Moxie

I had a few questions before I buy.

We get a few days of snow a year (3-5), how is the C230k in light snow? Does the ESP make up for some of the disadvatages of rear wheel drive in the snow?

How is the windshield with regard to fogging up? Does it fog frequently in cold snow/rain weather? Does the automatic climate control pretty much clear it up with the touch of a button?

How is the view out the back window in rain with such a flat window and no rear wiper?

Thanks.

DtS

I don't own a coupe but the sedan. I think I will be able to answer all of your questions except the last one.

These cars (at least the sedan version) handles excellent in snow. The ESP is doing its job very well. Even if you try to skid around, the ESP won't let you. I have driven my car during our 4 month long and snowy winter, and not managed to make the car get out of traction with ESP engaged. With ESP off... well... thats another story.

The climate-control is also doing its job very well. Of course you will get som fog on your windshield now and then, but just one single press on the "defog - defrost"-button solves this problem in almost no time. I once had forgot my ice-scrape and BAM, the temp outside fell to -27C.
Started the car, pressed the defrost-button, and in five minutes I was able to drive away with no frost on the windows whatsoever.

zimmer26

I don't know about the all seasons, but the C7s were a nightmare (not that I didn't expect them to be, but even scarier than I imagined.) I was stupid and listened to people saying you've got a brand new car with brand new tires- a few inches won't even slow you down! I almost didn't make it out of the condo complex that had less than 2 inches on it. I find that the defrost works very well front and rear.

So like I said- I can't speak for the standard all seasons but in general if you drive where it snows- buy 4 snow tires and you'll be truly amazed at what you can accomplish, and you're that much safer.

zimmer26

Oh yeah ESP. ESP is great esp. in the rain- I can't get the car sideways- it pretty amazing. It doesn't come close to make up for lack of proper tires in snow driving. I've found that the best way to help RWD is to put some weight in the trunk. If you've got some serious snow, weight (a few hundred pounds) combined with snows will fair every bit as well as a FWD car and IMO its easier to manuever it. I kept my old car - a 91 MR2 turbo that I have snows on its great in the snow (the reason I didn't equip my coupe with snows.) Gotta be real easy on the thorttle but it wowed me. The only time I needed a push was when there was so much that I was plowing it with the undercarriage!

DtS

I wouldn't dream of driving on anything else but studded tires in the winter seasson. But, I must say I was impressed on how well the C handled on snow an ice, even compared to many other cars that has been designed to handle our winter-climate (ie. Volvo and Saab)