quattro digest, Vol 1 #1192 - 9 msgs

[Huw Powell]

> > I don't mean to sound like an a**, but you should get snow tires for
> > snow and summer tires for the other three seasons. You'll never get
> > comparable snow and ice traction with an all-season. Especially up
> > where you are, I would definitely have a dedicated set of winter wheels
> > and tires.
> 
> It really depends where you live.  In the Boston area, there is rarely more than
> a half a dozen days where there is snow/slush/ice on the roads and snow tires
> would give you an advantage.  Even this winter, which has been one of the
> snowiest in recent history, I have had no problems without snow tires.
> 
> You have to balance the increased traction snow tires give you in their element
> vs. the lack of traction they provide in the dry.  For me, the dry days far
> outweigh the snow days, so I stick with the all seasons, and they work fine.
> 
> I do keep a careful eye on the roads, and play with ABS regularly to determine
> which gives me better stopping, ABS or no ABS.  Most of the time, ABS off offers
> better stopping in the snow/slush.

I have to second that, sort of.  I have a set of used Hakkas waiting for
next winter, but as Paul says, we only have snow on the roads 5-10 times
a year here.

I'm running some really cheesy almost new all seasons on the 90Q and
they are doing ok, though I'm sure the Hakkas would go and stop better.

As far as ABS, while it might help with steering while braking hard in
slippery conditions, it cannot do as well as my foot at getting "almost
slipping" braking.  Though I am learning to work with it, not triggering
it is almost the same as my "almost slipping" foot pressure.  When it
triggers, I keep losing braking completely on one or more wheels, and
start pressing the pedal more, making the effect worse... this is of
course very early ABS, with the big clunks and buzzes and pedal
pulsations.

still learning...

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/