Xmas journey - AWD on summers or RWD on winters?

[DoubleSix]

I know tyre topics tend to draw strong opinions but let's keep it light if possible.

Just pondering the Xmas journey to the outlaws. I've got an A4 Quattro on summers and a BMW on winters...

Assuming normal UK winter conditions over a mix of motorway and country B roads what would you rather take?

One assumes a winter shod tyre will always perform better under braking in low temps but what am I giving away in terms of AWD traction? I've been going back and forth in my mind as to which car we should take (it's the small things ).

What would you opt for?

EDIT - Mrs looked at me like I was mad when I suggested the BMW so much is at stake here!

[RammyMP]

Do you really need to go to the outlaws, ask yourself that!

[E65Ross]

RWD winters, no contest.

If the weather is that bad of course.

[DoubleSix]

E65Ross said:

RWD winters, no contest.

If the weather is that bad of course.

You say that, and my instincts are the same, however the BMW was hopeless in last years snow even with decent M&S tyres inclines were a real issue. Would an AWD have scrabbled up where the BM floundered I wonder...

[Dr Interceptor]

The BMW on Winters... just in case there's a corner in between here and there and you fancy getting the back out.

[Snowboy]

Assuming the BMW has winters on all 4 take that.

But, it depends on exactly what tyres are on the awd, and what the forecast is.
Are the tyres performance racecar tyres?
Are all they generic all seasons, but not 'winter' tyres.
How do they perform in the rain?

Taking the awd and a set of snow socks might be the best choice for average weather?

[DoubleSix]

I'll have a 9 month old on board so no 'backoutage' for me sadly... it's all about getting there and scoring maximum Dad points.

[DoubleSix]

Snowboy, the summers on the A4 are premium branded summers (Dunlop I think) with loads of tread. I never skimp on tyres.

[lockhart flawse]

Without doubt 2wd on winters is better than 4wd on summers. (We have both)

[E65Ross]

DoubleSix said:

E65Ross said:

RWD winters, no contest.

If the weather is that bad of course.

You say that, and my instincts are the same, however the BMW was hopeless in last years snow even with decent M&S tyres inclines were a real issue. Would an AWD have scrabbled up where the BM floundered I wonder...

Trust me, no contest. Evo did a test with a jag XFR on normal vs winter tyres and then compared the winter tyred one against a 4wd mitsubishi EVO and the jag annihilated it.

My mate had a B7 RS4 and said it was st in the snow.

[vikingaero]

In Scandinavian countries the mantra is always - Winter Tyres first, 4WD second. And a Brucie Bonus if you have both.

[andy-xr]

I happily overtook and kept going up a road that an Impreza couldnt manage last year when driving a piddly Rover 25 diesel with 4 winter tyres on it.

ETA - weather was snow/slush/ice mixed

[DoubleSix]

Fairly clear consensus so far then. I just recall my S3 being really capable in the snow, albeit with massive rooster tails!! Whereas the BMW was very disappointing last year and couldn't cope.

[Liquid Tuna]

DoubleSix said:

You say that, and my instincts are the same, however the BMW was hopeless in last years snow even with decent M&S tyres inclines were a real issue. Would an AWD have scrabbled up where the BM floundered I wonder...

This shouldn't really have happened. What tyres are they on the BMW, how much tread is left and were you really trying to get up the "incline" or had you purposefully found the steepest hill you could and decided to test their limits by nailing it up to the top? Come on, be honest, it's what we all do as soon as we put winters on a new car - "just to see" of course

[DoubleSix]

Liquid Tuna said:

This shouldn't really have happened. What tyres are they on the BMW, how much tread is left and were you really trying to get up the "incline" or had you purposefully found the steepest hill you could and decided to test their limits by nailing it up to the top? Come on, be honest, it's what we all do as soon as we put winters on a new car - "just to see" of course

Yeah, didn't go down to well on the winter tyre thread when I reported my disappointment. I live in Bristol so all the hills are pretty full-on by most peoples standards. Difficult to appreciate if you live in the South East.
The winters are Goodyear Ultragrip Performance 2's but are in a fairly wide profile 225 on an 18 inch alloy so not ideal - loads of tread though. I couldn't get out of the small valley our village nestles in. Although being an Xmas journey the car will be fully loaded which may help this time...

[Dr Interceptor]

Whatever you do OP... if someone offers you a MINI Cooper S running sticky summer tyres, do think it'll be useful in the snow being front wheel drive.

I made this mistake once, and had to dig it out four times to get back to the driveway, which it then couldn't get back up.

[Snowboy]

DoubleSix said:

Snowboy, the summers on the A4 are premium branded summers (Dunlop I think) with loads of tread. I never skimp on tyres.

It's still worth double checking what the tyre rating say about how these tyres perform in bad weather.
Not all 'summer' tyres are poor in the snow, although from what you said about last year, if you have the same tyres I guess it's not going to be a useful result.

I'll return to my high horse briefly to rant about how bad the tyre industry is at marking tyres for different conditions.

If you do take the bmw, make sure you know how to turn OFF the traction control. This will make driving up hills much easier.

[Pixelpeep]

what is the real world downside to using winters all year round in the UK ?

[mrmr96]

First of all are these so called "summer" tyres really "summer tyres" or all season tyres? Seems like most people describe anything without a snowflake as a "summer" tyre these days. I'd personally consider a trackday tyre as a summer tyre, i.e. one for use when it's predominantly hot weather and dry.

If that is the case then I think the winter shod car would be the better choice.

On the other hand, if the 4WD car has just regular tyres on (not track/summer tyres) they just have no snowflake, then I'd probably take the 4WD.

I've heard plenty about RWD winters being better than a 4WD on regular tyres, and it just seems so counter intuitive to me. Appreciate there are definite benefits in the steering and braking dept, but if you can't set off up a hill then you'll end up stuck with nothing you can do about it. Steering and braking can be 'coped with' by taking it steadier.

[Finlandia]

The one with winter tyres, just in case you need to stop too. AWD on summers may well get you where a powerful RWD on winters may struggle, but come time for braking, the AWD will not stop.