It's been snowing here big time.... left work early to get home and take my 03stippp for a spin, spin being the operative word!, i was expecting it to handle much better!, Do not get me wrong it was fun.... but it really didnt handle much better than my old citroen diesel i use for work!.
maybe it's the wide tyres?
Any comments?

 

Certainly wide tyres are not ideal for snow.

Might also have something to do with ~300bhp + a shed load of torque?

 

Don't confuse grip with handling- they do grip, they don't handle, and they're lethal in the snow (when they have very little grip).

 

I agree, as i've said since I bought it my 03 STi it is about the worst handling car i've ever owned. With the wide and unsuitable tyres I don't imagine it has much in the way of grip in snow either so it loses on all counts.

It must be said that my MY99 wasn't so bad in the snow but to be honest I haven't really driven the STi in snow, it is impossible to know what it is going to do on a wet road never mind in the snow.

 

Its the tyres, they have virtualy no grip in packed snow. Also, the STi handles completely different in the snow to most cars, the diffs tighten up under power and tends to go very understeery and then changes again when you lift.

I bet it will snow big time this year, first time in ages I have not had an old cheap car (sold the GT4 4 months ago )

 

2 words - Winter Tyres.

Do a search for more info. I have them and it's great

 

I've only been out in it a couple of times but its awful. I think it is also due to the fact with any power all 4 wheels lose traction at once rather than just two at a time with normal road cars. strong 220bhp and torque doesn't help either

 

If you cannot stretch to a set of winter tyres, try letting 10-15lb out of the tyres. I did this in Devon when all that chaos happened on Bodmin Moor in November and the car behaved superbly. Gave lifts to many people in ordinary cars

 

I've got exactly the same car as u M8 and today was the first time Essex has really had much snow since i've owned the car, pretty much the same as u to report. Felt very much front wheel drive in the way it began to understeer, then when u lift off it snaps sideways without much warning at all, very little steering feel either, might be down to the Bridgstone RE040's on, i found then to be pretty Cr*p on my old CTR and seem to be much the same on my STi unless the roads bone dry.

 

This my friend is where you learn the importance of throttle control.

And a Subaru in the snow on summer tyres need LOTS of very small and precise throtle movements....much like Rear wheel drive...and even front wheel drive...put too much throttle on, or worse still...lift off too much and you'll end up going in a direction you don't want!

The only extra thing you have is traction. But power is nothing without control

And I can usually quite happily take a front wheel drive car where the average numpty can't without any fuss. All it takes is good throttle, brake and clutch control

 

I have a 03sti and it's the best handling car I've ever owned.
Trouble is the re070's are not the best in snow, you need feather light throttle and brake control.
You need winter tyres, but I can't be bothered.

 

Grip and handling. The Impreza has grip, my supra had handling. RWD but capable in snow as I found out.....well once moving !!!!

 

Got Falken Espia M&S tyres on spare 16" alloys on my MY03 WRX at the moment and laughed at everyone going all over the place in the snow in Dover this evening as I drove past them in total confidence.

Straight up a steep hill, reverse turned down it, waited for some 4x4 thing to go wheelspinning past then I drive back down said steep hill, stop and reverse up it onto my drive which is on the tilt and 90 degrees to the road. Absolutlely no problems.

Like driving on liquorice in normal conditions though..lol

 

yep managed to get to work at 3am when others were spinning around roundabouts and visiting ditches. not to bad gripwise

 

Try getting up a snow covered hill without 4 wheel drive Top work car!!
Citroen diesel rock!!

 

Vauxhall combo van in reverse,no problems up them there hill's up'north
Dont know why everyone is having problems with there sti's,mine is a dream in the snowy weather,summer tyre's n all

As said before,throttle control is the key,and just keep it moving

 

[quote=ethanrob]Vauxhall combo van in reverse,no problems up them there hill's up'north
So its you i see backing up the M62 in winter!!!

 

How many members of the car driving public do I see using far too much throttle and wheelspinning all the time in desperation to start or keep moving?...nearly all of them

I suppose it's a godsend they do get stuck, because if they did get moving they'd go miles too fast and brake miles too late for the obstacle in front, and wouldn't know how to correctly use the brakes in snow either (or steering at that)

 

Off topic: Ali, the steering feel in the new Corsa is about as different from that of the classic scoob as it could possibly be.


HTH.

 

Damn, left my fishing rod unattended

 

I don't know yet how my MY05 WRX will handle the snow ..... but I would be very surprised if it will be worse than our last two cars - a CTR and an S2000 !!!

 

Girl's tyres !

I'm running these...



Agree with the author of this post. I got an 03 STi when we decided to move to Finland (living just down the road of the Artic circle...).
Even on proper winter tyres (mine got 150 studs per corner), the car is a handfull.

Issues:

1. Suspension is too hard (hence, when I change, I will take a Spec C with 12 way adaptable suspension. Softer springs give much better grip). If you do not have the Prodrive spring kit, get one ! It works miracles as it puts more emphasis on the nose and is slightly softer.

2. The passive difflocks are just too slow on slippery surface. They lock only when the car is properly sideways, taking away any ability to still steer the thing. Never tried it here, but I think the active diff of the Evo9 might be more usefull as it reacts on steering input, not loss of grip.

3. Most importantly, the scoob needs a very unnatural driving style than what UK drivers are used to. You have to be VERY gentle at turn in (in fact not trun in enough in order to maximise grip on the nose). Then use a bit of power to help the car to pivot. Once it's mid corner, the wheels should be straight again (let it come straight by itself !). Only then you accelerate progressively forcing the diffs to lock without spinning the wheels.
If you get that to work, you'll rocket out of corners at Mach 3 even on 6" of pure ice !

Good luck !

The Swede

 

Went out earlier in the 911 TT (4wd) excellant fun, no problems atall. And even when things got abit to much PSM just sorted it all out. Very Impressed.

 

What underground was that on and with which tyres ?

I found that ANY car on summer tyres (even 4x4 equiped with all the world's electronics) is useless compared to an old banger on proper winter tyres.
Snow (especially wet) can be OK. But once ice comes into the equation...

Also, what speeds are we talking about here ? 30mph on snow in the UK, getting your car a bit sideways can already feel fast, but you don't want to drive at those speeds for 6 months of the year !

 

Studded tyres are ideal but you cant get them in England any more, I dont think. Failing that you need some high silicone content content winter tyres with as narrow a section as possible (165s or thinner will be best but most people wont be able to fit suitable sized rims over their calipers).

Simon

 

I try not to, but when you gotta go you gotta go

 

i saw the title i thought you was playing snowballing when you got a big snow ball, but on top of some dog crap,

 

pmsl

 

Nah!
not me dude,i use the reverse option up on the hills around langsett/dunford near north sheffield

 

The size of the calipers of the STi are also my problem. I would need to change them for smaller ones so i could fit 15 or 16" wheels with narrower tyres and longer studs.

Current ones however already do wonders compared to other cr@p stuff. You shouldn't be surprised to see someone at 100mph+ on a B road on 6" of ice and a bit of snow on top