After a green December, Christmas Eve concluded with gentle flakes falling down, finally laying down a thin duvet of fresh, fluffy white snow. The snow wasn't deep, perhaps a quarter inch of accumulation in the street:
I was super-excited, as this would give me the first opportunity to try out the Blizzaks in fresh snow. Backing slowly out of Mom's driveway, I slipped the GLI into first gear and drove away. The grip was surprisingly good. I had to be quite deliberate with the throttle to evoke wheelspin and the flickering traction light of traction control.
Driving out of the neighborhood, I steered into a 75 degree right. The GLI turned in precisely, with no slop or sliding. So far, so good, the grip continued to impress. I got into the torque in both second and third gears, and the tires did a really good job of biting into the snow and imparting a feeling of confidence.
I decided to take the long way home.
The exit to the neighborhood is a on a slight incline. While I was prepared for a clutch-slipping second gear start, I was able to start off in first gear with minimal wheelspin. Again, it felt somewhat like driving normally.
Winding through my neighborhood, I did the cul-de-skidpad test and the hill start test:
Full stop, able to get under way without drama:
Plenty of traction on turn-in, and I was able to drive up our steep driveway without any issues at all. The tire tracks tell the story:
There is just so much more grip, it's not even close. The difference is most noticeable when turning and stopping. Bottom line, if you live where it snows, it's hard to argue with the improved safety of a pure winter tire.
Equipped with the appropriate tire, the GLI is poised to carry on in the Passat's footsteps:
Of course, when the stock tires on the GLI wear out, this opens the door to a more interesting summer-biased tire...heh heh heh.
No comments:
Post a Comment