I almost crashed my car! How much does ABS or Snowtires help?

[suprarx7nut]

I just drove home from work and almost wrecked!!!!

Here's what prompts my query.....

So I'm getting off the highway and its been snowing all day. The highway was ok, mostly plowed with street uncovered. I get on the off ramp(going downhill) and suddenly notice how fucking shiney the road is... Its allllllllllll ICE.
I tap my brakes and right away I'm sliding. So i just let my car slow on its own....And then it happened!

Jeep in front of me hit the brakes and did a complete 360 and hits the gaurdrail on my right, 4-runner beside and in front of me panics, hits the brakes, goes sideways to the left.

Now i should explain something, this was on a 2-lane small stretch of offramp with concrete on each side of the road. So with these two cars in front of me, I really have no where to go.

So here i come with my old Honda Accord with all seasons and no ABS and I cant even touch the brake with out locking up. I couldn't even steer with the brakes off, so I just held the brakes and spun. I managed to keep the car centered on the road and stopped about ten feet short of the jeep's cattle guard.




So now here's my quandry(is that a word?)....

I'm still trying to find a mkIII to replace my Accord as my only car. I'm wondering how much ABS is going to help.

I'm also wondering if studded snows are a huge pain in the ass with noise on a cleared street and how well regular snow tires help.

Give me any and all your thoughts please. Oh, and Happy Valentines Day

 

[7MA61]

ABS won't help that much on ice, its good for the wet and dry applications but on things like dirt and ice it isn't that effective.

 

[oscolivar1]

snow tires would really hep you.
abs system will allow you to steer and brake and not lock up.
im not sure if abs will help you in the snow though you'll slide either way.
snow tires is what u need to invest in.

 

[whenmunkysfly]

I just drove home from work and almost wrecked!!!!

Here's what prompts my query.....

So I'm getting off the highway and its been snowing all day. The highway was ok, mostly plowed with street uncovered. I get on the off ramp(going downhill) and suddenly notice how fucking shiney the road is... Its allllllllllll ICE.
I tap my brakes and right away I'm sliding. So i just let my car slow on its own....And then it happened!

Jeep in front of me hit the brakes and did a complete 360 and hits the gaurdrail on my right, 4-runner beside and in front of me panics, hits the brakes, goes sideways to the left.

Now i should explain something, this was on a 2-lane small stretch of offramp with concrete on each side of the road. So with these two cars in front of me, I really have no where to go.

So here i come with my old Honda Accord with all seasons and no ABS and I cant even touch the brake with out locking up. I couldn't even steer with the brakes off, so I just held the brakes and spun. I managed to keep the car centered on the road and stopped about ten feet short of the jeep's cattle guard.




So now here's my quandry(is that a word?)....

I'm still trying to find a mkIII to replace my Accord as my only car. I'm wondering how much ABS is going to help.

I'm also wondering if studded snows are a huge pain in the ass with noise on a cleared street and how well regular snow tires help.

Give me any and all your thoughts please. Oh, and Happy Valentines Day

snow tire piss me off because the dumb ass every day person never takes them off and then I get metal pellets flying at my car making cracks and chips.

but really snow tires help and abs does just that keeps them from locking up so if you couldn't touch the brakes without abs then it prob. wouldn't do much anyway.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Is it at all worthwhile to add an ABS system to a non abs mkIII? Any idea on the cost, if so?

 

[Tanya]

Honestly, go pick up a beater 4x4 and save your Supra before you wreck it/rust it out by driving it on that crap.

We just picked up a 4x4 Blazer for $400

 

[suprarx7nut]

^^I'd love to, but I dont have anywhere to park a second car. I have to pay 35 bucks a month just to park one at my own apartment!!!

My only option would be to store it at a U-store-it. But i'd rather wash the supra every clear day of the month and get some good snow tires for it

 

[Tanya]

My only option would be to store it at a U-store-it. But i'd rather wash the supra every clear day of the month and get some good snow tires for it

Store the Supra, drive the 4x4. TONS of people do this, and for good reason. Eventually, you will be paying out of your ass to repair the body you've messed up by driving on salty roads, or the damage caused by sliding into something. I think it's worth it, but good luck in whatever you do

 

[suprarx7nut]

Store the Supra, drive the 4x4. TONS of people do this, and for good reason. Eventually, you will be paying out of your ass to repair the body you've messed up by driving on salty roads, or the damage caused by sliding into something. I think it's worth it, but good luck in whatever you do

Thanks, im still deciding what to do so all the input helps. How much damage would the salt really do if I washed it within a day or two? Plus here in boulder they dont seem to salt much. The roads seem to be shitty for a while. Maybe something to do with all the liberals?

 

[Jeff Lange]

snow tire piss me off because the dumb ass every day person never takes them off and then I get metal pellets flying at my car making cracks and chips.

Only studded snow tires, there are tons of non-studded snow tires which work very well.

 

[willfish]

seriously dude,
what are you driving a supra in the winter for ?

Will

 

[suprarx7nut]

seriously dude,
what are you driving a supra in the winter for ?

Will

Haha, i know, i know. Everyone says store it. I dont have a supra yet, so I'm not driving one now. And when i get one, its going to be an N/A. Probably not a showroom piece by any means. I just want a nicer DD. My old honda is getting dull.

Most notably, it doesn't have ABS or Airbags.
I will only buy a supra with both of these in working order.

I want a safer car as well as one that I love. I like that i get 30+mpg in the honda, but its just not a driver's car. Its small, light and would become scrap metal in a crash. The supras are much nicer to drive, more solid in a crash and with airbags and ABS, I would just feel much safer.

Not to mention that I have a huge boner for the cars to begin with.:biglaugh:

 

[annoyingrob]

seriously dude,
what are you driving a supra in the winter for ?

Will

Because I purchased my supra to drive the thing, not to park it.



And snow tires make all the difference in the world.

 

[Tanya]

And snow tires make all the difference in the world.

Sorry, snow tires don't protect you from the other morons out there who have no clue how to drive in the snow. I know it's a risk every time you take your car out onto the road, snow or no snow, but the shittier the weather, the shittier your chances are for making it home unscathed.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Sorry, snow tires don't protect you from the other morons out there who have no clue how to drive in the snow. I know it's a risk every time you take your car out onto the road, snow or no snow, but the shittier the weather, the shittier your chances are for making it home unscathed.

Very true, but thats what insurance is for.

 

[supradan22]

Our cars have more sentimental value then anything I understand what your saying but insurance would just total out the supra and give you KBB value.

 

[Tanya]

Very true, but thats what insurance is for.

Insurance can't replace your life!

 

[7MA61]

Insurance can't replace your life!

Very true.

I almost got run off the road the other day in the wet some tard decided to merge into my lane with me beside him, I jumped on the brakes and had to almost run up the gutter to avoid him:1zhelp: .

Luckily it was in my shitbox daily.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Insurance can't replace your life!

This is EXACTLY why I'm gettin a tank. And better still, one with airbags. You can't seriously think my 91 honda will fair anywhere near as well in any crash as a sup would.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Our cars have more sentimental value then anything I understand what your saying but insurance would just total out the supra and give you KBB value.

Oh trust me, my sup wont be worth much more than book. It'll be N/A and very stock.