RWD with good snows on....

[Manny]

Do you do it? How does it work out for ya?

If I am limiting the use to light snow and or crust, not heavy snowfall, will I be OK??

I can save about 6K and get some better features by passing on the AWD. Plus, my wifes got an SUV I can drive in heavy snow as she takes the T (sucker...but thems the breaks when you work in Boston and parking is 450 bucks a month)

[wylee]

Throw a few bags of tube sand in the trunk and you'll be set. My friend's BMW 325 was great in the snow.

[Thunderbisciut]

I've survived plenty of winters in rwd vehicles with all seasons

[butcher bergs]

While RWD is certainly "survivable" in New England, why not the comfort and control of AWD or even a 4WD?

Four driven wheels are where it's at when it comes to snowfall. Admittedly, I'm more into the fun-factor reasoning of it.

[GixerJockey]

Waste of time IMO. Sure, it can be done. Like if financially it was your only option.

My buddy sold his wife's 300C after owning it for one winter because the thing was totally useless as soon as a few flakes fell.

[Mondo]

drove my bmw 325ci coupe with sport package rwd all last winter with the factory tires on it. Its not to bad, with snow tires I woulda been good to go, but I was a poor college kid at the time.

Ive been driving rwd my whole life tho... (1990 5.0 mustang, 2003 Mustang cobra)

[Jayspeed]

Snow tires in light snow will do just fine. I have spare wheels and snow tires for all 4 wheels that I change over for the winter. I have no problems with my Mustang Gt(RWD). Before the snow tires, I had a hellava time. Got stuck several times. A good all season tire can work great too but its nothing like snow tires. And when I did have trouble in the snow, it wasn't the good all seasons that came with the car, it was these shitty replacements I had on it.

[SprintPoser]

I have two BMW's, obviously with RWD because there are no FWD Bimmers.

The '88 535i has 4 P195/70-R14 Nokian Hakkappeliita 2's and limited-slip differential. It's downright unreal in snow. I go looking for hills to try and fail me. So far, nothing slows me down...except the brakes.

The '02 530i has 4 P235/55-R17 snow tires of a European make I forget, but they're not Nokians. It also has the more-common open differential, no LSD. This car goes nowhere. A complete waste time to try and drive it until everything is plowed, and I'd better not park in anything slippery either, or it stays there.

I have a FWD company car now for winter, and the 535i is being gifted to my near-19 year old son. If I had to drive the 530i, I'd be putting P215/60-R17 Nokians on and crossing my fingers.

[KillBill]

My Dad has a G35 Coupe, obviously RWD and puts a set of 17" snows/alloys
on and makes a HUGE difference. Starting in 2nd gear helps too

I put snows on my 07' Altima and it's a tank - granted it's fwd

[mikeb]

if you can't get around in the winter with rwd you shouldn't be driving. growing up its all everybody had yet we still managed to get there. snow tires and a little weight in the back.

[SprintPoser]

The main reason the 530i has trouble is the lack of LSD, wide tires, and worn snow tires that aren't the best quality.

I had an '04 GTO and went through a winter on the stock BF Goodrich KDWS P245/45-R17's. Knowing when to kill the traction control and when to use it made all the difference.

I find the even weight distribution of the BMW's (and the GTO at 52/48) works better than weighting the back. It helps keep the back end from trying to become the front end.

[markbvt]

Your choice of snow tire is more important than your choice of drivetrain. Just throw a set of Hakkapeliittas on (all four wheels, don't do it half-assed and only put them on the drive wheels) and you'll be fine.

--mark

[OreoGaborio]

My old 325 and my 525i are both RWD cars and I had very few issues with them in ALL KINDS of bad weather. LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL FOR THE WIN! Shit, I had ultra high performance summer tires on my 525i when I got stuck behind a friggin 4-runner or something ON A HILL. I just let the clutch out and the car was able to claw its way past the 4-runner and eventually get all the way up the hill.


I'd MUCH rather drive a RWD car w/ a limited slip diff and decent snow tires in the snow than a FWD car w/ regular all-seasons. So much more controlable when the tires that steer aren't slipping.

Good snow tires are worth their weight in gold and Nokian makes AMAZING snow tires (I had a set of Nokian Hakkepeliitta's on my 325 and they were the BALLS). Granted, Nokian's are pricey, but they're totally worth it. Do some research on them.

[TheIglu]

I only needed to use my 4wd in my Tacoma one last year on my 15 mile commute. It was in the unpaved steep rocky section after a heavy snowfall. No weight in the back and I still had no issues 95% of the time in a 2wd pickup with AT's.

Nobody NEEDS AWD or 4wd to commute.

[seth399]

Back in the day I survived with a rwd s10 and a rwd chevy astrovan (tin can with rear wheel drive) so yes anyone can do it if you can in those death traps! Just drive slow and don't smash into me when it snows

[Crash Dummy Denno]

the man loves feedback, i will give him that...

[RandyO]

. So much more controlable when the tires that steer aren't slipping.

Good snow tires are worth their weight in gold and Nokian makes AMAZING snow tires (I had a set of Nokian Hakkepeliitta's on my 325 and they were the BALLS). Granted, Nokian's are pricey, but they're totally worth it. Do some research on them.

+

imho, front wheel drive SUCKS in the snow, even worse when you start going up hill and the weight shifts to the rear, the steeper the hill, the more weight that shifts

awd/4wd only gets people that can't drive stuck evenfurther in the snowbank

best car I ever owned in the snow was a Volvo 740 wagon, it had Blizzaks but I prefer Hakks myself

[Manny]

the man loves feedback, i will give him that...

+1 to that!

I am confident I will be fine with a good set of snows and a little patience.

Thanks for the replys.

[QuarterGig]

+1 on the volvo in the sno that is what i had in highschool it was great..

first real snowfall tak it ofer to an empty parking lot that is coverd in snow and drive aroud a bit to find the limit. break the rear end loose then let off the gas and fell it come right back into place..

if it is not a 4x4 i much prefer RWD myself.

[TheIglu]

+

imho, front wheel drive SUCKS in the snow, even worse when you start going up hill and the weight shifts to the rear, the steeper the hill, the more weight that shifts

awd/4wd only gets people that can't drive stuck evenfurther in the snowbank

best car I ever owned in the snow was a Volvo 740 wagon, it had Blizzaks but I prefer Hakks myself

I used to attack hills in reverse in my 1985 Accord. Best car I've ever owned (not necessarily in the snow, just in general)

[Stoneman]

Manny, did I not see where you said what you were getting?

[breakdirt916]

yes, I've done all-terrain tires on a 2wd/reg cab/open diff. ranger and you can absolutely use it for light snow

just stick to your claim to avoid heavy snow

personally, I was fine (and also excited) driving in any snow until I went up a long hill on route 9/shrewsbury, in heavy snow. If you go too slow up a hill in heavy snow, you're going to stop. If you go too fast, the back fishtails and you crash, so I was slowly losing speed trying to balance the truck from fishtailing and maintaining speed until it slowed (slid?) to a stop going up the hill. From there I had to drive back and forth (as fwd oldschool accords and sentras flew past me) until I could get enough traction to gain speed and resume driving

Manny, did I not see where you said what you were getting?

+1 are you doing this on a car or truck? if a truck, does it have LSD? regular cab?


and I think theiglu said it best a couple years ago:

You can't steer a FWD car in the snow? Since when? Last time I checked, you could just lift your lead foot off the gas and be all set....just like a RWD vehicle. Trying to steer while WOT spinning the drive tires is bad news in both instances. In FWD it's just more predictable, you just plain go straight. No ass end to come around on you.

I don't know what other magic trick there is for making RWD any better than FWD in the snow

[Manny]

Manny, did I not see where you said what you were getting?

Not 100% but prolly an infiniti g37s

[SVRACER01]

only used 4WD on the truck when necessary. usually in 2WD in the snow...no stupid sand bags either, just straight skill

[e30addict]

I have two BMW's, obviously with RWD because there are no FWD Bimmers.

The '88 535i has 4 P195/70-R14 Nokian Hakkappeliita 2's and limited-slip differential. It's downright unreal in snow. I go looking for hills to try and fail me. So far, nothing slows me down...except the brakes.

+1

Hakka 2's + Limited Slip + Old School Bimmer =

Slalom around SUV's like the rolling chicanes they are