Which is better in the west coast snow?

[sixoclub]

Which is better for transporting the family in the West Coast snow-

1. 2013 stage 2 S4 with sports differential, manual transmission and Blissak snow tires
or
2. 2017 Subaru Outback with 3.6R engine and stock tires?

[dilparqq]

Gosh this ones a tough question cuz tires are very important in snowy conditions. What brand of tires are on the subie? Cuz some all seasons have good ratings in snow


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[sixoclub]

The Subaru has Bridgestone Dueler H/P tires.

[Geomatics_Tech]

Outback has more clearance, but id choose the car with winter tires any day.


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[Dr GP]

Dedicated snow tires will perform better in snow than almost any all season tire. The difference is the tires not the car. BTW, is west coast snow any different from snow from other areas?

[sixoclub]

I was thinking the Audi as well due to the tires. Not a bad position to be in having to choose between the two.

[sixoclub]

One fear of mine (justified or not) is bottoming out on the snow and damaging that unprotected differential.

[Zach L]

Not your question, but relevant if you're in the market... A week after one of my clients bought a new Subaru Outback, he said it was a great car. Six months later I asked him if he was still enjoying it and he said he had sold it back to the dealership after only two months of ownership. Said it was the most boring car he'd ever owned/driven. Reliable and ergonomic, but flat boring. Went and bought a Mini Countryman. I personally have never driven one of the newer Outbacks, so I can't comment myself.

As others have said, when comparing two AWD cars, snow performance will come down to tire choice.

[ichigoismyhomie]

West Coast Mountain dweller here and I have B8 avant and older Subaru legacy wagon (lowered outback). Given your options, I would go with 3.6R outback but I'll get myself a set of blizzak along with it. The flat six engine has nice linear torque curve and having higher ground clearance is a major plus.

Subaru awd system is pretty bulletproof and you get more space with the outback for your luggage and gears. Fully loaded outback will also come with built in collapsible cross bar and tow hitch. You would be able to put roof box for more storage or snow gear carriage.

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[whiped]

West coast snow, assuming PNW is usually wetter than other places of the country if that makes sense.

@OP, as long as you're not slammed you shouldn't have issues bottoming out the S4 unless you do some serious off roading

[Zach L]

West coast snow, assuming PNW is usually wetter than other places of the country if that makes sense.

x2

Wetter = heavier. Not light and fluffy, but thick.

[sixoclub]

Thanks guys for the responses. I used the Audi all last season with Bay Area runs to Tahoe. No issues but then again I didn't have the opportunity to drive on any significantly snowy days. We just replaced my wife's Grand Cherokee with the Outback. She really likes the car but I agree that it is a bit boring of a car for Me to use as daily. We do not have any intention of getting different tires until the stock ones wear out. Even then will stick with all seasons due us driving on pavement 99% of the time.

[sixoclub]

I'm sure at some point I will have drive both in snow conditions. I will post when I do.

[mmm def]

I'd take a rwd with snows all day long vs an awd on all seasons. Tires make a huge difference. S4

[s4buckeye]

Which is better for transporting the family in the West Coast snow-

1. 2013 stage 2 S4 with sports differential, manual transmission and Blissak snow tires
or
2. 2017 Subaru Outback with 3.6R engine and stock tires?

CalTrans will not let you by in R2 chain controls with AWD/4WD w/o "snow tires" per their regs. that is not to say that is the same from checkpoint to checkpoint, etc.

"snow tires" many times may just mean a M/S tire, etc. i would take the S4 with dedicated snows.

look at the CalTrans chain control map online. updated all the time.


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[sixoclub]

I've always felt Caltrans chain control signs are misleading. R2 requirement signs tend to state the need for 4x4 with chains when in relality it is 4x4 or allwheel drive with a minimum of snow tire. I've never seen an all season tire without a mud and snow rating. The Outback tire has the proper stamp even though it's design is clearly focused for pavement.

[s4buckeye]

I've always felt Caltrans chain control signs are misleading. R2 requirement signs tend to state the need for 4x4 with chains when in relality it is 4x4 or allwheel drive with a minimum of snow tire. I've never seen an all season tire without a mud and snow rating. The Outback tire has the proper stamp even though it's design is clearly focused for pavement.

misleading or not, it's their call.



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[ichigoismyhomie]

CalTrans will not let you by in R2 chain controls with AWD/4WD w/o "snow tires" per their regs. that is not to say that is the same from checkpoint to checkpoint, etc.

"snow tires" many times may just mean a M/S tire, etc. i would take the S4 with dedicated snows.

look at the CalTrans chain control map online. updated all the time.


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I frequent mammoth during snow season and I still able to stroll through caltrans checkpoints on my avant w/ stock continental down all season.

I think most checkpoint officers probably know commonly awd/4wd cars and let them through as opposed to rwd/fwd cars.

I've taken the avant with same tires to brianhead, Utah and able to do 80s on hwy 5 while it was snowing down quite heavy.

OP, you will be fine in either car if going to Tahoe would be mostly your route. However you will get more room for your winter gears on the outback albeit its boring driving experience.

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[Low Orbit]

As a person who lives in the mountains of Lake Tahoe, I run a B8.5 S4 with Michelin Alpin PA4s on my 19" peelers and it works very well but the ground clearance is a real issue but if you are careful, it's fine. If you enjoy driving, the S4 with snow tires is the way to go.

[MrFunk]

Which is better for transporting the family in the West Coast snow-

1. 2013 stage 2 S4 with sports differential, manual transmission and Blissak snow tires
or
2. 2017 Subaru Outback with 3.6R engine and stock tires?

How are you coming to this comparison?

[sixoclub]

They are the two cars in my driveway

[sixoclub]

The S4 is an easy choice for me if I'm heading toTahoe by myself or with a friend. The comparison really comes in when going with the family. I have a wife and two young boys. Storage capacity is a small factor but can make due with either. Safety is a bigger consideration.

Over all I was looking at the two options and wondering which one would actually be the better driver.

[tahoedrew]

I live in Reno, drive around Tahoe nearly every weekend (beach in the summer and skiing in the winter). I moved from an '02 Subaru Legacy GT with dedicated snow/summer tires to my '11 S4 with Hakkapeliitta's for winter driving. I honestly feel the Subie was more sure-footed in the snow than the S4 is, though the S4 is WAY more fun to drive! I think you WILL lose some sure-footedness with all-season tires on the Outback (driving performance in snow went up considerably when I moved to a dedicated snow tire on the Subie), but as ichigoismyhomie says, the Subaru AWD system is pretty much bulletproof. Put some snow tires on that and I'd chose that every day if it's been dumping or dumping on your way up.

[Vanimal]

I'm curious how my DWS 06 tires will do this PA winter. I got through last season fine with pilot sport A/S 3 all seasons that were nearing the end of there life. I mean if it's shitty enough out I just won't go out just because I have a AWD car.

So far in heavy rain they have been rock solid. Good tires, the revised 06 model for a all season.

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[IceSilverS4]

I would go S4 because of the snow tires... both cars will have traction, possible problem will be cornering and braking performance in case of an emergency, where snow tire will outperform the all season tires, especially on low temperature and icy condition.

[Dr GP]

I'm curious how my DWS 06 tires will do this PA winter. I got through last season fine with pilot sport A/S 3 all seasons that were nearing the end of there life. I mean if it's shitty enough out I just won't go out just because I have a AWD car.

So far in heavy rain they have been rock solid. Good tires, the revised 06 model for a all season.

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I can tell you from experience, that they will do just fine. As long as you don't need to be the first one to the slopes on unplowed roads. Or there is over 12" of new fallen unplowed snow. Been running A/S tires on my S4s since 04 here in SE PA.

[SportVier]

Which is better for transporting the family in the West Coast snow-

1. 2013 stage 2 S4 with sports differential, manual transmission and Blissak snow tires
or
2. 2017 Subaru Outback with 3.6R engine and stock tires?

Is this a trick question?

[SDV325]

Even when I first bought my old 5spd 99 2.5RS it came with average all season Hankook tires, however the thing was unstoppable in the snow. Never had one issue ever on ice or snow. Loved the from and rear viscious LSD's, can rarely remember feeling a loss of traction or even the tires spinning. Then when i put PA3's on it, tank mode

Now my S4 has shitty sottozero serie II tires, utterly horrible in the winter. so many traction issues just because of the tires. PA4's are on the way for this winter. Im sure it will be a different answer after i get a feel for these tires but Subaru AWD all the way. One thing i noticed different is where my GC had 50/50 power distribution where the S4 is 60/40 i think. Found it can cause the back end to kick out a little too much at times instead of a pure controllable drift in the snow.

But again, good winter tires on the S4 and all could change.

[AudiDTMA4]

Tires > everything.

AWD doesn't help you stop.

[RudyH]

Ya tires matter over anything else. Heck I would go as far as saying a S4 /w a performance all season tire < Honda Accord /w snow tires in the snow / ice / slush etc

Last night we had a nice storm travelling back from Montreal, and the winter tires turned the S4 into a monster, it was so irritating having to be stuck behind people driving 40-60 km/h white knuckling it, while /w my X Ices I felt completely confident in the mess doing 120-130 km/h

[Nikolay PD]

S4 for the tyres! Otherwise the Sub with decent snow tyres is really good option! I think ur question is more rhetorical than pragmatical! Greetings!

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