Matt_in_VA

with Keith on this.

On 4 Dec 03 I attended an annual holiday party after work. My +1 (Plantpixie) called me on my mobile phone to tell me that it was snowing heavily out where we live. By the time I drove west on Braddock Road out side the Beltway there was about three to four inches of treated snow / slush. I would occasionally gas it to test for traction and I thought that it was "not that bad". When I got to my turn off point on Braddock road I pulled into the virgin snow of the left hand turn lane and after straightening the wheel back out the car continued with a "crab angel" of about twenty degrees. When I got to the intersection and turned the wheel left it continued straight until I hit the tire tracks of vehicles that had turn left on to westbound Braddock Road and caught some clear wet pavement. The next half mile on virgin snow was the scariest ride of my life on my S-02's. At 8 miles per hour in first or second gear I could not keep the car pointed where I wanted it to go. I steered the last half mile by using a combination of steering in-put and throttle to get the car home.

For what it is worth. I could not believe how useless a summer tire could be in the snow. I bought a set of Dunlop M-2 for winter use and have been pleased with their ability even in unplowed snow deep enough to drag the belly pan along in the snow.

Budman05

My S is sitting in the driveway touching snow for the first time in it's life. My old dog had back surgery, so I had to build a ramp down the garage steps for him to get in and out. The car won't fit with the ramp and the +1's car.

Anyhow, she hit a guard rail in on our mountain with her '06 Accord and I had to put chains on my 4X4 just to pick her up.

Twas a nasty morning out here in Linden.

Insert Name

Props for giving up the garage for your dog.

boofer

i was merely stating that the anti-lock brakes did their job well and i had no problems in an inch of snow, and in a controlled environment with no other cars on the road. i have been driving in upstate NY, in snow, on crappy worn tires for 9 years now, and not to sound like a jackass but i know how cars generally react on snow, ice, etc. knock on wood; i don't want to have an accident now that i just said that. i think growing up where it snows hundreds of inches a year definitely helps me vs. someone who grew up here, where the federal government closes for 5 inches of snow.

it snows like 4 inches in december and january, and barely at all in other months. i don't drive my car when there is snow on the main roads and they haven't been cleared and salted. nor have i ever been at-fault in a weather-related accident in my life. that said, i've been rear-ended 3 times now in the past 3 years due to drivers not paying attention. if it's snowing hard and the roads are messy, my car is staying put, if only because i don't want MY car to get nailed.

it's been cold the past few weeks (40s) but my car's traction has never been compromised. then again, i don't drive like a moron like some people on this board. also, i have a MY07 and apparently the rubber is better in the cold/rain than S02s from previous MYs.

MacGyver

Summer tires in the snow? Time to start a countdown to the totaled S...

PopTarts

I had a similar experience - about 6-7mph is the max you can go in fresh snow on S02's

I would've won great points if I was ice dancing, but otherwise I'm lucky not to have hit anything

I've used ultra high performance A/S ever since. Allows about 25mph in few inches of fresh snow.

animeS2K

studded tires FTW

halorin

I got some Bridgestone All-Seasons. My car did better than I thought it would in the snow. I definitely don't plan to do much snow driving, but it's my only car, too, so... >_>

I got the RE960AS's that got a lot of good reviews in light snow.

Matt_in_VA

Unfortunately,

f1_fanz

Crap I drove on the OEM's for two winters...well actually until I slid down a hill last February, so about 1 1/2 winters. And that was mostly while I was living out in horse country. I was actually quite surprised how well the tires gripped.

But no more! Hibernating while my other car gets to drive through all the slush and filth...