My new apartment only has outdoor parking? (Madison: apartment complex, house)

[gargoylean]

I'm living in Madison and I only have outdoor parking. I definitely underestimated the winters since I'm coming from the South, so what exactly can I expect from the harsh winters? I've heard stories about people waking up like 2 hours earlier to dig their cars out with a shovel and others that have said "not a big deal". Very different opinions if you ask me! Haha. Any thoughts?

[7G9C4J2]

Most apartment complexes that have outdoor parking hire a plowing service in the winter, same way they hire a lawn service in the summer. Typically what you can expect is that the plowing service will clear the wide areas of the lot, the driving pathways between the rows of cars, and the entry/exit drives.

You will need to clear the snow immediately around and on top of your vehicle. Unless we get one of those "major snow events," that should not take more than ten minutes at most. If we do get a particularly heavy snowfall of more than about 8" (which happens maybe two winters out of three), plan on spending maybe twenty minutes clearing snow around your vehicle.

I'm guessing the stories about people needing two hours for snow removal are about folks who live in a house with a long driveway and no plowing service. That kind of scenario can indeed take hours to clear; there was an actual blizzard here about four or five years back where we got about 16" of snow plus four and five foot drifts, and it took my spouse and me almost half a day to clear our driveway, using a snow-thrower. But if you are in an apartment complex where they do a good job with the maintenance, you shouldn't have a serious problem with snow.

As a side note, along about late October, get a folding shovel and keep it in the trunk of your car. If you're at work when a bad snowstorm starts, it can be pretty annoying to come outside at the end of the day and find that you've been plowed in by the plowing service. If you can pop the trunk, grab the shovel and clear a path to drive out, you'll be much happier.

Good luck!

[timberline742]

I've lived in apartments in 6 states over 23 years, and never had anything but either outdoor parking or street parking. I think it is absolutely no big deal. You dig out and go.

[ranger17]

yes the long times are normally "reserved" for homeowners who have driveways and sidewalks to clear (and on some days clear again lol). Normally in a lot, you'll have your car cleared off by the time it warms up, perhaps digging a bit to pull out if you were plowed in slightly (or if drifts formed between each car). If i know we had a good snow coming, as i often had to park outside of our garage, i'd keep a snowbrush in the house to be able to clean off the driver's door area before having to open it. Barring strong winds that day, it can save having a bunch of snow fly onto your seat.
OP if anything, especially on the first couple snow days, i'd plan more on the longer commute time potentially needed and not worry as much on car cleanup until you get a feel for how the roads you'll travel in winter are plowed, the traffic flow and speed, etc...

[gargoylean]

Awesome, thank you for the responses everyone. That makes me feel much better!

As a followup question, I currently drive a front wheel drive car and am wondering if you guys would recommend all-season or snow tires. Also, would all wheel drive make a big difference?

[ranger17]

Originally Posted by gargoylean

Awesome, thank you for the responses everyone. That makes me feel much better!

As a followup question, I currently drive a front wheel drive car and am wondering if you guys would recommend all-season or snow tires. Also, would all wheel drive make a big difference?

You will get different opinions on snow tires lol. For many of the years we lived just north of Madison and my wife worked on the south side. Most times she ran her fwd car with the stock all season tires and it was ok. Deep snow she would take our suv. That said, her last car while there had some 'mods' done so she needed extra traction. We put on a set of 4 good snow tires and it made a huge diff. When we move back up, our car will get a set once again.
Most times an suv or awd isn't needed, though it is nice to have for the rare deep snow storm or if you head off road for camping or other winter activities. Guess some of it will depend on your commute, etc but good tires make a difference. And this comes from someone who drove 30+ yrs in WI winters for what that is worth.

[7G9C4J2]

Front wheel drive is all you need unless your job requires you to drive in the boonies on a regular basis. The biggest difference an all-wheel drive vehicle makes is that it gives the driver a false sense of security and encourages them to do stupid things in snowy weather. Every single time I drive on the highway in a snowstorm, I get passed by multiple four-wheel-drive vehicles roaring along at 70 MPH, and every single time, I find those same vehicles on their roofs in the ditch a few miles down the road. Four-wheel-drive lets you go faster, but it doesn't help you stop with better control on snowy surfaces, nor does it allow the driver to stay in control on turns. In other words, don't bother.

Tires, however, are a different story. You should definitely invest in a good set of all-season tires, and if you are feeling very worried about driving in bad weather, it could be worthwhile to get a set of snow tires. It's pricy to get them switched out twice a year, but you will see a very significant difference in the way your car handles with the correct tires.

[ranger17]

MBW is correct, many of those one will see driving idiotic in the snow/ice (especially on the hwy) are in awd/4wd suv's. Of course i'd bet many of those drive the same way on dry pavement, so it tends to be the driver and not the vehicle itself. But yes if one stays in town most of the time, the only benefit awd may get you is in deeper snow starting off or climbing the 'hills' downtown. Go with [i]good[i] tires, drive safe, take your time, and you'll get thru most that is dumped. If that's not enough for you, then consider other vehicle options.
We were up during a 17" +/- dumping a couple years ago and our suv was needed for ground clearance. Most places were closed but we were here for our pending granbaby's birth and could not have made a 20+ mile drive in a car. Flip side was a bad snowstorm maybe 8 years or so ago, even in our suv at that time (FJ Cruiser with all sorts of ground clearance and good tires) we barely made it home from Madison and thru our plowed-in drive. Again during bad storms most are not out in it anyway.

[7G9C4J2]

Yeah, if we get more than a foot of snow, you can pretty much assume that everything but the most vital emergency services is going to close down until the roads are cleared. That's why I don't think it's worth spending the money on a vehicle specifically for winter driving.

On the other hand, if you work in one of those critical emergency service fields (ER doc or nurse, firefighter, police, EMS), you may very well want to invest in a high-clearance vehicle that will get you through ANYTHING.

[Ragnar]

Another thing is that if you stick with a good set of all-season tires on your front wheel drive car, make sure to get them rotated on a regular basis to maximize the grip up front. This is what I do and have not had many issues in the snow. The only issues I've encountered are when being forced to stop when going up a hill due to others in front of me having trouble, or at a stop sign or traffic light on a hill. Plan your driving route well. Sometimes I'll take a longer way to work/home to avoid certain terrain and/or traffic patterns that don't accommodate snow very well.

I keep a small shovel in the trunk during winter and have had to use it maybe three times over the past 10 years to dig my car out somewhere. I've also used it to help dig others out, especially cute girls. Very handy.

Main roads are generally plowed rather promptly, and many northern employers are understanding of winter weather conditions and are reasonable with work-life balance on snowstorm days. Being able to arrive/leave work an hour or two late/early on a snowstorm day can make a big difference on travel time if you're driving with less cars on the road!