Anyone knows if Snow Chains are required for C4S? I am a Southern Cal driver taking my C4S up to a snow resort for the first time, don't know how
my C4S will react in the snow. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.


96 C4S/Polar Silver

 

Read the manual it has instructions on this! I don't believe you can use chains on 18's.

I would recommend snow tires if you are going to be traveling in snow country anything less and you are putting yourself and car in grave danger, IMO.

 

Probably not a good idea as Greg has mentioned. If you must, carry a set of cable chains. They are low profile and won't harm the face.

 

Hitch hike if you have to but putting chains on your C4S? that's gutsy

 

My son just got to Bishop, driving from southern Calif. He said there was snow all the way up Owens Valley. Many were putting chains on. My son took my all wheel drive Subaru Outback so they had no problems. He also mentioned a C4S that was crusing with them and had no problems. Sweet!

 

4 snow tires and you can go anywhere, anytime...ask me how I know

 

Let me add to this thread, not with particular experience from a P-car but rather from my 4WD Audi TT. The problem, if any, comes from the compound of your tires. They are most likely summer tires and they REALLY dont react well to ice. They tend to freeze up. Even though while moving you can most likely get away with it, be careful as your breaks will most likely be non-existant! I would go down small downhills in my area sideways breaking with the handbrake. Great fun for a bit, but when the sidewalk was coming closer, it was a scary few seconds.
Best solution if you want to fork up the cash is get a set of snows. If the budget was limited, I would be keen on front tires mostly as you need them to steer and break.

Chains are an option, but in the end you dont want to damage your wheels. As an expensive alternative to chains I can suggest spikes-spiders (http://www.spikes-spiders.com/ They are a clamp on system which is quite pricey but are very easy to install and wont damage your wheel. I would buy them to fit the fronts for reasons mentioned above. The advantage is that you wont have to install or uninstall tires every time you go up the mountain (if its a once a year thing your snow tires will get few miles and then in 3 years they will be dry and not performing at par). I bought a set of spikes-spiders for my 19inch wheeled BMW X5 as the michelin Diamaris it has on are a very bad tire for snow. The price you can get them in the states appears to me very cheap... so I consider them a bargain.

Good luck, enjoy your trip and dont leave things to chance. Go prepared.
Keep us posted.

 

Nick (dianic),
Can you say terminal oversteer? If you only put snows or chains on the front you would spin around more times than you could count. Not a very smart option, IMO.

 

Ha! Well trust me, I have done it both in the X5 and the TT (audi) with no priouettes in the snow... However, you may be correct as I believe the p-car has a very small distribution of torque to the front wheels... So you may be right. However, the point of the chains or spikes spiders would not be for traction but for steering and braking. THAT is where the most likely problem will be. He wont be offroading, but rather rolling on a snowed road.... So putting chains in the rears as most people would do may not work too well either. Just saw a Cayenne here in Athens this mornign with the spikes spider adaptors on the fronts too (you leave those on) exactly like I have them on the X5.
I just shared my general experience with my two 4 wheel drives. I realise the C4 is a peculiar animal, so perhaps my advise will need some tweaking to fit his case, I did however want to stress the fact that summer and street tires freeze. And once they do, thats it. No control. I remember in Audiworld numerous reports of people sliding down their driveway to the garage, banging the garage door at full speed because breaks (or tires actually) did not grip AT ALL!

 

While I may disagree with some of what you wrote I am in 100% agreement on this. I have had snow tires on all my cars for the last 5 years or more. My 993 in the snow was very surefooted with Pirelli snowtires as well as my M3 and 530i. I would rather drive a rear wheel drive car with snow tires on all four corners than a awd vehicle with all season tires.

 

Snow Tires Snow Tires Snow Tires Snow Tires

 

Rent an SUV and beat the hell out of it.

 

I put a set of snows on my C2 last week. Transforms the cars cold weather handling characteristics. I actually had fun driving in the snow!!

 

I have LM22s on my S2000 (my winter beater!) and they do OK in the dry, as well. S02s are crap under 40 degrees, and driving my car or yours in snow with summer rubber is suicidal. Don't do it. But with the right rubber, you are good to go.

 

BTW, I think the standard winter tires/wheels are 17s, even for the 4S.