Snow in your 996

I was glad to see a post in the 997 section of a guy using his 997 C4S targa and the fact that he had been out in it in the snow. I too have been out in my C4S and have seen various friends who have been somewhat surprised that I have dared take out my pride and joy in this weather! Why not I ask? Apart from the limited ground clearance (which is a problem on a summers day anyway) driving in the snow is fun fun fun. The salt on the road can be washed off in most parts (and what is the point in having a 10 year plus paint guarantee if you never take the car out in anything but good weather) Power slides without fear of wrecking expensive tyres! and seeing just how good the 4 wheel drive is and why it is worth more than the 2 wheel drive version. The only thing of note is that the car is not invincible, and you must be careful regardless - I missjudged pulling out of my gate and slid into it - very slightly, but found when I got out of the car that I could hardly stand up it was so icy (pretty much an ice rink) It doesnt happen that often that you can see just how good your car is on the road (how many of us have had the oppurtunity to see 174mph on a public road?) so at least you can have some fun at 5mph if you can find enough space to do it. We were one of the only people who could get our kids to school this week (and found it was closed anyway) - where were all the mums in their 4 x 4's? To scared to venture out!

"I missjudged pulling out of my gate and slid into it - " they say pride usually comes Before a fall!![ ][ ][ ]

The gate was all about being silly - and had nothing to do with the car and would have happened if I was in another car. But as my pride has been knocked and my wife will never let me forget it, I think I can be man enough to take the mickey out of myself!!!!

" I think I can be man enough to take the mickey out of myself!!!! " lol[ ] absolutely!! (as one dyl/dil-on to another), my linda never lets me take myself too seriously[ ] enjoy the rink!!i have only been man enough to risk linda car this week,i know mine would be all over the shop coming down our hill.!!

No fear of using mine in snow: A poor pic, I know...it was a basic Camera Phone. We ended up at the Lecht Ski Centre - much to the amusement of the skiers - in C4s/C4 and C2S.

My car has not got traction control or psm but I was surprised to read in the handbook that it can be an advantage to switch off psm in snow. I had thought that psm would help to maintain traction in snow.

TC/PSM is a great advantage in a car once you get going. The trouble is, you may not actually get going if you leave it on. TC systems work by comparing wheel speeds and transferring power to the non-spinning wheel and/or braking the spinning wheel. However, the theory falls apart if none of the wheels have sufficient grip to get the car moving as the TC will be constantly removing the drive or applying the brakes from the wheel it considers to be slipping and you will get nowhere. Turn it off and either hoof it or use a high gear to get moving, once you're moving switch it on again and you should be fine. While we're on the subject, think how ABS works and ask yourself how good that would be on sheet ice.[ ]

I used to have an Audi 90 Quattro (1985) on which you could switch off the ABS. The handbook said to switch it off in snowy conditions as you would stop faster by locking the wheels and building up a wedge of snow in front of them.

Yep, goes to show that the 996 C4S is possibly the best 911 ever[ ][ ]. I am being very objective of course[ ] Taken mine out in all weathers and safe as houses. Alan

Lol sounds like pretty ancient stuff to me! In my Transit that isn't equipped with ABS you brake and then just slide and eventually stop a few lightyears up the road! I found that Touching the brakes, then releasing for half a second, then touching the brakes again and so on halves the braking distance.

That's called Cadence Braking - I'm old enough to remember being taught the technique - ABS does the same, but a lot quicker [ ] [ ]