GTI's in Snow on All Seasons

imthanick_a · Jan 17, 2019

CB1111 said:
There are even some that suggest that by using the anti-icing brine, it keeps water from freezing in cracks and thereby decreases the chances of potholes forming - but that doesn't help much in pothole riddled DC/MD/VA.

I recently drove from Erbil to Mosul (Iraq) and the roads were in better condition that the ones in DC (although they were narrower and more hazardous due to trucks careening around curves.

One of the articles I was reading noted something about how when the salt brine dries up as it warms up outside, the salt in the solution starts to crystallize and has the same effect as ice crystals. It's a lose-lose situation haha

BTW if we have any hunters in here you may find this interesting. My uncle works for PennDOT, and poured out a bucket of beet juice brine in woods (our private property) one day. Overnight, the deer dug a knee deep hole 3 feet in diameter to try to get to it. Kind of amusing to me we put that on the roads when deer go crazy for it
(no we do not bait deer in or around hunting season)

mk7_bk · Jan 17, 2019

I live in PA, my plan is to get a summer/ winter set. I see OP is in DC. I had the A/S Potenza's for 2 snows (including this year) I would say first year, the car had basically new tires and it handeled well in the snow. Now it has less tread and its still OK but I really prefer not to drive in the snow if I don't have to... its almost like ice skating. Im thinking by this summer going with Mich PS+ or Continental as everyone only has good things to say, then for the winter set maybe like Blizzarks. If you have to drive to commute in the winter def get a winter set. I can WFH on computer so there is no need imo.

Strange Mud · Jan 17, 2019

I like the beet brine/juice story.....I'm going to mention that to my lawyer if I hit a deer. I stopped about 5-8' short of one last week. She decided to run down the road when she saw me.....

heiney9 · Jan 17, 2019

imthanick_a said:
http://www.reliablecontracting.com/impacts-applying-salt-asphalt-pavement/

https://www.wolfpaving.com/blog/4-things-to-consider-before-you-use-salt-on-your-asphalt-pavement

https://eastcoatpavement.com/blog/2017/12/01/rock-salt-deicer-affect-asphalt/

http://www.aciindiana.com/blog/4-truths-about-the-effects-of-salt-on-pavement/

https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/experts/corrosion/show/517

Salt does not affect asphalt. It can however damage concrete. Jury is kinda of out on that as well but it seems more likely. Some sources say it does but most say its just the freeze thaw cycle that ruins it. I find it hard to believe that salt is acidic enough to break down the bonds in concrete
Two very different materials with very different properties

Guess it all depends on road make-up and ice melting solution make-up. Lots of hybrid road materials as well as hybrid salt solutions for melting ice and snow.

Buddy of mine put regular winter salt (the cheap stuff) down on a newer concrete driveway less than 2 years old, pitted the concrete so bad he had to replace the entire driveway. Now again, not sure what the make-up was specifically of the driveway. It was not asphalt, I use the word "concrete" loosely as I don't know what the make-up was. Looked like regular concrete.

But the guy laying the new driveway told him not to use regular salt on the new driveway or he'd have the same issue.

I believe he now uses an environmentally safe ice melt.

cb1111 · Jan 17, 2019

Funny salt story. A zillion years ago I worked at the military exchange in Germany selling electronics and cameras. Because my store was located next to HQ (where the buyers were), we always got visits by the manufacturer reps.

One of the guys was the Marantz rep (back then, Marantz was a high end manufacturer) who also had the Morton salt account.

On one of his visits before Christmas one year, he showed us his brand new 280 SEL. The next day he came in all crestfallen.

To his windows from freezing over at night, he popped the trunk, got out a box of the Morton salt and applied it very generously to his windshield and rear window.

The next morning his windows were clear, but the paint and trim below his windows was bubbled and damaged. His company wasn't happy.

CMARNOLD78 · Jan 18, 2019

OK So Update:
I did my first ski trip in the GTI to Whitetail PA. An afternoon trip for night skiing. For those not familiar or those who live in real mountains, Whitetail is a 'ski hill' on the MD/PA border.

About 45 min out it started snowing pretty good. By the time I turned off the highway there was a good 1/2 inch on the road. Because of the time of evening I was laying first tracks through the windyish road to the resort. Car & Tires handled well. Traction Control came on about 3 times. Just coming into the ski resort there is about a 500 foot incline/down hill where the ABS kicked in.

By the time I left the field late at night, the roads had been cleared/salted. On way back to DC it snowed most of the way with temps around freezing. I didn't have any worries. Only problem was that the front assist faulted out due to the snow/ice mix blocking it.

To be honest, I really wanted to through it round a bit on the ski field roads to test the limits....

From this experience I will stay with the All Seasons for this winter and switch to the Pilot Sports come March. Would prob switch back the all seasons next winter instead of getting snows.

The main reason is that the winters from the data seem to significantly be reduced in performance in the wet and dry than the all seasons. That will be 98% of the driving that I would be doing over winter. So see there is greater risk of reduced performance over the 98% of driving than a little bit more performance over less than 2% driving.

Don't get me wrong, I wont be driving up or down windy, off camber, snowy/icy mountain roads in the all seasons!

tigeo · Jan 18, 2019

CMARNOLD78 said:
OK So Update:
I did my first ski trip in the GTI to Whitetail PA. An afternoon trip for night skiing. For those not familiar or those who live in real mountains, Whitetail is a 'ski hill' on the MD/PA border.

About 45 min out it started snowing pretty good. By the time I turned off the highway there was a good 1/2 inch on the road. Because of the time of evening I was laying first tracks through the windyish road to the resort. Car & Tires handled well. Traction Control came on about 3 times. Just coming into the ski resort there is about a 500 foot incline/down hill where the ABS kicked in.

By the time I left the field late at night, the roads had been cleared/salted. On way back to DC it snowed most of the way with temps around freezing. I didn't have any worries. Only problem was that the front assist faulted out due to the snow/ice mix blocking it.

To be honest, I really wanted to through it round a bit on the ski field roads to test the limits....

From this experience I will stay with the All Seasons for this winter and switch to the Pilot Sports come March. Would prob switch back the all seasons next winter instead of getting snows.

The main reason is that the winters from the data seem to significantly be reduced in performance in the wet and dry than the all seasons. That will be 98% of the driving that I would be doing over winter. So see there is greater risk of reduced performance over the 98% of driving than a little bit more performance over less than 2% driving.

Don't get me wrong, I wont be driving up or down windy, off camber, snowy/icy mountain roads in the all seasons!

I used to live in NOVA and work in Herndon; we did that trip after work plenty of times to grab night-skiing and then come home. Yeah, AS tires are perfectly adequate for that. Do you know anyone who uses winter tires up there? I never did.

mk7_bk · Jan 18, 2019

CMARNOLD78 said:
OK So Update:
I did my first ski trip in the GTI to Whitetail PA. An afternoon trip for night skiing. For those not familiar or those who live in real mountains, Whitetail is a 'ski hill' on the MD/PA border.

About 45 min out it started snowing pretty good. By the time I turned off the highway there was a good 1/2 inch on the road. Because of the time of evening I was laying first tracks through the windyish road to the resort. Car & Tires handled well. Traction Control came on about 3 times. Just coming into the ski resort there is about a 500 foot incline/down hill where the ABS kicked in.

By the time I left the field late at night, the roads had been cleared/salted. On way back to DC it snowed most of the way with temps around freezing. I didn't have any worries. Only problem was that the front assist faulted out due to the snow/ice mix blocking it.

To be honest, I really wanted to through it round a bit on the ski field roads to test the limits....

From this experience I will stay with the All Seasons for this winter and switch to the Pilot Sports come March. Would prob switch back the all seasons next winter instead of getting snows.

The main reason is that the winters from the data seem to significantly be reduced in performance in the wet and dry than the all seasons. That will be 98% of the driving that I would be doing over winter. So see there is greater risk of reduced performance over the 98% of driving than a little bit more performance over less than 2% driving.

Don't get me wrong, I wont be driving up or down windy, off camber, snowy/icy mountain roads in the all seasons!

I think any car is fine in 1 inch of snow lol let alone a half inch. Tbh mate think about it, what happens when u get in like 3-5 inches of snow. Thats when ur gonna say i wish i can some badass snow tires, but i have these shitty all seasons. Also, it depends on how new they are, new i think a few inches ur ok. But the older they get its a slippey slope. I think u might be fine as long as it doesnt snow.

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GTI's in Snow on All Seasons

imthanick_a

Autocross Champion

mk7_bk

Autocross Champion

Strange Mud

Autocross Champion

heiney9

Go Kart Champion

cb1111

Newbie

CMARNOLD78

Ready to race!

tigeo

Autocross Champion

mk7_bk

Autocross Champion