The First Snow Drive

[DebbyM46227]

Originally Posted by jpmck03

I've been running with the stock all-seasons that came with the car in the winter!


Just remember, "slow is smooth, smooth is fast!"

I am too. We had 12" of snow last weekend and the mayor called off any non-essential travel Monday...I also stayed home from work Tuesday. Wednesday I went back and my Yaris kept up with any other car....no one could do well driving over the chunks of ice left on the road.

[The Limo 2]

Winnipeg (Winterpeg) has now dropped to third place for coldest cities in the world with populations over 600,000. Ulan Bator in Mongolia is first, Harbin in China is second and then Winnipeg. Coldest temperature ever recorded in Winnipeg was on February 1st, 1996 at -41.8C with a windchill of -57.1C.
Too cold for me.
Roy
PS The bear "Whinny the Poo" is named after Winnipeg.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by The Limo 2

Winnipeg (Winterpeg) has now dropped to third place for coldest cities in the world with populations over 600,000. Ulan Bator in Mongolia is first, Harbin in China is second and then Winnipeg. Coldest temperature ever recorded in Winnipeg was on February 1st, 1996 at -41.8C with a windchill of -57.1C.
Too cold for me.
Roy
PS The bear "Whinny the Poo" is named after Winnipeg.

Wow. Thanks. Too cold for me as well. Not for member Berkut (post #15) though ------- .2 degrees celsius colder for him YESTERDAY than that coldest EVER temp in Winnipeg (at least without the wind chill factor) . Such is Winter 280 miles from the Arctic Circle.

[vaironl]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Wow. Thanks. Too cold for me as well. Not for member Berkut (post #15) though ------- .2 degrees celsius colder for him YESTERDAY than that coldest EVER temp in Winnipeg (at least without the wind chill factor) . Such is Winter 280 miles from the Arctic Circle.

I'm from a tropical island in the Caribbean... I complain about any kind of weather under 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A couple of days ago it's was 0 degrees and felt like -4..... The yaris took about 2 more seconds to start, and the tps are still on I have to check my tires soon.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by vaironl

I'm from a tropical island in the Caribbean... I complain about any kind of weather under 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A couple of days ago it's was 0 degrees and felt like -4..... The yaris took about 2 more seconds to start, and the tps are still on I have to check my tires soon.

Brrrr...and I thought the 16-22 degrees I posted about was cold. IMO, the only thing that makes putting up with that cold for an extended period of time worth it is skiing. My second day of skiing ever (when I was 12 or 13?) was on Broadway and some of the other bunny runs below Emigrant Peak at Squaw Valley. Visibility was very poor and I was told that the wind was occasionally hitting 60 MPH..didn't deter me a bit. I loved it.

[vaironl]

Originally Posted by Berkut

20 minutes ago. Dress warmly and prepare u car for the cold. :)

How do you put up with that

[fnkngrv]

Originally Posted by roxy1

since you live in Virginia, id definitely say save your $350 and just slow down a bit when needed.

Not to sound like an ass, but you are saying that saving $350 is better than spending the $350 to have the peace of mind and quite possibly if even once avoiding an accident? That you would not be able to save a totaled car and possibly serious injury or even death to one in the party involved? Yeah, spending the cash could suck, but even if you are a "great" driver in snow it isn't anywhere close to always you that needs your concern...it is also the other drivers out there. Personally, I would pick up a spare set of steelies and mount a set of M+S tires on them. Change them on/off myself rather than paying a shop. Even if you live in an apartment, a stack of tires in a closet or storage space doesn't take up too much room. Being in VA the OP is in a PITA situation as the need for M+S tires is minimal, but if you pay close attention to the weather it is manageable. I lived in the DC area for a few years and had a set of M+S tires. Hell you could even possibly just pick up a set of used ones since you wouldn't barely put mileage on them. They would probably dry rot before you burned down the the wear bars.

[fnkngrv]

Originally Posted by Berkut

20 minutes ago. Dress warmly and prepare u car for the cold. :)

This is a very good perspective when you are dealing with severe cold as you are showing. Not to hijack the thread, but one of the biggest mistakes of owners in areas that experience sub zero temps every winter is people not paying attention to the pour point of the motor oil they use. If you don't have a good pour point (example Amsoil is good to -50F) then you risk damage to your motor.

[fnkngrv]

You need to remember that there is more than the oil affecting whether or not the engine will start, I am discussing possible damage to internal components due to the oil not having a proper ability to move out of the oilpan through the motor.

Amsoil:

Pour Point °C (°F) -51 (-60)

Mobil1:

Pour Point °C (°F) -48 (-54)

Havoline Full Synth:

Pour Point °C (°F) -35 (-31)


Valvoline Conventional:

Pour Point °C (°F) -36 (-32)

Penzoil Conventional:

Pour Point °C (°F) -39 (-38)


Get the picture? When I was in my late teens and didn't care at all what went into my engine and bought the cheapest stuff I could find because I was a starving post high school guy I would wonder why the engine in my cars would have shavings in the pan after the winter. Well, looking at it now I realize that just because the motor would start at -40 it didn't mean "I was all good". That's all I am saying to that.


/end hijack

[vaironl]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

You need to remember that there is more than the oil affecting whether or not the engine will start, I am discussing possible damage to internal components due to the oil not having a proper ability to move out of the oilpan through the motor.

Amsoil:

Pour Point °C (°F) -51 (-60)

Mobil1:

Pour Point °C (°F) -48 (-54)

Havoline Full Synth:

Pour Point °C (°F) -35 (-31)


Valvoline Conventional:

Pour Point °C (°F) -36 (-32)

Penzoil Conventional:

Pour Point °C (°F) -39 (-38)


Get the picture? When I was in my late teens and didn't care at all what went into my engine and bought the cheapest stuff I could find because I was a starving post high school guy I would wonder why the engine in my cars would have shavings in the pan after the winter. Well, looking at it now I realize that just because the motor would start at -40 it didn't mean "I was all good". That's all I am saying to that.


/end hijack

This great info for me since I'm thinking about doing th oil change myself. I usually try to save a couple of bucks when buying computer parts/electronics/etc but when it comes to the car I try to take good care of it. Specially since I might have to tradein in the future.

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

Not to sound like an ass, but you are saying that saving $350 is better than spending the $350 to have the peace of mind and quite possibly if even once avoiding an accident? .

I am saying that IMO it is a waste of money when the conditions will almost never dictate the need.

peace of mind should come from driving accordingly based on the conditions. snow tires wont save a bad driver from anything. in the Midwest id easily estimate 90% of drivers drive on all weather tires (which have improved greatly over the years) and drive pretty well. the bad drivers are bad and snow tires may or may not help them.

if anyone wants to spend $350 dollars to drive in snow a handful of times because it makes them feel better, they are free to do so.

[vaironl]

Originally Posted by Berkut

Sasha Grey. Today. Instagram

And here I was complaining about single digit temps above zero and some snow.
I also shouldn't have searched that name....

[The Limo 2]

And here in "Great White North" where I live it is +4C, cloudy and no snow. Just the thought or -44C make me cold.
Roy

[RJay]

In snow.

Clutch. Drive on the clutch. Do not add any power when driving off, just let the clutch gently bite and take you away. After that gently feed a little bit of power. Shift smoothly, and DO revmatch. Otherwise you'll shiftlock much easyer. Not as big a problem but still a situation. Also use the clutch when going into a corner. The front wheels not having to transmit the power to the road makes them much more willing to follow the steering wheel.
Also brakes. Ease off a little when you feel the ABS Kick in. And it will kick in early on snow. You want to be at the point just before the abs kicks in, that's the most performance you will get out of your abs-equipped brakes ever. Unless you have real expensive abs. (race abs costs a yaris and then some in some cases). On snow though: Easy on that pedal, when you feel it kick in, back off a little. Because: ABS unleashes/disengages the brakes.
In an auto, just gently let go of the brake and don't start feeding power immediately. You'll just spin the wheels a lot getting snow and ugly stuff caked in the wheel wells.

And last but not least:

LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, NOT WHERE YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO.

Yes, I've seen OP's post is 5 months old now, but a lot of drivers would do well to remember this.


If you've got space turning + e-brake + clutch entry is about one of the most aggressive slip angles I ever did get with my 40 bhp Panda.