5 Tips to Conquer Snow Driving in Your Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car
It’s wintertime. That means freezing temperatures, snow, and treacherous icing. However, you don’t have to hide your beloved sports car and its rear-wheel drive antics from the cold stuff. Instead, you can use these tips to stay safe in your Ford Mustang, FIAT 124, or Subaru BRZ.
Use these tips to stay safe while driving your sports car in the snow
Not all hope is lost for snow-bound sports car drivers and their rear-wheel drive applications. Follow these tips to keep your car heading in the right direction this winter.
- Install a set of winter tires
- Avoid sudden braking or acceleration
- Decrease your speed and increase your following distance
- Ensure that your defroster and wipers are up to the task
- Consider adding weight to the trunk of a RWD sports car
The most essential thing for a rear-wheel drive (RWD) sports car battling snowfall is a set of seasonally appropriate tires. Specifically, a set of winter tires can multiply your grip in low-friction situations, like snow and ice.
Winter tires on a RWD or front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicle are much more efficient at braking and steering in inclement winter weather than all-wheel drive (AWD) on all-season rubber, per Consumer Reports. Many avid sports car drivers keep an extra set of wheels with winter tires so they can swap over to their snow-ready rubber in anticipation of snowfall.
In addition to winter tires, you should mind your driving habits when facing snow and ice. Specifically, drivers should avoid sudden movements like abrupt acceleration or braking. Any sudden maneuvers could result in a loss of traction and, consequently, a crash.
What’s more, government agencies recommend an average following distance of two or more seconds. However, you might want to mind your speed and following distance to avoid causing a fender-bender in the snow.
Regarding your vehicle’s winter readiness, you should make sure that your defroster and windshield wipers are functional. While defroster failure isn’t typically an issue with newer sports cars, a classic might have an underperforming defroster for winter driving. If you’re going to drive a classic rear-wheel drive sports car in the snow, you should consider updating your heater and defroster.
Finally, adding weight to the trunk of a light RWD sports car can plant the vehicle’s rear end and mitigate some traction issues. Some drivers will keep kitty litter, sand, or a gritting substance in their trunk not only for weight purposes but also to multiply their tire’s purchase if stuck.
Source: Consumer Reports
