passat in Snow

B00ST00 said:

Drove in the snow for the first time with my passat. Factory tires did fine, snow was 2" +/-.

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You're in Maryland, don't bother with snow tires.

motorhead426 said:

I have a very similar view of snow tires. I haven't driven in the winter without snow tires since 2000... And all the people I know that have never experienced them call me a "tire snob." My response is always "you just proved your ignorance to me..."
The people that do listen, never go back to all season tires in the winter. Now I'm on the fence... when my car arrives (on order) this month, can I make it through 2 months without snow tires? Or do I bite the bullet and try to find snow tires?

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Yeah, this is a religious argument. Some people will never be convinced.

Instead arguing we are less skilled for using a "crutch" to compensate for our lack of ability. I've driven nearly 2 million miles, 1/4 of that in snow. 1/2 of the snow miles towing a trailer behind a 4x4 pickup (with Hakka's).

I have no lack of skill, I just appreciate the value of being prepared.

My mother-in-law was the biggest convert. She had a slight grade at the end of her driveway, about 3 car lengths long. Her EOS would not get up it if you had to stop for traffic. She finally called me, admitting defeat. I put a set of Winterforce tires on it (which admittedly are junk). She described it as if I had thrown a switch on the car - now it had traction.

I regularly travel to Europe, particularly The Netherlands and Germany. Snow tires are part of the culture there. Even on rental cars. If you do not have snow tires on your car, you will not have insurance coverage in an accident. I love it when their techs travel here. Just before Christmas a colleague from Amsterdam was here. It was fantastic to hear him tell someone else in our plant "All season tires are good in no season."

My neighbor (who drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee at the time) borrowed our Dodge Caravan (FWD) with Hakka R1's to run into town. She arrived back at our house convinced the van was AWD! I'll never forget the look on her face when I told her it was not.

Enough for now. Gotta do some work.....

Often times, people think snow tires ONLY benefit you when driving through snow itself. They fail to realize that they provide excellent traction when the temperature is below 40F, which gives you safer starts and stops in the cold, even without snow.

Most people can get by with All Seasons...I did it for 11 years on my 2002 Passat. I put snow tires on my 2013 Passat TDI (General Altimax Arctics' on 16" Momo Winter 2 Tires), and it's fantastic. I won't ever go without snow tires again on a passenger car in Michigan. It really makes a big difference.

This past week it was snowing like crazy, on Wednesday we got about 6 inches of snow during the day and we ran a bunch of errands. We took my Passat with snow tires over my wife's 2012 4WD Dodge Durango. That should speak volumes.

drcoopster said:

You're in Maryland, don't bother with snow tires.

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Agreed, if its that bad and I need to go somewhere I would use my truck.

B00ST00 said:

Agreed, if its that bad and I need to go somewhere I would use my truck.

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A fird Escort could not make it up a slight hill here on Friday, I made it with no issue with my Altimax Artics, it is well worth it because many around here can not drive, On the ramp to 295 N/BW Parkway, it was not totally clear and a Ford Exploder was going very slow and was going off the road, again I had no issue

A lot depends on driving habits but a rule of thumb in the DC metro area is people lack the experience and confidence to drive in the snow. I live in W. MD where we see a little more snow but nothing like up north.

I know snow tires have their place but i will not be installing any on this car bc I have a 4wd truck if it gets bad enough.


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4 wheel drive doesn't mean 4 wheel stop ....

Softrockrenegade said:

4 wheel drive doesn't mean 4 wheel stop ....

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Ok?


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Softrockrenegade said:

4 wheel drive doesn't mean 4 wheel stop ....

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Unless one of the brakes isn't working, 4 wheels means 4 wheel stop.

I think he meant just bc you have 4wd doesn't mean your going to stop any sooner than a 2wd. Definitely a fact


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Yup, we have had 4 wheel brakes forever! 4wd just gets you to the accident quicker . . .

- Tim

Passats IMO are horrible in the snow. I just ordered blizzak tires will be in on thur. I will let you know my side of opinion on those.

the wide 18" stock tires were a bit of a handful in the wet slop, but my 16" snow tires are quite good. I found myself going 60 on packed power with ease- As for 4wd, the only time it helps me stop is in freezing rain when my rear drums on my ageing trucks like to "grab" and lockup to quick. the 4wd transfers this over braking between all wheels.
As for modern cars with ABS, zero advantages with stopping.

My 2013 Passat TDI with my General Altimax Arctic's is brilliant in the snow. Best car ever in the snow that I have ever owned. The extra weight of the TDI engine, the lower torque powerband and the tires all combine to make an excellent winter car. Today, after getting 10 inches of snow, instead of taking my wife's 4wd Durango to work, I took the Passat. No regrets.

How is the DSG in the snow? I've yet to really "try out" ours in the slippy stuff yet.

-J

I've got no complaints at all with my DSG and snow. My previous car was a 5 speed 2002 Passat GLX.

Funny, everyone goes to the "4wd truck" position.

I also have a 4wd truck, but it does not have snow tires, instead it has Falken A/T tires.

My go-to car for driving in the snow will invariably be one of my Subaru Foresters (with snow tires). The truck will get you through deep deep snow, but it is so big and has a lot of inertia. You can throw the Subarus around very easily, they don't have the length or mass my truck has, so they never get so far out of shape that you can't bring 'em back around.

I am very happy with the Passat now that I got the 4 Hakka R2's - but the Subies still the car to have.

I also recommend the Subaru over any other AWD/4WD. The Explorer I drove this weekend was as inept in driving over hardened snow as my Passat, albeit it had more power to give me the warm+fuzzies.

I have never had an issue with my Dodge CTD whether it's a dusting or a blizzard. I'd much rather be in it than any AWD car. Ground clearance, weight and safety are all things I consider.


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I wasn't aware that Maryland got blizzards.

I tried to drive in to Buffalo this morning - that was a blizzard!

Few years ago we had a couple back to back, definitely not the norm around here.


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TDI2000Zim said:

I also recommend the Subaru over any other AWD/4WD.

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I guess you've never driven a first generation Quattro Audi with locking differentials



-J

Nice 8 bit paint job!

Audi Quattro also good.

I have been driving my B7 A4 quattro in Toronto for almost 6 years now. I use dunlop winter sport 3Ds and love the way it handles. I never ever got it stuck. It was my only car and I drove it everywhere until I got the NMS which is now my DD. I used to hope for snow in winter, just so I can drive and test the quattro.

Even coming from quattro as a DD, the NMS is perfectly fine in the snow with winter tires. The one thing I miss is being able to mash the gas from stop on a wet road and never spinning the wheels, I can't feel that same torque in the NMS until I get moving first. I got to get used to FWD, no more smoking corvettes from stop on a wet road lol

Going into my 3rd year on 215-65-16 Altimax tires (one over size, gives me a bit more ground clearance) on my 2012 TDI Passat and I have to say they are among the very best winter tires I have ever used and we use a lot of winter tires up here.

compu_85 said:

I guess you've never driven a first generation Quattro Audi with locking differentials

-J

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I miss the invisible Audi. What a beast that car was. We even managed to get 28 MPG out of it once!

50pascals said:

I wasn't aware that Maryland got blizzards.

I tried to drive in to Buffalo this morning - that was a blizzard!

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winter 2009/2010 multiple
plenty in the 90's also

Added Michelin X-Ice Xi3 (225/50R18) last weekend, just in time for the arctic blast and days of snow. Drove from Chicagoland to St. Louis and back last week definitley makes the NMS feel much more stable on packed ice and snow. BTW, Tire rack rocks! Ordered on the 1st and the mounted and balanced tires/wheels were in my garage on the 3rd , I was rather amazed since the order indicated that the delivery would be the 7th.

I'm not sure what the people who are complaining about the 17" Hancooks are talking about. I live in Wisconsin and have found it to be very docile on icy roads at speed, in town the only frustration is the lack of ability to turn the TC off when I am trying to start on a hill.

Friday night I drove from Vail to Denver during a particularly nasty and windy snowstorm that left packed snow and icy roads for 2/3rds of both Vail and Loveland passes. I was honestly quite surprised as their ability to handle in those conditions at speed. Granted, I pride in my ability to use my knowledge of the cars abilities to drive on the edge of traction potential, but the tires had no problem going 40 around and icy 50mph turn going downhill while coasting in gear.