passat in Snow

drcoopster

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Location
DFW
TDI
EcoDiesel
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.
Why would you choose take Loveland Pass (US-6 instead of I-70) in the middle of a particularly nasty and windy snowstorm? :confused:
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
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.
How many miles do you have on the Hankooks?
 

HDNERI

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SE 6MT
I am just coming up on the 20k service for my '13 that I have had since July.

As far as the Pass, I am not from CO so I think I may have mistaken the name for the pass. When I referred to Loveland Pass, I meant the tunnel. I am not sure what that is referred to...
 

drcoopster

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Location
DFW
TDI
EcoDiesel
I am just coming up on the 20k service for my '13 that I have had since July.
As far as the Pass, I am not from CO so I think I may have mistaken the name for the pass. When I referred to Loveland Pass, I meant the tunnel. I am not sure what that is referred to...
That's the Eisenhower Tunnel, typically referred to as the tunnel. :D

If you go through there sometime when the weather is good and the traffic isn't bad, take Loveland Pass. It's an alternate route around the Eisenhower Tunnel and a very scenic road. Heading to the west, you'll rejoin I-70 around Silverthorne. Heading to the east, you'll rejoin I-70 after the tunnel.



That little road you can see in the picture above is I-70.





The snow does stick around, though. This was mid-May of last year:

click above for large version
 
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HDNERI

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SE 6MT
I drove the actual Loveland Pass, coming from Denver, heading to A Basin over Thanksgiving. Incredible views! And definitely not a road I would like to be on during a owner dump with 70 mph winds.

Love the pictures btw!
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Nice pictures! I need to make it back out that way for some more exploring.
 

drcoopster

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Location
DFW
TDI
EcoDiesel
Where those taken with a DSLR?
The first three were taken with an older Olympus DSLR, the bottom one was a bunch of pictures taken with my cell phone that were stitched together with Photoshop into a panorama.
 

Softrockrenegade

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Location
Howellbama, NJ
TDI
None...2011 Golf DSG (replaced by VW W/) 2013 Passat SE 6M(bought back) Current 2017 sportwagen TSI 4Motion.
Getting hammered with the storm here today so I had some time to play on the back roads with the passat. The traction control works great , just goose it and it does it's thing and pulls you straight. The handcraps with 38k on them were adequate and over all I was impressed with its ability to track straight and how it manages the tcs and stability control. Do I wish it had a button to disable traction control , yes. Do I think it's necessary , not really. Just need to step on the go pedal and let it do it's thing.
 
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laminated

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Location
Canada
TDI
15 Sportwagen
as a fwiw, the plastic plate under the engine, isnt 100 percent tight, I took mine off this week to change the oil, and it had a fair amount of ice and snow in it
 

Softrockrenegade

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Location
Howellbama, NJ
TDI
None...2011 Golf DSG (replaced by VW W/) 2013 Passat SE 6M(bought back) Current 2017 sportwagen TSI 4Motion.
Well I have to change my opinion. I couldn't get into my garage after stopping to let the door open in 5 inches of heavy wet snow. The car completely cut power to the wheels after I stopped to let the door open and I ended up having to dig all the snow out from the front of my car to get it in the garage...total fail...
 

PassatSE4me

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Location
NW Indiana
TDI
2013 Passat SE 6MT
We had another dose of snow last night and I didn't have much trouble at all blasting through it on unplowed roads, Hankooks and all.

Traction control would kick in but didn't hinder progress, even from a complete stop.
 
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