How’d Jersey peoples do in yesterday’s storm?

[Zidarich]

First real winter test for us, and some of the worst conditions I’ve ever driven in - not the worst storm - but since nothing at all was done to the roads, the worst driving conditions. It was pure pandemonium. I was planning on doing a short backroad ride from Maplewood to Montclair around 2:45 and thought nothing of it. Wow was that a mistake on my part.

I have LR RWD, 18 inch stock tires, and I did fine on flat surfaces. Was actually pleasantly surprised, and thought I was gonna make it home. Didn’t start off bad, then after a few miles it got worse. Then stuck in bumper to bumper traffic going uphill trying to navigate back rounds? Did not go well. Got stuck for a while trying to go uphill in traffic in Orange, until after about 20 minutes a group of four of five guys helped pushed me out. Avoided any steep hills for the rest of the drive home - including going down a couple of blocks entirely in reverse. Need a winter driving mode, so every time I get in/out of the car when stuck I don’t have to switch the slip start, chill mode, etc.

10 mile, 25 minute drive took about five hours. Gave up for a couple of hours and found a parking garage to recharge as the battery was depleting itself fast in those conditions, and the ice build up was just too much to see. Was wondering if people with AWD faired any better (or snow tires, if you thought to put them on yet), or if this was just one of those situations where everyone was kinda ****ed, as no one was expecting this.

Also for fun, efficiency with both defrosters running full blast (which still wasn’t enough to keep the windows free of ice):

 

[mmccord]

In preparation for the storm, on Tuesday I put my snow tires on (Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2). Yesterday at 3:30 I left work in Newton for my ~60 mile trip home to Pine Bush, NY. Only about 10 miles of that is interstate, mostly two lane country roads. Nothing was plowed at all. I passed probably hundreds of cars/suvs/trucks off in the ditch, or stuck in the lane with their tires spinning. They were the big holdup. The 85D with snow tires just tore up every hill and twist/turn it came across. There was at least 7 inches of snow on the dead-end road I live on, and it starts with a steep hill. When I saw it, I thought "no way I make it up that". I set suspension to 'very high' and drove right up. No drama at all. The car only loses traction when the snow is so deep the battery 'floats' on it. The whole trip took about 3 hours. I made much better time when I got off the main roads and started taking back roads. More snow, but fewer cars blocking my way.

The bad: The wipers iced up REALLY badly. I had to keep the windshield defroster on HI the entire trip, which made the interior unbearably hot. Did the last 10 miles (about an hour) with the front windows open. I have the winter package with the wiper heater, but it didn't seem to do anything. Also, my wiper fluid pump stopped working a few days ago.

 

[realvvk]

In preparation for the storm, on Tuesday I put my snow tires on (Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2).
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The Hakkas R2 are pretty much the best winter tires you can buy for our mild winters. I am so not surprised you had no issues. I love driving my BMW in snow with these tires on and that is V-8 rear wheel drive.

I am in a loaner MS P85D and surprised how well the Michelin Primacy MXM4s do in snow. I expected to slip and slide despite the AWD but it was pretty rock solid.

 

[mmccord]

Usually my snow tires/winter wheels don't go on until mid December, but my MXM4s are on their last legs. Worn down right past the wear bars. I knew with any amount of snow they would be useless. I'm sure new mxm4s would do decently.

I'll need new ones for spring.

 

[WATTS-UP]

We only had 3 to 4 inches in Philly, just put the 60 under the car port to keep the ice off it. The biggest difference was last year when I switched to snow tires, have Continentals on the back. I think one of the biggest problem is when people who have 4 wheel drive think they can go anywhere. You still have to use your head when driving especially in the snow. I agree with "mmccord" once you ride up on the snow your not going anywhere.

 

[jaguar36]

S85 RWD, still had the MXM4 all-seasons on and didn't have any issues.

 

[Snow Drift]

5" on Long Island and my AWD with Michelin X-ICE Xi3 snow tires was a beast. No issues at all. Reminds my of my Subarus.

 

[Yinn]

The bad: The wipers iced up REALLY badly. I had to keep the windshield defroster on HI the entire trip, which made the interior unbearably hot. Did the last 10 miles (about an hour) with the front windows open. I have the winter package with the wiper heater, but it didn't seem to do anything. Also, my wiper fluid pump stopped working a few days ago.

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I had to rescue my wife because of the wipers on her S as well. It's the stupid windshield pocket. I put it in service mode, cleaned out the pocket, kept the wiper heater on and the windshield defroster on Red/HI and didn't have a problem again.

For fun, I played around on the way home. Turned off the Red/Hi defroster setting and placed it on Blue/80 and it started icing up. Red/Hi, cleared up. Having the windshield wiper heaters on/off didn't seem to make a difference. The hero in all this is the heated steering wheel though.