Audi Q5 Snow = QUATTRO!

[aNOBLEman]

I think that winter tires are a great idea.

I thought that part of being a "car guy" was taking care to be safe and drive well - winter tires make a lot of sense. They are a few hundred bucks, but can they not last several years? I have seen some data on stopping distances with and without winter tires, and there is no comparison. No matter how safe you drive, there are certain things you can't anticipate and having winter tires in winter, when there can be a lot of snow... It is just the thing to do.

In fact, I have heard that AWD is nowhere near as beneficial as snow tires when it comes to winter driving safety.

They are a good idea, yes, but I simply cannot afford to spend that amount of money on tires when I have rent to pay and food to buy. Here in Indiana we rarely get a ton of snow and where I'm living the roads get quickly plowed. Having said that, I know that snow tires are a big help and when I get out of school I'll be getting some if I live in an area that sees snow, but right now I'll have to stick with driving safely.

[ScionDriver]

They are a good idea, yes, but I simply cannot afford to spend that amount of money on tires when I have rent to pay and food to buy. Here in Indiana we rarely get a ton of snow and where I'm living the roads get quickly plowed. Having said that, I know that snow tires are a big help and when I get out of school I'll be getting some if I live in an area that sees snow, but right now I'll have to stick with driving safely.

Man I'm with you, I live in the Midwest, but being fresh out of college I can't afford snow tires. I do wish I had them, as my Scion isn't suited for a lot of snow but I did manage to get through to this blizzard and up and down the hill I live on in the snow to get to work.

I think a lot of winter driving is just how you do it. I drove slow, knew my car's limits and made sure to have extra stopping distance since my car doesn't have snow tires. Sure I skidded around and slid here and there and struggled to get to the top of the hill by my house but I made it. I didn't need to big fancy AWD system or anything.

[csl177]

No envy for you guys that have to deal with snow and ice. Most frightening thing I ever had to do behind the wheel was drive an unloaded 18 wheeler from Cincinatti through Eastern Tennessee during weather not that different from this year's. Sleet & black ice? Park it.
In graduate school I had a VW bus with recaps, and Raleigh got socked in with a major snowstorm. Then it snowed two more days... just unheard of. Folks in the south simply aren't prepared when that happens, so no street clearing equipment to help. For almost a week it seemed we were the only people in our neighborhood that could drive anywhere. Slowly, in a bus with no heat.

[aNOBLEman]

Man I'm with you, I live in the Midwest, but being fresh out of college I can't afford snow tires. I do wish I had them, as my Scion isn't suited for a lot of snow but I did manage to get through to this blizzard and up and down the hill I live on in the snow to get to work.

I think a lot of winter driving is just how you do it. I drove slow, knew my car's limits and made sure to have extra stopping distance since my car doesn't have snow tires. Sure I skidded around and slid here and there and struggled to get to the top of the hill by my house but I made it. I didn't need to big fancy AWD system or anything.

Yea, I've been able to get around in the blizzard ok as well. The most trouble I've had with it is trying to get in and out of parking spaces in my apartment complex because most kids who have SUVs or trucks (the majority of kids at my apartment complex apparently) are too lazy to shovel out the snow and just back over the drifts instead, forcing us with cars to clear them.

[BlueSubaruSTi]

Haha sorry I missed the point of being on my high horse in the first place. I meant to say that even will the equipment I'm dealing with I don't drive as you described yourself in your first thread. I'm just trying to chisel through to you that you shouldn't drive that way, and especially not if you aren't on the proper tires.

When you're rolling around in some over 2 ton sub with nice audi rings on it you can forget that you're entire family can be gone in a flash in a 35mph head on.

[ScionDriver]

Yea, I've been able to get around in the blizzard ok as well. The most trouble I've had with it is trying to get in and out of parking spaces in my apartment complex because most kids who have SUVs or trucks (the majority of kids at my apartment complex apparently) are too lazy to shovel out the snow and just back over the drifts instead, forcing us with cars to clear them.

Yeah that sucks. My landlord dug my car out for me, even when I just asked to borrow a shovel so I could do it! Then while I was at work he plowed out the spaces we park our cars. It was awesome!! I made sure to give him my rent check early! lol

[Clivey]

I am.

I drive an Audi.

At least it's not a 4-cylinder diesel in "depression grey" with a bodykit and drug dealer wheels. Always remember: It could be worse!

[Ferrer]

And it could be an automatic, four wheel drive. Fortunately it is from a time before stupid bodykits and massive drug dealer wheels, so all is well in that aspect. In anycase, it still doesn't have any handling at all.

It is fast, though.

[Clivey]

And it could be an automatic, four wheel drive. Fortunately it is from a time before stupid bodykits and massive drug dealer wheels, so all is well in that aspect. In anycase, it still doesn't have any handling at all.

I'd prefer AWD to FWD, but only if it sent 50>% power to the rear. FWD is for shopping cars and hot hatches...but it has no place in a sporty saloon or performance car.

It is fast, though.

Ah, but wouldn't you rather have an E36 328i?

- Just winding you up mate!

[Ferrer]

I'd prefer AWD to FWD, but only if it sent 50>% power to the rear. FWD is for shopping cars and hot hatches...but it has no place in a sporty saloon or performance car.

I prefer the simpler front wheel drive, if the chasis is well set up. Most of the time four wheel drive makes no difference at all, and certainly not worth the extra complexity and weight. Four wheel drive is a cheap, fake substitute for proper rear wheel drive. And Audi's four wheel drive is specially useless.

Ah, but wouldn't you rather have an E36 328i?

- Just winding you up mate!

Yes. But there was no available.

I've seen an impecable 1995 XJR for sale. It's 7.900 €.

What a shame I can't afford and it wouldn't fit in the garage.

[MRR]

I prefer the simpler front wheel drive, if the chasis is well set up. Most of the time four wheel drive makes no difference at all, and certainly not worth the extra complexity and weight. Four wheel drive is a cheap, fake substitute for proper rear wheel drive. And Audi's four wheel drive is specially useless.

Yes. But there was no available.

I've seen an impecable 1995 XJR for sale. It's 7.900 €.

What a shame I can't afford and it wouldn't fit in the garage.

I dunno ive gotten stuck in enough unexpected snow in my 330 over the past couple of years that having a second vehicle with a real 4wd system wouldn't be so bad.

[Ferrer]

Don't worry. In Catalunya it hardly snows at all.

I reckon that if you live somewhere where slippery surfaces are a problem, four wheel drive can be useful and help you. However, when we went to Sweden in the winter our front wheel drive Volvo managed just fine, with studded tyres. So probably tyres are more important than the drive system, altough I could agree that every little bit helps.

[Clivey]

I prefer the simpler front wheel drive, if the chasis is well set up.

Of course, if a car's chassis is well set-up, it can drive better than another car with a, shall we say, "preferable" layout.

Most of the time four wheel drive makes no difference at all, and certainly not worth the extra complexity and weight.

Most of the time, RWD makes no difference at all either...but it's still worth it for the small percentage of the time that it does.

Four wheel drive is a cheap, fake substitute for proper rear wheel drive. And Audi's four wheel drive is specially useless.

In the case of Audi's last-generation Haldex systems (that only send a maximum of 40% of the engine's power to the rear wheels), you're absolutely right. Their Torsen systems are better though. I just wish their cars all handled like the R8!

I've seen an impecable 1995 XJR for sale. It's 7.900 €.

What a shame I can't afford and it wouldn't fit in the garage.

A great barge...but surely you'd want something smaller? How much would an E46 330Ci cost you in Spain?

[Ferrer]

Most of the time, RWD makes no difference at all either...but it's still worth it for the small percentage of the time that it does.

Actually if you are the sort of person who uderstands and cares about this things (and I assume we are) it does. It's not about going sideways at every junction and roundabout, it's the feel of the thing. It's like... it feels right.

In the case of Audi's last-generation Haldex systems (that only send a maximum of 40% of the engine's power to the rear wheels), you're absolutely right. Their Torsen systems are better though. I just wish their cars all handled like the R8!

No, in terms of driver involvement it's still useless.

I'm intrigued by the R8, though.

A great barge...but surely you'd want something smaller? How much would an E46 330Ci cost you in Spain?

More than the Jag. And it wouldn't be as stylish.

[Clivey]

Actually if you are the sort of person who uderstands and cares about this things (and I assume we are) it does. It's not about going sideways at every junction and roundabout, it's the feel of the thing. It's like... it feels right.

You missed my point - cars spend most of their time travelling in fairly straight lines. On the average person's commute (motorways, traffic jams etc.) you're not really going to see any of the benefits of RWD...however to you and me, the time the RWD difference can be felt makes it all worthwhile.

And yes: RWD feels much more natural and intuitive than FWD. Every time I drive a FWD car hard, it feels like you're fighting it - with RWD you and the car work together.

I'm intrigued by the R8, though.

As am I. I wonder what the residual values will be in 10-15 years' time...it could be a future gem, like a Honda NSX is now.