My car really hates snow

[jefrs]

thats it you see, you should keep the clutch off for as long as possible stopping the wheels from locking , after all you dont do an emergency stop with the clutch in

Que?

An emergency stop in a manual is done by simultaneously kicking both clutch and brake pedals through the floor whilst screaming "sheep!".

Especially if there are three of the woolly pests.



Update: whilst it was still icy, and just for a laugh, I tried knocking the ESP off: instant pirouette even with the lightest touch on the throttle. The ESP/ADS/BAS doesn't just fiddle with the brakes, it monkeys with the throttle too. With a manual you can just plonk it in gear and lift the clutch, with an auto you have to jazz the motor to make the clutch engage, the auto creep is not always sufficient.

 

[merclpg]

Hi , i have an old volvo 240 estate as well as c250 merc ,, i was told form guy i bought it from to put snow tyres on rear wheels , did this and with a bit of weight in the back eg 2 bags of sand/grit it has more traction than ..... well a tractor lol .

 

[Colt45_GTO]

RWD is better than FWD for going up hills - more weight on rear.

prefer AWD lol sorry

hope this helps

 

[Stulc]

Rwd in the snow= useless....even maybe with snow tyres as its still "shovin" rather than "pullin"

 

[turbopete]

Rwd in the snow= useless....even maybe with snow tyres as its still "shovin" rather than "pullin"

strange you say that as when my e300 had to go, i got a ford puma. that was certainly no better than the RWD 210 had been in snow.

factor in that most MB's tend to be automatic, on the other hand, and that tends to make them a bit worse than a manual as you can opt for a higher gear and keep it there in a manual, which you cant in an auto. given that ive had examples of BOTH in MB's i know which i prefer for snow. and those who know me wont be surprised to hear its the manual. my auto downshifted in snow when it didnt need to, given the road conditions.

 

[dieselman]

^ Use W mode for 2nd gear starts in snow.

 

[turbopete]

^ Use W mode for 2nd gear starts in snow.

never needed to. the problem for me was when, say going up a slight incline, trying to avoid too much wheelspin, the car was in, say, 3rd gear, happpily trundling along but speed gradually decreasing. 3rd gear remained adequate for the speed and conditions, yet the 'box ecu decided that it should be in second and changed down. hardly ideal, and ALMOST prevented me getting up the incline.

 

[Naraic]

Que?

An emergency stop in a manual is done by simultaneously kicking both clutch and brake pedals through the floor whilst screaming "sheep!".

Especially if there are three of the woolly pests.



Update: whilst it was still icy, and just for a laugh, I tried knocking the ESP off: instant pirouette even with the lightest touch on the throttle. The ESP/ADS/BAS doesn't just fiddle with the brakes, it monkeys with the throttle too. With a manual you can just plonk it in gear and lift the clutch, with an auto you have to jazz the motor to make the clutch engage, the auto creep is not always sufficient.

An emergency stop in a manual involves hitting the brakes as quickly as possible, and then de-clutching at the last moment (if possible) this way you maximise the braking effort.

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>and then de-clutching at the last moment

It's best to get the clutch down quick as well.

In a fast stop, reducing the effect of the rotating mass - the flywheel effect of the rotating engine - is much more important than any engine braking you might get - reducing the effect of this rotating mass also helps the ABS to cycle more quickly, and provide better control.

 

[dieselman]

^ Which is why automatics don't brake as sharply as manual cars for the same braking effort.

 

[Naraic]

^ In an automatic flick into reverse while braking hard.














I accept no responsibility should any idiot believe what I just wrote and tries this out.

 

[dieselman]

LOL...

Fortunately it won't do any harm with an electronic box as it won't engage reverse over 5mph.

 

[Mercedes-2010]

^ In an automatic flick into reverse while braking hard.
I accept no responsibility should any idiot believe what I just wrote and tries this out.

Is Russ Swift on this forum?

 

[The Pan Man]

Having been bored this morning I started to read this and well frankly I am appauled. Basic driving skills such as emergency stops being discussed by people that have no Idea how to "Control a Car" in normal conditions let alone adverse or different conditions. Whilst moder stuff like ABS and TC is great the driver needs to know what he or she is doing, which brings another point to the surface, if you don't know how a tiptronic gear box works leave it alone you are only asking for trouble. Someone mentioned practice great idea just take someone with you that can actually drive in the conditions. Another point how many winters ahve you driven in?

This is all more grists to the mill for making every roaduse spend 2 years on a motorcycle before getting a car licence. Rant over. Happy New Year.

 

[jefrs]

An emergency stop in a manual involves hitting the brakes as quickly as possible, and then de-clutching at the last moment (if possible) this way you maximise the braking effort.

The training for the emergency/panic stop was to hit both pedals at once and hard on a manual, and to use both feet on the pedal on an auto.

I've only had to do it for real a few times but it does work.
(The kamikaze sheep referred to above were cause of a real incident)

A normal fast stop de-clutches at the last moment.

Apparently training has changed because now they do not teach changing down in a manual approaching a stop but to stay in the same gear.

 

[jefrs]

^ In an automatic flick into reverse while braking hard.


I accept no responsibility should any idiot believe what I just wrote and tries this out.

For the idiots

You don't have time to even think about that, and anyway that's a good technique for snapping the prop-shaft.

 

[jefrs]

Having been bored this morning I started to read this and well frankly I am appauled. Basic driving skills such as emergency stops being discussed by people that have no Idea how to "Control a Car" in normal conditions let alone adverse or different conditions. Whilst moder stuff like ABS and TC is great the driver needs to know what he or she is doing, which brings another point to the surface, if you don't know how a tiptronic gear box works leave it alone you are only asking for trouble. Someone mentioned practice great idea just take someone with you that can actually drive in the conditions. Another point how many winters ahve you driven in?

This is all more grists to the mill for making every roaduse spend 2 years on a motorcycle before getting a car licence. Rant over. Happy New Year.

I thoroughly recommend motorcycle before being allowed in a car: you have to assume all other road users are trying to kill you.

Unfortunately the vast public considers it a right to have and drive a car, so the average skill level is not high, and there are those 50% that are below average level.