Can a CLK handle snow?

[rf065]

My last car was 4WD, if it snowed in winter, I made a point of going out and having some fun, especially in a large car park with no other cars about and a foot of snow.

Having bought a CLK, with 225 tyres on front, 245 on rear,not forgetting the rear wheel drive, how bad is it likely to be?

I know it has a form of traction control and the C setting on the auto box pulls away in 2nd gear, but has anyone driven in snow through the winter without a problem? Should I be worried if the wife has to use it?

Russ

 

[Rory]

It'll be horrendous unless you put winter tyres on.

 

[rf065]

It'll be horrendous unless you put winter tyres on.

I take it the traction control won't be much help then?

Russ

 

[izzi613]

I take it the traction control won't be much help then?

Russ

No it won't all it will do it blink furiously every time you accelerate and cut the power to the spinning wheels, it won't give you better traction and certainly no better grip.:lol:

Last winter was my first in a RWD car and it was dreadful, had to teach myself how to drive again as I considered myself pretty good in snow in FWD. Will nick the wifes 4x4 next winter.

 

[whitenemesis]

Switch "off" the ESP, this confuses the traction control in snowy conditions. Stick it in C and go gentle with the right foot.
It'll never match the 4x4 but as Rory says put winters on a second set of steel wheels, all the Germans do! It'll save your alloys from the salt as well.

 

[rf065]

No it won't all it will do it blink furiously every time you accelerate and cut the power to the spinning wheels, it won't give you better traction and certainly no better grip.:lol:

Thanks, I've had 4wd for the last 5 years and front wheel drive for the 15 years before that. I can remember the last rear wheel drive car I had, a Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo around 1985, it would not move in snow even with 185 tyres, so I kinda knew the CLK was going to be a problem with 245's.

If I go to winter tyres, anyone any idea what sizes I should get?
I assume going with 225's front & 245's rear would be a complete waste and thinner section tyres would be better?

Russ

 

[television]

My 124 300TE was fine in Sweden until I fitted wide tyres, from that point onwards it did not move, the wheels just spun.

My 1928 RR was perfect with the 5" wide tyres and I used that

 

[rf065]

A quick search has found winter tyres starting at £55 each.
Not sure how much a spare set of wheels would cost though.
Does anyone have details of offsets etc for a 05 CLK w209?, or a good place for advice on tyre and wheel width recomendations for winter use only?

 

[television]

Here are all of the potions on wheels and off sets, why not buy a cheap set of standard wheels for the winter tyres

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.618&CT=F&cat=69M&SID=40&SGR=015&SGN=01

 

[rf065]

Here are all of the potions on wheels and off sets, why not buy a cheap set of standard wheels for the winter tyres

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.618&CT=F&cat=69M&SID=40&SGR=015&SGN=01

Thanks for that, do you know of a supplier of cheap steel or standard wheels, everybody seems to sell expensive alloys nowadays?

Russ

 

[television]

Thanks for that, do you know of a supplier of cheap steel or standard wheels, everybody seems to sell expensive alloys nowadays?

Russ

Ebay normally has a lot and you can use wheels from other MB's of the same size and ET

 

[rf065]

Thanks for your help,

If anyone else is considering winter tyres, I found this site with some good info................

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4020490

Russ

 

[jberks]

I don't know how far into Scotland you are so maybe you suffer from snow at your location but down here in Yorkshire it's never been bad enough to have a problem for at least the last 10 years, even with 245s.
I'd take issue with the whole ESP doesn't help argument. Last xmas I went to a show located at the top of a very wet muddy field. Cars getting stuck everywhere. I sat there with the slightest touch of throttle with the nose pointing at the top and given the 245 tyres all round, expecting to grind to a halt any second.
The light flashed a fair bit but she just burbled up all the way to the top, straight past lots of fwd's with their skinny tyres spinning away.

I saw a demo of esp on some motoring show or other. With and without, driving up an incline on sheet ice at a test facility. Ok, it can't invent grip and won't get near a properly tyred 4x4 but the difference it makes is still quite amazing.

 

[Rory]

The light flashed a fair bit but she just burbled up all the way to the top, straight past lots of fwd's with their skinny tyres spinning away.

I think you were just very lucky, to be honest (or course ESP and your skill would have played some part!). RWD cars are generally useless on wet grass, never mind a sloping muddy field.
I was in a colleagues S Type Jag a few years ago in snow and it just sat there with the light flashing. He had to turn it off.
I've never used winter tyres, but have colleagues in Europe who have to fit them in winter and I've seen them described as a night and day difference to summer tyres. And, bizzarely, they last longer too.

I do wish we could get 4Matic here though (on cars, not just SUV's). Although a good few years ago a friend had a 4WD Sierra estate and I vividly remember him laughing at cars being stuck in a car park in icy weather as they couldn't get up a slight slope - then he couldn't either!

I bought a pair of Autosocks for my car to use in an emergency.

 

[rf065]

I don't know how far into Scotland you are so maybe you suffer from snow at your location but down here in Yorkshire it's never been bad enough to have a problem for at least the last 10 years, even with 245s.

I know what you mean, the winters in Scotland have been pretty mild over the last few years. Unfortunately, the town we live in is 210 metres above sea level. Usually when it snows here, you can travel to the next town 3 or 4 miles in any direction and there is no snow anywhere else because of the lower altitude. The worst aspect is if it snows while at work, the journey home is uphill all the way, starting with rain, then sleet, turning to snow as the road climbs higher.

I plan to hold on to the CLK for a long time, so I think investing in a set of spare wheels with winter tyres is the best option. I'm still looking for advice on what size wheels and tyres to go for to keep the same rolling diameter and best tyre width for winter traction.

Russ

 

[television]

The smallest diameter and the most narrow on that first link will be the best

 

[kveysey]

I have the same tyres, couldn't get it off the drive for 2 days last year. It's only a gentle slope!

Do what i do, stay home with the kids and build a snowman.

 

[trebronic]

Just found out how bad my CLK is on ice

I haven’t driven a rear wheel drive car since 1989 so when I bought my CLK some weeks ago I’d forgotten how bad rear wheel drive is in the snow.
Anyway coming back from the Take Away tonight (yes it’s Friday) I turned left and the rear end went and bang I hit the kerb and now need a wheel repair.
Anyone know how much steel rims and winter tyre cost, I live in Bury Lancashire.

 

[gregdtx]

my c220 isthe worst car i have ever had in 20 years of motoring in the snow

 

[Naraic]

I haven’t driven a rear wheel drive car since 1989 so when I bought my CLK some weeks ago I’d forgotten how bad rear wheel drive is in the snow.
Anyway coming back from the Take Away tonight (yes it’s Friday) I turned left and the rear end went and bang I hit the kerb and now need a wheel repair.
Anyone know how much steel rims and winter tyre cost, I live in Bury Lancashire.

This will happen in a front drive or four drive too. Its the change in direction which is the problem, not the rear drive, unless you also had throttle on at the same time.