In snow, what would Oppo drive?

"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535) 01/04/2017 at 15:01 • Filed to: None

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Our roads had 3-4" of snow on the ground this morning. My city doesn’t use de-icer, I don’t think it uses sand, and I think we have a total of 1 snow plow.

So when faced with my 3 mile drive to work, I debated: manual 944 or auto 535i. They have equally ill suited all season tires for the conditions. The only safety feature that comes to mind between the two is that the 535i has ABS. Pretty sure neither have an LSD, although I’m less certain about the 535i.

Ultimately, I chose the 535i because i would be less bummed if I hurt it, I thought the auto would be better for starting at what quickly become icy intersections, and if I catch a ride home with my wife, I care less that it sits in a downtown parking lot.

My wife went to work first this morning before I was up and no surprise, chose a car with AWD and more suitable tires(some sort of toyos that are 3 season but have been awesome in the winter).

ttyymmnn > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:06

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TheHondaBro > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:07

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I would probably drive my Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Horizon Edition.

jimz > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:09

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I have Winterforce UVs on my 4x4 Ranger. borderline unstoppable.

E90M3 > TheHondaBro 01/04/2017 at 15:09

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It’s that what you’re calling the Honda these days.

TheHondaBro > E90M3 01/04/2017 at 15:10

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IT gives me a VTEC skills boost!!

Wait, shit...

Scott > ttyymmnn 01/04/2017 at 15:12

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Your reasoning is probably the best. One thing though, Manual transmissions are great in snow. The Engine works as a sort of basic ABS. Well right up until you have to press the clutch.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:13

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Party-vi > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:22

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http://bimmer.work/

Go here ^, type the last 7 of your VIN and you should get your buildsheet/options for your 5er.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:24

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my WRX was a lot of fun in the snow

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:24

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Manual is always better in the ice/snow. If you ever have to make it up a steep hill, being able to slip the clutch a bit helps with finding traction. Obviously doing that too much is bad for the clutch but I have gotten out of some jams with that method. ABS also is unhelpful in the snow, it normally makes stopping worse/take longer (albeit safer since you are less likely to spin). Whichever car has the best tires would be my go to solution. AS tires with tread certainly beat AS tires with no tread lol.

X37.9XXS > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:27

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Easiest question I will get all day

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > TheHondaBro 01/04/2017 at 15:29

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One of the guys in my shop got an actual C63 stuck in the snow downtown last winter. Not the best in those conditions

awmaster10 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:32

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300hp 300tq AWD wagon with a stick. Next question?

Mercedes Streeter > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:40

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I take Tucker.

Phil is better in the snow than Tucker, however I like Tucker more because somehow that car can find traction in any weather condition. And when it can’t, I’m always a couple button presses away from turning off traction control and taking matters into my own hands. The nannies in Phil are more aggressive and harder to turn off.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:42

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I’m in Springfield and spun out twice in two blocks. Luckily no one was on the road. It doesn’t help that I drive around in an empty full size cargo van. I got it back home safely and stayed home for the day, maybe tomorrow as well.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Party-vi 01/04/2017 at 15:46

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Why thank you.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition 01/04/2017 at 15:47

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To answer your question. I miss my WRX wagon with Blizzaks for the winter. Good news though I’m picking up another WRX in Feb, a 100% stock black bugeye wagon.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > awmaster10 01/04/2017 at 15:48

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My neighbor has one of these in black, and I’m so jealous of it. Its such a good looking wagon.

awmaster10 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 15:49

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The first generation might even be more handsome, but is just not nearly as fast. They are so unique and beautiful, especially with dark exterior and this interior:

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition 01/04/2017 at 15:50

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My daughters day care closes whenever the schools do, so I stayed home 3 days in December, and then went on vacation. So, my time off is very lowand no matter what, I was getting to work.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/04/2017 at 15:54

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Interesting take on the manual being better. It makes sense, I could also see the modulation of speed from engine braking being preferable in the snow. Maybe tonight I’ll take the 944 around the block to see if it feels better.

By next year I’m hoping to have two sets of wheels and tires for the 944 to solve this conundrum.

TheRealBicycleBuck > ttyymmnn 01/04/2017 at 15:58

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Poor horse. I don’t think beating him helped.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > awmaster10 01/04/2017 at 15:59

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That interior is fan-tas-tic.

And I get why people like the first gen, but to my eye, the second gen is much better the way it slightly rounds off the boxy-ness.

awmaster10 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 16:00

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yeah, the volvo corporate face has evolved throughout the years but always looked amazing. SUCH an underrated brand in terms of understated, german looking styling.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 16:14

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The obligatory answer.

Justin Hughes > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 17:04

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My year round daily driver. Throw some snow tires on the stock wheels (dipped to go with World Rally Blue) and away we go. For a really good time, turn off traction and stability control. :D

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 18:37

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I disagree. The only thing slipping the clutch does is reduce the transmission of power to the wheels. The throttle is not an on-off switch in either vehicle, and you can use it to do the same. Automatics are much better at delivering power most slowly and linearly, which is what you want in a low-traction situation. I also will point out that engine braking is not always the best in low-traction situations, because if things go south you need to be able to reduce braking immediately, and be able to modulate it, much like ABS does. I also find that the standard way braking with ABS is taught, just pushing hard and holding the foot down, is not very effective, and I would brake the same way as I would without ABS, so the ABS isn’t alternating between jammed-on-locked-up and unlocked completely (although this may be less the case with modern vehicles than it was with early ABS implementations).

Ultimately my decision would have more to do with tire selection and suitability of purpose required of it than anything else, just like a regular day. Short of comparing the two side-by-side in the same conditions it’s really a toss-up. To be honest my preference for driving in low-traction has more to do with how the vehicle responds to being sideways than it does with most other factors... as such I always would end up driving a truck in 2wd at work over the FWD minivan, even if it did mean a bit more tailhappiness, because the minivan understeered like a pig, as did the truck in 4x4. In a move that confused everyone I also moved the better tires onto the front of the truck... for some reason people didn’t understand how I preferred being able to steer, and if I really needed the extra traction of the better tires for acceleration or deeper snow, I’d just put it in 4x4 anyhow.

MM54 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/04/2017 at 19:06

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Interestingly enough I have been in the snow in an automatic e34 and a manual 944, though the 944 didn’t have snow tires. I think you made the right choice with the e34, though the 944 may have been more fun.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > MM54 01/04/2017 at 20:53

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Ehh, on empty roads fun would be a good goal. On my stop light ridden commute, then slow and steady is fine.

I am hoping to get snow tires for the 944 for next year.

Tazio, Count Fouroff > ttyymmnn 01/05/2017 at 01:14

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Interesting historic video — thanks

Beside the point, true, but that’s right — the poor, poor horse. It was trying its absolute hardest in this revolting display of abysmal (actually, absent) horsemanship. After you get their attention and let them know you’re in earnest, beyond that, they can only do what they can do.

The worst part is, that won’t have been the only time he treated the poor animal that way and not the only horse he did that to. Hopefully it had a good rest of its life somewhere else. *sighs*

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 01/05/2017 at 07:27

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I enjoy how confused people get at the importance of steering. I go skiing a lot so I spend a lot of time in areas that people deal with snow all the time. It is interesting how much people think of AWD/4WD being absolutely necessary but then run AS tires or just snows on the drive wheels. Turning/braking are all that really matter, finding traction to get going is the easy part. You could even manage that part with summer tires!