I have a 2001 S class.<br>
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I will be driving to and from Chicago-Denver in mid-December.<br>
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Do I need snow tires?<br>
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Hoiw good or bad are the Michelin tires it came with on snow.<br>
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I am a very simple conservative driver.<br>
Thanks............ <br>
I've had some luck buying snow tires on Ebay. Just to throw my 2 cents, I've had 3 sets of Nokians since 1998. We are talking about driving in snow from 11/1 to 5/1. They are the best.
I have Michelin MXV4 Energy tires (OEM tires) on my 2000 S500. The tires are good, but the S500 just isn't in ice & snow. Rear wheel drive + big engine = loss of traction in snow and especially on ice. The stability control system helps some - but after driving Audi AWDs for my 3 prior cars, there is just no comparison- and tires just can't make up for the drive system.
I have driven in Colorado, Northern Maine, some in Alaska, and now in the DC area for a total of 20 years. If the roads are dry or simply wet, you'll be fine. You can handle light snow (wet snow better than dry powder). Do not accelerate hard, and do not brake hard. Be very gentle on accelerator and brake - allow for very long stopping distances (especially going downhill). Brake well in advance of having to stop, and be going very slowly before applying them for the final stop. Your ABS will keep you out of a lot of trouble, but it will be useless if you hit "glare" or "black" ice (road is shiny, wet looking, but it's too cold not to be frozen, or very dark patches). Frankly, your steering won't be much good in that stuff, either. Don't follow close. If you start to lose it going uphill, come off the accelerator.
Don't be fooled by folks tooling along fast - in Colorado, at least, most of them will be using studded snow tires all around. They're great in snow or on ice, but not so good on dry pavement.
However, if you encounter pellets, or (worst of all) freezing rain, get off the highway and find a place to stay. That stuff is just too dangerous to drive in. Be aware that the highway can start icing up if the outside temp is 34 degrees Farenheit or below (the ground may be colder than the air just a bit above the highway). Bridges ice before road surfaces do.
If you are stopped at an intersection, be sure someone isn't skidding out of control, unable to stop at the red light. If it's you out of control, lean on the horn!!
Lastly, don't drive at a speed that is any faster than you'd feel comfortable departing the highway. I can tell you about how a Jeep Cherokee (Colorado Cadillac) with studded snow tires all around and in 4 wheel drive handles when it encounters a half mile of thin, solid ice (the studs couldn't grip, and neither could the rubber). I'm glad I was following my own advice.
If you get snow tires - I drove a 1972 Thunderbird (big engine, rear wheel drive, heavy car) in northern Maine for 3-1/2 years, in tremendous blizzards - with studded snow tires on the rear only. Michelins on the front. No problems.
In Colorado my favorites were Yokohamas - but it is most important that your snows match up to your front tires. My wife put studded snows on the rear of a 280ZX with Eagle GTs on the front - dynamic coupling made the car uncontrollable above 25 mph.
There is a ton a good advice and info, including survival tips if you're stuck in a blizzard - stuff you'll need that can save your life - like food, a blanket, a candle (and avoiding carbon monoxode). Google "winter weather driving."
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