I expect that you have some good snow tires. Most folks do not have a clue. That Subaru obviously did not have traction and if that vehilce had tires as good as yours, then the situation could have been very different.

I expect that many Saab owners get very good snow tires because they fear the problems of all season or summer tires on snow and ice. I expect that most 4 wheel drive owners believe that they are well equiped for winter driving conditions and are simply misinformed.

I have a friend in Canada who has switched from decades of Volvos with snows, which do probably just as well as Saabs in the snow, to a 250 HP Subaru. He put on 17" snow tire$* and just went through the Christmas storm that dropped a solid foot of snow in his area. He is totally beside himself with glee about how well the Subaru handles in the snow (and dry).

* it has large brake gear and there does not seem to be any 16" wheels that will clear the calipers, perhaps that is not the case, but that is his finding so far. The snow tires for that application are thus very costly and the selection is narrow.

Unfortunatly, the Subaru's with the added weight of transfer gears, extra driveshafts and differentials, coupled with the added friction losses of that added hardware, and the relative inefficiency of the 8.2 compression ration compared to Saab's 9.3CR is a a gas guzzler compared to the Saabs. I am wondering if Saab is working with Subaru to increase the CR to improve MPGs, that would be a major improvement. (But at least the Subaru's weight penalty is carried with a low center of gravity and it handles extremely well in the corners.)

Today we are recovering from a Kansas ice storm.

posted by 68.95.7...

• Best snow car ever!, Brice, Tue, 4 Jan 2005 20:53:50
  • I prefer rear wheel drive, KSaab, Thu, 6 Jan 2005 10:12:40
  • tires, 4 wheel drive and Subaru's, Dean, Wed, 5 Jan 2005 06:11:47 <-- Viewing This Message
    • Re: tires, 4 wheel drive and Subaru's, Nickshu, Wed, 5 Jan 2005 11:36:52
    • I have had both for years (+), Vlad, Wed, 5 Jan 2005 10:42:57
      • Oh, also (+), Vlad, Wed, 5 Jan 2005 11:05:06
  • Hey Brice, Finch, Tue, 4 Jan 2005 22:16:21
    • Thanks, Brice, Wed, 5 Jan 2005 16:51:04
    • Is just clamp enough or need brace to?, PeterH, Wed, 5 Jan 2005 06:13:44
      • Re: Is just clamp enough or need brace to?, DT, Wed, 5 Jan 2005 06:16:33

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