The old RWD with snow tire vs AWD with all seasons debate

[MCarsFan]

Disclaimer: This is not the GT350, but I dont see why the same wouldnt apply to GT350. I m considering adding snows for that car.

I have been driving RWD sports cars in cold northeast almost a decade now. I have been through "the dilemma" of should I use snow tires or should I get an AWD suv. I have considered Jeeps, trucks (even a raptor), honda pilot, x5, and you name it. In the end, I could never bring myself to drive a car like those simply because of 2 things : I despise the way they drive, corner, and stop. Big, bloated, and heavy. Makes me feel like the time I was obese (I really was at one point and took a lot of hard work to get in shape) and I couldnt go up a flight of stairs. The other reason is these big cars give the driver wrong sense of safety and superiority. You sit high and feel disconnected from the road. A smaller, nimbler, RWD car makes me much more careful driver and I pay attention to the road more.

Anyways, I have always run snow tires in my cars and I always have people come up to me (including family) and say "why dont you get a car that can handle the weather" or "how do you manage with a car like this in snow". Unfortunately most of these people are uneducated in this matter and always make me explain that a car with snow tires even in rwd form is far more effective than their 5500 lbs SUV that can turn into a death trap because its on all season tires.

You see part of the problem people never understand is, you cant win it all. There is no such thing as handling well in summer and dry pavement and then doing the same in snow using the same car and same tires. What people also miss many times or they just dont want to put up with is the right choice is usually the one that equals to the most amount of work/effort/money so they choose the easy way out.

I have experienced what I am about to post many many many times and every year I see the same stuff unfolding, but now that it happened fresh 10 minutes ago I wanted to come and post here:

- I woke up today to about 5 inches of snow. Weather temperature outside now is 25F without windchill and it was raining ice.
- I run snow tires on my M5. This is probably as bad as a car can get for snow. Its RWD. It has over 550 torque and 600 hp (bmw underrates the car) and that torque is there beginning 1500 rpm. I genuienly think gt350 would do much better because its stick shift and its not forced induction
- As I always do when it snows, I got my car out to drive around.
- Incident 1: One of those big ass buick suvs, the one with the ugly rear stop lights. The guy left his drive way (on a hill) and could not go up the road. He tried for 5 minutes various things. Car wouldnt move. He went backwards and parked the car on the side, couldnt even get back into his garage. My car was able to do a dead stop on that incline road and take off fine.
- Incident 2: Jeep grand cherokee. Made a right turn on the main road to a road that declines as it turns. He spun out 360 degrees. My car makes that turn fine.
- Incident 3: BMW X5. Stopped at a redlight thats on a hill. Couldnt go up. Kept sliding and almost hit me. I got out of my car and pushed his car to the side with 3 other people. My car went up the hill fine the very same moment.

Lesson: AWD is not going to save you in snow. Tires are more important than AWD. A RWD car with snows will be a much better car than a car with AWD and all seasons. AWD helps getting car going, it doesnt help handle better. Incident 2 is a perfect example of how lack of traction due to all seasons caused an AWD car to spin out.

I should say never but I ll say in this case. I will NEVER own an SUV. Even if I had no money and couldnt afford a sports car. I would still drive a small sedan or hatchback like focus or impreza. I dont care what anyone says!

I also cannot wait to try my GT350 next year with snow tires. I think this car will be amazing!

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[kart125]

AWD and snow tires is the only way to go for me. I even have studded tires. No need for an SUV, a good winter beater is a 4-6 year old Impreza with good winter tires... I've owned a C63 (RWD) with winter tires and it was just OK but not even close to my XWD Saab with studded Nokian Hakka's.

 

[wildcatgoal]

My Subaru Legacy even with all of the suspension/engine work would ROAST anything on Conti DWS A/S tires, let alone summer tires, in the snow. If I lived back up north, I'd only drive Subaru (or Audi if I wanted an oil burning POS).

 

[kz]

I did exactly what OP did. Instead of buying a beater AWD/4WD, I bought winter Blizzaks for Mustangs and I get to enjoy all year round.

Beside, winter tires aren't only for snow, they have superior traction in cold temperatures when it is dry as well.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Ultimately it probably always comes down to the tires.

. . . I could never bring myself to drive a car like those simply because of 2 things : I despise the way they drive, corner, and stop. Big, bloated, and heavy. <snip> The other reason is these big cars give the driver wrong sense of safety and superiority. You sit high and feel disconnected from the road. A smaller, nimbler, RWD car makes me much more careful driver and I pay attention to the road more.

I should say never but I ll say in this case. I will NEVER own an SUV. Even if I had no money and couldnt afford a sports car. I would still drive a small sedan or hatchback like focus or impreza. I dont care what anyone says!

For all the reasons above, plus at least one that you didn't, we've never even considered getting an SUV. And at this point I'm quite sure we'll be able to make that decision stick. Not gonna own a dynamically disadvantaged vehicle and end up spending good money driving something I know I'd hate :doh: :frusty: :headbonk: .

We have her Subaru LGT (2.5 turbo/6MT) to get us around in the poorer weather, which with us both being retired is something we can avoid having to do most of the time. And it's actually a decently fun car to drive in good weather. If I had to replace it now, the top name on a very short list would be spelled W R X.


Norm

 

[Epiphany]

I've lived not far from Buffalo since 1971. High horsepower, RWD cars, snow tires or not, are a terrible choice to drive in snow. An argument that awd or even 4wd vehicles aren't worthy because their drivers are morons is beyond silly. My wife drives a Lincoln awd vehicle that gets her to work no matter how bad it gets. I drive an aforementioned "Jeep" and pass V8, RWD, cars as they sit stuck or with their nose in a ditch almost every day of the winter here. And when I see a Mustang driving through the snow I stay far away.

 

[Siggy550]

How about AWD with snow tires? I'm trying to get my use out of the all-seasons that came with my 335i xDrive, they're actually doing ok in the snow. Good enough to use them until tread is down. Plan is to purchase some new wheels and summer tires and then winter tires to put on original 18" wheels for the winter, and swap accordingly. I've never used winter tires, but certainly believe I should be.

 

[Kurac]

A4 Quattro with snow tires.

 

[BmacIL]

I've lived not far from Buffalo since 1971. High horsepower, RWD cars, snow tires or not, are a terrible choice to drive in snow. An argument that awd or even 4wd vehicles aren't worthy because their drivers are morons is beyond silly. My wife drives a Lincoln awd vehicle that gets her to work no matter how bad it gets. I drive an aforementioned "Jeep" and pass V8, RWD, cars as they sit stuck or with their nose in a ditch almost every day of the winter here. And when I see a Mustang driving through the snow I stay far away.

Errrrm...k.

My Mustang is the most capable car I've owned in the snow when equipped with Blizzaks. This includes years of FWD on all-seasons and snow tires. The only time I'd ever be worried is for very heavy snowfall (>8" unplowed, rare even in Chicago) or very steep hills, which we don't have around here.

 

[8borerifle]

I have a 2011 Toyota 4Runner with new Blizzaks all around. I live in hilly country and wouldn't think of driving a rear wheel drive car in the snow or ice, no matter what tires! My 2015 Mustang will stay in the garage until the roads clear! The difference between Blizzaks to all season tires in a 4X4 is amazing!

 

[mustang1]

Aside from the tire debate, if you get a high end car out on the road when the weather is bad and the roads are cold and slick, someone in a junker might be running A/S tires and crash into your car.

 

[MCarsFan]

No question a AWD car with snows is the best way. But often times people in my situation or just average joe will say "hmmm should I get a winter beater awd or put snows on my rwd sports car". Hardly people will buy an awd and also put snows on.

Also when you see RWD V8s in a ditch, how do you know what tires were they running? I saw an X5 today as I mentioned who was practically in a ditch sideways and my car was fine.

The next M5 with AWD and blizzaks will be the best!

One thing I do not like about my car is the transmission and the fact that its forced induction. I hate the automatic tranny and too much torque down low is not very easy to handle. I think a stick shift car is far better in snow as you can modulate the clutch in those situations where you are sliding backwards as you can get it going right before it stalls whereas with a dct, thats not the case. Also the torque curve of an NA car is far superior in these situations. M5 takes a lot of practice and care to drive in these conditions.

 

[Epiphany]

Errrrm...k.

My Mustang is the most capable car I've owned in the snow when equipped with Blizzaks.

Ummmmm...riiiiiight.

 

[dgc333]

I've lived not far from Buffalo since 1971. High horsepower, RWD cars, snow tires or not, are a terrible choice to drive in snow. An argument that awd or even 4wd vehicles aren't worthy because their drivers are morons is beyond silly. My wife drives a Lincoln awd vehicle that gets her to work no matter how bad it gets. I drive an aforementioned "Jeep" and pass V8, RWD, cars as they sit stuck or with their nose in a ditch almost every day of the winter here. And when I see a Mustang driving through the snow I stay far away.

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/Tobphotobucket/media/Jeep/IMG_2973.jpg.html

I started driving in New England when most all vehicles were RWD and 4x4 vehicles were few and far between. Everyone got around just fine with RWD and everyone knew they needed winter tires (even if they didn't have them). The problem today is folks don't respect the road conditions and drive accordingly.

When I was in high school I plowed the local shopping center with a 2wd pickup never got stuck. During the Blizard of 78 when the roads were shut down the local police had me shuffling folks between police stations with my 2wd pickup. This was only possible because of the tires I had on the vehicle.

I have dedicated winter tires for my Mustang and I can tell you that it is significantly better in the snow and slop than the old beater 4x4 I have with All Terrain tires, the only thing the truck is better at is deep snow where the ground clearance gives it an advantage.

Tires make all the difference in the world when the roads are icy and snow covered. Bridgestone had a great commercial last year showing the advantage of there Blizzacks over all season. They had two tricycles one with all seasons and one with Blizzacks. They let people try to ride them around on a hockey rink. The all season equiped trike was almost un-rideable where the Bkizzak could be ridden with no slippage.

 

[firestarter2]

AWD doesnt help you stop or turn lol

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