WRX in Bad Weather

I found the performance of my WRX in the snow is highly dependant on the tires. First year I had it, we actually got a lot of snow (for Cincinnati), the stock RE92 tires were great. Never got stuck, never had trouble stopping, turned with ease. The AWD system in the WRX is quite adept at handling snow, assuming the tires are in good shape.

Second year, after doing several track days, the stock tires were shot, and snow handling degraded. The only real concern with a WRX as compared to an Outback (or something similar) is ride height. So if it's 6"+ of soft snow, you'll be plowing, but I doubt that it would stop you.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.com, Dennis Maher spewed:

I'm a Vermonter and have driven my '02 WRX through 3 winters now. Slap some good snow tires on the car and you'll have more fun in the winter than you ever thought possible. Power slides at will and the ability to get going from a standstill unlike all those FWD cars. As for ground clearance issues, I've yet to bury my WRX and I've driven through 18"-24" snow (fluffy though, not our usual mashed potatos).

In short, have fun.

Not recommended.

Notice that they don't run them in the Swedish WRC Rally which is all snow.

jw

Absolute nonsense. Where did you get that from? Rexs very successful in snow rallies. Simply a matter of set-up.

For road use in proper snow, all you need is a decent set of snow tyres.

David Betts snipped-for-privacy@motorsport.org.uk

Bullshit. Stop talking out of your ass. Read this:

The secret to driving in the winter is winter tires. Period. Any FWD or RWD car with snow tires will outhandle an AWD car with summer or crappy all-season tires and get you anywhere you need to go.

The only real variable is ground clearance - for really deep snow, you're better off with a forester or outback type of vehicle, which has more ground clearance but still a relatively low center of gravity (as opposed to a true truck).

Otherwise, invest in some good snow tires and you'll be fine in any car, particularly an AWD vehicle with two limited slips like the WRX.

Is the WRX limited slip both front and rear?

No, center and rear - making it essentially 3WD. One front and both back tires must be tractionless to get stuck*. The WRX STi has center, front, and rear limited slips, making it truly AWD.

• Although since the WRX's diffs are not locking, there is a limit to the amount the limited slips can bias the torque toward the wheels with traction, so this statement isn't *entirely* true.

FORGET the WRX. ---> The WRX is a sports car designed for

The Impreza lineup is for young people. (With the exception of the non-turbo Imp Wagon model, which is good for little-old-ladies and widows who go to the market once or twice a week, or go to get their poodle dogs groomed at PetsMart.)

If you want a Subaru for rough weather driving and other real-world use, then consider a standard full size Outback or Forrester type model. I suggest a full sized Outback H6 Wagon for commuting and real-world "honey-doos".

I don't want to be in the same county when you tell that to my wife. She's a 50+ year old, extremely pleased owner of a 2004 WRX.

I guess my WRX wasn't being very utilitarian when its 32 year old owner filled the wagon with stuff, put a queen bed on the roof, and towed a

But I do like the acceleration, braking, cornering, reliability, and comfort of it too. Makes it all the more fun to drive me and my friends to ski areas and backwoods lakes.

Heh heh ... I knew that would get some response.

:^]

jw

Nice try at covering up.

Bwhah hahahah...guess this makes you some kinda BITTER OLD man, eh!

Past-mid-forty-something "young person" here who LOVES the performance & practicality of his WRX.

BTW, the WRX does GREAT in rain...it has no apparent effect on vehicle operation, as long as I do my part with keeping good tread on tires and Rain X on windshield. ;-)

Hmmm...what's a 19 year old and a 27 year old have in common, anyway? LMAO!!

Hope Ken Gilbert catches sight of this one...

Steve

But you could get the "honey-dos" done so much faster in a WRX. :)

I'll let my '69 year old father know the Impreza is only for 20-somethings. I'm sure he'll take it as a compliment.

Not to mention the fact that the Forester is an Impreza frame, which also has a turbo option.

So, is there a logical reason NOT to get an Impreza? If there is, I haven't found it yet.

i saw it, but being 30 years old i am too mature to respond directly!

:)

I'm 50 and it works really well for me. In the summer I can pass when I need to, and in the winter I can handle the modest snows that I get living in the Sierras (usually under a foot).

Like the other posters, though, I do recommend putting decent tires on it. Good all-seasons work for me. My WRX didn't do very well in snow until I replaced the RE92's with Conti Extremes. Then- what a difference!

To chime in with (most) everyone else:

Snow Tires! Snow Tires! Snow Tires!

I live near Buffalo, NY, We have WINTER, not that candy ass stuff most everyone else has. It's nothing to have 3' of snow, 40mph winds and

Add to that a 1/4mi dirt driveway on the exposed side of a hill.

We drive 4WD and AWD exclusively. With all season tires they're as bad as FWD. Add a good set of winter rubber and I can tow a plow out with my Subbie.

I've also got a Geo Tracker, which is true 4WD and I've never needed the low range on road. The AWD is just as good unless you're in a ditch.

Just don't take away my snows (PS: I use Blizzaks)

Philip