[fratzke7]

I am thinking of getting an IS 300 for my Wife, but we live in IOWA the center of SNOW!!! We recently sold our 04 Pontiac GTO and she hated driving that in the snow, however we didn't have snow tires on it. Anyone have any opinions on the IS in the snow with and without snow tires?? The only other car she is thinking about would be the Audi S4? Someone fill me in!

 

[tsopranoMB]

for SNOW? If i had a choice between an IS and S4, i'd rather have an AWD S4 and not a rwd car...duh

 

[Crester]

If your wife is concerned about winter driving... I'd also recommend the AWD Audi. Wait a minute... what about the AWD IS250?

 

[fratzke7]

for SNOW? If i had a choice between an IS and S4, i'd rather have an AWD S4 and not a rwd car...duh

I know but she is in love with the IS and has been for along time, the S4 is a new ride to her. It's not like it snows all the time but when it does I just wondered if she would be able to get around ok in say 4-6 inches of snow.

 

[Rob L]

With snow tires the IS300 is manageable but not great. Without snows the car is downright useles in the snow assuming it came with the summer performance tires.

I think it also depends on how good a driver she is in snow...I'd think being a better & more experienced driver in bad weather would make the IS300 easier to get around in. Oh and of course it matters what types of roads she will be driving on...when I had my IS300 & blizzaks I found it sucked going up inclined roads in snow but other than that is was fine.

In reply to another suggestion in this thread...you could go get the IS250AWD with options for like 40K...or you could go get a discounted Acura 05 RL for the same price that beats the IS250 AWD in every category possible from acceleration to handling to comfort. That's a hard logical choice...yes, sarcasm.

 

[boman]

I will tell you the truth since I used to work for Audi/VW --> AWD
rocks in the snow, period. However, good luck servicing and
maintaining the S4!!

$$$$$$$$$$$

Even tho the IS is RWD, put on some snow tires and enjoy its reliability!!

j

 

[fratzke7]

thanks for all of the responses, so far it seems as if tho the only deciding factor that we will have is the deal we can come up with on a car. Thanks again, and if I do get an IS you all will be seing a lot of me here on the net!!

 

[maxxpsi]

don't forget the snow button, that makes all the difference...lol

 

[ZID IS300]

Last winter will all-seasons on I had no problem getting home 17 miles in a snow storm with 6" of unplowed snow on the ground. Just take it easy and you'll get to where you need to go with the IS in the snow.

Mike

 

[IMPRIMIS]

I put my auto into 1/2 and just had all season tires and I did fine in Missouri

 

[tqlla3k]

I'd get the IS250 AWD.... If you can live with that hump for the T-case. Its not very powerful. BUT DAMN IT LOOKS GOOD.

 

[someguyzero]

Use snow chains lolz. Excellent reliability

 

[AZNHYPNOTIQ]

any car with 4 wheel drive or AWD is the way to go in snow. i definitely would not recommend going in the snow with the IS300...even though the IS300 is eqiupped with a snow traction control button, its still useless....i just use the snow traction but for fun and just to feel how weak it is with the snow button on...but other than that, its useless

 

[Gray Rider]

A good set of snow tires front/rear, trac on, snow mode and smart driving the IS is good to go in the snow.

 

[4G634ME]

Well I live in Omaha and I WILL be driving my IS this winter. I'm getting a set of Blizzak WS-50's and calling it good.

 

[Lmigliore]

Iowa's not the center of snow. You may get some, but lots of folks get worse. I used to live in New Hampshire, where I had to dig a tunnel to get out of my house one year. It was before front wheel drive was popular, so we learned to drive rear-wheel drive cars in snow or got Jeeps (real Jeeps, not Cherokees or other SUV boxes).

Then front-wheel drive became popular. I got a VW Scirocco. It was massively better than rear wheel drive, almost as good as my Jeep until it got really deep.

I live in California now and have never driven my IS in snow and never will unless global warming backfires badly. But I expect it to be pretty twitchy even with the best snow tires (and impossible without them). Here's my evaluation:

Front-wheel drive car. Really good in snow (especially with snow tires) and not horrible on dry pavement.

4WD car or SUV. Beautiful in snow. Makes you wish it snowed all the time. Costs more, uses more gas, handles worse (maybe Audi's don't handle worse) on pavement.

Rear wheel drive car. Just barely driveable in snow with good snow tires. Better than anything else the rest of the time.

 

[drsleu23]

there is absolutely no problem driving the IS in snow. i don't have snow tires and did not slip once all year last year. Even without snow tires, when i put the snow traction button on it was difficult to fish tail or do anything fun.
I even drove it from my home in mass to killington vt during a huge snow storm and had no problems except for the fact i got stuck in the parking spot when i tried to leave but that was because of the ruts from plowing. Obviously all wheel is the way to go but for a rear wheel drive i don't think you could do any better.

 

[Bukwheat]

I use to live in Iowa...Des Moines, in fact. AWD is the obvious choice, but like drsleu23 said, "there is absolutely no problem driving the IS in snow"...or any FWD, for that matter. There are likely more FWD vehicles on the road (everywhere) than AWDs. I think it boils down to a matter of preference...IS or S4 or whatever. Heck, when I was living in Des Moines, I use to drive around in a Fiero. Unless you guys live out in the country side, then you're better off getting a truck...

 

[BUD001]

Bukwheat: the IS is RWD, not FWD.

 

[SeattleSheila]

My analysis as a "girl"...I've never owned FWD, so I don't know any better. I managed with 17" all seasons in four or five inches of nasty wet snow. I expect the car would be a trooper with snow tires. Ya just gotta know how to do it...