RWD in snow

Unless you're buying an SUV, the stock tires are optimized for performance on
the dry since they want the auto mags to be able to take a 'stock' car and
get the bast 0-60, braking, and skid pad numbers. Note that those tests are
usually done on a dry track/skidpad.

Changing to snow tires will really help the cause. BTW - the same holds true
for FWD cars - my mom's Jetta was abysmal in snow with the stock Goodyear(?)
tires. It would just sort of sit there and paw the bottom of a snowy hill
without actually going anywhere. Changing to a set of Bridgestone
all-seasons seems to have improved performance greatly, though probably not
as much as if the car would have proper snow tires.

-Andrew

 

The older American RWD cars were very front-heavy due to heavy iron-block V8
engines being positioned pretty far forward. This took weight off of the
rear wheels and caused the fronts to "dig in" effectively stopping the car in
snow. With advances in materials (engines are lighter) and design (engines
placed further back, lighter trannies, etc) today's RWD cars aren't
comparable.

Keep in mind that FWD design has also advanced since the 80s. CV joints
routinely last 100k miles, tires don't wear as much, and torque steer has
been minimized. Why shouldn't RWD cars have advanced as well? (Still don't
*like* FWD, and wouldn't own one, but you can't argue taste

-Andrew

 

Was 4WD actually engaged in the truck that you saw slippin' around. I was
walking around DC after the blizzard 3 yrs ago and some lady was in a Jeep
Cherokee revving the snot out of it, spinning the rear wheels, and not going
anywhere. (She didn't have 4WD engaged, and I had to show her what that
little lever to the left of the shifter did.) "Oh, I thought it was
full-time AWD." Well, it was, but not in 2WD mode

Andrew

 

If you want a car with ~60-65% of weight up front that understeers numbly all
the time, hey, be my guest.

Andrew

 

Agreed: the 300 is butt-ugly. The Magnum is less ugly and is even quite
functional - would be more so, though, if they did away with the
downward-sloping rear that cuts cargo room and impairs visibility.

The Charger is actually decent-looking. The styling, from the side, actually
reminds me of an 80s BMW 7-series (733i) for some reason. They could use
some work on the front end, though - that huge muscle-boy grille isn't really
necessary.

Andrew

 

I wonder how much more gas mileage, if any, I would lose going to AWD?

I remember Mountainside. I worked in Berkeley Heights for several years.

Remember the awful experience I had with RWD in the snow, I always have at
least one AWD or 4WD vehicle in the driveway.

Ken

--
"Now Phoebe Snow direct can go
from thirty-third to Buffalo.
From Broadway bright the tubes run right
Into the Road of Anthracite"
Erie - Lackawanna

 

You've never driven in snow, have you?

Matt

 

Winter flat road driving experience is very limited.

 

Wrong! I said one needed to learn driving again with FWD, obviously I
have made that switch.
I learned on RWD and drive only RWD for 28 yrs before my first FWD car.
That RWD experience was in very snowy eastern Canada.
Several yrs of that RWD experience was with the VW Beetle which had so
much weight on the rear wheels that it didn't even need snow tires for
straight ahead winter traction, but was very poor for directional
control due to it's very light front end.

That's why ABS is so nice. I know how to quickly pump the brakes, but I
can't come close to the effectiveness of ABS.
In our very snowy conditions the roads to the ski hills are littered
with 4WD vehicles off the road. They have excellent straight ahead
traction, but that gives the drivers too much confidence so curves and
braking are their down fall.

 

One of the local dealers called me today and told me they just received an
AWD 300C. I took it for a test drive but didn't notice any kind of
resistance that I thought I would. The dealer says that I can expect to lose
3MPG on both City and Highway driving.

I don't think that's too bad considering this winter will once again be
crappy as it has started so early.

They also have 300 SRT vehicles that old sold and have one Magnum SRT inside
the showroom. Very nice in Red.

They also modified one Charger and put a chrome grill and spoiler on it. Not
bad. On the other side they have 4 Vipers for sale. Two were used but in
very good shape.

--
"Now Phoebe Snow direct can go
from thirty-third to Buffalo.
From Broadway bright the tubes run right
Into the Road of Anthracite"
Erie - Lackawanna

 

Before you go with the AWD with its weight, cost, and gas penalties, try
the RWD version in a snow/ice covered parking lot. If you're near Rt. 78,
I'd recommend the dealer on River Rd. in Summit - as far as a parking lot,
try the big turnout off of Tracy Dr. in the Watchung Reservation just west
of the circle. As I've said, I've driven RWD in snow in NJ and it really
isn't a big deal given good tires and a well-balanced car. You might be
pleasantly surprised as compared to American cars of 20-30 years ago.

-Andrew

 

Andrew,

Ok - I will give it a try. You never know.

Ken

 

Just 10 years in Rochester, NY. How does it feel to be wrong all the time.

 

I don't know, but you can explain. If you think that FWD will never
lose traction in the snow, then you haven't driven much in the snow.

Matt

 

breaking has always been more of a concern for me, FWD, RWD, or AWD.

 

Breaking isn't a big concern for me as I maintain my cars pretty well.
Braking, on the other hand, is a concern in the snow.

Matt

 

Thanks for "steering" me in the right direction.

Steve

 

Who the heck said NEVER. Never and always are almost never the right answer
on a multiple choice exam.

 

Breaking is important but when you are in the middle of an intersection in
Rochester, NY that is substantially ice from people spinning their wheels
and slightly uphill and you start sliding back, I'd rather have FWD.

 

Do you read much? Look just a few lines above. It says "In snow, with
engine on top of front wheels, with FWD you won't lose traction in snow
in my experience."

Saying "with FWD you won't lose traction in snow" is a pretty absolute
statement. It doesn't say you rarely lose traction in snow, it simply
says you won't lose traction in snow. What part of won't don't you
understand?


Matt