I'm so glad I bought a Quattro

[Wizbit]

Lot's of snow today and roads really bad where I live. This time last year I had a BMW 530d (remapped) and when it snowed it was simply undriveable. I may as well have had two wet fish for rear tyres.

So, last March I bought my A8 Quattro and i've been dying to try it out in the snow ever since. Well what can I say, I just drove to work this morning like a normal day, even though I couldn't even see the tarmac on the road as it was so covered in snow. Simply awesome.

[Andy_Bangle]

Remember Quattro will help you get started but it won't help so much when it comes to stopping on ice or when you get a tank-slapper on at 70mph. I hate that feeling when the front end suddenly goes very light in a bend and the dash lights up like a chrimbo tree!

[sidicks]

Although my 911 is a C4S and hence 4-wheel drive, I decided that the sensible thing to do was to work from home this morning, as 4WD or not, 305-section rear tyres and snow don't make a good combination (at least not when you just need to get from A to B, rather than when you are looking to have fun!).

I helped my wife clear the 12inches or snow off her car and she drove to work without any problems (Audi A3 Sportback 2.0T Quatrro).

Sidicks

[PetrolDave]

Originally Posted by Wizbit

Simply awesome.

The first time I experienced quattro in the winter was in 2000 soon after I'd got my 8L S3.

It makes winter driving (remember in the UK we don't use winter tyres) much less of a pain, but as Andy_Bangle suggests quattro gets you moving more easily but all cars have 4 wheel brakes so it doesn't help any when braking! So anticipation and early engine braking are your friend so that you arrive at the junction/hazard in control and ready to handle whatever the situation.

I've been driving quattro cars for nearly 10 years now, and I don't want to go back to 2WD any time soon.

[cruiser647]

Tiptronic REALLY does help in these conditions to slow down intead of using the brakes.

Just like a manual gearbox for that.

[PetrolDave]

Pedant point:

There is only one Quattro - THE Audi Quattro.

We just have quattro.

[/pedant]

[garcon]

There is a danger of over-confidence with 4wd, especially if it's a fairly big lump with wide profile tyres.

My Impreza theoretically should be great in snow, but the tyre profile and tread make it pretty hopeless.

Ultimately, your tyres are probably more important than whether your car's 4wd, unless you're wanting to get through stuff more than an inch or two deep - in which case you'll need the right tyres and 4wd.

[SINGH]

The S8 was amazing last year, I did a 30 mile roundtrip in some pretty bad snow, the BMW couldn't even back a little up the drive so I could open the garage door. I have 275 tyres on the S8, not the best for snow really.

[steve2]

I took Madam's RAV4 to work today(once i had unburied it and managed to move my car) and it was fun to drive in 7" of snow

[byron13]

Just been out to collect my other half's car left last night in the station car park (open top multi story type thing) Merc c class, auto. Never driven it in the snow before!

All I can say is "oh my god" how bad is the combo of rear wheel drive and auto box on icy roads. Positively dangerous. No control, no traction and with that auto box it just wants to either spin the wheels or drag the car along (had to keep nudging the auto box into "neutral" to stop) Will def be outing that thing in the new year for an Audi!!