Vermont Trip

[bloodredsmurf]

In this case you should be good to go! Driving in snow is fun.

Oh I can't wait. Probably more stoked to go snowboarding though. Couple safe drifts can't hurt though.

[Stancy E39]

My car is pretty slammed on coilovers and all season ties on it. Last year at stock height and the 4 different brand and 2 different size tires it went great. Now I have 4 all season Hankook V4 or something like that. Those mismatched tires came on the car. It was a basket case when I got it. But I live in Cleveland and my parents in a township 25 miles south and with all the lake effect snow I think I'll be OK. I mean they do have plows and they do a good job. Plus with all that salt under lake Erie the roads are clear literally 90-95% of the time. By clear I mean 2in or less. Good luck. I may do a trip to Colorado with some friends. And I will be sanding and powdercoating/polishing my style 5 wheels again.

[FittedDownLow]

awd and snow... Point the wheel where you want to go and hammer it! haha

My civic wont move in an inch of snow haha, Lots of camber, 195 45 on a 10 and FF = Snow fail

[bloodredsmurf]

Word, I wanna go to Colorado so bad. Pretty far to drive though, could make a good trip out of it.

[slwrthnu]

your better off with your current set up then with 2 bald and 2 good tires. but you would be best with 4 snows on it. also, i don't know how much you have been in vermont but they really don't like to plow their roads if they don't have to. a couple inches of snow and the roads aren't touched. so deff pay attention to the weather. what mountain are you going to?

[deftoneZ]

Whats up man. So I actually live in vermont (Burlington Area). Where are you planning on going? I will tell you straight up without even discussing anything about your car.. do not go to Smuggs with a slammed ride.. the notch road is HORRIBLE even in the summer.. its frost heaves/pot holes all kinds of crap..imagine a road crew paving over a swarm of turtles and calling it a day.. we low folk here in VT avoid it at all costs while other car crews cruise it (its a beautiful sceninc road)

Back to your car..

I would highly suggest you take a friends car or something. You arent going to make it being that low or with almost bald tires. Vermont does not have a "dry roads" policy. They are stingy with plowing. Ive had to drive home on the interstate in 8-10 inches of snow before without seeing a plow truck on the interstate. Its a small state with a small budget. You're going to get stuck bottoming out constantly being that low (hopefully you're on air or something). Even then.. with bald tires.. man Vermont is very hilly/mountainous and you're going to a ski resort.. even the slightest snow fall and you're going to have trouble getting up the hills and we have some nasty ones. Also alot of the resorts require you to travel through small towns, many of which have horrible roads to begin with, these tho are also less likely to be plowed.

Seriously, save yourself the headache and take a differant ride. Ive gotten caught in freak late april/early october snow storms in my Z before and it absolutely sucked balls. Its not worth risking your ride for if you can help it.

I'm trying to put the fear of god in ya because I'm tryin to look out, dont want to see anything happen to you. I know we all like to complain about how our states roads are worse than everyone elses.. but you're traveling to a small mountainous state, to a skii resort.. up a mountain, through back roads, on bald tires in a slammed car in the middle of winter. Dont do it brah.

Side note, my step mother actually died this feb. in a car accident on the interstate with about 6 inches of snow on the highway. (she was going too fast lost control and rolled over)

There is actually a push to have them change their plowing policy because of the high amount of car accidents and fatalities we have durring the winter due to how little they plow.

[bloodredsmurf]

your better off with your current set up then with 2 bald and 2 good tires. but you would be best with 4 snows on it. also, i don't know how much you have been in vermont but they really don't like to plow their roads if they don't have to. a couple inches of snow and the roads aren't touched. so deff pay attention to the weather. what mountain are you going to?

I just don't want to spend $340 on new snow tires. They have "some" tread but the insides are completely bald from bad camber wear when I had to replace my suspension because my spring was broken. I'll be going to Stratton, Mt Snow, Okemo, and Stowe. 6 Days...gonna be crazy

Whats up man. So I actually live in vermont (Burlington Area). Where are you planning on going? I will tell you straight up without even discussing anything about your car.. do not go to Smuggs with a slammed ride.. the notch road is HORRIBLE even in the summer.. its frost heaves/pot holes all kinds of crap..imagine a road crew paving over a swarm of turtles and calling it a day.. we low folk here in VT avoid it at all costs while other car crews cruise it (its a beautiful sceninc road)

Back to your car..

I would highly suggest you take a friends car or something. You arent going to make it being that low or with almost bald tires. Vermont does not have a "dry roads" policy. They are stingy with plowing. Ive had to drive home on the interstate in 8-10 inches of snow before without seeing a plow truck on the interstate. Its a small state with a small budget. You're going to get stuck bottoming out constantly being that low (hopefully you're on air or something). Even then.. with bald tires.. man Vermont is very hilly/mountainous and you're going to a ski resort.. even the slightest snow fall and you're going to have trouble getting up the hills and we have some nasty ones. Also alot of the resorts require you to travel through small towns, many of which have horrible roads to begin with, these tho are also less likely to be plowed.

Seriously, save yourself the headache and take a differant ride. Ive gotten caught in freak late april/early october snow storms in my Z before and it absolutely sucked balls. Its not worth risking your ride for if you can help it.

I'm trying to put the fear of god in ya because I'm tryin to look out, dont want to see anything happen to you. I know we all like to complain about how our states roads are worse than everyone elses.. but you're traveling to a small mountainous state, to a skii resort.. up a mountain, through back roads, on bald tires in a slammed car in the middle of winter. Dont do it brah.

Side note, my step mother actually died this feb. in a car accident on the interstate with about 6 inches of snow on the highway. (she was going too fast lost control and rolled over)

There is actually a push to have them change their plowing policy because of the high amount of car accidents and fatalities we have durring the winter due to how little they plow.

Kinda blew my life there man. I was stoked to go there and drive my car but when I checked how much tread was left on my snow tires, I thought it would be better to just leave the current set up and just raise the car up some. Or if I decide to put on the snow tires even though the rears won't have much tread, I'll raise the care up 3 inches. That would be fine imo. Sorry to hear about your step mom though. I had read about the plowing policy...if it's drivable then they just leave it, even when its just packed snow on the road.

May sound weird but do you have pictures of how bad it's been there in the winter around the resorts or around the general area. I just can't image roads are that bad. I mean, new jersey and new york roads are pretty shitty and i've been thru that with the current height. static not air...so unfortunately I don't have the ability to raise it up

[deftoneZ]

I'll see what I can do for pictures later on, I'm presently at work. Its not uncommon for central vermont/mountains to get 8+ inches of snow frequently.. occasionally as much as 2 feet or more if a storm comes.

Also another thing to consider is southern and central vermont is still recovering from Hurrican Irene that hit earlier in the year, not sure how much has been totally repaved and fixed

If you really raise the car up and put decent snows on then its doable, especially as you have awd. Just take it easy

[bloodredsmurf]

I'll see what I can do for pictures later on, I'm presently at work. Its not uncommon for central vermont/mountains to get 8+ inches of snow frequently.. occasionally as much as 2 feet or more if a storm comes.

Also another thing to consider is southern and central vermont is still recovering from Hurrican Irene that hit earlier in the year, not sure how much has been totally repaved and fixed

If you really raise the car up and put decent snows on then its doable, especially as you have awd. Just take it easy

Thanks for the heads up man. I know it'll be challenge on new roads, especially if there's snow on the ground.

I bet it did some serious damage up there. We had a road completely swept away (drainage under the road had so much water rushing thru, it started eroding the dirt around the drainage pipe and it ended up taking away all the dirt under the road and it just collapsed) and I still can't believe it happened when I drive by after it's been fixed.

[bloodredsmurf]

This is it..

[Alex@BagRiders]

The main roads in VT are fine for slammed cars but the weather is just too unpredictable, especially during the winter months. I wouldn't try driving without snows.

[Zack01GC]

When I had my A4, I never put snow tires on it. I drove on all season performance tires year round, and never had a single bit of trouble. Driving no problem in up to 8" of snow. My car was not lowered, so that may be a factor.

I have never put snow tires on any AWD vehicle of mine. The RWD ones got snows, though.

[deckard]

AWD is def a benefit in the snow but it has NOTHING to do with stopping. winter tires required for real safety in the snow/ice. anyone contesting that is contesting the laws of physics.

consider top fuel drag racers have thousands of hours put into building a motor/trans around a set of tires. im serious, without traction the +9000hp is useless and those cars are built with that in mind. 1/4mile in 3 seconds means the motor rotates like 450 times end to end where they shut it down and have to rebuild it. think all that money and time is planned and executed around the grip of the tires, then think if spending $600-$800 on some half decent snow tires is worth it.

cheaper than bodywork when that dude pulls out in front of you.

[zxert]

Raise it up to stock height or at least 2 more inches. Think about how bad it would suck to have to get out of your car in the freezing weather to jack up all 4 corners so you can get home. I was stupid with a low car and it took me 8 hours to get 60 miles in the snow. Got stuck, destroyed my plastics, almost got frostbite.

[bloodredsmurf]

AWD is def a benefit in the snow but it has NOTHING to do with stopping. winter tires required for real safety in the snow/ice. anyone contesting that is contesting the laws of physics.

consider top fuel drag racers have thousands of hours put into building a motor/trans around a set of tires. im serious, without traction the +9000hp is useless and those cars are built with that in mind. 1/4mile in 3 seconds means the motor rotates like 450 times end to end where they shut it down and have to rebuild it. think all that money and time is planned and executed around the grip of the tires, then think if spending $600-$800 on some half decent snow tires is worth it.

cheaper than bodywork when that dude pulls out in front of you.

Appreciate the honesty. I know I'll be absolutely ****** life if anything happens (knock on wood) and yeah the main difference is the stopping and turning traction. Just hope vermont doesnt get blanketed with snow lol. I have high hopes haha