in snow and ice which is safer to drive ?

[television]

What if its an auto? As I assume most of us have

Russ

Slip it to N, that solves that

 

[Shavenuw]

FWD definitely better than RWD in slippery conditions. Obvously tyre type/size/condition plays a huge part - a skinny tyre with good tread would be best. Better traction from RWD due to weight transfer is only relevant when accelerating hard - if you do that on snow and ice you'll only wheelspin. A constant weight over the driven wheels (the engine) helps a great deal. A tyre only has a limited amount of grip which is divided between steering and acceleration/braking. On snow this balance is very fine so accelerate, brake and steer carefully. The best tools to use in those conditions are anticipaton and experience.

 

[type49]

Must agree with Wireman on this. I find if you do lose a FWD car, it usually just goes straight on. At least with RWD, you can steer with the throttle.

 

[jberks]

I don't quite get this.
There are 2 reasons you lose control. Either the steering wheels have no traction, in which case, sure you could boot a RWD, but you're likely to make things a lot worse as all you can do is change direction by making the back step out. You'll have no control over what that direction is. A FWD, because the weight of the engine is over the wheels, is less liklely to suffer this fate in the first place.

Or, you put too much power down. In a rwd, the first indication you'll get is the back end stepping out - ok great fun at times but not on a residential street with other cars coming the other way. On a fwd, you'll notice the steering going light or being less responsive which you'll notice throygh the wheel long before there is any impact in the car's attitude or direction. Then, 99% of the time, droping the throttle, ease in the clutch and she'll drop back into line.

I've been driving heavy powerful automatic RWD cars for a long time now and I have no problem but if I had to choose in a snowstorm, I'd still pick the FWD with skinny tyres every time.

 

[rf065]

Living 210 metres above sea level in Sunny Scotland, I have driven more miles in snow than anyone would really want to in a variety of vehicles.

I have had a few hairy moments in FWD cars, but have never got totally stuck. I've even managed to get up a long steep hill in a FWD car with wide low profile tyres although the last 50 yards were a struggle.

My rear wheel drive cars have always given me more problems because of the lack of grip. I've had one car which refused to move on a road outside my house which I always thought was level ground until it iced over one night. My neighbour was unable to put his car in the garage that night as his BMW could not drive up the slight incline from the road to his garage, the garage entrance was less than 2 inches higher than the road.

In the real world of driving in snow or ice, give me FWD over RWD everytime.
Anyone who says a RWD is better in snow because you can steer it with the throttle has totally lost the plot. (No offence type 49)

Having had a 4WD for the last 5 years, I now have to look forward to the coming winter with RWD again. This time though, winter tyres are going on, but I will miss the 4WD when it snows.

Russ

 

[television]

Using a Citreon CX and a Saab 9000 turbo in Sweden there was never one moments trouble even on English tyres, and the MB would not move 1", OK though with spiked tyres

 

[RichardSmith]

.........................In the real world of driving in snow or ice, give me FWD over RWD everytime.
Anyone who says a RWD is better in snow because you can steer it with the throttle has totally lost the plot. (No offence type 49)..............Russ

I have to agree.

Last winter I woke up to 6 inches of snow (quite rare in Bucks really) and dutifully tried to drive my SLK to work - thinking with traction control and "winter" auto-box mode, that I'd manage. Wrong! the car just wheelspun at the slightest opening of the throttle. I didn't even get to the end of my road before turning back and taking the Rav-4 to work (which had no problems at all).

My 300zx is even worse so I'd never take that out in snow. Before we had the Rav, my wife had a Corsa Sport which could also be driven fairly trouble free in snow, being FWD with the engine over the driven wheels.

Richard

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I have to agree.

Last winter I woke up to 6 inches of snow (quite rare in Bucks really) and dutifully tried to drive my SLK to work - thinking with traction control and "winter" auto-box mode, that I'd manage. Wrong! the car just wheelspun at the slightest opening of the throttle. I didn't even get to the end of my road before turning back and taking the Rav-4 to work (which had no problems at all).

My 300zx is even worse so I'd never take that out in snow. Before we had the Rav, my wife had a Corsa Sport which could also be driven fairly trouble free in snow, being FWD with the engine over the driven wheels.

Richard

I had NO PROBLEMS AT ALL in the (unexpected) snow 2 weeks ago..! HeHeHeHe

 

[Rory]

Last winter I woke up to 6 inches of snow (quite rare in Bucks really) and dutifully tried to drive my SLK to work - thinking with traction control and "winter" auto-box mode, that I'd manage. Wrong! the car just wheelspun at the slightest opening of the throttle. I didn't even get to the end of my road before turning back and taking the Rav-4 to work (which had no problems at all).

Reminds me of one of our admin people who owns an Mazda MX-5 (RWD) and some kind of 4x4 - she used both for work in a random fashion. On the one day that snow was widely forecast a couple of years ago she chose to come into work in the MX-5 and couldn't even get over the lip of the car-park to go home. :roll: