Folks,

I would appreciate if you enthusiasts can share any tips, experiences, issues that you have with regards to driving a C-Class Sedan with RWD in snow.
I do have a set of Michelin Arctic Alpins in my garage waiting to be installed so hopefully it should improve my snow driving situation this year still I would like to know if you folks recommend putting sandbags in the trunk etc.
I used to drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4wd earlier and don't have much experience with RWD and snow. Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

TD

 

4WD to RWD isn't that much of a difference in snow as FWD to RWD... so you should be alright.

The biggest things will be:
1. That you won't have as much traction wih RWD as 4WD, so acceleration suffers (gotta watch the heavy foot from a stop on snow).
2. You won't beable to apply as much power through the turns, as RWD pushes the car through the turn rather than pull like FWD and 4WD, so the rear of the car will tend to swing out when fast in corners.
3. On the plus side of above, you can turn the car easier when you need to. FWD and 4WD cars tend to have a problem when they lose traction they just go straight. With RWD you can nail the gas and bring the back end aound to help steer the car.

I haven't driven mine in snow yet, but the tip I was given by a MB sedan owner was to disable ESP in the snow when you feel like the car is stuck or being sluggish off the line... in the snow sometimes the tires just have to slip to get some momentum/friction/whatever to get going. I have already noticed this on cold rainy days where there was a little bit of ice.

 

Thank You Sir that was helpful. I had not thought about disabling ESP when stuck in snow. Last year my car got stuck just climbing up my driveway. With the ESP on the car would not slide from side to side it just kept on digging in the snow and got stuck when the snow below was packed ice and at that point the rear wheels had no traction so they would just spin. The two front wheels were just dead and they would do nothing. Even though I could rock my two front wheels from side to side that did no good to the position of my rear wheels which were spinning at the same point and angle. I think FWD's don't have that problem.

Question ? Should I put sandbags in my trunk or would that extra weight have an adverse effect on the ESP. I want to avoid doing that because if the sandbags get thrown or move from side to side inside my trunk that would not be good for the weight and balance of my car. I am sorry I am asking all these questions just because I live in a place that get's a lot of snow. I gave my 4WD suv to my ex so I have to deal with the shortcomings of the RWD sedan that I currently own during winter.

 

Our cars are heavy enough, I can't imagine that helping! Plus the bags being thrown side to side, if you're driving like that, then you most likely need a winter driving course.

Anyways the sand is probably of more use on your driveway!

I live in Ottawa, ON, Canada, and we get quite a bit of snow. I learned on a RWD in snow, and have driven FWD, AWD, 4WD in the snow, and must admit, the RWD is the worst for the average driver, but it will make you a better driver once you appreciate how to control it.

You have to learn how little traction and control you have in the snow first to truely become a good winter driver. FWD cars mask a lot of that as they tend to have a lot of traction in average winter conditions. So when in really bad conditions most driver's don't know what to do with no traction, same goes for these 4WD SUVs and AWD cars.

I hate seeing people driving like its a bright summer day in the middle of winter. Slow down a bit, leave a bit more room, don't hammer the gas or the brake. Basically open your eyes, see the snow, drive carefully.

 

I don't think I am a bad driver. I just want to be a better educated / prepared driver and who knows I might take a winter driving course like you said.

 

....I'm am Jack's lack of practice...

The biggest, most important thing to do for winter driving is PRACTICE. After the snow has accumulated a little, find an empty parking lot, turn of ESP, and let 'er rip. Do a bunch of manuvers and get that car sliding around. Spin it out. Do donuts. Slam on the brakes. Rinse and repeat. You will learn the limits of the car in short order. Then you will learn what driver inputs are needed if/when the car gets out of shape on the road. Soon, you'll look like a pro as you drift the car around the block and into your driveway.

 

I want to add a tip on going DOWNhill.

With fwd or rwd, the big issue in going downhill is being able to stop faster than the vehicle in front and without losing control. This is a situation in which having your ESP turned off may not be such a great idea. The worst scenario going downhill is ice with no snow cover and no salt. In extremely icy conditions you can find yourself unable to brake at all without starting a slide with the front end. Then you're going towards the outside of the road or towards the centreline and your steering doesn't work because the wheels are locking. ABS will not correct this situation. If it happens, you need to take a fast look at how long the ice lasts and how long the hill is. If your ESP is off, you have to take your foot off the brakes and thow the car into neutral while you're looking, just to get some semblance of steering control back. Leaving the car in gear with your foot off the gas when it's really icy will provoke a rear wheel slide that is difficult to correct without accelerating, probably not what you want to be doing in these circumstances. If you can coast out of this situation without using the brakes or engine you will be lucky. Otherwise you have to evaluate the cheapest way of stopping.

The cars still have a font-end bias in the weight distribution, so I would think a bag of sand in the trunk might be a good idea for both traction and handling. If it's a sack flat on the trunk floor, there is no way it will slide from side to side on the snow because you couldn't generate enough g's. Put it up against the seat backs. I suppose it could move under hard cornering on dry pavement, which would not be good, but most of us don't drive that hard. And when you get stuck on the ice, as Taylor says, you can always use some of it to help get you going.

 

It's not clear whether yours is auto or manual; with auto, you obviously rely on what it offers; with manual - try to match RPM as well as you can when changing gears either way - you miss, and all of a sudden you get a tailspin. The key is to be smooth in the snow. No punching, no hard braking. Try using higher gears, sometimes even at the expense of under-revving the engine, as they are less likely to cause traction loss.

If it comes to the worst and you clearly see that you are unable to stop, try to steer to the curb - chances are, there will be enough snow there to not cause substantial damage (well, compared to plunging into a car in front of you). A set of snow tires is a must, in any event. And - do practice on a parking lot, as was suggested in one of the previous posts!

Good luck! Hope you'll find if fun afer a while!

 

Get a set of winter only tires, prefferably narrower, with a taller aspect ratio. Blizzaks worked great on my Accord(the only part of the car that did work right). With ESP, etc on the MB, along with really good tires, you should do fine.

BTW, youre never gonna be able to go anywhere no matter how much snow, like you did with the Jeep

 

The second most important thing is to watch out for the moron that drives like it is still summer. You may have phenomenal winter driving skill but unfortunately you are not the only one on the road.

 

The Alpins will help, but you'll find substantial differences in the handling of your new car compared to your old truck. First thing you'll notice is a Benz doesn't feel top heavy at all. It's center of gravity is about 18 inches lower, making it feel mor like a sled.
Next, you'll find the traction control and anti-slip features work very well...unless you're on an icy hill. This is where your tires pick up the slip.
Cornering is hardly a problem, but should you run into trouble, remember to steer into the slide(cross-up)....if the back kicks left, steer to the left and feather the gas. After you get the hang of that (preferably in a large, empty, snow covered parking lot), you'll have a blast and even look forward to winters!
Enjoy...

 

... and the number one rule of high performance driving in summer OR winter;

When in doubt, punch it.
It may not solve the problem, but it WILL end the suspense!




I'm kidding by the way.

Old joke.

Lame attempt at humor.

In other words, don't sue me when you wrap you car around the light pole...

oh, nevermind...