A friend has a Ford Escape. She was complaining about not being able to move in the snow we got last week (3 inches). She also was complaining about problems with traction in the rain. I thought the tires must be shot or she had a performance tire that doesn't do well in the snow but nope, Definity M+S tires. I guess they are from Pepboys. Tread is still at 7-8/32.

Anyway, I took her car today for a little spin. I found the back of an empty wharehouse. The parking lot is wet but it was not raining. Anything more than a granny type acceleration and the thing just spins the wheels. Anyone have experience with this vehicle and is this common. I've been around vehicles and tires long enough to know it's usally the rubber but just want to make sure before i give her some tire options from Tire Rack.

 

My wife just got the '08 Escape with a V6 and 2WD. We've driven in rain up and down the hills in San Francisco and have had no traction issues at all FWIW.

 

What tires?

 

Umm, not sure. They're the tires that came with the car. I'll check when I get home from work.

 

Your CRV is always ready to run in slippery conditions in awd, it won't run in two wheel mode. Thus the name real time 4wd.

 

Continental Contitrac M+S 235/70/16

 

Thanks.

Those sizes are bigger than what she has. I guess they upped the wheel size to 16's.

 

I see the CRV part got removed, anyway. The CRV runs in 2wd drive mode until it senses traction loss than applies additional traction from the rear wheels. Seeing how I have a 98 ex as well. But I guess that makes me look foolish and laugh at myself. Hmm. I was not being rude, just pointing out why you did well in snow as compared to a front wheel drive vehicle.

 

[QUOTE=Jay2000,Dec 11 2007, 05:48 PM] I see the CRV part got removed, anyway.

 

The problem is the tiers just don't have enough traction. If it is 45 degrees or colder and wet the all season tires will loose 30 percent of the its traction. Go with a winter tire and you will be fine. The winter tires will even handle better on the cold wet days than an all season tire.
If I can help let me know.