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Author Topic: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?  (Read 2555 times)

stodge

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All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« on: February 20, 2017, 07:07:55 pm »
Post content deleted at request of original poster.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2022, 10:29:37 am by autoTRADER.ca »
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Offline petetherocker

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2017, 07:26:12 pm »
I guess it would depend on where you live.  Here in Alberta, I've got an all wheel drive (jeep) with A/T & A/W tires and there aint no place I can't go/conditions the vehicle can't handle.  Wifey has dedicated winter tires on her fwd van, and she gets around fine. But I'm not as confident driving that in the winter as I am my vehicle.

To answer your question, no, it's won't work 'just as well',    but 'well enough',
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Offline tortoise

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2017, 07:36:27 pm »
We've already beat this horse to death. Then for good measure at beat it again. And again.

You routinely drive in winter conditions, get winter tires. Period.
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Offline Jaeger

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2017, 07:47:29 pm »
Quote from: stodge on February 20, 2017, 07:07:55 pm
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/wheel-drive-winter-tires-matters/

It's a question I've pondered quite a bit recently. Do you really need AWD or will a good set of winter tyres on FWD work just as well?

Define "need".  RWD and winter tires will work.  FWD and winter tires will work better.  AWD and winter tires will work best of all.

But to be very clear, FWD with winter tires will NOT work "just as well" as AWD with winter tires.
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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2017, 08:09:14 pm »
During our last big snow fall we ended up with something like 40cm on our gravel driveway, which is about 40 meters long.
Our winter beater, a 2003 Chevy Tracker with good snow tires, struggled a bit, but never got stuck.
Just for the heck if it I decided to try traversing the driveway in 2 wheel (rear) drive .
I made it, but just barely.
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Offline Lower Level

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2017, 11:34:25 pm »
Quote from: Jaeger on February 20, 2017, 07:47:29 pm
Quote from: stodge on February 20, 2017, 07:07:55 pm
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/wheel-drive-winter-tires-matters/

It's a question I've pondered quite a bit recently. Do you really need AWD or will a good set of winter tyres on FWD work just as well?

Define "need".  RWD and winter tires will work.  FWD and winter tires will work better.  AWD and winter tires will work best of all.

But to be very clear, FWD with winter tires will NOT work "just as well" as AWD with winter tires.

Summed up perfectly.
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Offline Fobroader

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2017, 11:41:00 pm »
Quote from: Jaeger on February 20, 2017, 07:47:29 pm
Quote from: stodge on February 20, 2017, 07:07:55 pm
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/wheel-drive-winter-tires-matters/

It's a question I've pondered quite a bit recently. Do you really need AWD or will a good set of winter tyres on FWD work just as well?

Define "need".  RWD and winter tires will work.  FWD and winter tires will work better.  AWD and winter tires will work best of all.

But to be very clear, FWD with winter tires will NOT work "just as well" as AWD with winter tires.
Its the whole right too for the right job, well put

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Offline johngenx

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2017, 11:43:00 pm »
Driving in winter conditions?  Get winter tires, regardless of drive system.
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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2017, 10:48:54 am »
Yeah. i find the "vs" part the problem. AWD is never an excuse to knowingly endanger oneself buy not having proper tires. It's the same as saying if I have ABS braking I don't need good brake pads.
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Offline blur911

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2017, 01:41:20 pm »
No, of course it won't work "just as well", how can it?

It's kind of like saying, "Will my Camry beat that Corvette in a drag race?  Hmmm, I dunno"
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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2017, 01:46:47 pm »
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Offline blur911

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2017, 01:48:33 pm »
Read the article, I see the choice was actually AWD with all-seasons VS FWD with winter tires, I think, it kind of rambles.

I guess it's also not a choice for me, winter tires in winter, AWD or FWD, but I haven't had anything FWD since a 1981 Audi Coupe

I admit I don't put them on my pickup, but I don't drive it in winter unless I have to and it has fairly aggressive tires anyhow, good for deep snow, but maybe not icy roads.

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Offline Great_Big_Abyss

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2017, 02:20:47 pm »
Quote from: blur911 on February 21, 2017, 01:48:33 pm
Read the article, I see the choice was actually AWD with all-seasons VS FWD with winter tires, I think, it kind of rambles.

I guess it's also not a choice for me, winter tires in winter, AWD or FWD, but I haven't had anything FWD since a 1981 Audi Coupe

I admit I don't put them on my pickup, but I don't drive it in winter unless I have to and it has fairly aggressive tires anyhow, good for deep snow, but maybe not icy roads.

The article was AWD with Winter Tires vs. Front Wheel Drive Volvo with Winter Tires:
Quote
I’d be lying if I stated that Alice was 100 percent on board with the move away from all-wheel drive. It’s all she’s known in snowy Michigan, making her understandably leery. Her cars have always carried winter tires in the cold weather, so she felt like she’d enjoyed the best of both worlds — the right tires and the right drivetrain.

The point of the article was that while the AWD vehicles with winter tires were quicker off the line than the FWD Volvo, at no point did the FWD Volvo ever feel unable to keep up with traffic.  What's more, the comments of the wife were such that she enjoyed driving the Volvo MORE than her previous AWD vehicles because it felt more planted, stable and predictable. 

Quote
When the first snow hit, there was no question we made the right decision. Alice returned from her first expedition in a winter storm with a huge smile. “I love it,” she said. “It’s so sure footed, and the braking and overall handling is spectacular. I actually prefer it to my old Mercedes (E350 4Matic wagon) in the snow.”

Quote
But is the V60 truly better than our old all-wheel-drive Mercedes in the snow? I see Alice’s point as far as braking and overall handling, but I miss the ability to rocket away from a dead stop due to all four wheels receiving power. “You drive faster than I do,” Alice noted. “The Volvo is like a mule. It just plugs along at a comfortable pace.

This article reinforces my position that in 99.9% of winter conditions one will ever drive in (at least in populated areas) a FWD vehicle with a good set of snow-biased winter tires (like Blizzaks or Hakka's) are all that you need.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2017, 02:23:40 pm by Great_Big_Abyss »
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Offline Great_Big_Abyss

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2017, 02:22:03 pm »
Quote from: blur911 on February 21, 2017, 01:41:20 pm
No, of course it won't work "just as well", how can it?

It's kind of like saying, "Will my Camry beat that Corvette in a drag race?  Hmmm, I dunno"

Depends.  A modern V6 Camry vs a C3 or even C4 corvette?  Absolutely.
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Offline Fobroader

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2017, 02:25:40 pm »
Well yeah, you can screw a deck together with a screwdriver or use a Dewalt cordless drill, which one is better?? For winter, 4x4/awd + winter tires + extra ground clearance= the only way to go for me.
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Offline Great_Big_Abyss

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2017, 02:29:53 pm »
Quote from: Fobroader on February 21, 2017, 02:25:40 pm
Well yeah, you can screw a deck together with a screwdriver or use a Dewalt cordless drill, which one is better?? For winter, 4x4/awd + winter tires + extra ground clearance= the only way to go for me.

I have long maintained this:  That is complete overkill.  As I've mentioned many times before, I haven't met a situation I couldn't conquer in my Altima with Blizzaks.  Do you have to be a good driver sometimes, and know what you're doing?  Well, it helps get through some of the more tricky situations.
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Offline Lower Level

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2017, 02:31:42 pm »
Oops. I actually missed the link. Sorry everyone, I thought someone was asking the question. I'm an idiot sometimes.  ;D
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Offline Fobroader

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2017, 02:34:04 pm »
Quote from: Great_Big_Abyss on February 21, 2017, 02:29:53 pm
Quote from: Fobroader on February 21, 2017, 02:25:40 pm
Well yeah, you can screw a deck together with a screwdriver or use a Dewalt cordless drill, which one is better?? For winter, 4x4/awd + winter tires + extra ground clearance= the only way to go for me.

I have long maintained this:  That is complete overkill.  As I've mentioned many times before, I haven't met a situation I couldn't conquer in my Altima with Blizzaks.  Do you have to be a good driver sometimes, and know what you're doing?  Well, it helps get through some of the more tricky situations.

Ahhh, theres the caveat, you have to be a good driver and know what you are doing......If this was the case, modern cars wouldn't need 50 layers of nannies to ensure driver A doesn't smack into driver B, or pole/bridge/light standard/pedestrians..
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Offline Great_Big_Abyss

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #18 on: February 21, 2017, 02:41:44 pm »
Quote from: Fobroader on February 21, 2017, 02:34:04 pm
Quote from: Great_Big_Abyss on February 21, 2017, 02:29:53 pm
Quote from: Fobroader on February 21, 2017, 02:25:40 pm
Well yeah, you can screw a deck together with a screwdriver or use a Dewalt cordless drill, which one is better?? For winter, 4x4/awd + winter tires + extra ground clearance= the only way to go for me.

I have long maintained this:  That is complete overkill.  As I've mentioned many times before, I haven't met a situation I couldn't conquer in my Altima with Blizzaks.  Do you have to be a good driver sometimes, and know what you're doing?  Well, it helps get through some of the more tricky situations.

Ahhh, theres the caveat, you have to be a good driver and know what you are doing......If this was the case, modern cars wouldn't need 50 layers of nannies to ensure driver A doesn't smack into driver B, or pole/bridge/light standard/pedestrians..

Remind me again how AWD prevents you from doing that?  If anything, AWD gives you a false sense of security, increasing your risk of an accident.  There is a reason most of the vehicles we see in ditches on the side of the highway are trucks and SUV's.
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Offline blur911

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Re: All wheel drive vs winter tyres?
« Reply #19 on: February 21, 2017, 02:42:17 pm »
Quote from: Great_Big_Abyss on February 21, 2017, 02:29:53 pm
Quote from: Fobroader on February 21, 2017, 02:25:40 pm
Well yeah, you can screw a deck together with a screwdriver or use a Dewalt cordless drill, which one is better?? For winter, 4x4/awd + winter tires + extra ground clearance= the only way to go for me.

I have long maintained this:  That is complete overkill.  As I've mentioned many times before, I haven't met a situation I couldn't conquer in my Altima with Blizzaks.  Do you have to be a good driver sometimes, and know what you're doing?  Well, it helps get through some of the more tricky situations.

I guess you've never encountered a situation like my uphill cottage driveway.  You do mention something about urban areas though, so I'd agree there.

I doubt your Altima would have moved from the bottom of my driveway much of the winter without a rope attached to it.
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