kingor Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Thought id share my experiance. I have a 2008 subaru legacy which i bought back in march, and well we havent had snow since, until just this past tuesday. Here it NorthEast New Jersey we got hit with a real bad storm that seemed to have came outta no where. Knocked a crap load of trees down and my house was out of power for about 4 days as crews from Ohio came to help fix it. (power is still out in over 1000 homes here in my town) Newho i digress, I was at my college when the snow started to really come down, the roads had about 4 inches of slush, snow and ice all over them. Now, ive never had a awd car before and had no clue how this car would do in it, but man was i amazed. Where i live its all mountains and hills and this car took it like nothing was even on the road. Other cars were sliding and peeling out getting no traction at all, while i just went right around them and stormed up the hills. I will never buy another car that doesnt have awd again. Btw I dont have snow tires or anything just the stock ones that came with it. So big thanks to subaru and to my car cant wait for some more snow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Everyone says that if you dont have tires that it doent matter that you have AWD. While i agree that tires are a huge help i would have to say anyone who thinks a AWD car with bad tires is just as bad as a RWD or FWD car with bad tires hasnt really driven a RWD/RWD car in the snow with bad tires. When i bought my legacy last november it still had the stock tires with 35kmiles on them and it still went through 18 inchs of snow just fine and at the end of last winter it had over 44k on them and it was still goin through snow just fine in fact better than my moms FWD monte carlo with brand new tires. This is the first year i actually want it to snow to test out my new tires, if/when you switch your tires do not go with the OEM RE92s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingor Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 ya well im not really planning on switching, they are brand new lol my car only has 6k miles on it. plus it usually doesnt snow too too much here, and when it does half the time im never out in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Thats fine you dont need to switch but you will have to eventually, unless you sell the car in a year or 2. And when you do change them get something better, you will feel much more confident with a good set of all seasons or even snow tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strabismo Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 It is a false and very dangerous assumption to think that you don't need snow tires if you have AWD. AWD will help you from getting stuck in snow and help you accelerating without spinning. However, AWD will do nothing to improve braking distance and very little for handling in snow. For that, you need snow tires. AWD does not allow you to defy laws of physics. You are still limited by the amount of traction your tires have on the road. Play it safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingor Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 It is a false and very dangerous assumption to think that you don't need snow tires if you have AWD. AWD will help you from getting stuck in snow and help you accelerating without spinning. However, AWD will do nothing to improve braking distance and very little for handling in snow. For that, you need snow tires. Play it safe. Ya I know that, most people fail to realize that too. If you have AWD you can still slide and everything else. I was just amazed that I didn't get stuck. I used to drive a 1996 Nissan Sentra, and that being a small car i was screwed everytime it snowed or rain ahah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backlash Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 i just want my car to get here before it snows. (less than a week to go!) and a light snow this year... Last year was horrible. (measured in FEET not inches last year) My plan is to just keep the stock tires till next spring, and then buy Summer tires/wheels. either keep or sell the stock wheels and get dedicated winter tires next year. So this winter will be the only mileage on the RE92's that everyone seems to hate. i've never had a AWD car either, but 4WD many. this winter will be fun, unless we get dumped on like last year. it didn't matter what type of car you drove, most everyone got stuck somehow. But it's all a cycle. we get a really bad winter about every 10-12 years. 07/08 was 11, Ice storm 96 was a real bad winter, and last year wasn't even the worst we've had... just a TON of snow that just would not go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rouar Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 I want heavy snow! If it has to be cold, it might as well be snowing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backlash Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 I want heavy snow! If it has to be cold, it might as well be snowing! you obviously do not have to be out working in the snow..... you like to play in snow, and watch it from your heated cubicle. those that HAVE to be in the snow... hate snow. (nothing to do with driving in it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 Snow - that's just weather, and it may be inconvenient. But there are worse alternatives. And I live in a country with snow, so I'm just accepting it as a matter of current conditions. Nothing you can't fix with a good shovel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandman Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 Caveat. The MSP refer to SUV's as "Ditchfinders." AWD cars don't stop or turn a lick better than FWD or RWD cars in snow. They do go better. Do the math..... What tires are on your car? Who Dares Wins スバル Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rouar Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 you obviously do not have to be out working in the snow..... you like to play in snow, and watch it from your heated cubicle. right you are! And this year, I can connect remotely from home for, among other opportunities , bad weather. (For better or for worse.) But even so. Driving a Subaru in the snow is simply fun. There's the added challenge of avoiding slipping and sliding, the pleasure of sliding on a whim at low speeds, combined with the confidence that you will, barring a major catastophe, not get stuck. I was sold on AWD time and time again driving my parents' two Foresters and Legacy. The Foresters obviously did the job no matter what, but I was most impressed when I borrowed mom's base '02 Legacy L to get to college during a blizzard. I had to park on the street as her car didn't have a permit sticker, so naturally the little low car got plowed in -- thick heavy snow higher than the hood. Came out of class at 4pm, got the shovel out of the trunk, cleared out the driver's door path, tailpipe, headlights, grille, roof, and brushed snow from the windows. Got in, started it up, turned the steering wheel left and hit the gas. The car instantly cleared the 4+ feet of hard packed snow and was on the road in no time. There's no way any other car that low would have cleared out of that spot so quickly. I'm pretty sure I got stares from the other poor people shoveling out their Volvos and Accords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backlash Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 AWD cars don't stop or turn a lick better than FWD or RWD cars in snow. They do go better. this is why EVERY year 4WD and AWD cars are in the ditches or wrecked, while some FWD/RWD car driving by is laughing. (i know, i'm one of the laughing drivers) so many people get in that "invincible mode" when they get behind the wheel of a AWD/4WD vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilh Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 I remember a trip back from VT during a snow storm many years ago. We were in a RWD Volvo 240 wagon and we counted 15 Jeeps and other SUVs in the ditch over about a 50 mile stretch of Route 30. RWD plus common sense works fine. One of the Jeep Cherokees was upside down in the middle of the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan007CT Posted November 1, 2008 Share Posted November 1, 2008 when I drive in snow.. I like that I can GO unlike maybe some FWD/RWD cars can. But I dont drive at a ridiculous speed.. depending on the snow maybe like 20-25.. or whateveryone else is doing. When it comes to stopping.. if your doing 20.. it doesnt take much to stop.. just give yourself a big gap between you and the car ahead of you and you'll be golden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rock2534 Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 this is why EVERY year 4WD and AWD cars are in the ditches or wrecked, while some FWD/RWD car driving by is laughing. (i know, i'm one of the laughing drivers) so many people get in that "invincible mode" when they get behind the wheel of a AWD/4WD vehicle. There are always people who drive beyond the capabilities of their vehicle, regardless of the conditions. AWD with the stock tires will get you around just fine, AWD with snow tires also allow you to stop and turn much better. My FWD Acura CL with Blizzaks handled the snow better than my Legacy with the stock tires on. The legacy with my nokians on it will actually be fun to drive in the snow this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polo08816 Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 I know the fact that AWD doesn't help you turn or brake better but the simple fact that it allows you to GO better is reason enough. I've driven FWD cars and in 6+ inches with all-seasons you could easily get stuck. At least with AWD and all-seasons, I can get the car moving up to 12" of snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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