Re: studded snow tires on a quattro

[jallred@spdg.COM (John Allred)]

Thus spake Eliot Lim <eliot@u.washington.edu>:
> studded snow tires on a quattro transforms it into a virtual tracked
> vehicle in the snow.  i can't even spin the wheels or lock the brakes
> (abs disabled).  the peace of mind and confidence is easily worth
> the 5 to 700 bucks for a set.  besides, around here it gets icy,
> so i really do need it on mine..

As another Seattle-area resident, let me chime in with a "me too" to
Eliot's posting.  Unlike Eliot, I live near the top of one of the
nearby mountains.  Last year, we had a few days of complete icing on
our 15%+ grade road, which makes life more interesting than you'd ever
care for.  I was slipping far more than I was used to, using a high
performance M+S tire (Yokohama AVS A+4).  Several other 4wd/awd cars and
trucks went into the ditch one morning.  The only vehicles which kept
control had studded snows with 4wd.

So, this year will be different.  I'm about to order some studded
snows and steel wheels from the Tire Rack for my 1990 Coupe Q. Like
Eliot, I will only put them on in icing conditions.

Our other car, a 1985 Mercedes 300SD (diesel), simply will not venture
out in the snow and ice, since it would make a good simulation of a
hockey puck. 

> but nobody should be satisfied with being just past the point of
> adequate.  how about safety margins for unexpected encounters?

Hear, hear.  My coupe has given me the reserves I needed to avoid bozos
in the past.  With ice, snow, and people who don't really know how to
drive in adverse conditions, you need all the margin you can get.

John
-- 
John Allred (jallred@spdg.com)
Stratos Product Development Group, Seattle, WA