smart in snow?

[conseri]

Anyone have any firsthand info on the smart in snow? Or, has anyone read a road test that mentions snow? I live in Vermont, and my Honda does great with studded snow tires. But with the smart being rear-wheel drive, I wonder if it would work as well. Thanks,
Conseri

[Dunerunner]

Oh, I got this from search Winters in MI?

[smartwombat]

Don't know how deep your snow is, or well cleared, but in 10 years driving smarts I've never had any trouble. But then I do slow down in snow

Even in heavy snowfall in Germany, without winter tyres, there were no problems. The stability control and traction control did its thing just fine.

Coming home on Monday night from Scotland, we went through a thunderstorm and there was a terriffic smell of diesel - I reckon there was fuel on the road.

My wife's Peugeot* 1007 was all over the road and she had to slow down to avoid being pitched into the barrier - my smartie was just fine.

* stands for: Poxy Engine Useless Gearbox Every One's Trouble

[MPrice2984]

I think I understand where Karl is coming from. I traveled in northern Michigan, Wisc, Minn. etc in the early 1970's in a variety of V8 RWD American cars when the snow was several feet deep. Somehow without any electronic controls I never got stuck in 5 years of driving in bad situations. I never used chains, snow tires or studs either. Somehow I think people may have paid more attention to their driving because the cars really weren't very good.

[Feral_Collie]

Hmm, maybe we should all lighten up. Free beer at my place!

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by conseri

Anyone have any firsthand info on the smart in snow? Or, has anyone read a road test that mentions snow? I live in Vermont, and my Honda does great with studded snow tires. But with the smart being rear-wheel drive, I wonder if it would work as well. Thanks,
Conseri

Why would a front engine front drive do better than a rear engine rear drive car? Studds work great on ice do you cross a frozen lake each day?
Just curious thanks karl

[rawlus®]

Originally Posted by conseri

Anyone have any firsthand info on the smart in snow? Or, has anyone read a road test that mentions snow? I live in Vermont, and my Honda does great with studded snow tires. But with the smart being rear-wheel drive, I wonder if it would work as well. Thanks,
Conseri

where in vermont?

deep snow will be a problem no matter what.
limited ground clearance may pose an issue.
mud season may be very difficult if your area is primarily gravel mountain roads, narrow tires + low ground clearance may make some unpaved roads difficult during the melt out if not impossible.

i have property in warren, vt and all but the state roads are gravel, and they get a ton of snow up there. i wouldn't take my smart on those roads during those times. that's what the jeep on 35" tires is for.

[rawlus®]

Originally Posted by Karl Roth

Why would a front engine front drive do better than a rear engine rear drive car? Studds work great on ice do you cross a frozen lake each day?
Just curious thanks karl

front engine also puts weight on the steering wheels in addition to drive wheels. sometimes the ability to steer is as important as the ability to get forward traction. front engine, front drive accomplishes both.

as to studded tires - frozen gravel/dirt roads can be impassable in anything but studded tires or chains.

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by rawlus®

front engine also puts weight on the steering wheels in addition to drive wheels. sometimes the ability to steer is as important as the ability to get forward traction. front engine, front drive accomplishes both.

as to studded tires - frozen gravel/dirt roads can be impassable in anything but studded tires or chains.

I am humbled in the face of such vast knowege. How did most of America get along with bias ply tires on rear drive cars for so long. You need a road with a jeep?
my condolences
karl

[buellwinkle]

Our Jeep Wrangler is for mall crawling, not serious snow, especially snow in So Cal mountains. For that we use our Canyon 4x4, it has the locking dif and abs the Jeep does not. I would drive the Smart in snow but with chains.