Snow/winter tires & driving (long, sorry)

[MK1Scirocco16v at comcast.net (Dave Ewing)]

I would think that the 175 is about the narrowest you'd want to go unless
your gonna go with some tractor tire on a truck or something.  Last time I
saw a 165 (I don't check every tire I see for size) was on the older
Beetles.  Those things are great in the snow!!

Dave
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Smith" <sad_rocc@yahoo.com>
To: <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 11:16 PM
Subject: RE: Snow/winter tires & driving (long, sorry)


> Speaking of that, what's the narrowest I can go on a set of 13"
tarantulas? There's someone in town here selling a set of 4 very good snow
tires for like $100 but they're 165/70/13. I checked my collection of 13"
rims and I have 185 and 175 width tires, but no 165.
>
> Dan
>
> ATS - Patrick Bureau <txrocco@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> remember one important thing..
>
> summer tire you want wide tires... (more rubber on the asphalt = better
> traction
> winter time you want thinner tires..( more rubber = less traction in snow,
> thinner tires track better on snow)
>
> I am sure someone will disagree here. but this is from 32 years of Candian
> winters (ie: average snowfall of over 18 feet/8 months)
>
>
> ATS - Patrick Bureau - txrocco@sbcglobal.net
> ----------------------------------------------
> MSN:ATSGTX@hotmail.com |YAHOO:ATSGTX@yahoo.com
> ICQ:32918816 |AIM:Texasscirocco
> ----------------------------------------------
>
>
> =>-----Original Message-----
> =>From: scirocco-l-bounces@scirocco.org
> =>[mailto:scirocco-l-bounces@scirocco.org]On Behalf Of Kent McLean
> =>Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 5:54 AM
> =>To: T. Reed; scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> =>Subject: Re: Snow/winter tires & driving (long, sorry)
> =>
> =>
> =>T. Reed went on and on about snow tires:
> =>> So, I'm thinking about buying a set of snow tires and I would
> =>appreciate
> =>> some advice from those with experience (both using snow tires and
> =>driving
> =>> in the snow)
> =>
> =>For occasional snow, you probably don't need real snow
> =>tires. All-season tires should suffice. Just make sure they
> =>have lots of tread left. If they're worn down to the warning
> =>bars, they will be useless in snow.
> =>
> =>> What's the deal with studs?
> =>
> =>Good on ice, but not really necessary if you slow down
> =>and drive with care.
> =>
> =>> Thinner tires do better in snow, right? But of course have worse
> =>traction
> =>> when dry..
> =>
> =>Correct. But not really a factor if you stick to standard
> =>sizes on your rims.
> =>
> =>> I've been drifting around some crushed-gravel roads (don't worry, I'm
> =>> being extra careful not to harm my 'baby') at high speeds trying to
> =>get a
> =>> feel for controlling the car with less than perfect traction.
> =>
> =>That's the best thing -- experience. Wait until it snows.
> =>Then find an empty, unplowed parking lot and drive
> =>around it. Feel how much traction you have taking
> =>off from a stop (spin those wheels!). Start off in 2nd
> =>and feel the difference; you'll probably be less likely
> =>to spin your wheels. Get up to speed (which on snow
> =>may be just 10-20 mph) and slam on your brakes;
> =>you'll skid. Do it again but gently apply your brakes;
> =>get a feel for when you skid and when you don't.
> =>Get up to speed again and make a 90 degree turn.
> =>Did you plow straight when you turned the wheel?
> =>You carried too much speed into the turn (that is,
> =>you didn't have enough traction). Try again, but
> =>make the turn more gentle. Try again, but give it gas
> =>when you turn. Try again, but give it some brakes
> =>when you turn. For some real fun, try again but
> =>pull up on the hand brake (keep the release button
> =>pressed in) while turning. The rear end should kick
> =>out and help you complete the turn. Keep playing
> =>in the snow until you get comfortable with it. Then
> =>your fears will disappear. The only thing I fear in
> =>snow is the other idiots on the road.
> =>
> =>If you are really paranoid about snow, sell the
> =>Scirocco and look for an Audi quattro. You should
> =>be able to pick up a mid-80s 4000 with quattro for
> =>under $1000. You can window shop here:
> =>http://www.audifans.com/marketplace/view.php?table=cars&type=true
> =>And being from the VW family, the mechanicals
> =>should look familiar, especially the 4-cylinder engine.
> =>
> =>Kent
> =>35 years of driving in snow, with front-engine-rear-drive
> =>(Austin-Healeys, MGs, Miata), rear-engine-rear-drive
> =>(air-cooled VW Beetle), front-engine-front-drive (Hondas,
> =>Fords), and the best for snow, front-engine-all-wheel-drive
> =>(Audi 200).
> =>
> =>
> =>
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>
>
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