sudhanshu3

This morning a had a tough commute to work due to the snow storm here in Boston. My car is a 4MATIC and still i was skidding all over the place. I was so pissed when i saw a FORD fiesta handling better tham my 4MATIC c300. No, i did not disable my ESP. My car could not even climb a ramp without skidding sideways. Do you think i should be concerned and speak to a dealer. I might sound silly but i sometimes suspect that i bought a RWD with 4MATIC badge. Is there a way to make sure whetehr the car is AWD like with a VIN etc.??

egauster

Hi! Ive had several 4matics and they are all VERY different.... It all comes down to the tires and weight of the car. I live in the
Boston area too and have had a C300, ML350 and now S550 all 4matics.

If you have anything close to a "sport tire" on your C, it wont make a huge difference with the 4matic... I had an older C class 4matic with larger sidewall "normal" mud and snow tires that was great in the snow. Later on (2008) I had a c300 4matic with more low profile tires that sucked. Currently the ML and the S550 are AWESOME in the snow but have normal (not sport tires) and weigh a lot more then the C class.

The Porsche C4 is all wheel drive and will not move an inch in snow unless equiped with snow tires.

Get a set of dedicated snow tires on normal rims (maybe even opt for the studs) and you will see a HUGE difference and be back loving your C Class again...

Distinct

What kind of winter tires do you have and how old are they? What kind of tires were on the Ford Fiesta?

sudhanshu3

i have stock Conti's on them right now.

Distinct

That's your problem right there. Doesn't matter if your car is RWD or AWD, 4 times zero traction is zero traction. I wouldn't expect any type of confident driving in a snow storm on anything but winter tires. All seasons don't cut it. The cheapest crappy winter tires will still perform so much better than expensive all seasons or summers. Invest in a proper set of winter tires before you even bother checking that your car is a falsely badged 4matic. AWD Audis, SUVs and Subarus will all benefit from winter tires, it's less a matter of which wheels are being driven than the afforded traction against the snow.

I'm going to imagine what the dealer is going to say to you. Good luck.

TaxEsq

Wife drove from UWS NYC to Greenwich CT (which includes city streets, major highways and local roads in CT which were un-plowed) on stock Continentals and 4matic. She had absolutely no issues whatsoever...

Sportstick

We've had this conversation more times than I can remember...IT'S THE TIRES. Go get some Blizzaks, Nokian, etc. and the problem will magically go away.

Derspeed

Yes!

sudhanshu3

That's what i expected..... i have heard a lot of good things about c300 4MATIC handling in wintery weather thats is why i suspect a falsely badged 4MATIC. Is there a way to check it with MB?

Sportstick

Too many variables to explain success.....ambient temp, road elevation/ramping, speed, is the snow packed down or not, how much snow/how much ice, etc., and we're all glad for her safety, but this is not a formula for continuing safety in the winter, especially if she had to brake suddenly.

Distinct

Since you're only hearing what you want to hear, why don't you get a video camera and bring your car into a local MB dealership and ask them to inspect your car and see if it is a 4matic? Post the video to youtube and share the link. I'm interested to see the reaction and face of the Technician.

Because some people tell you that they had a great experience driving on stock tires in the snow, does not speak to the experience they could have if they were on winter tires.

Sportstick

Don't waste your time...that is NOT the issue, and you will not find that it has the wrong badge, wrong Monroney label, wrong price, wrong curb weight on the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin, etc., all which would have had to happen under your suspicion. There is a reason for both Occam's Razor and the old expression, "If you hear hooves, think horses, not zebras." Just go to tirerack.com and order a winter tire/wheel package with TPMS, have them directly sent to their installer in your zip code, and go have them loosen 20 lug nuts for the swap.

TaxEsq

In over 20 years of driving in the North East and New England I have never owned snow tires. I never saw the point, and continue not to see the point. Wife went to college in VT and drove a 3 series there (without snow tires) - no accidents. There are, as you point out, a number of variables to explain our success...to say your success is directly attributable to you owning snow tires begs the question - would you not be successful without them? I am not trying to argue one point over the other here, I recognize that you may drive your car in harsher weather than us...we typically leave it in the garage when the weather gets nasty and the wife takes the train.

Sportstick

Whatever is working for you, may it continue forever and keep you safe!

However, in my 40 driving years in various parts of the North East, the Great Lakes areas, and southern Ontario, I have found this is not the typical experience and should not be the basis of advice to others, such as the OP, who is complaining about a common concern. Everyone's choice is then their own, but I hope a snowtireless vehicle is not behind me in the winter!

...perhaps if they were deductible???

TaxEsq

AHAHHAHAH I could make the argument they were a business expense...

Blazeitup123

My 4matic handles amazingly in the ice and snow. no slips or slides. i don't even notice the snow, really, i'm serious.

TCP442

....I drove my C300 4Matic today in 2-3 "of snowy mix...roads not plowed, part highway, part side roads...I took it easy, and put the trans in " C "mode...Car was stable as a bank vault ...no slip/sliding....put it in " S " mode...well...I had less traction from a stop...I find the 4Matic a great improvement over my 2 other front drivers....I believe driving style has much to do with outcome...just take it easy in bad weather....

JFOUR

I'm driving a Passat 4Motion as a snow car. It goes sideways (all season tires), but will never get stuck. It really is all about the tires... get some snows and you'll be good.

kevink2

how many miles on Conti's ?

Look for half shafts up front to verify 4matic.

In Boston, oem new michelins (25-30) k miles is the way to go with 4matics, all year.

---------------------------------

I went through 4 years of commuting to college near boston, with rock hard michelen zx"s. I just got stranded once in a snow storm in white city in my rwd triumph gt-6.

.

Sportstick

By definition, no original equipment tire is optimal. OE tires compete on fuel economy when hoping to be selected by the vehicle manufacturer from their supply base, as each tenth of a mile of CAFE credit is extremely valuable to the vehicle manufacturer. Aftermarket tires compete among consumers more on tire performance, wet/dry, braking,etc. To achieve the OE goals, those tires are specified to have a lower rolling resistance harder rubber compound, which becomes even more like a frozen hockey puck in temps below about 40 degrees F. Once that happens, there is a huge loss of traction. Aftermarket tires generally do not use as hard a rubber compound. Even if one had an obsession about not buying winter tires, replacement all season tires of the same supposed brand and model will do better in the winter than the OE tires due to the different compound.

bdyyz

I have driven lots and lots of AWD cars over the years, my c350 4Matic with Hankook IceBears is the BEST winter car I have ever had.

It has great grip and the right amount of traction control and ESP. My previous IS250AWD had a totally obtrusive ESP program that made it almost detrimental in heavy winter conditions

waiszeto

mine 4 matic system works fine with the performance tire. I do think is ur driving style that affects u LOL.. u cant expect the c to perform the same way as in summer. SLOW DOWN BRO !

cbcharlie

mine handles fairly well in the snow with the stock all season tires. In a straight line i've had no issues, definitely gotta slow down on turns though. I've drivin 70mph on snowy highways without any real issues.

Now I can't say I would recommend doing 70mph on the snowy highways ;P

If my car slips, its almost always intentional.

TaxEsq

Knowing this I'll be certain to stay off the LIE, Northern and Southen State Parkways when it snows!!

sudhanshu3

Half-shafts??... i dont know what to look for.... i pictorial representation would be nice