Oh boy! I went for another drive with the Miata after it had snowed a few more inches:
This thing is a monster in the snow. I went into an unplowed parking lot with maybe 4-5 inches of powder in it and it just drifted and hauled ass everywhere. Even when I spun out, it could easily start back up and get going. I then drove to walmart to pick something up and most of the roads were unplowed. I was able to pass up SUVs and trucks without a care. It is very easy to control it; even when the back end started sliding getting it back in line was just a simple matter of adjusting the throttle. This thing is massive amounts of fun in the snow.
Speaking of winter hoonage. I was out and about a few times this weekend, doing donuts and what not in empty parking lots as there was plenty of ice. I have to admit that the stability program in the Sonic is designed very well. I purposely proceeded to try to spin out by getting into a fishtail and it was difficult to do. The system was engaging rather smoothly working individual calipers and getting the car back inline. It's not going to do miracles and will not stop all spins, of course, but it worked well and did what it was supposed to do - stop minor fishtails and spins before things got out of hand. This will work great for most drivers out there.
This system, along with traction control, is defeatable with a press of a button.
94Corolla5Speed wrote:I then drove to walmart to pick something up and most of the roads were unplowed. I was able to pass up SUVs and trucks without a care. It is very easy to control it; even when the back end started sliding getting it back in line was just a simple matter of adjusting the throttle.
That's how mine is too. Perhaps RWD + studded winter tires + manual transmission + driver who's really at one with his car = good results.
Don't forget that your increased acceleration traction may not always be there for you for turning and braking though, so make sure you still have PLENTY of margin...so don't enjoy too much passing SUVs and trucks, and don't do any of it without a care.
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
94Corolla5Speed wrote:I then drove to walmart to pick something up and most of the roads were unplowed. I was able to pass up SUVs and trucks without a care. It is very easy to control it; even when the back end started sliding getting it back in line was just a simple matter of adjusting the throttle.
That's how mine is too. Perhaps RWD + studded winter tires + manual transmission + driver who's really at one with his car = good results.
Don't forget that your increased acceleration traction may not always be there for you for turning and braking though, so make sure you still have PLENTY of margin...so don't enjoy too much passing SUVs and trucks, and don't do any of it without a care.
Wise words. I went out yesterday quite late (around 11-midnight) so there was nearly no one on the roads. Admittedly I was hooning a bit, wanted to know the limits so I wouldn't be surprised when the tail steps out in traffic. I am surely dialing it back next time the snow comes around, just wanted to know its potential.
Funny little anecdote about braking: I spent about 5 minutes just drifting around in that parking lot without really braking at all. I got onto the small street next to it and started braking for a turn. Nothing happened The snow had either cooled the brakes so much or stuffed itself everywhere that the pads were doing nothing. Needed to ride the brakes for a bit after that to get them to work properly again.
94Corolla5Speed wrote:
Funny little anecdote about braking: I spent about 5 minutes just drifting around in that parking lot without really braking at all. I got onto the small street next to it and started braking for a turn. Nothing happened The snow had either cooled the brakes so much or stuffed itself everywhere that the pads were doing nothing. Needed to ride the brakes for a bit after that to get them to work properly again.
sounds like ebrake dorifto time to me
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
I have an inch and a quarter hitch already on mine, but I don't want this car to ever see salt. I may not keep it for more than a few years from now but I hate salt.
Not like I can salt the entire 4 mile drive to work.
AHTOXA wrote:I have an inch and a quarter hitch already on mine, but I don't want this car to ever see salt. I may not keep it for more than a few years from now but I hate salt.
Not like I can salt the entire 4 mile drive to work.
You can, it just might take several days worth of work. But since the ice has been around closing in on a week now...
I listen to a podcast from time to time of a sports radio show. They happened to visit Dallas last week for a basketball game last Friday and the consensus was that Dallas has NO idea what to do with snow/ice - so it's far worse than any place with the faintest idea of what a salt truck is.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT '97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
Well, yeah. Snow doesn't happen here and icing like this is very, very rare based on stats. Usually ice develops overnight when rain turns into freezing rain, but by noon it's normally all melted. This time, the cold's staying around longer and complicating the problem immensely.
It's OK. Forecast is talking about 70's by next Friday.
The snow had either cooled the brakes so much or stuffed itself everywhere that the pads were doing nothing. Needed to ride the brakes for a bit after that to get them to work properly again.
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