@VOLVO_V70 does know what he’s talking about, as I’ve seen watching him post for what seems like about 150 years now.
But as his screen name might hint, he’s not a walking database of Honda models, and the only reason I knew that you didn’t have a DX is that I’ve had Hondas since my first CRX so I’m familiar with their trim line designations.
I’m going to point out that these people are here trying to help you for free, which is something they do not have to do. As such, it might behoove you to be a bit more tactful in your descriptions of their behavior. We get someone coming through here with this kind of attitude about once a month, and they generally get chewed up and spit out.
Few if any of us have any delusions that women aren’t capable of knowing about cars. As I said, many of us know women who can run circles around you, and some of us, with a wrench. You’ve stumbled onto what is probably the most progressive-minded car forum on the internet, but it’s also one that does not look kindly on being swiped at when help is given freely and for free.
This is the line that caused me to post about turning the key to ACC and look for the ABS light. We have people who come here that post wrong decryptions about their vehicles ( gender is not a factor ).
The thing about an open forum is that you will receive answers of all kinds : correct - close - completely wrong.
It just struck me how ridiculous it is to come to you guys for help, and then turn around and claim I know a lot about cars. Like hell I do. Otherwise, why would I need to ask? Hahaha!
ABS does not reduce stopping distances on slick snow. If you have worn tires on unsalted snow and the temp is just below freezing, stopping distances are really long, so long that you might think the brakes are not working.
If you did not have ABS, you would have instantly locked up the front wheels, been unable to steer, and would have slid into the vehicle in front of you.
Your car is working just as designed, the problem is the tires and not keeping a safe distance in front of you. People who don’t face winter driving conditions much can’t imagine how much room it takes to stop. If your tires are down to the wear bars, you might as well have 4 ice skates on the car.
Michelle, speaking as a regular on this forum for many years and as a woman, I can absolutely guarantee that you are not being condescended to for being female or treated differently than any other poster asking for advice here. In fact, the regulars here are very quick to correct anyone talking down at female posters.
Members responded with both advice in answer to your question and with opinions in regard to your asserted opinion. You are free to maintain a differing opinion as are those responding to you. They have all been courteous to you. Please extend courtesy to them.
To be blunt, one woman to another, please take the chip off your shoulder in this forum. Granted, you likely have had past provocation to develop a defensive attitude. But responding to helpful posters with accusations of negative male attitude toward you is unwarranted, inaccurate, and not inclined to get you further helpful responses.
No matter that you may be mechanically knowledgable and capable, most members here are very knowledgable, many of them longtime professional mechanics. You asked and opined. They replied courteously. Please do the same.
Michelle Grissom, My responce to you was not based on your gender. If I seemed a little condescending, it comes from the fact that I have about 3 million miles of experience driving tractor trailer out of Buffalo NY to places like Watertown NY and Montreal. In your posts you mention you live in Maryland, are driving around on pretty worn tires and from your description, have never felt ABS deploy before.
This doesn’t make you unintelligent, just very inexperienced in driving in snow and I felt I had to warn you about things I would never dream about telling anyone other than a brand new driver that lives around here.
Drivers who live around here fall into 3 categories, Those who are petrified of driving in the snow, buy SUVs and put snow tires on and plug up the roads by holding a death grip on the steering wheel and drive so far under the speed limit that it drives others insane.
Those that consider it a pain but learn how to drive in it.
Those that think it is kind of fun, especially when it gets bad enough to make most people stay home. Guess which category I’m in:)
No, but they may feel like they did.
The OP’s’ description sounds exactly like experiences I’ve had with ABS. It allows you to keep control on icy roads… but leaves you with no choice but to steer into something to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of you. Totally in control, of course.
My suggestion is to leave more space between you and the vehicles in front of you. On icy roads, leave a LOT more space. It works.
What is your tread depth? If it’s less than 6/32 on all-season tires, then that’s your problem (regardless of your gender). The comment above that unequal tread depth on each side makes things even more dangerous is also correct, whether you believe it or not. Finally, if the rear wheels are so off-balance that you can feel it when they’re mounted on the front, then you’re adding vibration to your rear suspension components that could cause problems over time, whether you believe it or not.
Hi oldtimer, I’m from Detroit originally, familiar with driving in snow.
But I tend to buy old cars with 100k+ miles, cash on the barrel, and is the first I’ve owned with anti-lock brakes. I have … I think it’s two moving violations on my driving record, in 30+ years of driving. That should tell you how I drive.
Part of not knowing what ABS feels like is from never having it on my vehicle.
Part is never slamming on my brakes. I put the car in neutral and coast, long and slow.
That’s why not-braking was such a surprise: it was a very slow slide. I had time to decide what to do. As skids go, it was relaxed. But disconcerting to find I wasn’t stopping.
Granted, you likely have had past provocation to develop a defensive attitude...
You are correct about that. Picture: the only girl hovering around the Honda engine in auto mechanics.
But most of my frustration is irritability over this car. Sorry I let that spill over onto this forum.
I should’ve had my mechanic go over it with a fine-toothed comb before I paid good money for it. He’s a single dad, I didn’t want to bother him, I didn’t have much time … and I. have. paid.
So far, within a year of buying the car:
bad oxygen sensor (car’s downright peppy when it’s getting too rich a mix)
timing belt
water pump
all the points and plugs replaced (hoses, you name it, for the first time in this car’s history… the mechanic was just appalled when he looked, “Everything’s original. No one did any maintenance at all on this car. Ever. In over 100k miles. It’s a good car–given it’s still running.”)
when we rotated the tires, got the washboard effect, and we discovered the wheel damage
… that’s all I can remember off-hand, but this car has made me miss my old Ford Tempo. My mechanic assures me that I’ve caught up on all the neglected maintenance. Said I’d need to do the tires in about six months, wincing, knowing how much I’ve paid already.
You don’t want to slam on brakes in snow but you should not be in neutral either. Find an empty parking lot and try stopping several different ways.
And forget about tires in 6 months , you need them now.
I’m driving a stick, so I’m usually slowing to a stop in neutral.
ETA: And yeah, definitely need the tires now.
Never. Ever. Buying a car without my mechanic going over it again. The dealer’s reputable, but not as good as they used to be. Never going back there again. They replaced all their car salesmen with retail people who knew less than I did, and who might as well’ve been selling couches.
If it is really, really slippery, neutral may be the best place to be. The force of engine braking can induce a slide, I have been driving in rain with falling temps in places that have used no salt at all and when the landscape flashed over to ice ,shifting to neutral meant I was the only vehicle of the 30 or so in sight, car or truck, that was not spinning like a top or in the ditch. it was quite a sight. Most of the cars were spinning so fast that the headlights to tail lights flashing produced a strobe effect and one car slid sideways through the median to one of those W shaped guardrails and seemed to FLOW over it and across the oncoming lanes of I-81 and into the ditch on the far side. This was Northbound, jut above Scranton PA.
I have been driving in rain with falling temps in places that have used no salt at all and when the landscape flashed over to ice shifting to neutral meant I was the only vehicle of the 30 or so in sight, car or truck, that was not spinning like a top or in the ditch. it was quite a sight. Most of the cars were spinning so fast that the headlights to tail lights flashing produced a strobe effect and one car slid through the median to one of those W shaped guardrails and seemed to FLOW over it and across the oncoming lanes of I-81 and into the ditch on the far side. This was Northbound, jut above Scranton PA.
Holy cow. I’ve been on that stretch of road. There’re some really scary points around Scranton where you go over the edge, you’re air born. I’ve seen people fishtailing and going off into the margins. Nothing like what you describe.
My stepdad was an old Woodward Avenue drag racer. One time outside Detroit (don’t know where) he and my mother were in snow-over-black-ice conditions, and an oncoming car slid sideways – right towards them.
He threw his Lincoln Town Car up onto two wheels, veered into the oncoming lane around it, got back into his lane, and dropped it back down to four wheels. The out-of-control car went across both lanes, hitting nothing.
Tires make a huge difference. Sounds like you are due for new all-seasons now. I would recommend tirerack.com as a place to research and maybe buy tires. Also November issue of Consumer Reports or other of their publications where they report tire test results.
My experience with my 1999 Honda Civic was that it felt squirrely with its original Firestone tires in many winter conditions, compared to my old Chevy Cavalier. But I decided the Honda was overall a keeper, so I bought Michelin winter tires on steel rims from tirerack, shipped to my workplace, and put those on for the second winter I had the Honda. Major diff! Worth it! Every spring and fall I take an hour or two and switch to the correct seasonal tires. I’m now on my second set of Michelin winter tires, and running Michelin unidirectional tires spring through fall. The car has over 179,000 miles is the best car I ever owned.
But if you are trying for better winter performance and safety, while keeping expenses reasonable, I’d recommend new all-seasons that have tested out to be better than average on snow and ice. Use your present rims, if they are undamaged. You will likely not regret the expense once you’ve driven on them.
