Smart in NY snow - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

gothlicroni · 12-22-2008, 09:56 AM

I just wanted to post this in case people were wondering how the Smart handles in snow. We got about 6 inches here on Long Island and my smartie did just great. The roads were terrible and I didn't even shovel my driveway. The smart had a little trouble getting out of the driveway, but not too much. He did get out and onto the snowy, icy roads. On the roads, I went slow, as you should, and no problems at all. The ABS lights flashed quite a few times, but tha

t let me know it was working. I was initially fearful about this car in the snow but now that I got him out there, he's been very good. While I saw other cars pulled over to the side and stuck in the snow, I just sailed right by (going 20mph). I am very happy with my smart in the snow and I don't have the snow tires, just the stock and they were great. So in case anyone was wondering, smarts are just fine in the snow

blackbeagle · 12-22-2008, 11:39 AM

I'm curious to know the outside temperature. Is it in the 20s or 30s? We have that much snow in MN but it's in the single digits, which turns snows into packed ice after driving on the streets. I can assure you that you wouldn't be able to get out of our neighborhood with stock Contis. Even with snow tires, I was getting a lot of spin. The Smart with stock tires would be DEAD IN THE SNOW.

If you're driving in the sticky snow (with temp in the 20s and 30s), then that's different. It's like driving in slush. You can get around at least.

In packed snow, you have NO shot. You wouldn't be able to go up a 5-10 degree slope from a stop. I tried on the stock Contis and could not do it.

I love my Smart car but with stock tires, I would rate it a D in snow. This is a lightweight car and a RWD car, that's what makes it challenging. On top of that, the stock tires are average at best. With snows, I would give it a B+. In summary.......IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TIRES!!!!

scdaf · 12-22-2008, 12:35 PM

We've had temps in the single digits to minus 12F and gotten 20" of snow in a few storms and have found the smart is fine in 4-6 inches of snow.

Our first experience with snow was going home from work after 4" of snow fell during the day, 10 degrees F. We live up a hill which climbs 150 feet in 200 yds. smart juuussst made it up, with the exclamation point flashing like a strobe. This is on the stock Conti's.

Didn't get snows because our other car is a Trooper, so, we figured we'd just park the smart when the weather was bad. Great idea until the Trooper wouldn't start at -12F. Then the smart had to go to work. Did just fine, by the way...

Think I'd give it a bit better than a "D"! Again, we're not flatlanders, we live IN the Cascade mountains (east slope) so we have a little experience with bad driving conditions. (Right at ten FEET of snow last winter)

blackbeagle · 12-22-2008, 01:39 PM

I'm giving a 'D' grade based on what I've experienced in the few weeks of snow we've gotten here in MN. Yes, I can drive down the block to get a haircut. Yes, I can go to Subway and get a sandwich. Yes, I can even go fill up the car with gas. As long as I drive 20mph. Is that the point though? If mother nature can dish it out so that she can limit my driving to 20mph around town and white knuckle driving fishtailing left and right, then she wins. She basically controls how fast or slow I drive.

With the snow tires, I take back some of that control. I can drive normally like other 4x4 around town. I can stop when I want. I can go up hill if I want. I can do things others cannot do.

Like I said, I love my car but I'm not going to be a total rube about it. It's terrible in the snow (again because it's light, rwd, and have average all season tires). You guys that say, "It gets around fine" can say that because you're driving 20mph around town.

I've done the "BEFORE" and "AFTER" test so I can say without ANY doubt that the snow tires on the Smart made it 30-40% better in the snow if not higher.

If I didn't have the snows, I can promise you that the Smart stays in the garage for the duration of winter (Except when the roads are completely clear). I say that with over 25 years of driving in winter conditions in MN.

jefferios · 12-22-2008, 01:44 PM

I have to agree with blackbeagle, I used the Conti's in just unpack snow and I had some spin. The snow tires were a huge improvement to the driving conditions in fresh snow and in hardpan ice/snow. The conti's might get you by, but the blizzaks are VERY good.

forestacademy · 12-22-2008, 01:49 PM

I would rather be driving the Smart than my F150 in the snow. The Smart will not be hiding this winter.

wahi · 12-22-2008, 02:02 PM

I have the 4 Pirelli snows shod on smartbiru last month just in case. But I have the Forester on MS Coopers which is my primary mode of transport in hail, snow and blizzards. I'm babying the little fella so that I may have more fun with it in fairer weather. No disrespect to what it could or couldn't handle; that's just how I do things.

scdaf · 12-22-2008, 02:15 PM

Didn't make clear I guess...
Wasn't going 20mph around town, because we don't live around town. Felt safe doing 35mph in 3-4" snow. Rear drive is an advantage when most of your weight is over the rear wheels. Light weight means less inertia to overcome.

Now that the weather has warmed (14F) and the Trooper will start, the smart is parked again, since we got another 16" snow over the weekend, but it started in very cold weather and got us where we needed to go at a reasonable speed in wintery conditions.

Still thinking about the Blizzaks, but this hasn't been the best year to have a small business.

gothlicroni · 12-22-2008, 02:18 PM

It's been 18 degrees here and for the few times, maybe 6 or 7 times that is snows here, there is no way I'm going to buy snow tires. Yes, 20mph is as fast as I will drive in the snow. Other cars may feel better about going 30 when the roads are icy, but not me. Even with my old car, I still drove safe. If you want to drive over 50 in your snow tires have fun, but watch out for us slow pokes. There is no reason to drive fast when the roads are bad. Better tires or not, I'm not going to chance hurting someone to get somewhere that I don't have to be at anyway

To each their own.

blackbeagle · 12-22-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gothlicroni

It's been 18 degrees here and for the few times, maybe 6 or 7 times that is snows here, there is no way I'm going to buy snow tires. Yes, 20mph is as fast as I will drive in the snow. Other cars may feel better about going 30 when the roads are icy, but not me. Even with my old car, I still drove safe. If you want to drive over 50 in your snow tires have fun, but watch out for us slow pokes. There is no reason to drive fast when the roads are bad. Better tires or not, I'm not going to chance hurting someone to get somewhere that I don't have to be at anyway

To each their own.

I can't justify snow tires for everyone. If you live where it snows a lot a few times a year, that has to be your decision. If I lived in Neb and get snow twice a year, I would do what you would do: stick with stock drive slow.

But I live where there's a lot of snow and ice 5-6 months a year. Tons of SUVs and 4x4 that snow doesn't seem to slow down. So If I'm driving 20mph where I live, I would be the problem. I cannot condone driving fast (snows or no snows) but if I'm the slowest driver on the highway, then I'm most likely the cause of accidents because I will cause a lot of 'movement' in traffic.

I hate to say it but if you drove 20mph around town here, you would get a lot of people annoyed. They did whatever they could to fight the snow/ice (by having 4x4 or by getting snow tires). Why should they have to sit in traffic or have to force to drive 15mph because you only drive 20mph?

Like I said, if I didn't have snow tires, I would stay home and not drive at all. No sense to put myself in harms way as well as others because I can't control my car.