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I'm so glad I bought a Quattro


Wizbit
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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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!!

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I haven't been out of London yet so FWD is fine so far.

2 thoughts from the last bad snowfall Dahn Sarf.

My A8 was stuck behind all the 2WD drive cars waiting for its turn at the hill (eventaully despatched in the blink of an eye).

Quattro gives much better traction than 2WD on the same tyres - in all circumstances. In the snow, a 2 wheel drive car on block pattern specialised snow tyres (no studs) would go round a corner faster than a 4WD on summer tyres ( a grip, rather than traction, isssue).

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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!!

You should try a V6 auto Omega. They are fantastic in the snow. I used to drive 40 miles to work in that in the snow, up and down the Chiltern Hills! +++

It was ACE! Best fun in a car (doing car type things) I've had.

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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!!

My neighbour's got a C-class. We live up a shared drive and I saw her understeer straight past the drive at about 5 mph. The rear wheels spinning and pushing the car in a straight line and her applying more lock and just sliding along the lowered kerb.

She must have stopped around the corner as a few mins later she ran home, got a broom and some salt and cleared the slight slope. About 5 mins later she drove in fine from the opposite direction.

I'd driven up about 5 mins before her without the slightest difficulty. +++

But gloating is bad. I'm sure Santa's now crossing me off his list :(

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You should try a V6 auto Omega. They are fantastic in the snow. I used to drive 40 miles to work in that in the snow, up and down the Chiltern Hills! +++

It was ACE! Best fun in a car (doing car type things) I've had.

Or my Land Rover Defender....but on a serious note, as others have pointed out, what really counts when driving in the snow are the tyres.....I know in parts of Germany you have to fit winter tyres by law in November.....and lets not forget that in most parts of the World where snow is the norm, the vast majority of motorists drive 2wd cars with winter tyres and a set of chains in the boot....4wd on standard rubber may give you confidence because you`ll have more traction off the line but don`t get too cocky and over confident because the laws of physics still apply when it comes to grip.+++

As for rwd:eek::eek:...It`s just plain scary driving in the snow.....The slightest of inclines and your fooked:o....I use to own a Lexus IS200 and it was nothing short of terrifying to drive in the snow...So much so that I vowed I would never buy another rwd car as I just could handle the thought of being caught on the open road in a snow storm.:(

Edited by Mr Man
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Originally Posted by cruiser647 viewpost.gif

You should try a V6 auto Omega. They are fantastic in the snow. I used to drive 40 miles to work in that in the snow, up and down the Chiltern Hills! +++

It was ACE! Best fun in a car (doing car type things) I've had.

Or my Land Rover Defender....but on a serious note, as others have pointed out, what really counts when driving in the snow are the tyres.....I know in parts of Germany you have to fit winter tyres by law in November.....and lets not forget that in most parts of the World where snow is the norm, the vast majority of motorists drive 2wd cars with winter tyres and a set of chains in the boot....4wd on standard rubber may give you confidence because you`ll have more traction off the line but don`t get too cocky and over confident because the laws of physics still apply when it comes to grip.+++

As for rwd:eek::eek:...It`s just plain scary driving in the snow.....The slightest of inclines and your fooked:o....I use to own a Lexus IS200 and it was nothing short of terrifying to drive in the snow...So much so that I vowed I would never buy another rwd car as I just could handle the thought of being caught on the open road in a snow storm.:(

The Omega is RWD!

The IS200 is well known for being crap in the snow and ice.

The Omega is great, driveable and controllable in those conditions. +++

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Loved my Quattro yesterday made coming home from Kent to Sussex a fairly uneventful experience. Did have to pull over to let an RS4 in Sprint Blue pass me as he was obviously in a bit more of a hurry!

Having watched Ice Road Truckers and trying to learn how they drive on snow the argument over breaking in a heavier 4WD seems redundant. Is it not the correct approach to use engine breaking and if you go for the brakes you've already balls-ed up and are going too fast for the conditions?

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The Omega is RWD!

The IS200 is well known for being crap in the snow and ice.

The Omega is great, driveable and controllable in those conditions. +++

I know...I discovered that after my first encounter with snow....I checked out the Lexus IS forum and everyone was complaining about it`s scary handling in the snow....Some put it down to the standard tyres...others to the fact that the back end was much lighter than other rwd cars.....I`v know idea why it was SO bad....but it just put me off rwd....As for the Omega....I`am sure your right....On one occasion I was driving on a duel carriageway in snowy conditions,it was by no means a blizzard but you were following in the tracks left by other cars....I was sh**ing myself in the inside lane as the back end slithered around whilst every other car, including rwd BMW`s cruised past me in the outside lane.....no doubt the odd Omega past me as well.+++

Edited by Mr Man
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I wonder how much difference a diesel makes over a petrol? Diesel having higher torque at lower revs which is better in slippy conditions than high BHP.

In addition what has happened to diesel? When I was a kid you always used to get stories on the news about lorry drivers having problems with diesel in cold conditions where it froze or at least became more viscous, they would even light fires under the fuel tanks.

Paul

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I wonder how much difference a diesel makes over a petrol? Diesel having higher torque at lower revs which is better in slippy conditions than high BHP.

Paul

I'd say the opposite, the torque is bad and would make the wheels spin where with high end power you can be a little more delicate.

I saw an Audi skid past a stop line into the path of another car that only just managed to avoid it this morning. Seems their quattro did a great job of getting them moving but the laws of physics didn't help them stop. Opps.

Regardless of the car you need to be smooth and gentle in snow conditions if you aren't going to find yourself rapped around a lamp post. +++

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Regardless of the car you need to be smooth and gentle in snow conditions if you aren't going to find yourself rapped around a lamp post. +++

As has already been said quattro makes it easier to get moving, but makes no difference to how easy (or not) it it to stop - that's down to anticipation and driver control. quattro does not redefine the laws of physics.

rapped around a lamp post.

Yo bro! I think you mean "wrapped"...

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Actually, a proper full time 4wd system can help you stop as well as go, if your slowing down on snow/ice you should avoid the brake pedal as much as possible and use the engine braking, which in a 4wd means all 4 wheels are slowing you down rather than just 2.

If standing on the brakes however, it doesn't make any difference.

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