Opinions on A3/S3 quattro in the Snow...

[PNH80]

Alright folks...

I don't think there's a thread been started which discusses people's general opinions of how good the A3/S3 Haldex system is in the ice and snow so i figure it's a good time to get some opinions! (i mean real life safe driving in bad conditions, not mucking about! lol)

I won't ramble on but i've been really impressed with mine so far in this weather. With a drive wheel bang on each corner the A3 quattro seems so planted and controllable compared to FWD cas i've had in the past (including a Golf). Both under acceleration and cornering the quattro seems to kick in very nicely and snap the back end into line. Very reassuring!

So what do you other quattro drivers think of your cars over this past few days?

 

[kaz219]

S3 LTN did....

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=66238

 

[S3 LTN]

Loved it for the fun and its safety...

Like i said no high gears... no braking early... Obviously need decent tyres under you too which help (Goodyear Assys).
FWD or RWD... terrible for the weather. Mate of mine last night... Kerbed the whole of his rear alloy on his IS200.. he couldn't park onto the kerb.. rear wheel was on the kerb... and was spinning not going nowhere... So he gave up left it parked abit bent. Simple task of parking was just not do able... whereas Quattro is the opposite.

Couple of nights back i went on the M1... every 200 / 300 metres there was a car on the hard shoulder having spun off... dented bumpers smashed lights whereas i was cruising past all the cars travelling... so comfortably.

I don't think i will buy another FWD or RWD car.. esp in the UK.

 

[Maz]

Amen to that bro, Quattro for life!

I spent a few hours yesterday driving through narrow / twitsy / slushy / icy / muddy surfaces in and around epping forest and it was a blast!!! (pics in photography section). Never put a foot wrong, I also made sure to let others on the road know who the daddy was whilst they slid about, the BM owners I encountered were clearly unhappy LOL.

 

[lil_coz]

I think its great too. Feels planted and secure. As S3 LTN said, parking in the snow is like parking in any other conditions. I can park my car no problem in our drive where as my brother in his FWD car sits there spinning his tyres. And its not exactly a steep drive, the only bit that you need to go up is the slanted curb of the pavement! I cant see myself owning a FWD car any more. Quattro... worth every penny if you ask me.

 

[Matt]

I dont have Quattro and I'm sure its a great help but braking is the main problem most people have in the snow/ice...

 

[PNH80]

The car is limited to the tyres connecting you to the road i found. But even today i've negotiated some pretty horrific roads out in the country. Going up an incline on slick, compressed snow and ice and the traction control wasn't even flashing, only under moderate acceleration in 2nd.
What i have found is that the Haldex quattro boots in to save the car before the ESP does (something which has always been up for debate on here). I could feel the rear wheels pushing me up hills and even spinning a bit before the ESP light flashed. ESP seems to be a last resort (only kicking in when all traction is lost) with the Haldex doing most of the work. Quite impressive really.

 

[richs2891]

Am I supposed to leave the ESP on for the snow as I've been turning it off ?
I've had 4wd cars since 99 - would not be without one now - probably could not drive a non 4wd car very well now !

Richard

 

[consilio]

My driveway is on a slight incline. When i left home last night I drrove away not even thinking about it, just as normal (this is before I stacked it into a brick wall btw!)

This morning I saw my neighbour have several attempts at getting out, rolling back down each time - that really highlighted it for me.

The braking is sh1t in the snow though!!!!

 

[samuelt]

richard, yes you leave the ESP on, Audi's system is designed to create electronic limited Slip Diffs on the front of a 2wd car upto 40kmh(25mph) and on both axels upto 80kmh (50mph) in a quattro. And it works Really well!

Power is usually sent to the front and if required The Haldex system will send power to the Rear BUT without the Electronic LSD you could spin one front wheel and one rear wheel. The Electronic LSD will give the wheel that is not spinning power and cut the power to the spinning wheel, you then get all 4 wheels turning at once - even my Modified Discovery 1 can not do this!

 

[Jamiekip]

I find it great in these conditions!
As mentioned, getting going is no issue, you can pull away as normal and the haldex sorts everything out. I had fun driving round people getting stuck on the gentlest of inclines and rear drive cars seemed to be suffering most.
I had a play with the ESP off, and you can pretty much floor it and it pulls like a train still, though if you floor it from a stand still it will initially spin the fronts and throw all power to the back... good fun for kicking the back end out for a bit of drifting, but make sure you're on private land with a lot of room - not one for the roads eh!

As mentioned though - 4wd doesn't help you stop - so don;t be pulled in to a false sense of security and drive too fast - when you come to brake you're in the same precarious position as everyone else!

I like to drive to the alps every year for some snowboarding - and having no 4wd is a no no - the S3 got me up to Tignes in the mother of all stroms last year - I had no chains (school boy error!) and where everything else was spinning off the road, or sliding back down the road, there was a line of SUV's and Audi's making there way through the mess.... I reckon I'll be quattro for life!

 

[samuelt]

Yup Quattro for life. I just could not go back to a RWD or FWD again.

 

[RobinA3]

Pulling away in snow and ice conditions in the Quattro is a one of the main reason why i am so happy with having the quattro system, pulls away with no trouble or problems, just gets on with it and does the job.

 

[10blazin]

my car is quattro when i spin in the snow lol like i did yesterday on purpose my eps light was flashing and when i press the brake i get like a grinding sound and my brakes arnt to great also this happens when going fast and braking hard its like a grinding sound does anyone else get this ????

 

[mac1403]

Was very impressed with mine this morning. Very sure footed and no problem getting off the estate. Like stated before no help when going down a steep hill with a bend at the bottom......gear braking all the way, better safe than sorry LOL.

 

[Cali]

I love mine - enabled me to drive in the outside lane of the dual carriage way in the fresh snow passing all the 20 mph cars in the other lane this morning (love passing big BM's lol).
Though I do find its characteristic different from my A4 Quattro trubo.

 

[Jamiekip]

my car is quattro when i spin in the snow lol like i did yesterday on purpose my eps light was flashing and when i press the brake i get like a grinding sound and my brakes arnt to great also this happens when going fast and braking hard its like a grinding sound does anyone else get this ????

That'll be the ABS working over time trying to stop you......

 

[10blazin]

going fast yeah but doing 10 mile an hour on snow with the wheels spinning and it does it to is this a fault ???

That'll be the ABS working over time trying to stop you......

 

[magnus911]

I have been so, so impressed over the past couple of days. i've taken the car all over little towns and motorways and seen countless FWD and RWD cars spinnig their wheels hopelessly. I was really trying to test it by driving through thick snow and ice; with and without ESP (very good way to learn exactly how clever that system is).

In fact, I've been gushing about it to anyone who's prepared to listen!

I never felt like it would let me down. Sometimes when you accelerate on pressed ice you can feel the back slide slightly but almost as quickly it's back in line.

I will only ever own 4x4 cars now; unless I get something exotic and that won't be a daily drive..

 

[Jamiekip]

going fast yeah but doing 10 mile an hour on snow with the wheels spinning and it does it to is this a fault ???

Ahhh, have you got ESP on or off when this happens?
If ESP is on, then it is simply that function doing it's stuff.
ESP works (I believe) by a combination of cuttnig power out fot he engine (you'll feel the engine hold back) and also using the brakes to stop the wheels form spinning and retain traction.

I wouldn't worry about it - if it was keeping you on the straight and narrow then it's doing it's job OK.

 

[TWH]

I love mine - enabled me to drive in the outside lane of the dual carriage way in the fresh snow passing all the 20 mph cars in the other lane this morning (love passing big BM's lol).
Though I do find its characteristic different from my A4 Quattro trubo.

I remember doing that a few years ago in my RS4. A queue of traffic in the left lane on a dual carriageway with the overtaking lane empty and covered in snow. So I just pulled out and motored past everybody.

Every so often, I'd see someone think they'd give it a go, pull out, slide all over the place, and quickly move back into the left lane with a sheepish look!

With the 4, it was always better with ESP off, but I can imagine that given the S3 is haldex and all governed by electronics it probably works much better with the ESP and Torsen does.

One thing to really bear in mind though as already mentioned is that quattro can make you feel invincible but it's a dangerous feeling. You're only as good as the traction that your tires allow you ultimately. And especially with braking, quattro will do nothing for you.

And bear in mind that if you head off powersliding with quattro that it's very different to rwd and if you're not prepared, it can fishtail very dangerously!

Love quattro though

 

[fingermouse]

Its pretty good, my 235 tyres don`t help when going down hill though