Is 4WD/AWD a neccesity on your ski vehicle?

[UVSHTSTRM]

Brian, DOHNT!!!!!

Well the only reason I ask is because I assume they are talking unstudded winter tires. And if this is the case, and they are threatening others with suing them or calling them irresponsible and what not should shut the hell up. I mean if you are going to crticize or threaten and you are nut running studded snow tires then you should shut the f up.

 

[Geoff]

i didnt put tpms on my 17" winter rims/tires...i'm not bothered by the tire light on the dash....i can check the pressure old school...with a guage...

In Vermont or Rhode Island, your car would fail inspection. Of course, you can always align your inspection sticker so you do it the warm 6 months.

TPMS on my VW is about $50.00/wheel (Dorman 974-041). That's the VW/Audi sender. You can get them on Amazon with free shipping or as part of a Tire Rack package. I have no problem spending that. I imagine an Audi dealer would want 3x that much.

 

[Geoff]

This is the one thing that I've learned from the study the other poster linked. And it's obvious, yet nobody thinks about it (including me).

Yeah, snow tires 100% help in snow, there's no doubt about it. But what about the 95% of the time there's no snow on the road! Or the 24 hours after the storm when the road's department has you back to blacktop. Once the roads are cleared and dry (or you get the January thaw), the cars with all-seasons performed better than the cars with snow tires. I'd still want snow tires on a 2WD if I lived in snow country, but that really gives you pause for thought.

My point of view is that I optimize for black ice. That's the condition where I'm most at risk. If I can throw $1K at a tire/wheel/tpms setup that improves my safety margin in black ice, it's worth it to me. Most years, I only hit black ice a few times but I think $1K is way better than dying in a car crash from a few moments of inattention.

 

[gmcunni]

Didn't you read this thread, you need both.

but i'm an excellent driver

 

[hammer]

Parked next to a full-size SUV at Sunapee on Sunday with practically bald tires...would be interesting to see it try to get through the snow.

 

[bigbob]

My point of view is that I optimize for black ice. That's the condition where I'm most at risk. If I can throw $1K at a tire/wheel/tpms setup that improves my safety margin in black ice, it's worth it to me. Most years, I only hit black ice a few times but I think $1K is way better than dying in a car crash from a few moments of inattention.

I hit a patch of black ice in my "yellow sports car" the other day, stayed off the brakes and steered,. I am glad no one was coming in the other direction. It weighs 25,000 lbs empty and 65,000 lbs full. I was empty.
Hydroplaning is even worse than black ice!

 

[mlctvt]

My point of view is that I optimize for black ice. That's the condition where I'm most at risk. If I can throw $1K at a tire/wheel/tpms setup that improves my safety margin in black ice, it's worth it to me. Most years, I only hit black ice a few times but I think $1K is way better than dying in a car crash from a few moments of inattention.

Then you should definitely get studden snow tires. That's what almost everyone in Northern Vt runs.
Living in CT I couldn't handle the noise and terrible handling of studded tires on dry roads but nothing besides chains beats them for ice.

 

[BenedictGomez]

nothing besides chains beats them for ice.

Chains are even better than snow tires, but there's NO WAY I could run chains. Not being able to go over 35mph or so? That would kill me before the road conditions do.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

i guess i should change my ID...the Audi was sold back in June..the winter rubber is on the suburban...i just got a set of sensors free, i'll have them installed when these snows wear out and i have to replace them...

 

[hammer]

i guess i should change my ID...the Audi was sold back in June..the winter rubber is on the suburban...i just got a set of sensors free, i'll have them installed when these snows wear out and i have to replace them...

Good deal on the sensors, I've seen prices from $50-$70 for each one. :beer:

 

[hammer]

The OEM tires on my Volvo just needed to be replaced...got just over 50K out of them which isn't bad for sport tires. Replaced them with Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires, know that getting snows is optimal but I couldn't see the additional expense. The new tires are supposed to be good in the snow for all-seasons, will have to see how that works.

 

[Nick]

I've had cars with winter tires in the past and I can certainly get through almost anything with it. That said; we did buy a new car (Ford Edge) this year in AWD and I do think in snowstorms I'd rather have the AWD + good tires than good tires alone.

At the end of the day, I think given the same vehicle otherwise,

Summer Tires < All Season < Winter Tires < AWD < AWD + Winter Tires

 

[mister moose]

At the end of the day, I think given the same vehicle otherwise,

Summer Tires < All Season < Winter Tires < AWD < AWD + Winter Tires

I would change that to

Summer Tires < All Season < AWD < Winter Tires FrontWD < AWD + Winter Tires

All seasons can really let you down. I've been there several times. And in a braking situation, AWD doesn't matter. Well, minimally if the AWD helps you keep the wheel turning after it locks up on you in a skid.

4 good snows on a front wheel drive car is great in the snow.

 

[deadheadskier]

I would change that to

Summer Tires < All Season < AWD < Winter Tires FrontWD < AWD + Winter Tires

All seasons can really let you down. I've been there several times. And in a braking situation, AWD doesn't matter. Well, minimally if the AWD helps you keep the wheel turning after it locks up on you in a skid.

4 good snows on a front wheel drive car is great in the snow.

+1

My old FWD Sonata with snows performed better than the AWD A6 with All Seasons that I had prior to it.

 

[skunkape]

In tahoe everybody puts on snow tires for the season, you don't even need chains if you have AWD/4WD with snow tires. Got a Land Rover AWD this year to replace the ford escape that was dying.......

 

[Hawkshot99]

I used to have a AWD car with all seasons. When we would get a snow storm I would go to the parking lots and have tons of fun drifting it though the snow. When I moved to the mountains I bought it Snow tires on steel rims. It definitely drove WAY better than before. I went to a parking lot and was disappointed I could no longer get it to drift:-((This is good when driving though:wink

Then I bought a truck with good ground clearance and nice off road tires. Makes the snow tires on the AWD seem bald.

 

[HD333]

After driving up to the seasonal rental last weekend we decided that snows where in our best interest on our Tahoe for the climb up the MT to the condo. I will feel better knowing we have them on the drive up and back as well in inclement weather. So snows plus AWD/4WD for us. Keeping the JKU with it's all weathers as we won't be road tripping very often in that, plus if I get stuck in a Jeep then clearly it is operator error.

Getting them mounted today on our existing rims, didn't want to drop the extra $ on rims right now, so if we see no snow for a week or so it may be my fault, I promise I will wash the car this weekend to offset the mounting of the snows.

 

[dlague]

70% of the time no! However, that being said I will take our 4WD/AWD vehicle any day since it helps on those heavy snow days going up to Jay Peak or Bolton Valley. Even driving through some of the notches - I am thankful! Since those days are the best day (for the most part), it is yes to 4WD/AWD!

 

[The Sneak]

A Subie WRX or similar with dedicated snows is damn near unstoppable, particularly if you haven't foolishly lowered it and destroyed your ground clearance. Come to think of it, an Outback XT or something with snows would prob be my ideal winter car. Subarus are Audis for smart people.

I have always had FWD daily drivers, with the exception of the 1995 BMW 325is I drove for 6 years. I never once had a problem aside from ground clearance (trying to drive down unplowed streets during and after storms like PD 2003, december 03 blizzard, jan 05 blizzard etc) in the BMW...I had Blizzaks on it.

In college, I had an old Saab 900 with Nokian Hakkapellita snows. It got me from UMF to the Loaf and back daily with no drama. I do remember a silver 964 C4 Carrera (early 90 911s first gen AWD 911) with a roof rack showing up nearly every wknd with NY plates.

For flatlanders who are day trip wknd warrior skiers, I think FWD with good snows (or even really good all seasons like Continental DWS extreme) is reasonable. My daily driving requirements (65 mi round trip commute 5 days a week) mean that the poor(er) fuel econ of an AWD car is a questionable tradeoff. If I owned a place up north, I'd prob suck it up and get a WRX or 4wd truck.

 

[dmc]

I like owning AWD cars... Just another tool in the toolbox... Doesn't really affect my masculinity...

I didn't have them for years and years so I know I can drive most places...
In the late 80's we did Killington in a storm driving and Mustang GT.. Only got stuck once...

I've also seen AWD cars sliding backwards on rt4 heading the Sugarbush...
Sh!tty driver is just that...