Rear wheel drive and snow

[the_boy]

Not sure the O/p has the finesse for doing that. ^^

Oi!! I resemble that remark!

Edit:
Just reminded me of the problems I had getting into work last year. Our car park has a security barrier so you have to stop / flash your badge and then restart. It's also on an incline.
There were a few cars that needed pushing in that year I can tell you.

 

[219]

Some of us need them to get the power down

My wheels were supplied by MB for the car as an OEM option.

Big tyres can be good on dry roads , but as the conditions deteriorate , you need to downsize .

 

[nick mercedes]

I have only owned a handful of FWD cars in my lifetime

Aren't you a FWD van driver?

"had a puncture last night in the works van . A blizzard developed on the way home with heavy snow falling and reflecting back in the headlamps like flak rushing towards my windscreen so that I could barely see where I was going"

 

[219]

Aren't you a FWD van driver?

"had a puncture last night in the works van . A blizzard developed on the way home with heavy snow falling and reflecting back in the headlamps like flak rushing towards my windscreen so that I could barely see where I was going"

And I HATE driving the horrible thing - it is rubbish in bad weather ! Most of the vans I have driven in my working life have been RWD Mercedes ( 208D's , Sprinters ) and RWD VW LT vans .

Much safer in a nice , reliable Mercedes

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Oi!! I resemble that remark!

Edit:
Just reminded me of the problems I had getting into work last year. Our car park has a security barrier so you have to stop / flash your badge and then restart. It's also on an incline.
There were a few cars that needed pushing in that year I can tell you.

A few years ago I had a very similar experience in my C32 AMG. I had to leave it on the drive for days as it was a liability in the snow - choosing to use Mrs D's ML to get to work.

Life before winter tyres...

When the main roads were in better shape, I took the plunge letting gravity get me out of the thick stuff and on to a treated road (we live at the top of a hill), and setting off super early so I didn't have to lose momentum for other traffic I finally got to work.

I made it through the security barriers but sat there as I couldn't make it up the super subtle incline on the other side. I sat in Drive with my feet clear of the pedals, and the wheels were spinning but the car was stationary.

I had to turn around go home, and abandon my car in the village as it wouldn't get back up the hill.

Life after winter tyres...

I just drive to work. And then park. And then take people out for a drive at lunch time looking for really thick snow, because they're intrigued about winter tyres but don't believe the hype. They do now.

I 'only' have 354PS but it's not a problem at all. With winter tyres that is.

 

[Markedes]

I'm sure I said that

 

[nick mercedes]

And I HATE driving the horrible thing - it is rubbish in bad weather ! Most of the vans I have driven in my working life have been RWD Mercedes ( 208D's , Sprinters ) and RWD VW LT vans .

Much safer in a nice , reliable Mercedes

Unladen a FWD van should romp through the snow, I know mine did, meanwhile a bloke up the road in a Sprinter had terrible problems with just going up a slight incline.

 

[Dieselman]

I 'only' have 354PS but it's not a problem at all.

The Holy Grail.... Do not go past 354 bhp...

 

[Borys]

Winter tyres,winter mode on auto box - no probs.Haevier car better on snow.I come from country where winter goes up to minus 25.Always driven rwd,nover got stuck.
Horse power - it is impossible to have such a power as amg for fwd without problems.
Nascar,formula one - how those handle? They R rwd right?
AMG is made to perform thats why they cost what they cost - awsome machines!!!!!

 

[nick mercedes]

Nascar,formula one - how those handle? They R rwd right

They don't do it in the snow though, more entertaining if they did....

 

[Borys]

That would be fun

 

[Igurisu]

All big RWD cars are usless in the snow (snow tyres or not)

But it hardly ever snows in blighty anyway.

Get a cheepo FWD car for the snowy days and for when you're sick of 15mpg...

Nick, you fitted winter tyres and found then to be useless? Or some kind of generalisation? Just wondering if you are speaking from experience.

 

[LTD]

Delicate feet and delicate hands make driving in poor conditions a lot easier.

Unfortunately most of us do not experience bad weather for long enough to learn and end up getting stuck due to other road user's inabilities.

 

[Rory]

How bad? Now let me see. Bad, very bad, plain scary?? Probably so, but no worse I wouldn't have thought than BMs.

A colleague of mine switched from a 5 Series to an E Class estate last year and said he couldn't believe how useless the MB was - even in the bad winter the year before he'd been able to get around in the BMW but the MB was undriveable.

Obviously there's winter tyres - we know this as another colleague in Finland has an E Class, but he assumed if the BMW was OK, then the MB would be too.

(I've put winter tyres on wifey's Honda Jazz today )

 

[artyman]

Last time I drove a RWD in snow was 25 years ago, made it up some hills but was beaten by the three foot snowdrift blocking further progress. ONly driven the Merc on icy relatively flat side roads before reaching gritted main roads. Didn't seem too much different to my previous FWD, just drive sensibly according to conditions. and I didn't have winter tyres either. That said if snow was a regular feature in the south I guess I would consider fitting winter tyres.

 

[Rory]

I sat in Drive with my feet clear of the pedals, and the wheels were spinning but the car was stationary.

Presumeably, unless the car has a limited slip diff, it's just one wheel that's spinning? I wonder if you could control that by gently applying the "hand"brake?

 

[Mercy1]

I am speaking from personal experience of both marques. Over the years, I drove four BMWs and in the snow they were truly scary (winter tyres were unheard of in those days). My wife wouldn't take those cars out in snow. When I changed to MBs, I didn't expect them to be any better - and they aren't!
(Having said that, never pranged any car in snow - so must be doing something right!!)

 

[Dryce]

Presumeably, unless the car has a limited slip diff, it's just one wheel that's spinning? I wonder if you could control that by gently applying the "hand"brake?

Possibly if the handbrake stops the wheel that lets go from spinning as much the one on the other side will get a chance to turn a bit.

Do some kinds of ESP not actually help a bit in teh same way. Braking the spinning wheel gives the other side a chance.

 

[219]

Unladen a FWD van should romp through the snow, I know mine did, meanwhile a bloke up the road in a Sprinter had terrible problems with just going up a slight incline.

Don't get a Corsa Combi then .

Also , an unladen van is a pointless thing : vans are for carrying goods around and the Merc vans are at their best with a load in the back .

 

[JohnDeere8530]

all rwd cars are not good in snow end of.. Go and buy a £1.5k s 2003 subaru outback with about 100k on clock

Being subaru it will be as reliable (you will never need to touch them) and with a true 4wd system will go more or less anythwhere.. These cars are built for such conditions and are superb in it. I own one purely for driving in snow, ice and tip runs. Absolutely perfect for all three, why risk someone damaging a decent merc in slippery conditions. Zero deprecition so wont cost a lot