MBE430!

Hi everyone,

Well today was the first day of the snowy season to try out the e430 4-matic. We got around 1ft of snow Friday into Saturday and more to come this Sunday. The 4-matic awd worked to perfection. Did not get stuck at all. I just love driving past people that are stuck in the snow looking for a push. Sorry buddy not in this car.

raymond g-

i have E320 4m, but it's only good for moderate snow and relatively level
terrain. just today, we recd about 6" and Seattle has hills so I opted to
eschew the 4matic and go for my Nissan 4wd - studs in back and cables
up front. kicks butt and no glazed over hill has stopped it yet. some
nearby neighborhoods places have over 12-24" of snow

Figuero

This is my first winter with 4Matic as well. After 10 winters of struggling with the E420, I regreat not upgrading sooner. 4Matic is night and day compared to 2wd in the snow.
However, I find the BMW system (2002 X5) to be much more seemless in operation. Not nearly as much action from the ABS system in the BMW. I don't know the technical differences but the BMW seems very much more like a true AWD system only reverting to using the brakes/throttle retard after severe traction loss. In the Mercedes it's very clear that ABS is the primary system for torque transfer.
I'll give heaps of praise to the tires as well. ContiExtreemContact on the E430 give unmatched stability and controllability compared to the Michilen Energys on the E420. Again night and day difference in the snow, turning and stopping are now controlled, with the E420 it was more like a thrill ride.
The Goodyear Triple Treads on the BMW are even better in the snow.
The Conti's are great, but the Goodyears are amazing. Neither have the Mountain Snowflake rating though.
It's -5 today (wind chill -25) with about 4" of fresh powder. Took the Mercedes out for a spin just to give the tires a fridged test. Still performed great. If you are running FRESH ContiExtreemContacts or the Goodyear Assurance Triple Treads, in my humble opinion, you can forgo winter tires, perhaps excepting for ICE or legal requirements.
This is said after 45 years of experience ranging from far Northern Michigan snow to Chicago slush and ice.

chamnya

+1!! have been trying e430 4matic with contiextremecontacts in light snow for the first time this year. i have to say this is the only time in life that i am looking forward to snow

Figuero

I've not pushed snow with the front bumper yet, but I have been out in 9" of fresh powder and 3-6" of the mealy stuff, and that VERY SLICK wet chicago hardpack. The tires and 4Matic did their job.

sosh

I disagree with you re the relatively level ground. It works just fine on steep hills. The only limiting factor seems to be snow depth and thats a function of the vehicle not the 4 Matic system. Have had 4 matic E's since 2000 and have never had a snow issue except high piles with deep snow that actually hits the underside of the vehicle. That goes for the W210 I had and my current W211.

Figuero

I wonder how the 4Matic would do on Queen Anne Hill with studs and cables......?
I'm assuming that the Nissan is a Pathfinder or such... so I would pick it over any sedan in 12" - 24" of snow as well. But how often do you really get a 12" snowfall in Seattle?

raymond g-

not just hills, but compact snow/ice and 17ºF so it's pretty glazed now
though warming. snow is small stuff, natch, here in Seattle. locals dont
seem to be able to handle anything more than an inch or so and believe
that as long as you have winter tires or 4wd, that affords you normal
traction and driving speed.

Queen Anne hill :-) went up the hill about 3 am this morning in the truck.
rear end skittered a bit but it trudged ahead just fine.

benz_addict

I love the 4Matic AWD in my S500
I have Michelin snow tires on my car too and man it had no problems anywhere at all, 15cm of snow plowed right through with no problems with ground clearance thanks to the airmatic raise button, it gets pretty high

dgiturbo

Must chime in to say this is the first "real" winter I have experienced since owning the 4Matics. Feel sorry for the stuck folks I have to drive around. This is hands down the BEST system there is. Driven cars with limited slip and so on, but 4Matic makes them look like a joke.
Her E320 does have snow tires with the snowflake emblem, as I travel and can't risk her being stuck while I am away, but my ML has the factory all season Conti's and this week that was put to the test. Had to haul a heavy trailer of trash through 14" of unplowed powder. Pulled it no problem even around tight alley corners.
Had my doubts before, but now, I am happy singing the 4Matic praise.

Quadcammer

im sorry, I've loved both 4matic vehicles I've owned, but it is far from the best system ever.

Drive a vehicle with some locked diffs and you'll change your opinion.

Figuero

Oliverk,
I agree, but it's the best there is on an E Class and it's so superior to 2wd.

Quadcammer

i agree with that sentiment.