, but I would like to know what you think are the best types of car?

Edited January 9, 2010 by carosio

[snippers 10]

Its how good of a driver you are. But there is still silly people that drive fast and put people in danger.

[TrashyBook 10]

......all of my old SAABs were fabulously sure footed in the snow........

 

I have a 1998 Saab and although I haven't tried it much in the snow, it's been fine when I have!

 

.... with an automatic you can't pull away in second gear.

 

It's automatic, but has a winter mode button, which does in fact set it off in a higher gear (third I think). Again, haven't really put it to the test!

[Mr_Squirrel 10]

You started well in your first post and lost the plot with this one!

 

Fwd is better in slippery conditions because as mentioned you have more weight over the wheels hence more grip.Simple.At low speeds the body isnt shifting at all so all the nonsence about weight shift to the rear etc isnt relevent.

A front wheel drive will win out over rwd in slippery conditions everytime as not only are you more likely to get grip but its easier to control it.

In a RWD vehicle excess power will cause the rear to stray,in a fwd what the rear end does is irrelivent as you aleways have control of the powered wheels and the more power you get down the quicker the rear will right itself.

 

Well, i speak as a professional driver of 19 years and not as an armchair expert.

 

I have driven all manner of vehicles in snow and ice, FWD,RWD,4WD,Vans and Trucks.

In my experience, claiming a FWD car is out and out better than RWD in snow/ice is a complacent attitude. As i have said before on this thread, its largely the driver and not the car that makes for a 'good snow drive'.

 

I see where you are coming from with the FWD scenario, this however is not quite the truth, with FWD, what the rear wheels are doing is very relevant as it is the same principle of physics that cause trucks to jacknife...an uncontrolled 'weight' behind the drive wheels can cause 'push' over the front end, admittedly this is quite rare and can be corrected by gentle use of the handbrake. nonetheless it is the FWD cars biggest problem in snowy conditions.

As for RWD 'straying out' under excess power, the solution there is quite simple....dont use excessive power. Excess power in any vehicle in these conditions is not only futile but also plain stupidity.

 

Since Tuesday, i have driven nearly 2000 miles in RWD vehicles, i have not encountered any problems whatsoever, yet i have seen many people stuck in vehicles that should have made a mockery of the vehicles i have been driving.

[Miss Lounty 10]

Years ago we had a Lada, made in Russia for Russian winters, so we thought we would have no problem with the snow we had that year. How wrong were we?

It is by far the worse car l have ever driven on snow. If it actually started, it slid., skidded everywhere, nightmare of a car. I have no idea how the Russians managed with it for so long!

[Tony 10]

Having a rear wheel drive is no excuse, I understand that in Iceland they only let you drive on the glacier if you have a rear wheel drive. No 4x4 or front wheel drive allowed.

 

Do you realise how ridiculous that sounds?

 

And this?

I find that there is also a signiificant problem with people who have modern utility sports vehicles. When the snow starts they hold up the traffic flow by driving in a low ratio gear with "supertraction" or what ever it is called this week. They should only need this if they are off road or driving at a snails pace up a very tretcherous trail, not a main road with a mile of cars behind trying to overtake.

[Number Six 10]

Thanks for the replies.

 

It seems to boil down to:

 

FWD cars have more weight over the driven wheels - good

FWD cars have steering on the driven wheels so you can steer to try and find some grip

FWD cars go straight on with too much power, so the natural instinct to lift off helps

RWD cars oversteer with too much power, which you need to be experienced to catch - and have enough grip at the front - this was made my puny RWD car fun, but I suppose it gets tiresome in the end

 

I understand AWD cars (Subarus etc) handle much life FWD in the snow, but with higher limits - is that right? Do part time 4wd cars (most quattro Audis and 4 wheel drive Volvos, VWs and Skodas) handle the same, or does the transfer of power only one a wheel slips make them more unpredictable?

 

And finally, a joke that was texted to me last night, which is offensive but funny:

 

I can't get the car out of the driveway and, if I could, I probably couldn't drive to work without sliding and crashing into something.

 

It's not because of the snow. I'm a woman.

[al_cavturbo 10]

get a 4x4 landrover or sumthing simlar

[euclid 10]

It's automatic, but has a winter mode button, which does in fact set it off in a higher gear (third I think). Again, haven't really put it to the test!

 

My E-Class is also auto with a winter setting,when put in this mode its sets off in second gear both forward and reverse and changes thro' the gears quicker.........

[medusa 16]

I have a 1998 Saab and although I haven't tried it much in the snow, it's been fine when I have.

 

It's automatic, but has a winter mode button, which does in fact set it off in a higher gear (third I think). Again, haven't really put it to the test!

 

Unfortunately my Skoda doesn't have a winter setting for the gearbox- I wish it did!