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Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice
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DawnT
Nov 6, 09 8:54
Post #1 of 47 (679 views)
Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice
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We are on the lookout for a newish car. We have an opportunity to buy a used car from a very reliable friend-of-a-friend. However, it's a rear-wheel drive car and we live in Toronto. Is this a stupid move for us? I see all kinds of people who can't drive in the tiniest bit of snow and ice through the winter. Is that going to be me if we buy this car?
It won't be my primary car. It will be the one that DH uses to drive to work 3 times a week (the other days he works from home). I will be using it only occasionally.
Thoughts anyone?
jackmott
Nov 6, 09 8:56
Post #2 of 47 (673 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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i learned to drive in connecticut in the winter with a mustang GT.
The MAIN thing, if your roads aren't plowed well, is to use snow tires in the winter.
Sandbags in the trunk can be of help if getting up hills is a problem.
But, with snow tires you should be fine.
without, you will need to be skilled in the ways of oversteer.
In Reply To:
We are on the lookout for a newish car. We have an opportunity to buy a used car from a very reliable friend-of-a-friend. However, it's a rear-wheel drive car and we live in Toronto. Is this a stupid move for us? I see all kinds of people who can't drive in the tiniest bit of snow and ice through the winter. Is that going to be me if we buy this car?
It won't be my primary car. It will be the one that DH uses to drive to work 3 times a week (the other days he works from home). I will be using it only occasionally.
Thoughts anyone?
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Brick
Nov 6, 09 9:02
Post #3 of 47 (668 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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You will be fine.
The world had snow and ice and rear wheel drive cars for a very long time before the world had snow and ice and front wheel drive cars.
R10C
Nov 6, 09 9:07
Post #4 of 47 (663 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [Brick]
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Order up a set of Blizak's and you are set....no need for sandbags unless you are in a 1980's US car with a 90/10 weight distribution.
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f.k.a - Record9, Record9ti Record10, Record10ti, Record10Carbon, but not SuperRecord11 as there are no bar ends.
Ti T'war
Nov 6, 09 9:12
Post #5 of 47 (654 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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What the others said. Get some snow tires and you'll be fine. After the first snow go to the local big empty parking lot and make like a teenager. Learn how to counter steer and manage the gas in the slick stuff and a rear drive is no big deal.
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STP
Nov 6, 09 9:18
Post #6 of 47 (651 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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Tires are tires and they stick to the road the same in any street car. The only significant difference between front and rear wheel drive is what happens when the driver lets the drive wheels slip. Most front wheel drive cars will "push" in NASAR speak meaning the car will tend to keep going straight even if you want it to turn. Rear wheel drive cars will get "loose" meaning the back end will tend to want to come around. In either case, all you have to do is let off the gas and as long as you are not going too fast to begin with, traction will be restored and you will be on your way. Basically, if you have a front wheel drive car and you are going too fast on a slippery road, you will hit the tree head on. In a rear wheel car, you will spin out and hit the tree backwards. But, you are in the tree because you were driving too fast to begin with, the type of car just changes the type of accident you have. As long as you are paying attention, you can drive either in snow and be safe.
Front wheel drive can be a bit more forgiving for idiot drivers but if you really know how to drive, rear wheel cars are actually easier to control at the limits of traction. That's one reason you don't see too many front wheel drive race cars.
Tik
Nov 6, 09 9:37
Post #7 of 47 (639 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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Dawn
As others have pointed out rear wheel drive is not a big issue with the right tires. Especially today with traction control cars which help limit rear wheel spin.
I have a BMW rear wheel drive and put studded snow tires on in the winter in Idaho. The car drives great in the snow. The combination of tires and traction control are a big help.
If your looking at an older vehicle then you may run into issues but just need to slow down and be careful.
DawnT
Nov 6, 09 9:41
Post #8 of 47 (634 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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Thanks for the info everyone. You've really put my mind at ease about this. The car actually comes with 4 snow tires (as well as regular tires). It's a 2006 Infiniti G35. Looks to be a nice car and it gets a decent review from Consumer Reports.
Tiki
Nov 6, 09 9:46
Post #9 of 47 (631 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [STP]
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Basically, if you have a front wheel drive car and you are going too fast on a slippery road, you will hit the tree head on. In a rear wheel car, you will spin out and hit the tree backwards.
That is a fantastic summary.
My front wheel drive toyota went head first through a fence, while our rear wheel drive 69 Mustang spun sideways, caught the dry spot, then rolled on it's side. Nobody was hurt in either winter accident with youthful inexperience being the common denominator.
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"I will endure rain, cold, lack of showers and all discomfort until the finish. I will fix any mistakes, do whatever it takes and continue to the end." Lee "Fuzzy" Mitchell
just jack
Nov 6, 09 10:01
Post #10 of 47 (617 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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It's all about how you drive. My main car (work supplied) is a behemoth Ford sedan, V8, rear-wheel drive. And I live on the Front Range, so we get a fair amount of snow (just last week, we got dumped on .... 20+ inches ... biggest October snowstorm in my cities history). A rear-wheel drive isn't ideal in the snow, but if you drive intelligently you'll be fine. Also, snow tires (and tire chains when it gets real bad) make a world of difference. Because of my job, I drive in all weather conditions, with no exceptions. You make it work, and develop a feel for what the car can do (and what it can't).
One of the most important skills I've learned for snow driving is to be very light on the throttle. You don't want to spin the tires. If you spin the tires, you dig a trench and create ice, which quickly freezes. Which makes you stuck. When traction is at a premium, barely keep the engine above an idol in first gear. Also use common sense, avoid unplowed residential streets. Try not to drive through the deepest snow (obvious ... for obvious reasons). And if (when) you do get stuck, instead of gunning it, try to rock the car back and forth by going from reverse to first gear, until you get enough traction to start moving. Then, don't stop moving (no matter what direction you are going), until you are completely unstuck.
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STP
Nov 6, 09 10:04
Post #11 of 47 (615 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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2006 Infiniti G35
I'm pretty that has stability control and traction control as standard equiptment. You might still hit the tree if you are going too fast but as soon as the tires start to slip you'll have some serious computer power working the brakes trying to mimic a world class rally driver and save you right up until the end. All you have to do is meet the car half way and it will keep you out of trouble.
Khai
Nov 6, 09 10:06
Post #12 of 47 (610 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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Thanks for the info everyone. You've really put my mind at ease about this. The car actually comes with 4 snow tires (as well as regular tires). It's a 2006 Infiniti G35. Looks to be a nice car and it gets a decent review from Consumer Reports.
You'll be just fine in that. Just don't drive like a Vancouverite. :p
<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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gbot
Nov 6, 09 10:11
Post #13 of 47 (601 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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I wouldn't. RWD in the snow may be 'fine' but it will never be 'fun'. I love my FWD acura in the snow.
Brick
Nov 6, 09 10:11
Post #14 of 47 (600 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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The biggest problems I see in the winter are people with 4WD. They have such a blast being able to go, they forget that 4WD doesn't help them stop. Slow and smooth. Works in so many aspects of adult life. : )
Khai
Nov 6, 09 10:13
Post #15 of 47 (596 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [bravo 2 hundred]
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Then, don't stop moving (no matter what direction you are going), until you are completely unstuck.
This drives me up the freakin' wall. We don't see that much snow here in Vancouver, and most of the idiots on the road can barely drive under the best of circumstances - but really, I wish they'd all just stay home or take transit when the weather conditions exceed their capacity. Last year we had a lot of snow (for Vancouver). I got stuck and had to dig out a bunch of times, and each and every time it was because the asshole in front of me started to get bogged down or slid a little, freaked out, and stopped dead in his/her tracks. The conditions were completely drivable if you knew what you were doing, but every hill had scores of cars lined up and going nowhere because some assclown just stopped moving.
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MOP_Mike
Nov 6, 09 10:15
Post #16 of 47 (596 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [Record10Carbon]
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Order up a set of Blizak's and you are set....no need for sandbags unless you are in a 1980's US car with a 90/10 weight distribution.
...or a pickup truck. ;)
x2 on the Blizzaks. Of course, my set is on a Subaru, so I get to drive around lesser cars like a slalom course when it snows. ;)
"...Sometimes it's about getting the most speed out of the motor you have." -- Tom A.
TomNYC
Nov 6, 09 10:31
Post #17 of 47 (582 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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a) I second the snow tire comments
b) is it automatic or manual transmission?
c) DOES it have traction control?
I'm from the Snow Belt in Ohio and every car I've ever owned has been rear wheel drive (Nissan 200sx, Mustang, Infinity J30, Nissan 240sx, Mazda Miata, and couple of trucks) ... the only time I ever (EVER) had trouble driving in the snow was with an automatic. I've never had traction control so I don't know how much that would have helped ... but with an auto you have limited ability to modulate wheelspin ... which means a reduced ability to pilot the vehicle in bad conditions. It once got so bad in the J30 that I had to pull off the road and stay in a hotel when I encountered an unexpected snow storm driving through West Virginia ... the car would start to spin it's tires on the 5% grades when traveling at highway speeds ... as a result I kept going slower and slower until I was down to 35MPH getting blown off the road by tractor trailers ... I've never been more frightened by the conditions when driving ...
... I'd personally feel totally fine buying a G35 with a 6 speed and snow tires pretty much anywhere ...
... with snow tires and traction control you're probably fine as well.
DawnT
Nov 6, 09 10:41
Post #18 of 47 (573 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [TomNYC]
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It's got manual transmission (yippee!!). No idea about the traction control.
TomNYC
Nov 6, 09 10:54
Post #19 of 47 (568 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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then go for it!
Khai
Nov 6, 09 10:59
Post #20 of 47 (564 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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It's got manual transmission (yippee!!).
Slam dunk - you're golden.
<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
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tri_bri2
Nov 6, 09 12:26
Post #21 of 47 (540 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [STP]
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Very good synopsis. I grew up in Denver driving in rear wheel drive cars, but have driven front wheel drive in snow and ice. I actually prefer the RWD because you can control your skids with RWD much easier than FWD by counter-steering (counter-steering doesn't work with FWD.) I drove my wife's Mercury Grand Marquis on ice in Denver, and with the traction control, it was virtually impossible to break the rear wheels loose going around a corner. However, there are some instances where you need to turn the traction control off (which seems counter-intuitive) such as when you get stuck. The main trick is to learn out to start out on a hill on ice without breaking traction with your drive wheels--again, IMO, easier with RWD as the hill shifts some of the car weight to the rear wheels, whereas with FWD, the drive wheels are unweighted.
My favorite driving tactic was to go downhill in my VW Beetle on snow, turn the wheel a little to the right or left, them slam on the parking brake. You'd then do a complete 360, release the parking brake, counter-steer to get out of the spin, and then go on your merry way like nothing ever happened.
mfreeman72
Nov 6, 09 21:25
Post #22 of 47 (485 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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Sorry Dawn, I'll voice the the dissenting opinion here, based purely on the vehicle. My dad had a 2003 Infiniti G35 (in Toronto), and I insisted he buy snow tires. The old man may be pushing 70 but he's a pretty kick-ass driver, too.
He works downtown, and even with the snow tires, he started leaving his car at the office and taking the subway home if there was a snowfall. He was just scared, particularly going up the Yonge Street hill at Summerhill.
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Eagles may soar, but ferrets very seldom get sucked into jet engines.
CaptainCanada
Nov 6, 09 21:46
Post #23 of 47 (481 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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As with any car, tire quality and driving skill trumps all else.
Drive slow or crash worse than the Maple Leafs.
BWAhahahhahahhahahhahhahahhahhahhahh...
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Oliver Half, IMLP, IMC
turtleherder
Nov 7, 09 6:06
Post #24 of 47 (467 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [CaptainCanada]
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Go to www.tirerack.com and check out the winter tires. All you have to do is plug in the model of car and they will pick the best tires for it. They do extensive testing of different tires on different cares and really know their shit, or snow as the case may be.
prd
Nov 7, 09 6:22
Post #25 of 47 (462 views)
Re: Rear-wheel drive cars in areas with snow/ice [DawnT]
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Oh yeah get it! Rear wheel drive are so fun to do doughnuts with.
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