[cascade]

Heavy (at times) snow arrives at the end of the week.
\
I'd been looking at picking up a Subaru Outback, like the ones I used to have, which do quite well, in the 3300 foot elevation here in the Sierra Nevada foothill area.

I only have now, the 1995 e420 available for this.

The car seems very well balanced, the antifreeze and other fruids are in good shape and the car is in very sound mechanical condition, but has all season tires in good shape.

It should be pretty competent in most situations, such as rain ands not too heavy slush.

Actually the car is in great mechanical shape.

Are mud and snow tires or at least a rear pair, with rims perhaps 14" or 15" ones worth it, for winter use in this situation.

Note, also, I have a friend in the San Francisco area who has a decent running 1999 Volvo S70 AWD sedan she is willing to swap me for the winter months, if I provide her with the e420 to drive down there. That AWD Volvo would likely do it, but if there is a way for the e420 to do the job, I'd rather not take this offer, nor buy an Outback (they are the "staff cars") around here...

Here is my street as seen right by my house my house, (the same one depicted in my avatar at left) seen in the kind of snow that could come, this was from a few years ago when I was using the '08 Outback to do this job.

Though the snow plows are pretty good, they do come around. But the snow can get deep quickly. I live alone up here in my home.

All comments and suggestions are welcome. The e420 does NOT have ASR or traction control, so far as I know.

 

[Sam Fuller]

Heavy (at times) snow arrives at the end of the week.
\
I'd been looking at picking up a Subaru Outback, like the ones I used to have, which do quite well, in the 3300 foot elevation here in the Sierra Nevada foothill area.

I only have now, the 1995 e420 available for this.

The car seems very well balanced, the antifreeze and other fruids are in good shape and the car is in very sound mechanical condition, but has all season tires in good shape.

It should be pretty competent in most situations, such as rain ands not too heavy slush.

Actually the car is in great mechanical shape.

Are mud and snow tires or at least a rear pair, with rims perhaps 14" or 15" ones worth it, for winter use in this situation.

Note, also, I have a friend in the San Francisco area who has a decent running 1999 Volvo S70 AWD sedan she is willing to swap me for the winter months, if I provide her with the e420 to drive down there. That AWD Volvo would likely do it, but if there is a way for the e420 to do the job, I'd rather not take this offer, nor buy an Outback (they are the "staff cars) around here...

Here is my street as seen right by my house my house, seen in the kind of snow that could come, this was from a few years ago when I was using the '08 Outback to do this job.

Though the snow plows are pretty good, they do come around. But the snow can get deep quickly. I live alone up here in my home.

My 400E did really well with cables last year..( mostly plowed but icy)..I also didn't have a Subaru at the time.

 

[Clarkz71]

With the proper tires, and careful throttle control you should be OK.

Though an all wheel drive would be better.

 

[tjts1]

Get 4 snow tires (preferably studded), they're legal in California. Don't drive that car in those conditions on all season tires.

The California Vehicle Code [Section 27454 (e)], permits studded tires to be used on vehicles between November 1 and April 30 of each year. The number of studs or the percentage of metal in contact with the roadway cannot exceed three percent of the total tire area in contact with the roadway.

You'll still need chains when the CHP enforces chain controls on i80 and i50. Remember, AWD can only help you GO on snow and ice, snow tires helps you go, stop and steer. I'll take RWD with snow tires over AWD with all season tires any day on Sierra roads. Don't even think about using just 2 snow tires.

Pay attention to the braking and cornering tests.

 

[Bruce Sloane]

looks like every day January here ...

buy a beater Blazer ..

 

[dude99]

A good set of snow tires are ALWAYS worth it. I have yet to drive my w124 in the snow as I just bought it, but plan to do as and have fitted it with 4 snowies.

My w123 and my w126 drove like snow plows with a set of 4 Firestone winterforce tires fitted to them.

 

[LogicalPosition]

Heavy (at times) snow arrives at the end of the week.
\
I'd been looking at picking up a Subaru Outback, like the ones I used to have, which do quite well, in the 3300 foot elevation here in the Sierra Nevada foothill area.

I only have now, the 1995 e420 available for this.

Did your previous Subarus look like this? '01 Outback LTD wagon, Jan/2010

I just purchased my 94 E320 (with 30% Michelin all weather rubber) to supplement my 08 Subaru LTD wagon(with new Bridgestone Serenity Plus), and since I was told by the PO that it was "not good in the snow and ice" I'm only gonna use the 320 on good weather days when the roads are dry. I live at 2480 ft, with steep(20 degree+) elevation changes of 1000 ft or more within feet of my home.

Bridgestone Blizzaks are what I'd recommend, and get 4 of them, not just two. As another member said, it's not so much the forward motion you need, it's the stopping. My 320 is balanced about 50/50, but the throttle is harsh on wheel spin, IMO, and I fear the back end could come around quickly under certain conditions.

I'd look for that winter beater Subie, to be perfectly honest.

My 1st s**w driving experience was Tahoe to Sacramento, EXTREME s**wfall rates(whiteout), with poh-lice mandated chains on a 67 Buick Skylark. Do you know that hiway? I followed a Greyhound bus thru that ordeal, 30 miles in 3+ hours, the CHP were shaking their heads as I drove off into the storm. When we got to Sacramento, and I removed the chains, one of the other sailors literally got out of the vehicle and kissed the ground. You aren't driving aggressively unless your passengers are screaming!

:thumbsup:

 

[dtsdig]

I definitely recommend a full set of snows! There is no other way in Rochester or most of central New York during the winter.
When we first got the wagon 3 years ago and got our first [mild] snow, I was pretty much stuck on my flat paved driveway with new all season tires on it! It was a joke. Putting snows on it made it great! Watch your following distances, give yourself plenty of time to react and stop and you'll be ok.

 

[macdrone]

I drove three years in Great Lakes , Il in my 400E it was awesome in the snow with ASR. Only issue is not enough weight in the rear end when stopped. Hard to get going again from like parking spots. It was in Il it's whole life until I moved back to west coast.

 

[cascade]

Great advice, guys. Thank you. Another question:

Would four junkyard but good straight stock w124 used wheels be a good idea, to mount with the snow tires,


...or would it be a better idea better to buy snow tires for fitment on the AMG 17's now on the car and have the tires that are on the car right now, removed and then stored in the garage, and reinstalled in the springtime?

 

[tjts1]

Get some 15" JY wheels for the snow tires. Make sure they are 8 hole W124 wheels. 15 hole wheels will not fit over your brakes. Swapping tires onto the same rims gets expensive after a few seasons. Also narrow high profile tires are better in the snow.

 

[winmutt]

2 bags of sand in the trunk (or concrete) will do amazing things for traction and come in handy from time to time.

 

[Bruce Sloane]

you want a narrow 75 series 15" tire for Snow
no 17" is gonna be that way ever, o matter what they call it...all-season .. :yelrotflmao:

 

[visal911]

Last winter I drove all winter long with good all seasons...you just gotta be careful. These cars are extremely well balanced and easy to catch when the tail loses grip.

I moved to a hilly area this year and threw in a set of Yoko winter tires on some 17 inch AMG monoblocks. This thing is currently a tank in the snow. Winter tires are the way to go!

 

[Roland500SEL]

Jim, i also strongly recommend winter tires! I drive a 320TE W124 through winters here in Germany and it works fine with good winter tires (or should i say its fun to drift through the winter?)

As tjts stated, get the rims at a junkyard and test them on the front axle before you buy them!

Get some sand in handy bags in the trunk. Handy because, if you got stuck on an ice plate, you don´t want to open a big bag and take out some sand to get some grip and then drive with an open sand bag in you trunk

 

[neanderthal]

Buy a beaterSubaru to preserve your Merc.

Otherwise you can buy a set of wheels on craigslist or at the dismantler, and mount snow tires.

Carry a few bags of sand, a collapsable shovel, and dry foods in the trunk. Now would also be a good time to update your emergency kit.

 

[Zeitgeist]

Quattro FTW, on regular all season tires a couple years ago. It's no 124, but it does make a comfortably rugged cheap beater

 

[craiggotgame]

Even some inexpensive snow tires like the general altimax arctics are a million times better than all-seasons. I put them on my stock wheels and run them during the winter months.

 

[Spaceraver]

Buy stock wheels, fit them with 185/65-15 winter studded tires... Put around 100-200 pounds of weight in the trunk. 20 poundish dry sandbags are perfect, if you get stuck empty one under the rear wheels. Gets you going again.

 

[chabanais]

Drive like you're caught in slow motion and you'll be fine.