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The old adage about one car being better or worse in the snow is an old wives tale, ANY car is only as good or bad in the snow as it's driver and the tires it is equipped with
True to a point, but some vehicles most definitely give you an edge & are better in the snow regardless of tires or the driver. I have an awd that goes anywhere & an m3 that is the epitome of bad for driving in the snow (wide tires, rwd, lots of torque, low weight, etc) which makes for a sled like drive in bad weather.
Whatever you're driving though, yes good tires definitely are a must & I know too many people around here that save money & wear their tires completely bald - it's not worth your life to save a couple hundred bucks.
The old adage about one car being better or worse in the snow is an old wives tale, ANY car is only as good or bad in the snow as it's driver and the tires it is equipped with
Weight distribution, power distribution, and features such as AWD and traction control are also factors. Tire size matters too.
The old adage about one car being better or worse in the snow is an old wives tale, ANY car is only as good or bad in the snow as it's driver and the tires it is equipped with
This isn't true. I have owned at least 17 cars that I can think of and all were different in the snow. My Jeep was the best in deep snow and my Audi is the best in most snow. My Jaguar VDP was amazing in the snow. The Audi has the most sophisticated AWD system. The Jeep was 4WD and the Jag was posi rear wheel drive with duel tanks. The Jag always had Blizzacks on it and that made a difference of course, but to compare that to my BMW 330i I had? That wasn't very good in the snow. My Ford Ranger with 2WD was by far the worst car in the snow. Could I make it better in the snow? Yes, put a bunch of weight in the back and snow tires, but would it be as good as my Audi? Can't.
The old adage about one car being better or worse in the snow is an old wives tale, ANY car is only as good or bad in the snow as it's driver and the tires it is equipped with
Yeah right. Go take your Mustang or any other high powered/rear wheel drive out in the snow and see how far you get. There might not be much of a difference between a Prius and a Civic, but drive train, weight, and power do make a difference. Even body structure can matter. I had an old Rabbit diesel for years, that thing would go anywhere. I had a Caviler for a few months one winter, it would get stuck in an inch of snow. It nearly killed me once, as it fishtailed on me doing a whopping 25 miles an hour in a light rain.
The old adage about one car being better or worse in the snow is an old wives tale, ANY car is only as good or bad in the snow as it's driver and the tires it is equipped with
Not exactly true. I drove a Kia Sportage for the past 2 years and had no problems. Even with that huge storm we got. I have a Kia Soul now and I can't even get up my own driveway when there is 2 inches of snow. I don't know it could be me but I cannot get it up that hill...
I just bought a new Yaris. Wind and cold will reduce your mileage. Mine is down a good 10% when it is windy and cold. Also, tires matter. With my old Accord I found I would get a good 2 more mpg with Yokahama Avid tires vs. other tires I used. Breaking in the car the way the manufacturer recommends will help to improve your mileage. Every new car that I have purchased needed at least 1,000 to more than 2,000 miles to break in the engine before I would see the best miles per gallon results.
I am averaging 40 mpg with 80% highway and 20% city driving. Straight highway will likely result in mid to upper 40's for miles per gallon.
Not exactly true. I drove a Kia Sportage for the past 2 years and had no problems. Even with that huge storm we got. I have a Kia Soul now and I can't even get up my own driveway when there is 2 inches of snow. I don't know it could be me but I cannot get it up that hill...
Correct. My 2001 Honda Civic 2 dr coupe had a low clearance and did not get through the snow as well as a car with a higher clearance such as my 2007 Accord. My new Yaris should do well in the snow in that respect.
Yeah right. Go take your Mustang or any other high powered/rear wheel drive out in the snow and see how far you get.
Ok. I take my Mustang out every day since it's the only car I own and I have to get to work, even on snow days. But I do have snow tires and keep some extra weight in the trunk. With this setup, it's as driveable in snow as most other sedans on the road that have all-season tires. Maybe even better.
I really wish more people in this area would consider using snow tires. Heartchya, I bet if you put even a cheap pair of snow tires on your Soul you'd be able to get up your driveway and notice a dramatic improvement in handling in the snow.
We have a 2003 Jetta TDI Diesel and it has over 100,000 miles on it. Honestly, its the best car for the mpg ; 41 miles per gallon.
Safety ; two short stories ; in a snow storm I had a skid and went into the curb. My two sons were in the back in child seats and the air bags popped out on one side. My son who was on that side was not injured at all.
Then a year later, a 60ft pine tree fell on the car as it was parked. I thought for sure it would be written off. But no, The ins co paid over $5000 to repair it. The only thing wrong with it now is that the cd dosnt work.
A great car ; and by the way ; its a stick also. Would def recommend a diesel ; they also are cleaner now and require not that much maintenance.
Yeah right. Go take your Mustang or any other high powered/rear wheel drive out in the snow and see how far you get..
Lot's of BMW's and Mercedes are standard rear wheel drive and high powered and do just fine.
I understand everyone's comments about weight distribution, fwd, rwd, awd, but with proper tires and an equally skilled driver, I truly believe, and am certain I could demonstrate, any vehicle can navigate snowy conditions well.
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