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Manual transmission drivers (& snow)

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frenchsteeze
Posts: 259 - Karma: 44
Yo yo yo

I'm 18, been driving for a couple years and just got a 02 suby impreza, just wonderng how you guys manage on snow? i was driving my 'rents' automatic for the last couple years although i know how to drive a manual, we used to live on a farm so i used to drive a old land rover. driven in mud, hills, etc, but never used a manual on snow/ice, and it will be a good few months till i do. tips?
Jun 3 2010 10:54AM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,306
Depends on how comfortable you are with a manual..a driver who is good a driving a manual transmission will be able to drive safer in the snow than a driver with an automatic

You won't have to rely as heavily on the brakes an will be able to downshift and use engine compression to slow the vehicle down in addition to using the brakes..and being able to putt around in your choice of gear is good for snow/icy conditions
Jun 3 2010 11:01AM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
Suby shouldn't have any problem going, but if your spinning em in first and can't get going throw it in second and dog it for better torque.

Downshifting can sometimes slow you down better than breaking. Just give it a little rev before you actually put it in gear so it doesn't break free when you downshift.
Jun 3 2010 11:04AM
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lineskier10
Posts: 11339 - Karma: 796
its way easier because you can control your RPMs and keep it in a lower gear when going up a hill, also if you are going up a steep hill that you dont think you will be able to make you can accelerate in bursts and crab up the hill, its kind of hard to explain but basically even if your wheels are spinning by revving it high and letting it fall down to lower RPMs, while you are in gear, and doing it over and over again you use the momentum created by the spinning wheels to get up the hill
Jun 3 2010 11:05AM
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Caucasian_Asian
Posts: 2447 - Karma: 1,665
The ability to start out in 2nd gear is great on glare ice.
Jun 3 2010 11:05AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
get winter tires

perhaps get chains for really snowwy days

start in second gear and drive in a higher gear when climbing up icy roads, so your engine has less power and your wheels wont start slipping out because you have too much torque...

last season in St sorlin (Fra) i saw the most retarded cars, 2CVs, peugeots, renaults get up icy roads without a problem because they had winter tires and drove gently while i saw a ton of SUVs in the gutter because they had summer tires and drove too violently...
Jun 3 2010 11:12AM
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Bob_Loblaw
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 38
It's also nice when you're sliding to pop it in neutral and turn against your spin. If you're sliding right, turn left while pushing in the clutch.
Jun 3 2010 12:03PM
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Hoppy
Posts: 685 - Karma: 95
When you get to a hill put it in first and gun it. You'll see loads of smoke, but don't worry that means you're doing it right.
Jun 3 2010 12:15PM
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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
me= asian + chick

over generalization= bad driver

my saab92x = equalizer

love the manual all wheel drive with studded snows for the winter.  Down shifting down icy shit allows you to have so much more control over your car.  I can list all the fancy reasons why, but it just does.  Love your stick shift....

I've only ever driven manuals and think that for colorado anything but is for pussies who only have straight, flat roads, and too much traffic.
Jun 3 2010 12:39PM
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hoodSlayer
Posts: 900 - Karma: 7
Just curious if people outside the pnw use studded tires? I've driven an automatic with studs in rediculous conditions on steep roads and I really don't see how a manual transmition could give you that big of an advantage. Don't get me wrong though manual transmissions are a blast to drive.
Jun 3 2010 12:56PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
awd actually somewhat pulls you out of slides, so pushing in the clutch pedal would actually be worse. unless your spinning the wheels alot, then they would slow down and gain more grip, but you can do that with the throttle, no need to use the clutch. also, any time you do a big lift, (or put the clutch in) since its suddenly slowing down the car, it shifts weight to the front making the rear light, which can make the rear end come out more, best way to get out of slides in RWD is to slowly lift off the throttle, in FWD, give it more gas, AWD depends, but if your understeering giving it a little gas can help, in an oversteer, slowly lift off the throttle.
only time i would ever use the clutch mid corner other than for shifting would be for popping the clutch to start a slide, it works great.
Jun 3 2010 1:09PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11498 - Karma: 327
starting in second is always clutch.
Jun 3 2010 1:10PM
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BWalmer
Posts: 9141 - Karma: 12,883
Downshifting gears instead of using the breaks reduces the tendency of your wheels to lock and slide on the slippery roads. Just keep it slow, don't pay attention to the asshole in the SUV who thinks he can drive fast in the snow cause he's got a big car, a huge majority of all snow related accidents are caused by SUVs because of the driver thinks the car will handle the conditions as if they aren't there (I.E. they drive in the snow like they would drive in the sun/dry roads). I love my manual transmission in the snow - I feel way more secure while driving on snowy/icy roads (but I drive pretty slow in the snow - like 10-15mph under the limit - it pisses a lot of people off, but I'm not dead...)
Jun 3 2010 1:20PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
meh, your brakes are quite a bit more effective for slowing down your car, especially if your car is 2WD, then your pretty much braking with 2 wheels.
but even with awd, your brake bias and ability to control your braking much more makes the brakes a better choice.
but a manual is still better because of the ability to choose what gear you want to be in. and having that engine resistance at high rpm's can be nice in some cases.
Jun 3 2010 1:24PM
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Jballz
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 79
there are so many little tricks you can use to gain traction with a manuel transmission. you will do much better with it, and once you get good that suby will be unstoppable. also if you want to they are better for snow drifting, and doing all sorts of other car tricks.
Jun 3 2010 1:27PM
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ECfreeski3
Posts: 12019 - Karma: 126
no need to reiterate what a bunch of people have said, but yeah manuals are great in snow cause you can decide what gear youre in etc etc
Jun 3 2010 1:29PM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,306
you + awd + only driving manuals + snow = defying stereotypes

Gotta say chicks that drive stick are pretty damn hot..especially asian ones
Jun 3 2010 1:51PM
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BerGNARdo
Posts: 406 - Karma: 44
this.
Jun 3 2010 2:43PM
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ShredTheGnarnia
Posts: 2544 - Karma: 79
manual subarus in the snow are ridiculous. i have an 06 impreza manual with studded snows, and it is a beast. a few months ago there was literally 8 inches of snow on top of ice and i was able to get around a pretty steep corner at the same speed i would have navigated it at on dry pavement. that said, manuals are amazing in the snow

~you can clutch kick thru corners to start slides
~dont have to rely on brakes
~if you are going up a hill in, say, 3rd, and you need a little more power, you can step on the gas more without worrying about a slushbox downshifting and fucking your traction
~you are always in FULL control of the car
~start in higher gears
~never worry about an unintended downshift that will either lose your traction or waste time making you unable to get on the gas quick enough
~never worry about an unintended upshift, for example when you are drifting and you need to keep the rpms high
Jun 3 2010 3:24PM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,306
Don't listen to either things this kid just said unless you don't intend on holding onto your car for very long/putting in money for repairs
Jun 3 2010 3:35PM
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Phormat
Posts: 774 - Karma: 20
Can't say it's a recommended thing to do, but he did say in the SNOW. It won't hurt the drivetrain too much, if at all. Subies are tanks.
Jun 3 2010 3:42PM
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ShredTheGnarnia
Posts: 2544 - Karma: 79
a) don't act like you dont drift at all. doing drifts in the snow will do nothing to harm your car, other than confuse your computer for a second, and it is tons of fun.

b) if you are going down a canyon, it is much better to leave it in a lower gear and let the engine do the speed controlling than to stand on the brakes the whole way. please don't pull the "an engine costs more to replace than brakes" bullshit because, while that is true, you will not destroy your engine doing this unless you do it for like 28742752098 miles straight, but you WILL go through brake pads very quickly if you use only the brakes
Jun 3 2010 3:42PM
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Bob_Loblaw
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 38
I was purposefully giving terrible advice. Imagine what would happen if you did what I said...
Jun 3 2010 3:43PM
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Freeheel4real
Posts: 909 - Karma: 95
A good driver will always be a beter driver in a manual...

That being said, I own a 2003 Impreza auto and know a few logistical differences between the stick and the auto imprezas.

First off, in a manual, the center diff splits power between the front and rear wheels 50/50. In an auto, its quite different, 90 front 10 rear. Why? To compensate for the different weight distribution. Generally, the more power to the back wheels, the more tendency to oversteer...

Second, the awd system is slighty more intelligent in the auto subies. It will correct mistakes for you, to some degree.


All this being said, with a good driver behind the wheel, a stick will always allow for more control. And ALL subies kick the shit out of snow and ice.

Heres some info if you're interested:
http://www.autoworld.com/news/Subaru/Subaru_All-Wheel.htm
Jun 3 2010 3:44PM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,306
touche...I didnt read that part

Still not the best thing to do...but I was assuming he meant on pavement, snow is a different story
Jun 3 2010 3:46PM
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ShredTheGnarnia
Posts: 2544 - Karma: 79
this is true. the 4EAT auto trans came with the best AWD system subaru made, the VTD, whereas the 5MT came with an inferior system
Jun 3 2010 5:20PM
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ectreeskier11
Posts: 697 - Karma: 366
don't know what's already been said but i drive a 97 civic with all weather tires that's stick, never gotten stuck anywhere. i used to drive to jay peak and mad river to get first tracks in the nastiest weather, now i live in utah and unless the road's actually closed to non 4 wheel i have never had an issue (i've made it up a couple times illegally too...). moral of the story is if you know how to drive a stick, and are comfortable with it in adverse conditions, it's so much better. i hate having so little control over what's going on in an automatic.
Jun 3 2010 5:29PM
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.Natty.
Posts: 1030 - Karma: 84
less brakes more downshifting
Jun 3 2010 5:44PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
i dunno, any awd system that corrects user error's is bad imo.
Jun 3 2010 8:54PM
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ShredTheGnarnia
Posts: 2544 - Karma: 79
you're saying you would rather have it just sit at 50/50 and be fucked when you lose traction and the torque doesnt get moved around?
Jun 3 2010 11:42PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
no, thats not correcting your mistakes, thats just how awd works. i dont know anything about it, but someone said in another post that the awd system in auto subies is more intelligent and corrects mistakes for you. so acting like a traction control which is lame. the more mechanical and less interference the better.
Jun 4 2010 12:39AM
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ShredTheGnarnia
Posts: 2544 - Karma: 79
the difference in that the one in the 5MT is reactive, whereas the one in the 4EAT is proactive, meaning it predicts slippage and sends the torque to the proper wheels much more quickly than the 5MT one
Jun 4 2010 7:07PM
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stoggieman
Posts: 315 - Karma: 78
i have on 02 wrx impreza, throw some winter tires on that motherfucker and it goes great in snow about 6 to 10 inches maybe less
Jun 4 2010 9:00PM
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