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How's The Fwd 400H In Snow?


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I have a Lexus 400h, with FWD, not AWD. Wondering if I should chance driving it to Colorado in ski season?

I have brand new Michelin tires on, but they are not snow tires.

The topic has been beat to death, time & time again. Here's the synopsis. Snow driving turns a lot on the driver. Snow driving turns a lot on the depth & temps & condition of the snow. Snow driving turns a lot on the tires. Do your best to have all those elements in your favor. If you can't you'd best have decent tires. Stock tires are not decent for even moderate snow conditions ... especially on curves & grades. Your avatar doesn't show where your are, so I can't determine if you are in a serious snow like area. That's the best one can do with the data at hand.

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The RX400h is not good in snow...even with AWD (the AWD system on the 400h is a joke). Tires are critical. Even "good" all-seasons are not good enough for the 400h in serious snow conditions. The stock Michelins that came on our 2008 AWD 400h are terrible, they are even scary in simple wet conditions.

If you want to drive in serious snow conditions, you will need dedicated winter tires.

I believe our Prius with the stock Yokohama A/S tires may be better in the snow (but not the deep stuff) than our 400h AWD with the stock Michelins.

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If you want to drive in serious snow conditions, you will need dedicated winter tires.

I believe that statement sums up the answer quite nicely.

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I have a Lexus 400h, with FWD, not AWD. Wondering if I should chance driving it to Colorado in ski season?

I have brand new Michelin tires on, but they are not snow tires.

Snow driving turns a lot on the drier. Snow driving turns a lot on the depth & temps & condition of the snow. Snow driving turns a lot on the tires.

Is this some new form of English? Do you really mean to say, "depends" and not "turns"????

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Is this some new form of English? Do you really mean to say, "depends" and not "turns"????

"depends" ?? Aren't those adult diapers that I hope I never need? :P But no ... the verb turn(s) has an alternate meaning of "change(s) or as you say, "depends" ... and it's been that way for many, many decades that I know. See the example below, in the 5th paragraph - 3rd word of paragraph 5: http://ftp.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/347/347.F2d.471.18800.html Now my spelling is OFTEN hideous so if you want to rip me a new one over that ... it's well deserved. Little PDA keys and not wearing reading glasses ... bad combo.

But to segway (and that isn't the little electric scooter btw :) ) back onto topic - if your state allows studs, we find them quite effective for winter driving In Montana ... especially on slick ice. But as to comments like, "this car sucks in the snow" ... it generates little light on the topic (and lots of heat) for members to say, "the 400h is HORRIBLE" on snow/ice. What happens is someone will come along and say, "no, it's fine, if you know how to drive on snow, and have great snow tires" ... and suddenly it becomes a pee'n contest ... "oh YEA? ... I've been driving on ice for EVER" ... "oh yea? ... " etc etc. I'm staying out of that.

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Is this some new form of English? Do you really mean to say, "depends" and not "turns"????

"depends" ?? Aren't those adult diapers that I hope I never need? :P But no ... the verb turn(s) has an alternate meaning of "change(s) or as you say, "depends" ... and it's been that way for many, many decades that I know. See the example below, in the 5th paragraph - 3rd word of paragraph 5: http://ftp.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/347/347.F2d.471.18800.html Now my spelling is OFTEN hideous so if you want to rip me a new one over that ... it's well deserved. Little PDA keys and not wearing reading glasses ... bad combo.

Ah, I understand; you are living in the 60s! I have to admit that I don't recall ever hearing anyone use "turns" instead of "depends". (And I'm no spring chicken!)

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I have a Lexus 400h, with FWD, not AWD. Wondering if I should chance driving it to Colorado in ski season?

I have brand new Michelin tires on, but they are not snow tires.

Snow driving turns a lot on the drier. Snow driving turns a lot on the depth & temps & condition of the snow. Snow driving turns a lot on the tires.

Is this some new form of English? Do you really mean to say, "depends" and not "turns"????

As a "proper" Englishman I would use "depends a lot on" rather than "turns a lot on".

However, each to their own but what is this "drier"?!!!!

JBP (Born & bred on the other side of the pond!)

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Ah, I understand; you are living in the 60s! I have to admit that I don't recall ever hearing anyone use "turns" instead of "depends". (And I'm no spring chicken!)

See, I didn't think you'd try to weasel out, just because the example is old ... or mistakenly think it's a Montana thing (actually that article was from the Nation's capitol) Here you go ... an article from THIS year ... you can find it in the article's header, or read on into the body of the article where 'turn' is used again:

http://www.kostrolaw.com/NJFamilyIssues/2010/06/17/entire-controversy-doctrine-arise-from-related-facts-same-transaction-series/

And for the uninformed comment posted from over-seas ... here's a UK example - so you won't feel left out. The first line of paragraph 21:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n01/john-lanchester/is-it-art

More? Ok! (you'll have to use your PC's 'find' feature ... I don't want you all to get lazy now:

http://www.ejiltalk.org/reflections-on-self-determination-and-the-status-of-kosovo-in-light-of-the-report-of-the-independent-international-fact-finding-mission-on-the-conflict-in-georgia/

http://pewforum.org/Church-State-Law/Stimulus-Package-Stimulates-Church-State-Debate.aspx

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-welfareblack.htm

Want me to find examples from every English speaking city it every English speaking country? I just might do it - if old age is making us old folk's skulls thick around here. Still, my "cut & paste" finger IS getting sore. Everyone ready to tap out yet? Good! Glad to be of service. Grammar 101 will continue some other time.

B)

Hope I don't get a warning for being a wise guy ... I couldn't resist. :chairshot:

So ... back to topic! ... um, snow?

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Ah, I understand; you are living in the 60s! I have to admit that I don't recall ever hearing anyone use "turns" instead of "depends". (And I'm no spring chicken!)

See, I didn't think you'd try to weasel out, just because the example is old ... or mistakenly think it's a Montana thing (actually that article was from the Nation's capitol) Here you go ... an article from THIS year ... you can find it in the article's header, or read on into the body of the article where 'turn' is used again:

http://www.kostrolaw.com/NJFamilyIssues/2010/06/17/entire-controversy-doctrine-arise-from-related-facts-same-transaction-series/

And for the uninformed comment posted from over-seas ... here's a UK example - so you won't feel left out. The first line of paragraph 21:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n01/john-lanchester/is-it-art

More? Ok! (you'll have to use your PC's 'find' feature ... I don't want you all to get lazy now:

http://www.ejiltalk.org/reflections-on-self-determination-and-the-status-of-kosovo-in-light-of-the-report-of-the-independent-international-fact-finding-mission-on-the-conflict-in-georgia/

http://pewforum.org/Church-State-Law/Stimulus-Package-Stimulates-Church-State-Debate.aspx

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-welfareblack.htm

Want me to find examples from every English speaking city it every English speaking country? I just might do it - if old age is making us old folk's skulls thick around here. Still, my "cut & paste" finger IS getting sore. Everyone ready to tap out yet? Good! Glad to be of service. Grammar 101 will continue some other time.

B)

Hope I don't get a warning for being a wise guy ... I couldn't resist. :chairshot:

So ... back to topic! ... um, snow?

Uninformed comment??? (By the way "overseas" does not have a hyphen!)

The first line of paragraph 21:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n01/john-lanchester/is-it-art

One swallow does not make a summer. Or could this be the exception that proves the rule?

http://www.ejiltalk.org/reflections-on-self-determination-and-the-status-of-kosovo-in-light-of-the-report-of-the-independent-international-fact-finding-mission-on-the-conflict-in-georgia/

Article written by Zoran Oklopcic - I'll say no more!!!

http://pewforum.org/Church-State-Law/Stimulus-Package-Stimulates-Church-State-Debate.aspx

American website!!!

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-welfareblack.htm

Another American website!!!

We really must get out more often!!!

JBP

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Uninformed comment??? (By the way "overseas" does not have a hyphen!)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . snip

We really must get out more often!!!

JBP

JBP - aside from all this silly banter, what part of the UK are you from? Your Avatar doesn't mention it. About 17 years ago, I lived in the Cambridge dorms for one semester of of my Barrister schooling. It was a wonderful experience. Our favorite hangout in Cambridge was "The Anchor" ... established some time before the colonies declared their independence, I believe. It was a wonderful experience ... so much so that I took my better half back there for a vacation just a couple years ago. Her fovorite stop was Stratford upon Avon. It was as though I still had every back ally of the areas memorized like the back of my hand. Wonderful. But I digress ~

BTW. It was Andrew Jackson who was attributed the expression, "It is a damn poor mind indeed which can't think of at least two ways to spell any word". His parents were both born on your side of the pond. :lol:

http://www.famousquotesabout.com/quote/It-is-a-damn/25511

No, I don't buy into it ... but it's especially comforting to a slothful speller like me ... as I mentioned above, nonetheless.

Here's to hoping all of YOUR 400h snowy travels are smooth ... despite the stock 400h tires.

.

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Uninformed comment??? (By the way "overseas" does not have a hyphen!)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . snip

We really must get out more often!!!

JBP

JBP - aside from all this silly banter, what part of the UK are you from? Your Avatar doesn't mention it. About 17 years ago, I lived in the Cambridge dorms for one semester of of my Barrister schooling. It was a wonderful experience. Our favorite hangout in Cambridge was "The Anchor" ... established some time before the colonies declared their independence, I believe. It was a wonderful experience ... so much so that I took my better half back there for a vacation just a couple years ago. Her fovorite stop was Stratford upon Avon. It was as though I still had every back ally of the areas memorized like the back of my hand. Wonderful. But I digress ~

BTW. It was Andrew Jackson who was attributed the expression, "It is a damn poor mind indeed which can't think of at least two ways to spell any word". His parents were both born on your side of the pond. :lol:

http://www.famousquotesabout.com/quote/It-is-a-damn/25511

No, I don't buy into it ... but it's especially comforting to a slothful speller like me ... as I mentioned above, nonetheless.

Here's to hoping all of YOUR 400h snowy travels are smooth ... despite the stock 400h tires.

.

Hi Someone else's got my name

I live in Milton Keynes which is about 40 miles west of Cambridge but I don't know Cambridge very well, certainly not as well as you!

Whereas Cambridge is an ancient city Milton Keynes is a "new town". It was conceived and planned in the 1960s as an overspill town for London. I should hate the place as I was born and brought up in one of the small villages that were swallowed up in the development (although the villages did retain their identities within the city) but I love the place and cannot praise it too highly! A great deal of sensible thought went into the planning from the outset and as a result it is probably the easiest place to drive around in in Britain. The design was loosely based on the American grid road system but with roundabouts at each intersection, the result being very free-flowing traffic with hardly any rush hour traffic jams. We are very famous for our roundabouts and our concrete cows! In fact if you want to find out anything about MK just try Googling "Concrete Cows"!

Back to the thread topic - SNOW.

We don't get much snow here in MK but last year we did have a cold snap that lasted over a week with a dump of about 6 inches of snow overnight. Several of our neighbours had a great deal of trouble driving out of our estate as there is a slight rise in the road with no real possibility of a run at it. After watching their antics I went out in the RX and it just drove up the road as if there was no snow at all. As an experiment I tried stopping halfway up where other people had got stuck and had to resort to being pushed to get up the last bit. The RX just pulled away without the traction control even kicking in! Also, last year we drove up to Scotland to visit our daughter who was at university in Aberdeen. As it was snowing and as they were only about 60 miles from the Glenshee Ski Centre we decided to include a day's skiing whilst we were there. Again, a 120 mile round trip on snow covered roads with no problems. And all this on OEM Bridgestone Potenzas!!!

JBP

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  • 1 month later...

If it's a 2006, there is no button to turn of the traction control. I think it was added in later model years, but not sure.

Totally off topic, I hope you cleaned all that snow off the roof before you drove on the road/highway...

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  • 2 weeks later...

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