HTX C63

Im driving my c63 from Houston to Santa Fe for a ski trip this weekend, its about a 12 hour drive All its maintenance is up to date and my tires are practically new. Is there anything else I should be worrying about?

m a x i m u s

how's traction up snowy mountainsides...do you have snow tires? chains? oh yeah, and gas.

abcut973

It should be ok. Just use the cruise control to save a bit on fuel.
Apart from that since you are going for a ski trip you will end up in snowing hilly conditions? Humm which tires are you using?
Might not be the right car for this trip

HTX C63

lol yeah I got the fuel covered. And Im on PSS about 80% tread left, most of the driving will be highway driving and from our hotel to the ski resort.

zibby43

If you are going to be encountering temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (that's generous, 50 is the more often used cutoff for summer tires) and snow-covered road surfaces, you are going to need snow/winter tires. Especially if you are dealing with inclines/declines during the trip. Or a different vehicle if you don't want to buy them just for the trip.

alexmtl

+1, Winter tires are a must.

cheesy

I'd bring a couple litres of oil with me , lots of miles , so she will need a top up at some point

HTX C63

do yall think tire chains will be ok? Im really not trying to buy a set of snow tires just for this trip..

m a x i m u s

chains with non snow tires is fine. the only question I have is how hilly is it going to be? if it will be extremely hilly, then the RWD may make it tough, even with chains. but it's not impossible to do.

HTX C63

im not actually going to be driving all over the mountains btw.. its all highway driving.

ghiaguy

In this case you're good, just bring extra coin for all that gas

supernova_inc

I live in Abq, NM. I am assuming you would be coming over on I40 at some point. Snow tires are really not required at all. The last snow we got was last week. We did get a bunch in the mountains but even in Santa Fe proper they got only a few inches which has already melted in the city. The road up to the ski area is heavily plowed and well maintained once you are out of the city of Santa Fe. There is a high chance for rain/snow in the city this weekend so assume snow in the mountains. As long as it is not a freakin blizzard, which hasn't happened in a long time I would not be worried about it too much. I was up in Wolf creek a weekend ago and my old, now traded in Dodge Charger srt8 did just fine. The snow just a bit further north IE) Taos, Pagosa Springs(wolf creek), and Durango Mountain Resort will be leaps and bounds better than in Santa Fe. If you are staying more than a day it may be worth it to take an extra hour or two drive if you and/or the family are looking for more mountain.

zcct04

Food for thought:
https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...-c63-snow.html

You'll be driving through places where the nearest in-stock performance tire is hundreds of miles away, so having a good spare can make a big difference. Might be good to check the air in your spare before you leave - I had to use mine recently and it was damn near flat.

Merc63

ANY amount of snow in a c63 with summer tires is plain stupid and deadly.

Summer tires in the cold-snow and you have a 4000lbs hockey puck.

I've got caught in snow on the way home and had to travel 20-30kmh sliding everything.

Snow tires are absolutely a must if there is even a small chance of snow.

If the roads are guaranteed to be completely clear you will be ok, but I find that hard to believe of you are going skiing. The road up the mountain, although plowed, will still be covered with compacted snow and a nightmare for you.

I would have snow tires all around and some sand bags in the trunk for more traction.

bhamg

+63,000,000.

cyberorth

Drive to the hotel. Rent a SUV for the rest of the way. Don't drive in any snow with summer tires. U crazy?

drawde

Snow really is no go with this car on summers. It barely saw any snow when I had summers but I took it out once on my PS2's not long after a snow fall (roads plowed and salted, and no new snow). I was nearly sliding all over the place and this is slow city driving, not at speed. would not do it again.

on the other hand, with proper snows/winters it is perfectly capable.

Thrilla

And it's not just snow on the ground, the rule of thumb is temperatures below 45F, and the summer tires lose traction and can be dangerous. With or without snow, in cold temps, the OEM tires are compromised.

If you don't want to get proper tires, just rent a car for the trip.

ecohen2

I live in the DC Metro area (blizzard headquarters) and recently swapped out my stock 507 tires for these: http://toyotires.com/tire/pattern/pr...on-tires?cat=2

I cannot tell you how much of a difference this has made in below 40 degree weather and on snow. I wouldn't say the car is great in the snow, but you can drive on packed snow or in 10 degree temps without worrying about sliding all over the place. They are not quite as stiff or grippy in warm weather, but are quiet and have a great ride..

Ed