So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?
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Administrator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,670
From: Binghamton, NY
So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?
Just throwing this out for discussion, because I've only had my car for two weeks now, and we haven't started getting snow here. I'm just curious on how good Quattro is in the snow. Different manufacturers design their AWD systems for different purposes (some for inclement weather traction, some for maximum racetrack performance, etc), so I'm curious where Quattro falls in the mix. For what it's worth in my application, I have a stock 99 A4 Quattro 2.8 5-speed with good tread on all-season tires. The car is mechanically excellent - no issues with normal driveability. I'm curious as to how much better it is (or isn't) than a typical FWD car when it comes to snowy/slushy roads. I don't know all the ins and outs of Quattro - ie, whether it is a torque-biasing system that can adjust torque front to rear as conditions dictate, or if it's a full-time, non-adjusting, set ratio of torque split between front and rear. How are the driving dynamics in crappy conditions? Is there anything about the car's behavior that I should watch out for when driving in such conditions? (for example, should I watch out for any twitchiness in the car if it is a torque-adjusting system - will it kick the power to the rear if the fronts lose grip?)
Forgive my noobiness here, but I'm going to be getting into this kind of weather pretty soon and I'd like to be mentally prepared for it. Any feedback is welcome, and thanks in advance.
Forgive my noobiness here, but I'm going to be getting into this kind of weather pretty soon and I'd like to be mentally prepared for it. Any feedback is welcome, and thanks in advance.
4th Gear
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,078
From: Northern NJ USA
RE: So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?
The cars with traction control are very good in snow, with ESP even better.
Your Quattro has a 50/50 front/rear torque split which is good in snow.
Take it easy at first, to see how it handles. 4 snow tires would make
any quattro great.
Your Quattro has a 50/50 front/rear torque split which is good in snow.
Take it easy at first, to see how it handles. 4 snow tires would make
any quattro great.
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,326
From: Fargo, ND
RE: So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?
Well coming from a North Dakota boy I say the quattro has just as good of traction as my old 4x4 explorer in the snow. We just got our first shot of snow this morning actually. I just put new rims/tires on (Yokohama Avid H4S's) and they are doing great. As to your question about traction vs. a FWD car..........there is not really any comparison when it comes to traction in the snow - FWD will spin and spin - my wife drives a 05 Nissan sentra and all she does in the snow is spin. FWD with traction control (aka the car is put the breaks on to stop the spining) can do a little better on ice/snow but not much.
I love drifting around corners in the snow. [sm=wootwoot.gif]
I love drifting around corners in the snow. [sm=wootwoot.gif]
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,209
From: North CO
RE: So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?
In the winter I do alot of snow driving on some steep, tight, shi**y mountain roads and I have yet to get stuck. Better than my ford truck or jeep ever did.
4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,393
From: Columbus Ohio
RE: So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?
ORIGINAL: UpstateNYA4
Just throwing this out for discussion, because I've only had my car for two weeks now, and we haven't started getting snow here. I'm just curious on how good Quattro is in the snow. Different manufacturers design their AWD systems for different purposes (some for inclement weather traction, some for maximum racetrack performance, etc), so I'm curious where Quattro falls in the mix. For what it's worth in my application, I have a stock 99 A4 Quattro 2.8 5-speed with good tread on all-season tires. The car is mechanically excellent - no issues with normal driveability. I'm curious as to how much better it is (or isn't) than a typical FWD car when it comes to snowy/slushy roads. I don't know all the ins and outs of Quattro - ie, whether it is a torque-biasing system that can adjust torque front to rear as conditions dictate, or if it's a full-time, non-adjusting, set ratio of torque split between front and rear. How are the driving dynamics in crappy conditions? Is there anything about the car's behavior that I should watch out for when driving in such conditions? (for example, should I watch out for any twitchiness in the car if it is a torque-adjusting system - will it kick the power to the rear if the fronts lose grip?)
Forgive my noobiness here, but I'm going to be getting into this kind of weather pretty soon and I'd like to be mentally prepared for it. Any feedback is welcome, and thanks in advance.
Just throwing this out for discussion, because I've only had my car for two weeks now, and we haven't started getting snow here. I'm just curious on how good Quattro is in the snow. Different manufacturers design their AWD systems for different purposes (some for inclement weather traction, some for maximum racetrack performance, etc), so I'm curious where Quattro falls in the mix. For what it's worth in my application, I have a stock 99 A4 Quattro 2.8 5-speed with good tread on all-season tires. The car is mechanically excellent - no issues with normal driveability. I'm curious as to how much better it is (or isn't) than a typical FWD car when it comes to snowy/slushy roads. I don't know all the ins and outs of Quattro - ie, whether it is a torque-biasing system that can adjust torque front to rear as conditions dictate, or if it's a full-time, non-adjusting, set ratio of torque split between front and rear. How are the driving dynamics in crappy conditions? Is there anything about the car's behavior that I should watch out for when driving in such conditions? (for example, should I watch out for any twitchiness in the car if it is a torque-adjusting system - will it kick the power to the rear if the fronts lose grip?)
Forgive my noobiness here, but I'm going to be getting into this kind of weather pretty soon and I'd like to be mentally prepared for it. Any feedback is welcome, and thanks in advance.
UpstateNY + Quattro = Big-Grin
You'll probably be wanting it to snow this winter!
1st Gear
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 212
From:
RE: So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?
Since getting my car 2 weeks ago as well, I have wanted it to do nothing but rain and snow...just to get some use out of that quattro..
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And we are forecasted to have 1-2 inches tomorrow morning...I am super excited. just have to watch out for Naive rich women with Huge Suburbans and Escalade's who think that 4WD = better stopping in the snow. [sm=yikesomg.gif]
\
And we are forecasted to have 1-2 inches tomorrow morning...I am super excited. just have to watch out for Naive rich women with Huge Suburbans and Escalade's who think that 4WD = better stopping in the snow. [sm=yikesomg.gif]
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,398
From: Lancaster pa
RE: So in all honesty, how good is Quattro in snow?