<WOB> Winter car survey

["Battan, Keith" <battan.keith@xxxxxxxxxx>]

OK, an utter WOB, but:  for winter driving, you're much better off driving
your BMW with four good snows than the typical 4WD/SUV/truck.  Why?   The
inherently better handling of your car, combined with a lower roll center
and especially the lighter weight, will allow much better snowy condition
performance.

Testing by Car and Driver (I think) showed that on snow and ice, a rear
wheel drive car with traction control or a sensitive foot is nearly as good
at accelerating as front wheel drive is nearly as good as all wheel drive.

The only thing SUV's do better than a car is accelerating in deep snow.
Turning and Stopping, which I know are vastly over-rated  <g>, are always
worse in SUV's.  I have to take the Spousal Unit's LandCrusher to work for
this reason--deep snow--just a few times a year here in Denver, and it is
real boring.  But on hard-pack snow or ice, my M3 with four Pirelli Winter
210's, is far better performing than the LandBruiser.  And a hell of a lot
more fun.

Factoid:  Roll-overs on Colorado interstates in winter are >80% SUVs/trucks,
but represent only 40% of the cars on the road.

Keith
95 M3, no traction control, daily driver, pits in front--hell yeah.

	****Kathy Lyle for CCA Treasurer--no wait:  Secretary!--no wait:
TREASURER!!!--yeah, that's it!!!!**************

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