Quattro question

[Beelzeebub]

Would a rear wheel drive with winter tires handle/drive better than an AWD with winters in snow and ice? i know it seems like a no brainer....but the more i ponder on it, the more it seems a rear wheel drive is better. what do you think?

[$4c@b]

I'd always take AWD over RWD in snow. In ice, it's a toss...I'd still take the AWD though.

[quattro.it]

Never in a million years.

[MOFSTEEL]

RWD in the snow and ice better?
Im guessing you've never driven RWD in such weather.
The answer is NO.

[Stiga]

In what way would you say a rwd is better?

RWD isnt good for anything :P

[Monchichi8]

Would a rear wheel drive with winter tires handle/drive better than an AWD with winters in snow and ice? i know it seems like a no brainer....but the more i ponder on it, the more it seems a rear wheel drive is better. what do you think?

Blasphmey! it think that how its spelled.lol Quattro all day/night/month/year.......

[hayasa]

On a related note, saw this cool vid at TireRack:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/....jsp?ttid=103&

[norsecarnut]

Would a rear wheel drive with winter tires handle/drive better than an AWD with winters in snow and ice? i know it seems like a no brainer....but the more i ponder on it, the more it seems a rear wheel drive is better. what do you think?

Are you just trying to insight reactions? That's about the silliest question I've heard in a long time. Why the hell do you think awd was designed in the first place?! what a goof

[Beelzeebub]

Well, think about it. In a rwd, the back wheels push while the fronts can be dedicated to steer. Before AWD was ever invented or placed in a passenger car, pretty much most of the cars back then had rwd. Even the VW Beetle is rwd but was created in a country that gets snow and ice.

[40valve]

By using that analogy you could say it's OK to drive sharp object in someone's skull to let out the demons ... just because it used to be done it doesn't mean it's good.

[Beelzeebub]

but it worked.

[Buegie]

Well, think about it. In a rwd, the back wheels push while the fronts can be dedicated to steer. Before AWD was ever invented or placed in a passenger car, pretty much most of the cars back then had rwd. Even the VW Beetle is rwd but was created in a country that gets snow and ice.

I'll take it easy because it seems that you've never driven RWD in the snow, but trust me, its terrible. There's no comparison between that and quattro

[FastB7S4]

LOL at this thread. Props to the OP for having the balls to ask, though.

[RudeBwoi]

but it worked.

LOL!!!

[S4DTM]

AWD does the same thing in the snow, PLUS you have power in the front wheels...sooo...you don't just have your front tires gliding, but rather helping to pull the car. No doubt about it, AWD (and especially quattro) is WAY better in the poor weather.

[sakimano]

alright...where's the camera???!!!

Would a rear wheel drive with winter tires handle/drive better than an AWD with winters in snow and ice? i know it seems like a no brainer....but the more i ponder on it, the more it seems a rear wheel drive is better. what do you think?

[khmerguy978]

driving a rear wheel drive car in the snow SUCKS. try going up a hill with one. my parents had a Lexus LS400 back in the day and it was no fun.

and my prelude is front wheel drive, never got stuck in the snow with it.

[norsecarnut]

a traction analogy:

(from an ice climbing or mountaineering perspective)

RWD - you're crawling, up a slippery slope, your toes have spikes but your elbows are flat on the snow and you're not allowed to do anything with them except glide, pushing along, sort of steering maybe. Think about it downhill - you slide off into the abyss ;)

AWD - open your fingers and/or grab your ice axe, digging in as needed....

precisely the reason FWD works better than RWD!

[CanuckRS]

i'm getting stupider just reading this thread...ugh

[amremt]

Not trying to be a jerk, but there is a reason for chain controls. Why would they let you through if you have no chains but have an awd car. I hope you were just bored when you started this thread and were looking for a reaction from others. If not, I don't know what to tell you.

[ieatfishburitos]

Alright... I grew up in Michigan and my first car(s) were rear wheel drive mustangs. I can't begin to tell you how horrid it is to drive a car with 200+ rear wheel HP during the winter time, snow tires or not. Sure I made it school everyday, but that was only after spending about 20 minutes to get the car out of our driveway.

I have dreams at night thinking about how great life would have been to have my S4 at that period in my life. Don't ever ask this question again.

For shits and giggles: I was driving 45mph down a straight road which had a little ice on it and saw an approaching semi truck. He was hauling ass with two trailers going about 55 or 60 mphs. We met and the wind from his truck was all it took to push my car off the road and I was suddenly doing 360's in some dudes front yard. I missed 4 trees somehow and came to stop about 10 feet in front of his house. Not a cool experience in a rwd mustang.

2nd funny: I was driving back to college in Chicago from visiting my family in Michigan for Christmas. I was in a 92 mustang gt with about 300rwhp... I hit Indiana and ran into a ice storm. I was cruising about 40mph in the ice on the slow lane (idling in 5th gear) when the car went nuts. I did a 180 and was going backwards down the freeway with the semi that was following directly behind now facing me. I came very close to shitting my pants. I somehow corrected the car by turning the wheel and was able to turn it around and pulled off the next exit to cry... I will not drive a rear wheel drive car like that in the snow again.. I have years of experience and am a great driver in the snow, but every now and again some strange thing happens when you are in a rear wheel drive car that almost never happens when you are in a awd car...

[Raudi 4.2]

no... from experience
awd is where it's at

[norsecarnut]

Not trying to be a jerk, but there is a reason for chain controls. Why would they let you through if you have no chains but have an awd car. .

Actually, they most often only require chains to be "on" the 2wd cars and do let the awd/4x4 through but you're "required" to have them in the vehicle. It is rare that all vehicles are required to have chains on to proceed. Generally those conditions are so bad that they shut it all down anyway.

I don't think anyone here with almost everyone lowered can get chains on anymore unless you crank your coils back up and get narrower winter wheels on. I don't think our stock rims (8") would allow chains after a suspension kit were installed. I suppose the real winter set-up then requires a 7-7.5" true winter rim, etc.

The Quattro's would be almost unstoppable with 4 chains though! ;)

[Beelzeebub]

Not trying to be a jerk, but there is a reason for chain controls. Why would they let you through if you have no chains but have an awd car. I hope you were just bored when you started this thread and were looking for a reaction from others. If not, I don't know what to tell you.

Im sorry but my socialist State does not allow snow chains or studded tires.

[Beelzeebub]

i'm getting stupider just reading this thread...ugh

good.

[Beelzeebub]

Alright... I grew up in Michigan and my first car(s) were rear wheel drive mustangs. I can't begin to tell you how horrid it is to drive a car with 200+ rear wheel HP during the winter time, snow tires or not. Sure I made it school everyday, but that was only after spending about 20 minutes to get the car out of our driveway.

I have dreams at night thinking about how great life would have been to have my S4 at that period in my life. Don't ever ask this question again.

For shits and giggles: I was driving 45mph down a straight road which had a little ice on it and saw an approaching semi truck. He was hauling ass with two trailers going about 55 or 60 mphs. We met and the wind from his truck was all it took to push my car off the road and I was suddenly doing 360's in some dudes front yard. I missed 4 trees somehow and came to stop about 10 feet in front of his house. Not a cool experience in a rwd mustang.

2nd funny: I was driving back to college in Chicago from visiting my family in Michigan for Christmas. I was in a 92 mustang gt with about 300rwhp... I hit Indiana and ran into a ice storm. I was cruising about 40mph in the ice on the slow lane (idling in 5th gear) when the car went nuts. I did a 180 and was going backwards down the freeway with the semi that was following directly behind now facing me. I came very close to shitting my pants. I somehow corrected the car by turning the wheel and was able to turn it around and pulled off the next exit to cry... I will not drive a rear wheel drive car like that in the snow again.. I have years of experience and am a great driver in the snow, but every now and again some strange thing happens when you are in a rear wheel drive car that almost never happens when you are in a awd car...

i appreciate you taking the time to tell us all that. ive seen weird things happen to rwd cars/trucks in the snow and ice. Even fwd sometimes isnt good enough. I used to drive a shitty Ford Taurus company car and going up a slope with ice isnt exactly a walk in the park. But i threw the question out to the forum to see what everyone's thoughts were on it. I see snow plough trucks with only rwd. And they are used to plow the snow. Semis are also rwd. but they haul ass no matter the weather. Police Crown vics are rwd and they're out in the winter no matter the weather.

[norsecarnut]

I see snow plough trucks with only rwd. And they are used to plow the snow. Semis are also rwd. but they haul ass no matter the weather. Police Crown vics are rwd and they're out in the winter no matter the weather.

I'm sure you realize that the big trucks handle it due to weight on the wheels - it's simply about traction, no different than why your basic rwd pick-up driver up north puts whatever in the back end to get traction on the drive wheels and on the lighter end in general. I think heavier rwd cars do better than lighter ones, say comparing a bmw wagon to a lightweight as well as benefiting from all the dtc and such on higher end techy cars even tho their rwd.

RWD Snowplows ;) you have any idea how much the front end is digging in merely due to weight...?

[norsecarnut]

p.s. Love your avatar!

[covertS4driver]

I can't believe this thread has so many responses....

Like was stated before, someone who asks this question has NEVER driven an RWD in the snow.

My head hurts....

BTW: What if its an RWD with snows on, and you're in reverse?????

[Beelzeebub]

p.s. Love your avatar!

thanks. i see them in my dreams. thanks for your input. I didnt start this thread to debate the sense of awd/ quattro or the non-sense of rwd in snow and ice. its just that i live in a state that gets snow and ice but yet, BMWs and Mercs abound - all rwd. (okay, some may be 4matic or xi). but i just dont get it these people still buy these cars. Grant it that they may have other vehicles to choose from. but i know some who own only 1 car and its either a BMW, a Mustang, or a Merc. (all rwd).

[$4c@b]

thanks. i see them in my dreams. thanks for your input. I didnt start this thread to debate the sense of awd/ quattro or the non-sense of rwd in snow and ice. its just that i live in a state that gets snow and ice but yet, BMWs and Mercs abound - all rwd. (okay, some may be 4matic or xi). but i just dont get it these people still buy these cars. Grant it that they may have other vehicles to choose from. but i know some who own only 1 car and its either a BMW, a Mustang, or a Merc. (all rwd).

I probably get similar weather to you. No doubt there are plenty of Bimmers and Mercs around, but as a trend, BMW X and Merc 4Matics are becomming more prevalent. So are Subarus, AWD Infinitis and AWD Lexus IS 250s.

[Buegie]

thanks. i see them in my dreams. thanks for your input. I didnt start this thread to debate the sense of awd/ quattro or the non-sense of rwd in snow and ice. its just that i live in a state that gets snow and ice but yet, BMWs and Mercs abound - all rwd. (okay, some may be 4matic or xi). but i just dont get it these people still buy these cars. Grant it that they may have other vehicles to choose from. but i know some who own only 1 car and its either a BMW, a Mustang, or a Merc. (all rwd).

I do see alot of xi's and stuff but for the RWD people, they probably either have another car for winter or they just tough it out for the three months of snow so that they can enjoy the car for the other nine months of the year. It's not impossible to drive a RWD in the snow, just much more difficult