Light or heavy car for snow?

[swchang]

Which is better? Is the light car better at stopping but the heavy one better at starting?

[BlackChrome]

A heavy car might be better in case of a crash. ;)

[The Roadstergal]

Whichever one has snow tires. If they both do, whichever one you're more familar with.

[swchang]

So two cars equal in all respects except weight and they'll be equally as good in the white fluffy stuff? I find that hard to believe...

[The Roadstergal]

So two cars equal in all respects except weight and they'll be equally as good in the white fluffy stuff?

I didn't say that.

[cwsqbm]

Which is better? Is the light car better at stopping but the heavy one better at starting?

Depends on how deep the snow is. If you can get down to a hard surface, the heavy car won't get pushed around as much if the tires have the same contact patch.

If its really really deep, a light-enough car has a chance of staying on top and crawling along, although I only achieved this a early 80's 2000 lbs econo car. The car wouldn't go in deep snow with passengers, but was almost unstoppable with just me driving.

For most situations, the right tire is more important than weight. I'd take a 330 with 4 snow tires over my 4x4 truck with its stock tires. I couldn't belive the difference when I put aggressive tires on the truck. Places it wouldn't go in 4wd before it now did easily in 2wd.

[breytonX5]

The answer is it depends. If I have a RWD car then I'd want it to be rear heavy (that's why people put a sand bag in the trunk) for better traction. But a heavier car's mass takes longer to brake on icy condition. So neither is better or worse than the other. It depends.

[The Roadstergal]

The answer is it depends. If I have a RWD car then I'd want it to be rear heavy (that's why people put a sand bag in the trunk) for better traction.

I never went for that. That takes traction off of the front wheels, which you need in order to steer. IMO, the best thing to have is a balanced car that has tires that give you all of the traction you need without resorting to tossing weight on them. I drove my E30 all over snow last year with snow tires, and never had a loss of traction.

[Alex Baumann]

My choice would be 'no car' in the snow.

[JetBlack330i]

Whichever one has snow tires. If they both do, whichever one you're more familar with.
As long as it's not a bike. :p
RGal, are you putting snow tires on that thing?

[gojira-san]

I find weight distribution to be important; near a 50-50 distribution seems to be best. I also tend to prefer RWD in the winter because I like the handling characteristics.

As an example, my wife had a '78 and then a '82 Corolla, the old RWD ones. They were 50-50 weight distribution on the wheels. We live on the side of a very steep hill and would only put snows on the rear tires (common thing to do in those days). That car would go up that hill with no problem. The people with big cars, the few FWD cars, they all would get stuck and we'd chug up the hill. The only downfall of course was if the snow was too deep and you high-centered the car on a drift.

The nose-heavy RWD cars like a V-8 Capri and a Toyota Celica I had were much harder to drive in the snow even with snow tires on.

The worst thing with FWD cars is on big hills, the weight transfers away from the driving wheels and the car stops forward progress. There is another hill near my house that demonstrates that; it is an uphill grade that bends around to the right with a corresponding jump in grade. A lot of FWD cars get stuck there every year as they go around the bend - the weight shifts enough to prevent them from going, whereas I've gone past them in the truck in 2wd.

[swchang]

Okay, so how about a 745i vs. a Miata, both RWD, both automatics, both with snow tires. Roughly 1 ton difference between the two. Which would be better (or at least, which would you prefer) for 1) safety and 2) maneuverability/general ability to travel in the snow?

745i:
Curb weight: 4376 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear: 50.4/49.6 %

Miata:
Curb weight: 2,473 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear: 50/50 %

[The Roadstergal]

Well, I've been driving a Miata since January 2002, including several driving schools and track days, and I know the car, its characteristics, its size, etc., very well. I've driven a 745 once. Cool car, but my knowledge of the Miata trumps it - as does the sheer cost difference, which puts the 745 well into the realm of fantasy for me, let alone finding studded snows that fit and affording them, too.

You just can't compare cars outside of context - context always comes into play.

[The Roadstergal]

As long as it's not a bike. :p
RGal, are you putting snow tires on that thing?

I would LOVE to toss snow tires on the bike and see what happens. But with other drivers on the road, many of which don't know what they're doing in snow, I can't get around my greater experience with the 4-wheeled sucker and the lower chance and consequences of a momentary loss of traction in the 4-wheeled sucker.

[cwsqbm]

I would LOVE to toss snow tires on the bike and see what happens.

Motorcycles in snow are fun!!! You don't need any horsepower because you'll never use it. When I was in my early teens, on snow days home from school, we'd take an old 90cc Honda trail bike with nobbies out for a bit of fun. A lot like ice racing around the corners. Just don't try to follow snowmoblies through the deep stuff. It took us awhile to dig it out of a three-foot deep ditch once.

[gojira-san]

Motorcycles in snow are fun!!! Until they fall over :) I used to ride my Harley on the packed snow in the town i went to school in in way upstate NY. After sliding into a couple of snowbanks and having to pick it up (not an easy task with a FLH -- even with the small faring and no bags on) I parked for the winter. In the living room of the apartment. :rofl:

But to be on topic - if I was picking the 7er or a Miata, I might pick the Miata - less power to get into trouble with. Once you know the car though, either one would be OK with the right tires on it.

[cwsqbm]

Until they fall over :) I used to ride my Harley on the packed snow in the town i went to school in in way upstate NY.

That's why you want a small bike in the snow, so you can pick it up when, not if, you fall. I've never ridden anything over a 125 in the snow, although I never dropped my 125. Falling isn't so bad in a full snowmoblie suit and extra clothing.