My Smart and the snow

[GHammerly]

A couple of 40 pound sand bags in the back should be big help for stability and rear grip in the snow, will not help with front grip so understeer will still be present.
I'm driving my miata on snow tires and 80 lbs. in the trunk, it's a blast.

[canon1753]

How'd the car do the last few days after this past nor'easter?

I think i got 15 inches of snow....

At least It'll be a White Christmas this year!

[faith in dc]

Thanks for the feedback ASM. I was wondering about that. I noticed you had down you cancelled your confirmation. I'm surprised. Must have missed that.

[ASmartMan]

canon1753

Car is still going strong, I just drove home in another fresh 3 inches tonight, except for the "Under steer" this car handles the "Moderate" snow well, but this under steer can catch you if you don't plan for it.

faith in dc

How I ended up with a G&K ( the converters name) starts here.

2006 G&K conversion Smart car

ASM

[propes]

I've read a bunch of descriptions about "understeer", but they're mostly for techies and motorheads. Any chance you can describe it for the layman, and as an owner, tell us what to expect when we get our mitts on one?

[jwight]

understeer - front end of car goes off the road first.

oversteer - back end of car goes off the road first.

[ASmartMan]

propes

I'm defining under steer (and I could be wrong) is when, the car turns less than expected for the input you put to the steering wheel.

If I drove 40 MPH in 4 inches of snow I could turn the wheel left or right and the car will keep going straight.

Hope it helps

ASM

[spdickey]

Originally Posted by propes

I've read a bunch of descriptions about "understeer", but they're mostly for techies and motorheads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Understeer


Ideally, when the car reaches the turn, the driver will steer it along the line marked with green dots. However, if the car is too 'tight', it will understeer, following the red dotted line and leaving the road.

[randyzimmer]

Got my smart Monday and Tuesday there was a storm scare so I took one of the Subarus to work.
The storm (this is Buffalo) never happened, we just got an inch of freezing rain and a couple inches of snow, no biggie, the snowblower is still in the garage.
I was a little worried at first because when backing in on Monday, the traction control (TC) almost stalled progress up my icy inclined driveway.
(with Subarus and Hakkas, who shovels?)
I could have gone the long way and gotten to salted streets in a 1/2 block but I took the grid route with the snow-covered icy base.
No ruts had formed but watching others take off from the many stop signs, I saw a lot of wheel spin.
The throbbing 71HP was constantly being tamed by the TC up until 4th gear (auto mode). In the mirror, I could see snow getting kicked up off the tires a good distance so there was some slip allowed.
I tested the ABS and it showed there was decent grip but only where the snow was covering the ice.
I made quite a few 90 degree turns wiggling thru the grids and a couple were without stops at the intersections.
I got a couple drifts started and about at the point where the slide would get to be fun - or become uncatchable - the ESP snapped the car back straight, ruining my fun but the last one might have been a little too aggressive for the wheelbase and may have become a 180. I'll never know.
All in all, compared to people with bald tires, it did OK. I felt fine and with real snows, probably better than 90% of the jerks out there.

[rwj53]

How much road clearance is there between the smart and say a volkswagon. Are they about the same? Just wondering about those 6" or so sno falls.