Is the rs4 any good in the snow

[rs4uk]

Hi guys

With all the scare of bad weather in yesterday's paper

I'm just wondering what the rs4 is like in the snow with the standard summer tyres and alloys??

To be honest my Vauxhall van (front wheel drive) was great!!!

[toyneg]

Driven mine in the snow with summer tyres and it was pretty good! It's scary on the roads though as you worry about every other bloody car sliding into you haha

[Stairs]

Turn the traction control off and have some fun!*

It does hold the road a lot better than every other car I have had and that is with summer tyres and alloys.



*Only had the balls to do this once.

[JCviggen]

Use winter tires. Quattro will get you going but trying to stop on snow and ice is pretty much as bad as any other car.

People who don't want to use winter tires should simply not use their car when actual snow and ice occur. It's an unnecessary risk.

[PetrolDave]

Driven mine in the snow with summer tyres and it was pretty good! It's scary on the roads though as you worry about every other bloody car sliding into you haha

+1

A few years ago I rescued my wife and a colleague from a local "employment area" that was supposedly cut off - and that was on 275/30 Goodyear F1s!

As has been said getting going is easy enough, but you have to remember that you're still on Summer tyres when it comes to stopping so you need to use the brake pedal as though there is a fresh (uncooked) egg between your foot and the pedal...

[FaisalJ]

Not had the opportunity to get the RS4 out in the snow yet, but did so in a B6 S4...managed to get some really controllable 4 wheel drifts going! The car did slide, but always stayed pointing where I wanted it. I expect the RS4 will be similar.

I absolutely did not do some wide donuts in a lidl car park...

[MikeFish]

Yep as above I use mine all year round even on snow with summer tyres. And as said already be careful when braking and watch out for other idiots.

[psglas]

I've used mine a lot in snow up here in Scotland though use winter's for 5 months from November. With the quattro, winter tyres, 400bhp and a handbrake it's good in up to 9 inches of snow and great fun. It sits a bit low if it's any deeper. Even with winter's you can't avoid the other 90% of people in 2WD who are blocking the roads though.

[PetrolDave]

Even with winter's you can't avoid the other 90% of people in 2WD who are blocking the roads though.

Where I live there is a slight hill in both directions and even when there's less than 2" of snow some fools always manage to get stuck on them and give me a day working from home

[Dolphie]

From experience of driving 2 and 4 wheel drive cars (including the RS) in the Alps and Scotland in the snow I've found the following:

Any car can handle snow (as long as it's not too deep) with winter tyres. They make more difference than anything else. Yes, they are a compromise in terms of dry performance, but I'd rather stay on the road in the winter than worry about anything over 9/10ths.

4WD offers significant benefits in terms of traction but little, if anything, in terms of lateral grip and nothing when it comes to braking. As others have started, driving style also has and affect.

So yes 4WD helps you get and keep moving, but for any real benefit in the snow you need winter tyres.

[Ian_C]

Agreed. Anyone who thinks their car is good in the snow on summer tyres has NEVER been in a car in the snow on winter tyres

[HPsauce]

Spot on Ian.

I have a big pile of winter wheels/tyres (5 for each car) that will go on in 2 to 3 months time. They are blooming marvellous.

[rob-s]

I live in Finland with my RS so I drive in the snow/ice from December to March and its fairly good fun:)

I have 20" Michelin Super Sport as summer tires and 19" Nokian Hakkapeliitta R as winter tires. Can tell you from experience that summer tires in real snow (lets say 3-20cm) are useless (and that has nothing to do with the car).

[PetrolDave]

Agreed. Anyone who thinks their car is good in the snow on summer tyres has NEVER been in a car in the snow on winter tyres

On my non-RS FWD car (Citroen C1) I have Summer (Yokohama S.drive) and Winter (Nokian Haakepelitta R) tyres - and the difference is immense, so I understand how much better Winter tyres are than Summer tyres (and I used to travel to Oulu in northern Finland every fortnight Summer and Winter).

But having said that, even on Summer tyres my RS grips (accelerating, cornering and braking) better in snow on Summer tyres than my C1 does on Winter tyres.

So it's not just a tyre thing, the car has an effect too...

[psglas]

Worth a watch even though they are fords.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfuE00qdhLA