driving in snow for the first time... help

[drbrock]

Hey guys,
I am going to blue ridge mountains for new years this year and I have never driven in snow. I was going to rent a car and was thinking if I should focus on getting an all wheel drive car.

Does it make that much of a difference? Or should I just purchase the insurance on a regular car and not be too concerned.

Thanks for your help!

 

[desy]

Tires make the difference, AWD will help in mountainous and curvy terrain
Just remember stopping distances take longer 'even longer w AWD cause its heavier' and don't use cruise on ice or snow, if pavement is peeking through no problem

 

[RedRooster]

Rental cars don't usually have snow tires on em. So if you're going into the mountains, I'd definately pay the extra and upgrade to an SUV.
You get into a foot of snow with a Toyota Camry on all seasons, you're gonna be there till spring.

 

[MotF Bane]

Take it easy on the gas, slow down for your turns, think your moves through a little bit more.

 

[drbrock]

thanks for the help it sounds like all wheel drive might help since will be doing a lot of mountain driving.

 

[*kjm]

Take it easy on the gas, slow down for your turns, think your moves through a little bit more.

:thumbsup:

That and increase your distance from the car in front of you. Remember there will also be wildlife that is more than happy to jump in front of your car:biggrin:

Just take your time and injoy the ride and you will be fine. Try to stay away from rear wheel drive also.

 

[Squisher]

Test your acceleration, braking, and turning before you need to. When starting out find an area without any obstacles, no traffic, no parking curbs, etc. and give it the gas until you lose traction, make a turn as sharp as the vehicle will bear, brake until the wheels lock up. Learn where the limits are before you need to know. All this can probably be accomplished at less than 5 mph. Not all snow is equal. Don't just assume that what looks like what you drove in yesterday is the same today.

 

[punjabiplaya]

how heavy snow do you expect to drive through? are the roads going to be plowed? pick up some chains too just in case.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Remember: 4WD/AWD gives you better traction. ALL cars have four wheel braking, so this is no better than any other car with four wheels, so don't get lulled into a false sense of security.

As others have said, test grip levels gently and remember that slow and steady wins the race.

 

[jlee]

Tires make the difference, AWD will help in mountainous and curvy terrain
Just remember stopping distances take longer 'even longer w AWD cause its heavier' and don't use cruise on ice or snow, if pavement is peeking through no problem

 

[kornphlake]

Don't be a hero, if you see other cars struggling to drive a stretch of highway, wait for the road to clear out before you make your attempt. Chances are the car you'll be driving won't have any more traction than the cars that are sliding backward down the road. The last thing you want is to be stuck with cars sliding all around, or sliding into a stuck car yourself.

If plows are clearing the road, try and stay behind a plow, they usually drop gravel behind to give extra traction, it gets pushed off to the sides of the roads pretty quickly, you don't have to be the car right behind a plow, but following within a few minutes of when a plow passes would be better than following a few hours after.

Unless I have to drive somewhere in snow I really prefer to just stay home and wait for the roads to clear. I've learned that the hard way though. I know there are people who can drive just about any vehicle just about anywhere in the snow, but they've had years of practice living in areas with long cold winters, they all insist on running studded tires...

 

[natto fire]

Remember: 4WD/AWD gives you better traction. ALL cars have four wheel braking, so this is no better than any other car with four wheels, so don't get lulled into a false sense of security.

As others have said, test grip levels gently and remember that slow and steady wins the race.

Number one tip right there. When I lived in Ohio, you would see AWD vehicles in the ditch more often than 2wd because of the security phenomenon. Tires are the number one variable in how a car handles, and this applies in any situation, from icy to dry roads.

Another thing to remember, especially if you started driving a long time ago, do not pump the brakes on ABS cars, as it will increase your stopping distance.

 

[Demo24]

Where exactly will you be driving?

 

[desy]

Stopping distances are longer 'because its slippery'
Stopping in a AWD vehicle is even longer because these are typically heavier vehicles and a lighter vehicle stops quicker than a heavier one when using the same tires.

Heavy blizzard here today and a short trip at lunch I watched 3, 4X4 trucks slide on through intersections,

 

[mmntech]

Rental cars don't usually have snow tires on em. So if you're going into the mountains, I'd definately pay the extra and upgrade to an SUV.
You get into a foot of snow with a Toyota Camry on all seasons, you're gonna be there till spring.

No they don't. Too costly. Id pay for the AWD SUV too. Mind you I've done it in a Mazda 6 but it was more icy than deep snow.

 

[sandorski]

Easy on the accelerator and brake. If you can't get an AWD, take a FWD. If you start sliding after Breaking on a corner/turn, stop breaking.

 

[drbrock]

Wow this a wealth of information. Thank you everyone. I will be driving from south florida(no Snow) through atlanta and then 2 hours north to the Blue Ridge mountains cabin.

 

[thegimp03]

What kind of car do you drive normally? A set of chains at your nearest tire dealer would run like $80-100 which would probably be cheaper than renting an SUV, plus you can use them in the future if you decide to make the trip again...

 

[drbrock]

I typically drive a nissan titan and a honda accord. If the titan was four wheel drive and did not get 11mpg I would take it up there. For about a 100-150 bucks I was just going to avoid putting miles on my cars and not have to worry about getting into a fender bender, with the rental insurance.

 

[MJinZ]

Driving in snow is fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGxEZ60E-nQ

 

[JulesMaximus]

Tires make the difference, AWD will help in mountainous and curvy terrain
Just remember stopping distances take longer 'even longer w AWD cause its heavier' and don't use cruise on ice or snow, if pavement is peeking through no problem

Just to clarify, AWD will make absolutely zero difference unless there is actually snow on the roads. Unless you are driving through a snow storm the roads should be clear. Most municipalities do a pretty good job of plowing and keeping the roads clear after a snow storm.

If you're driving through a snow storm...you might want to rethink your plans.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Rental cars don't usually have snow tires on em. So if you're going into the mountains, I'd definately pay the extra and upgrade to an SUV.
You get into a foot of snow with a Toyota Camry on all seasons, you're gonna be there till spring.

Rental cars don't usually have AWD either...especially not if he's renting it in Florida.

 

[MJinZ]

Just to clarify, AWD will make absolutely zero difference unless there is actually snow on the roads. Unless you are driving through a snow storm the roads should be clear. Most municipalities do a pretty good job of plowing and keeping the roads clear after a snow storm.

If you're driving through a snow storm...you might want to rethink your plans.

u forgot the ice

 

[JMapleton]

Best Advice about Snow:

Stop slowly and plan your stops far ahead of where you have to stop. You have to learn to deal with anti lock brakes which are both a gift and a curse. If you stop too fast, your anti lock brakes will kick in and you basically will not stop at all, but continue sliding.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Remember - it is called all wheel (or four wheel) drive - and it won't help you at all for stopping on a slick surface. Be easy with the brakes, keep a larger distance between you and the next vehicle, don't make sudden maneuvers either.

Antilock brakes are supposed to help you stop on a slick surface, help you maintain control of the vehicle instead of going into an uncontrolled slide by locking the brakes up. However, don't rely on them. Use a longer stopping distance with lighter brake usage.