SNOW!!!

[DannyBoy]

Big heavy engine at the front, rear wheel drive and not much weight at the back (unless youre a twenty stoner), obvioulsy doesnt make for inspiring driving in snow conditions!

Same applies to most RWD BMWs, pretty useless.

Give it a miss unless youre shod with winter tyres. 2 years ago my Z4 didnt/couldt move from a car park for 2 days solid until the snow had thawed.

 

[sars]

Its traction in the snow that a Z lacks...no weight over the driven wheels...............

Sorry but that is incorrect, as it is not about mass but pressure i.e. N/mm2, this is based on the footprint of the driven wheels and thus if you have 255's on the back your pretty much knackered, unless your car weighs 3 tonnes. As many have said get a set of winters and reduce your footprint by changing from 255's to 225's.

Winters work by trapping snow between the small serrated slots in the tread, and there isn't anything that sticks better to snow than snow itself.

 

[Hunter]

LOL, put the pressure is generated by the amount of mass being exerted on the footprint

 

[Mister_dj]

Excluding ground clearance, a zed with winter tyres will probably be better in the snow than any other car without winters (4x4 included).

A 4x4 gives a false sense of security, as it is only superior in traction, but when braking all cars are the same. Although obviously a 4x4 with winters is the best possible combination,

I understand the sentiment of what you're saying but it is a bit far fetched in it's broad brush generality.

The achilles heal of the Zed is a combination of RWD, low rear end weight, wide tyres and too much power, aside being too low. Add to that low profile (so can't be aired down for compliance traction without risk of rim damage) and it's dead in the water. Winter tyres make some significant improvement, but any light weight FWD supermini on narrow tyres with weight over the front will out perform it on snow and ice.

While 4x4 do give greater traction to pull away they also give greater stability in corners by applying power to 2 or 4 wheels (depending on design). Granted that if you lock the brakes then they''ll slide regardless as that's the laws of physics. However, add the weight which cuts better into snow, generally more aggressive tyres AP or even MT's, narrower and again it will perform better.

As a regular 4x4 competitor in muddy terrain and Ice events in the Alps, Sweden, etc. I can explain further why I take the Jeep not the Zed if required

For my sins this year I now have the ultimate useless cars in a Zed and Jag XF for Winter driving and may have to get competition cars out to get around - should be fun...

I agree with you . My post was a bit extreme, but trying to highlight the fact that many people tend to put a lot of faith on 4WD, but it does not make miracles, particularly with summer tyres.


Re: driving in snow, I was caught in a snowstorm last year and had to drive from bedford to london in appaling conditions. Took me 6h to do it due to a gridlocked motorway but the Z4 actually coped relatively well given the conditions, and was great fun drifting at very low speeds.
I am sure that if I had big inclines or something similar I would probably be stuck, though.

 

[bat1959]

I'm 20 stone and have winter tyres.
BRING IT ON!

 

[sars]

LOL, put the pressure is generated by the amount of mass being exerted on the footprint

Er, I think that was the point of my argument...... again its not down to mass per se, but the size of your footprint in relation to the mass of your car....ergo pressure :wink:

 

[stevedruidstone]

Any snow round here and going to leave it at home. As much for the other idiots on the road. Although RWD are not as good as FWD did use my 320 in earlier years on days when most left there cars at home so feel I have got a reasonable technique. Last year managed the last five miles of suddenly encountering the wall of snow including hills on back roads but wouldn't want to repeat it regardless of winter tyres

 

[Biscuits]

I had winter tyres with RWD and 507bhp last year... got places many a 4x4/Quattro struggled on summer tyres...

This year got winter tyres on the X5, so the Z will stay at home (unless it snows while I'm at the office!)

 

[Bing]

LOL, put the pressure is generated by the amount of mass being exerted on the footprint

Smaller footprint but same mass = greater pressure per square inch of footprint. I think :wink:

 

[ZermattV]

Drive Aberdeen to northwest of England a lot- for me when it gets snowy a modern 4x4 on all terrain tyres will outpoint a STD car even on winters- I've tried it, don't get me wrong winter tyres improve things ... I certainly woulnt consider doing it without them on your zed.

 

[oli445]

Its traction in the snow that a Z lacks...no weight over the driven wheels...............

Sorry but that is incorrect, as it is not about mass but pressure i.e. N/mm2, this is based on the footprint of the driven wheels and thus if you have 255's on the back your pretty much knackered, unless your car weighs 3 tonnes. As many have said get a set of winters and reduce your footprint by changing from 255's to 225's.

Winters work by trapping snow between the small serrated slots in the tread, and there isn't anything that sticks better to snow than snow itself.

I've gone a bit further and I'm running 205,s on 16 inch rims. Had a bm as my only car for the last 3 years and getting stuck makes me miserable.

Really looking forward to testing out the theories!

 

[Keevo]

Today, we got snow also here in finland. I'm runnig now at pretty old (but like new) nokia hakkapeliitta 4 - tyres at 205/45/17(some heavy ass nordic winters with pins ) with metallic wheels D) Ofcourse, i did try to turn off the DTC an DSC and the "drifting" was very nice. But when i left the joy, the handling was nice Only thing what little bugs me, is that how much the ragtop likes the freezing snow No prob at the home (warm garage) but at work there is no shelter for cars Does the roof hadle the snow, or do i have to get the e39 520iA from my parents? (they don't use it like at all, i could drive it over the most hards wintermonths..) but.. but.. don't want to! i want to drive the z

 

[Finisterre]

I have been out and tested the same route a few times today
2 miles single track, steep hills, 90mm snow, slush, frozen lanes ambient temp -0.5

circuits in the Z with 225/45/17 new Michelin Alpin4 with DTC both on and off
the same route in Mercedes Vito - fwd 245/70/16 Falken M+S with 6mm tread

Results
1 - Z + alpins + DSC default DTC default -- plenty of power and good braking.
2 - the vito -- brutally not bothered if it ends in a ditch and pretty good really.
3 - Z + alpins + DTC lit -- fishtailing fun, drifting nicely, honourable mention.
4 - Z + DSC and DTC both off -- it was a bit too dramatic for me.

it was hell.

 

[Hunter]

Results
1 - Z + alpins + DSC default DTC default -- plenty of power and good braking.
2 - the vito -- brutally not bothered if it ends in a ditch and pretty good really.
3 - Z + alpins + DTC lit -- fishtailing fun, drifting nicely, honourable mention.
4 - Z + DSC and DTC both off -- it was a bit too dramatic for me.

it was hell.