RWD in Winter

[Skyline_Addict]

I've never had a RWD before, only Front and 4WD.
My mechanic friend told me that it's relatively impossible to drive a RWD in the winter....is this generally true, or are there cars that are exceptions (or certain setups which can make your car an exception).

Thanks.

[szw]

your mechanic is a retard!

....there are tons of RWD cars in calgary which drive in the winter....

[sandman]

depends on car
rwd, tranction ctrl, some sandbags and winter tires make witner somewhat bearable....but...theres alwyas days that u jus cant drive it

[link785]

Originally posted by sandman
depends on car
rwd, tranction ctrl, some sandbags and winter tires make witner somewhat bearable....but...theres alwyas days that u jus cant drive it

Agreed. Winter tires are a must.

As for driving one, as long as you're a good driver and can handle RWD (read: flooring the gas pedal all the time doesn't count), the you should be ok for most of the winter. But yeah, some days are just too bad, even for us FWD people.

[thich]

remember April's snow storm? even awd vehicles couldn't manage that one.... i never saw so many scoobies sliding so much in my life......
fwd's are just as susceptible to winter conditions as are RWDs. :P

[4wheeldrift]

Anyone who tells you you can't drive a rear wheel drive car in winter doesn't know what they are doing. As long as you are careful, driving a rear wheel drive in winter is no different from driving anything else. Invest in decent snow tires and take extra care in your driving (as everyone should in winter) and you'll be fine.

[Skyline_Addict]

alright, thanks guys...I just don't wanna have to park my RWD car 7-8 months of the year just from that precaution...and I asked cause I see alot of RWDs in winter...my friend's 89 240sx did just fine for the whole winter, and that was with incredibly worn out tires.
my mechanic buddy might've had a traumitizing experience with RWD in winter, and was just lookin' out for me :dunno: ?

lol thanks

[BigMass]

Drove my RWD BMW in the snow for 7 years. Never had a problem.

[spike7ss]

its easy, as long as you know how to drive, i drove a s-10 for work in teh winter (RWD) and it was a PITA but I was able to do it,just have to know how to drive is all :werd:

[rage2]

First, find a new mechanic friend :).

Second, buy winter tires.

Third, learn how a RWD car handles at the limit. Use a large parking lot or pay for lessons.

Tons of ppl survive RWD cars, no traction control just fine every year.

[ACS-e36]

all u need is a couple sand bags and some good snow tires. just make sure you dont go too fast that youll do donuts everywhere or too slow that youll get stuck

[the-240sx-guy]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict
I've never had a RWD before, only Front and 4WD.
My mechanic friend told me that it's relatively impossible to drive a RWD in the winter....is this generally true, or are there cars that are exceptions (or certain setups which can make your car an exception).

Thanks.

as long as you know how to handle your car, rwd is fine! anyone that tells you differently obviously doenst know how to drive

by the way...that car in ur pic is not a silvia...silvia's are coupes, the one in ur sig is a hatchback...

[Murph]

It can be done i have only driven RWD cars in winter. It should be fun this year i cant affored winter tires so i am using my High-Performance All-season (pretty much summer tires) this year... oh and to top it off my rears are 245's (mesured about 9-10inchs wide) FACK look out for the Crashed my car thread :thumbsup:

[Skyline_Addict]

Originally posted by Murph
It can be done i have only driven RWD cars in winter. It should be fun this year i cant affored winter tires so i am using my High-Performance All-season (pretty much summer tires) this year... oh and to top it off my rears are 245's (mesured about 9-10inchs wide) FACK look out for the Crashed my car thread :thumbsup:

lol you won't crash, you'll just do some crazy drifts and impress people all over town!

[Skyline_Addict]

Originally posted by the-240sx-guy


as long as you know how to handle your car, rwd is fine! anyone that tells you differently obviously doenst know how to drive

by the way...that car in ur pic is not a silvia...silvia's are coupes, the one in ur sig is a hatchback...

yep I know...240sx and Silvia are pretty much the same other than the body....it's just that I like Silvias better and couldn't find a pic of one I liked...(sorta just slapped that sig together)...hope I could get away with it, but nope! Well...I don't know why 240s are considered hbs, I think they look more like coupes........shows how much I know!

[Murph]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict


lol you won't crash, you'll just do some crazy drifts and impress people all over town!


I drive a mustang.. there is no drifting with a live axel


FUCK YOU FORD!!!

[three.eighteen.]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict

Well...I don't know why 240s are considered hbs, I think they look more like coupes........shows how much I know!

cus you can reach the trunk from the passenger cabin (that large space which the rear window covers), the coupes have an actual trunk

[EK 2.0]

Yeah man had a Supra Turbo a while back...a set of blizzaks and careful driving and I survived 2 winters with it...Just stay cool and calm...give yourself more time to brake and turn and you will be fine...and I think that advice goes for everyone...RWD, FWD and AWD...

[NickGT]

I've survived 2 winters with my stang. Going for 3 in a row this winter. The only problems I've had have been going up hills. But this only becomes problem when I'm forced to come to a complete stop. Then getting started again is next to impossible. If you learn to time it out so you dont have to stop your set though. Either that or you get stuck pushing your car to get it moving again heh...

Sandbags are a must, winter tires are a must, other than that, have fun and be safe! :thumbsup:

[Mikko]

Winter tires, and study up on tire physics and rear wheel drive techniques.

You have to know and understand the basics. But if you do, it is easy.

[ACS-e36]

once theres snow on the ground find an empty parking lot at night and have some fun... youll learn how to control your car allot better once you know what it can do

[three.eighteen.]

Originally posted by Mikko
Winter tires, and study up on tire physics and rear wheel drive techniques.

You have to know and understand the basics. But if you do, it is easy.

huh, read? :confused:


Originally posted by ACS-e36
once theres snow on the ground find an empty parking lot at night and have some fun... youll learn how to control your car allot better once you know what it can do

:werd: what he said

[ryder_23]

Remember practice makes perfect

Murph u still in vancouver...if so, what u gotta worry about, u just get rain out their...or the odd 5cm snow fall whoopdidoo, lol, nothin beats calgarys snow in september lol, :thumbsup:

[Mikko]

Originally posted by three.eighteen.

huh, read? :confused:

Everyone should know tire physics and at least some crash course in car physics.

In a RWD; you should be aware of the basics - that the more power you give the rear wheels, the less lateral friction they will have. And that when lifting off, the engine braking alone can break the traction at the rear.

Those are important things to consider.

[rage2]

Sorry for going off topic, but... OMG. Mikko's back! :rofl:

[Mikko]

:eek: The administrators themselves participate in thread-hijacking.

I snuck in a reply here and there during the time. It just went unnoticed.

[Ashkente]

I taught myself how to drive stick in the winter in an 1800lb rwd car, horribly overinflated all-season tires (didn't know at the time :/) and lived to tell the tale! Just take it easy, slow down, and it's not a problem.

[three.eighteen.]

Originally posted by Mikko


Everyone should know tire physics and at least some crash course in car physics.

In a RWD; you should be aware of the basics - that the more power you give the rear wheels, the less lateral friction they will have. And that when lifting off, the engine braking alone can break the traction at the rear.

Those are important things to consider.

yeah dude thats what happens on paper when you corner, what matters when youre driving that corner is a matter of just knowing your car

[Mikko]

So you think that knowing basic physics has nothing to do with knowing ones car?

[pizalm]

it's easy as long as u take it easy and take a while to learn your cars limits. And although sandbags give u more traction they give your car more momentum when your car swings back from a slide. so watchout.

[Sean7]

I have two RWD cars that I drive in the winter all the time. Not a problem for me, so I don't see why anyone else would have a problem, unless you drive like you stole it.

[GTS Jeff]

rwd in the winter is definitely harder than fwd or awd, but far from impossible. i got thru last winter driving a 2300lb rwd car w/ bald tires, no abs, no traction control, no lsd, and a whole lot of scary moments. i slid thru every corner (cuz it felt more safe than driving normally haha) and it is a ton of fun!

at first, i spun out many times, but after splurging a whopping $50 on a piar of mostly used winter tires for the front, that pretty much stopped happening. sometimes id be driving in a straight line and the slant of the road would throw my car sideways, but as long ure ready for it, u are fine.

[C4S]

Well .
for last 12 yr ( in edmonton ) I were driving RWD .. and u see people race RWD in snow ..
and one time .. a " silly " Audi saleperson told me, RWD is no good for winter .. then I asked " why ? " then she couldn't even ans me why ! jsut say " rwd is no good, need 4wd in winter ! "

and end up she jsut said " well, you know how to drive, then ok to drive RWD, but for some peopel dont know how to drive, they need 4wd ! "

And last year in Calgary, whole winter, I was driving a RWD too .. with snow tires, no problem !

However, if some RWD from the 80's are not that good.. my 1984 Datsun 200 Sx was not a good winter car .. but newer cars, especially BMW, Benz RWD with traction control and long independent suspension, good weight dist.. they r damn nice in winter ! and better control and safer then FWD !

However I stronger suggest snow tires ! can't save that few hundreds buck ! ^_^

[C4S]

Opps..

again .. RWD .. FWD or 4WD .. not really big deal .. mostly is the car .. and the tires ..

last few years, my summer car was a 4Wd and winter car is RWD ! since 4WD is better on track ( sometimes ) and RWD is way more predictable in winter !

When last winter, I bought a Civic Si for winter, I smash it right the way in front of my house during snow driving ! :::>.<:::

[lammer]

haha ever since i first started driving i drove RWD only.
winter time and all

this will be my first winter with a FWD..haha lets see how it feels.

[redline_13000]

I dont think ive ever driven a fwd car in winter. And the past winters i barely used 4wd with the jimmy :D , this winter ill probly be using the rx7 too.

[method]

Originally posted by 4wheeldrift
Anyone who tells you you can't drive a rear wheel drive car in winter doesn't know what they are doing.

bingo.

I feel safer driving a rwd car in the winter than a fwd.. I feel like I always have to clutch in :(

[Luke 96 T/A]

20 years ago, almost all cars were rear-wheel drive.. and people DID drive in the winter!!!! ;-)

Most of the pickups you see on the road are rear wheel...
Almost all 4wd vehicles you see are usually operated in rwd... unless conditions are extra nasty (in which case, fwd wouldn't help..)
FWD cars, when you lose driving traction (due to wheel spin) you can't steer at all....
Most of the cars I buy are rear wheel, and they're just fine... I personally prefer them in the winter, because when I do lose traction in the back, I can still steer in the front...
if you're really worried, winter tires make a huge difference, and you can throw some sandbags in the trunk...

The main benefit of FWD, is you have the weight of the engine pushing down on the wheels...

[Mikko]

FWD cars, when you lose driving traction (due to wheel spin) you can't steer at all....

They still pull the car in the direction you want to go, according to the same principles as powersliding.

In the case of a oversteer induced skid, 4WD should be easiest to save and RWD hardest.

[ehrgeiz]

I'd much prefer a RWD over a FWD drive car in the winter. All you need is winter tires, that isn't even a must. I had two summers on my winter rubber and still drove on them with my Supra. Just need a quick push out of the snowbank in the morning and I was good to go.

I think the biggest concern with winter should be braking not traction on acceleration. Doesn't matter what drive train, if you go for that brake and get nothing but understeer you are a prime candidate for a serious accedent. So at the least put half decent winter rubber on the front.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by ehrgeiz
I think the biggest concern with winter should be braking not traction on acceleration. :werd:

[max_boost]

I got my blizzaks, my S2 is ready for action!

[hampstor]

Like everyone else said, RWD is definately possible in the winter! My first 2 cars (volvo 240, Nissan 240) were RWD. Like rage said, just take your car to a deserted parking lot one night when there is snow on the ground and learn the car :)

[monkeyja]

I drove my 2002 BMW 540i with summer tires for last winter, it's no problems and I drove it to vancouver and edmonton in December and January also in April. But, personally, BMW sucks for everything about the quantity or the car. I drove rwd all times and even this winter, I will still drive rwd with my is. But if drive S2000 in winter, you must change winter tires since it's very easy to slip or drift.

[link785]

All cars have the ability to drive in winter. AWD, RWD and FWD will act a little differently, but once you understand your own car, you'll be fine.

Tires play a huge roll, as do many other factors.

Also, to say that one is better and more "more predictable" than the other is stupid. All cars can do un-expected things. It's up to the driver to have the ability to drive in winter.