First ‘Big’ snow, now I love my Quattro
12-10-2012, 06:02 AM
#1
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First ‘Big’ snow, now I love my Quattro
I’ve had my 4.2 since May, and have spent a fortune in fixing and preventative maintenance over the past few months, as such I haven’t quite gelled with the car and even considered trading it in as soon as I could get to a point of swallowing the losses. Well all that has changed this weekend
We had the first ‘big’ snow here in the Midwest, and during the weekend we drove around in my wife’s Mercedes GL, and the big SUV did pretty well, much better than most cars. It was ‘probably’ better that the A6 due to the snow banks on side streets from where the plows had just been out, but I say ‘probably’. So the GL was fine but slid around a bit and you could bring the tail out pretty easy.
So I drove to work this morning in the A6, and expected it to be even more tail happy…………what a shock, with Conti DWS’s not even full winter tires the A6 Quattro was unbelievable, even in corners stabbing the gas the traction hardly ever came on and it just drove out of the turn, I was easily driving 10-15 mph faster in the A6 in perfect safety. Maybe it is the tires or maybe it is the car, either way the Quattro rules in the snow
We had the first ‘big’ snow here in the Midwest, and during the weekend we drove around in my wife’s Mercedes GL, and the big SUV did pretty well, much better than most cars. It was ‘probably’ better that the A6 due to the snow banks on side streets from where the plows had just been out, but I say ‘probably’. So the GL was fine but slid around a bit and you could bring the tail out pretty easy.
So I drove to work this morning in the A6, and expected it to be even more tail happy…………what a shock, with Conti DWS’s not even full winter tires the A6 Quattro was unbelievable, even in corners stabbing the gas the traction hardly ever came on and it just drove out of the turn, I was easily driving 10-15 mph faster in the A6 in perfect safety. Maybe it is the tires or maybe it is the car, either way the Quattro rules in the snow
I too have the Conti DWS's and im glad to hear how well they perform!
12-10-2012, 12:50 PM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Good on you! But watch out for John Law. I was driving on the Dulles airport (IAD) access road (the free one) back from the airport a few years ago in a snowstorm, maybe 3 inches of snow on the road and still falling.
Came up on a group of cars doing 30 mph and I swung out and passed at maybe 50....John Law in his #$%@#$% Crown Vic slithered out and followed and I moved over...he pulled in behind, his tail darn near turning him sideways until he got into the right lane.
We came up on another slow patch and I swung out and started to pass and the #$@%$% turned on the bubble gum machine and pulled me over and lectured me on driving faster than conditions allow even though I was below the speed limit. Notwithstanding the specific snow tires on my A6 quattro and his puny BF Goodrich police pursuits (VA State cops don't use snows in the VA area for the most part), he wasn't having any.
I saw no point in arguing physics with either him or the judge, so I just went back to yassah massah and he went back to his car and I got bored until the Beltway.
Came up on a group of cars doing 30 mph and I swung out and passed at maybe 50....John Law in his #$%@#$% Crown Vic slithered out and followed and I moved over...he pulled in behind, his tail darn near turning him sideways until he got into the right lane.
We came up on another slow patch and I swung out and started to pass and the #$@%$% turned on the bubble gum machine and pulled me over and lectured me on driving faster than conditions allow even though I was below the speed limit. Notwithstanding the specific snow tires on my A6 quattro and his puny BF Goodrich police pursuits (VA State cops don't use snows in the VA area for the most part), he wasn't having any.
I saw no point in arguing physics with either him or the judge, so I just went back to yassah massah and he went back to his car and I got bored until the Beltway.
12-10-2012, 06:29 PM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Ditto that!
I've noticed a big difference with dedicated snow tires on these cars over the past years plus they allow the all-season or sport tires to last a bit longer too, got to respect that low temp compound on the snows that make them grip and it lends a whole new meaning and profound understanding why we own these luxury snow mobiles when passing a Prius or the others snaking down the road and loading up their cheap hub caps with snow and wasting gas.
12-10-2012, 07:47 PM
#6
AudiWorld Super User
I’ve had my 4.2 since May, and have spent a fortune in fixing and preventative maintenance over the past few months, as such I haven’t quite gelled with the car and even considered trading it in as soon as I could get to a point of swallowing the losses. Well all that has changed this weekend
We had the first ‘big’ snow here in the Midwest, and during the weekend we drove around in my wife’s Mercedes GL, and the big SUV did pretty well, much better than most cars. It was ‘probably’ better that the A6 due to the snow banks on side streets from where the plows had just been out, but I say ‘probably’. So the GL was fine but slid around a bit and you could bring the tail out pretty easy.
So I drove to work this morning in the A6, and expected it to be even more tail happy…………what a shock, with Conti DWS’s not even full winter tires the A6 Quattro was unbelievable, even in corners stabbing the gas the traction hardly ever came on and it just drove out of the turn, I was easily driving 10-15 mph faster in the A6 in perfect safety. Maybe it is the tires or maybe it is the car, either way the Quattro rules in the snow
We had the first ‘big’ snow here in the Midwest, and during the weekend we drove around in my wife’s Mercedes GL, and the big SUV did pretty well, much better than most cars. It was ‘probably’ better that the A6 due to the snow banks on side streets from where the plows had just been out, but I say ‘probably’. So the GL was fine but slid around a bit and you could bring the tail out pretty easy.
So I drove to work this morning in the A6, and expected it to be even more tail happy…………what a shock, with Conti DWS’s not even full winter tires the A6 Quattro was unbelievable, even in corners stabbing the gas the traction hardly ever came on and it just drove out of the turn, I was easily driving 10-15 mph faster in the A6 in perfect safety. Maybe it is the tires or maybe it is the car, either way the Quattro rules in the snow
When i had my mazda 3, its stopping power with winter tires could never be matched by the A6. It also did extremely well in turns, even though it wasn't AWD.
Granted the AWD has tremendous advantage, but maneuvarability and especially stopping power are at times more important.
12-11-2012, 02:37 PM
#7
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Yep, AD and 2WD cars have the same number of steering and braking wheels. AWD just lets you get up to unsafe speeds faster :-)
yes, i know that's not 100% true, but its also not 100% false
yes, i know that's not 100% true, but its also not 100% false
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12-12-2012, 08:23 AM
#8
AudiWorld Super User
Love it! I never got in trouble with my Saab 900T with snows on all 4 wheels because I never got going fast enough in heavy snow...55-60 was more than fast enough on the PA turnpike when everyone was in a conga line on the right.
Only the Audis would come out to play....
Only the Audis would come out to play....
12-12-2012, 05:20 PM
#9
AudiWorld Super User
12-12-2012, 05:47 PM
#10
AudiWorld Super User
BTW
No offence to any of our European members, I used to do the same thing back in the late seventies in the rural Michigan back roads with tire chains on the 68 Ford XL 390cid enjoying a few cans of Detroit's finest lager"Stroh's"
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