I have a 2002 Camry LE. I too have been frightened and disappointed by the performance of the tires on snow, ice, mud, and gravel. For winter driving I have found that if I shift the car into neutral and then brake I get a lot less skidding.
OEM tires are designed for one purpose--to sell the car during the test drive. Most people don't test drive in snow. All tires have compromises between set performance, dry performance, braking, cost, etc, etc, etc.
Also a lot of people do NOT know how to properly brake on ice, mud, snow or gravel.
SNIP
I don't agree. MOST people do NOT know how to properly brake on ice, mud, snow or gravel.
JP
So you have found? It's strange because it's what CEO's and driving instructors have preached for many many years and obviously, it seems that the message hasn't been heard.
Drive safely
JP
JP wrote: || SNIP ||| ||| Also a lot of people do NOT know how to properly brake on ice, mud, ||| snow or gravel. || || I don't agree. MOST people do NOT know how to properly brake on ice, || mud, snow or gravel. || || JP
Uh, what is the great difference between "a lot" and "most"?
Uh, grammatically speaking, a LOT can be a great number of, but not necessarily a majority. MOST is a big majority. "A lot of people are unemployed but most people work." Those who are active anyway. ;-)
JP
Exactly how should I brake on ice, mud, snow,and gravel? I would appreciate any feedback on this. I took driver training many years ago but I never received any instruction on how to brake under different conditions. I realize and understand that all tires have "compromises between set performance, dry performance, braking, cost, etc, etc, etc." I feel that the Camry LE is a very good car, BUT, for its cost it should come with better tires and the tires should perform relative to the cost/reputation of the vehicle. I drove an Aries for ten years and I did not encounter the tire problems I have with my Camry so I'm not entirely convinced that it's all in my lack of braking skills.
SNIP
May I suggest the following link, as a start. If you search canadiandriver.com, you should find at least partial answers to your question. Basically, on icy surface, we should get tranny/gearbox in neutral, and pump the brake pedal repeatedly, whithout locking the wheels. If one has ABS brakes, it is another story but I don't have any experience with ABS equipped cars.
Regards
JP
JP wrote: || SHARX.. wrote: ||| JP wrote: ||||| SNIP |||||| Also a lot of people do NOT know how to properly brake on ice, |||||| mud, snow or gravel. ||||| I don't agree. MOST people do NOT know how to properly brake on ||||| ice, mud, snow or gravel. ||| ||| Uh, what is the great difference between "a lot" and "most"? || || Uh, grammatically speaking, a LOT can be a great number of, but not || necessarily a majority. MOST is a big majority. "A lot of people are || unemployed but most people work." Those who are active anyway. || ;-) || || JP
Point taken. It's refreshing to meet someone who cares about grammar.
JP wrote: || SNIP ||| ||| Exactly how should I brake on ice, mud, snow,and gravel? I would ||| appreciate any feedback on this. I took driver training many years ||| ago but I never received any instruction on how to brake under ||| different conditions. I realize and understand that all tires have ||| "compromises between set performance, dry performance, braking, ||| cost, etc, etc, etc." I feel that the Camry LE is a very good car, ||| BUT, for its cost it should come with better tires and the tires ||| should perform relative to the cost/reputation of the vehicle. I ||| drove an Aries for ten years and I did not encounter the tire ||| problems I have with my Camry so I'm not entirely convinced that ||| it's all in my lack of braking skills. || || May I suggest the following link, as a start. If you search || canadiandriver.com, you should find at least partial answers to your || question. Basically, on icy surface, we should get tranny/gearbox in || neutral, and pump the brake pedal repeatedly, whithout locking the || wheels. If one has ABS brakes, it is another story but I don't have || any experience with ABS equipped cars. ||
JP and original poster:
I drive a 99 Camry with the ABS equipment. Instructions are to brake firmly and to definitely not try to "threshold" or "staccato" brake. ABS is also supposed to allow one to retain some steering ability while braking...something that is lost, for the most part, when one locks the wheels on non-ABS vehicles. YMMV.
I have a 2002 Camry LE V6 and the factory Michelin Energy LX4 are not too good in winter. I bought a set of Nokian Hakka 1's (now called the Nordman
1) and they are amazing in winter. Here is their link:Zareena wrote:
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