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What can I expect in the snow?

5K views 16 replies 13 participants last post by  NaughtE 
#1 ·
I just moved back to Pittsburgh after being gone for 5 years. I got my E on the West Coast and it never saw a snowflake or weather under 40 degrees. I only have the 2WD so what can I expect from my E when the snow starts falling?
 
#2 ·
I just moved back to Pittsburgh after being gone for 5 years. I got my E on the West Coast and it never saw a snowflake or weather under 40 degrees. I only have the 2WD so what can I expect from my E when the snow starts falling?

If you still have the stock Goodyears you can expect to be sliding around.

Get a good set of winter tires...You won't regret it.
 
#3 ·
I love our 2wd Element, but its hard to think of a worse car in snow.

There's pitifully little weight on the front wheels. I've nearly gotten stuck on wet grass on a practically imperceptible grade.

We have an older Dodge Intrepid, also front-wheel-drive, that does much better. And if we really get snow here in the GA mountains, which has been pretty sparse in recent years, there's also our old Land Cruiser...



Karen with Rocky last year.
 
#4 ·
Wet grass can be notoriously slippery. Any front wheel drive can have traction problems on an uphill slope, as weight shifts toward the rear.

There are plenty of other E owners who are happy with its snow performance. While the AWD/4wd can come in handy, it is not central to this performance. It does not help when applying the brakes. For that you just want a well balanced car that does not fishtail a lot.

As mentioned, consider seasonally appropriate tires.

Drive with a light foot on the gas. Apply just enough power to get going, not so much that the tires loose traction.

With an AT, learn to use '2nd'. This transmission does not downshift in this setting. Again, it's a matter of applying the least torque needed to get going.

On your first snow, find an empty parking lot to practice in.

Carry cables and/or traction mats to deal with situations where you are at a loss for traction.
 
#6 ·
Having lived in the Burgh (Mt Lebanon) and now logging a couple of months in the Canadian Rockies (-41 with windchill a few days back with lots of snow and ice), I can say that the AWD Element is a poor performer compared to other AWD vehicles I have owned (Audi Coupe Quattro, A4, Subaru Forester). When you factor in all the winter features most other cars have that the Element is lacking (heated side mirrors, heated seats, outside temp display), it is even worse. The E works fine on Vancouver Island but as a winter vehicle, it comes across as something designed by a bunch of people in California who have no clue. And let's also not forget the toy battery ;-)
 
#7 ·
#9 ·
Cali

My E was great for my trips to Californian when I was out west! Now I get to see how the E handles in bad weather. I did upgrade tires which helped in wet traction. Now I'm thinking about a set of winter tires but am not sure if it's worth it. Considering how much snow Pittsburgh got last year it might be.
 
#10 ·
Now I'm thinking about a set of winter tires but am not sure if it's worth it. Considering how much snow Pittsburgh got last year it might be.
It might be...If I was in your situation I'd prolly buy myself at least 2 (preferably 4) General AltiMax Artic winter tires, or something similar.

The Generals run about $100 each, you can find a set of 4 decent winter tires for about $350 to $450 (or spend more like $550-$600 for the premium stuff)

your collision deductable is prolly more than that.

Just sliding a little bit and even lightly banging a curb, mailbox, or corner of a parked car is pretty much gonna cost at least $500.

A tow out of a ditch is gonna be $250.

The winter tires can help keep you safe for many more winter seasons as well...and your regular tires wil last longer too.

Be sure and brush up on winter driving and you Element's winter handling in a snowy empty parking lot when we finially get some snow.

Good luck, have fun!

Will
 
#11 ·
Good ideas

I have a set of General Grabber's on my E right now. I upgraded from the Wranglers which were a death wish in wet weather. I am going to give them a try on the first snow or two and see how they do. Tire Rack has a good deal on some winter tires so if things don't work out I will get a set.

My only other concern is my wife has a Civic and I am more worried about her car. I priced winter tires for her car and they seem to be much more expensive for a sedan. I would have thought it to be the other way around.
 
#12 ·
I realize I'm kinda late with the response, but I figured I can chime in with my experience during this Christmas blizzard.

I was satisfied with how my 08 2wd ex handled in the snow. Some slipping occurred at the most critical spots, but overall I felt safe. And I'm new to driving in the snow, since I just moved to the Hampton Roads area less than a year ago from Florida. I also have brand new BF Goodrich winter tires, I'm glad I decided to replace the crappy Goodyears that came from the factory.

I saw a couple of E's on the road as well, and saw they had the real time awd sticker, and was a little jealous ;-)

Anyway, here are some before and after pics. The first one was around noon on the 12/26, getting buried in some powder, and the second one around 7 pm, when she finally got dusted off when I picked up the wife from work.

http://img828.imageshack.us/f/esnow.jpg

http://img713.imageshack.us/f/esnow2.jpg
 
#15 ·
Hampton Roads snow driving.

Welcome to Hampton Roads Virginia. I'm a native but we have people from all over living here. Thank you US military for supporting our economy. I've driven fire trucks and ambulances in bad weather. I know how to drive in this stuff and the knowledge not to trust the other guy. So I stay home so I won't get hit. You have people that know how to drive in bad weather and those that don't. No matter the weather, people will ride right on your tail. They will then fly past you and cut back in front of you and stop short. Then you have the blue hairs and cotton tops that cannot drive in the best of conditions. Also the most important thing to remember about Hampton Roads and winter driving conditions..... We do not have the equipment to handle anything over a 1/4" dusting of snow.
 
#14 ·
This is my first winter with a 4wd suv and so far I've been really happy, I couldn't tell if I had used the 4wd at all until this weekend when I started waaaay to slow up a steep hill and then tried to accelerate, I felt my wheels slipping and I spun for about a second. Then all the sudden it felt like my Element grabbed the road and pulled itself up the hill, really a cool feeling.
 
#16 ·
I thought the E handled well in this years snow. After driving around picking up essential personnel for a hospital I barely made it in the driveway. Got stuck twice while picking up and twice coming up my unplowed street. More aggressive tire would have been nice. Glad I had the smarts to pack a shovel. Much cheaper than a tow. And of course the wiper that broke was on the driver's side. This is a photo of the morning after.
 

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#17 ·
Oops. Concerning my previous post I guess I should mention I have 4WD. Sort of irrelevant to FWD E's. My Prelude was awesome in 6" of snow if that helps.
 
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