mav238

It was definitely a snow blizzard today in vancouver, and my mountain community area getting about close to 20 inches of snow. The road up to my house was really slippery, with cars in front of me skidding everywhere...

The RDX SH-AWD performed very well in these really slippery conditions... At one point, where I had to start up the hill road from a standing stop, the wheels initially lost traction, and the VSA kicked in... But I stepped the gas a bit more, and the AWD went from 70% Front bias to 50:50 distribution, and the torque from the turbo had the RDX moving confidently up the road with no problems... I only had the standard sstock all-seasons tires...

Funny thing is... I saw a BMW X5 stuck on the side of the road, with the driver calling someone on his cell phone... weird... Can't imagine the X-drive system is that bad...

Anyway, the RDX SH-AWD proved itself again... the system really works... Kudos to Acura!

Pacer

Good to hear. I have had similar positive traction experiences though not in 20" of the white stuff! I am jealous that I don't live where you do. Maybe someday...

omgacuralol

we only got 2cm of snow in Victoria

cwepruk

Moving to Victoria is my 5 year goal. Way to much snow and cold in Edmonton.

mav238

Yeah, here in greater vancouver, it depends on where you are. If you are on the lower lying areas, the snow accumulation is only about 3-5 inches. Where I live, which is a couple of thousand feet up, the snow really gets heavy.

If it was purely powder snow, I think the RDX would not even have to had the VSA kick in, but it was a mix of ice, muddy (probably oily as well) slush/snow. But once the AWD got the full 4 wheel grip, it simply pulled right up that steep inclined road with no issues.

It is suppose to snow storm again up here tomorrow.

syee99

I barely got 2" out here in East Van. Barely a dusting

number84

my VSA kicks in even at very small inclines. are you only gently tapping the gas to get up the hills? putting it into 2nd helps a lot though.

mav238

Yeah, I was only initially gently applying the gas, with the transmission in D. Having the trans in "2" will certainly help. But the RDX AWD system was a real champ, even with the trans in "D".

tiffo

just out of curiosity, where abouts in Vancouver do you live mav238?

mav238

Here we go again... Today, we got dumped with about 12 inches of snow... our side street was so bad, my RDX was stuck for a bit, had to get out to shovel the snow away from the tires before it made it back to my house.

But the RDX had no issue climbing the johnson street here in coquitlam, but there was a slew of cars and buses stuck on that hill street. It was like mayhem.

Dai

I had a blast driving from Burnaby to North Vancouver this morning!!

The RDX was great in the snow and i didn't have any problems getting to work!!

cFoo

15cm up on Cariboo Hill in Burnaby! Not a single snow plower in sight. No problem for the RDX though. Even with OEM all-season. I kept and eye on the SH-AWD on the dash and it went nuts this morning.

VeNeNo

iTrader: (1)

Go Canadia! We have had very little snow this year in NYC. The snow we did get the RDX slapped it with its SH-AWD like it was a red headed step child... What a well rounded vehicle the RDX is...

cFoo

There's one crappy thing in all this though. I don't have an excuse to stay home today. All my buddies are "snowed in" while I'm stuck here at work.

superpowers

sweet! another edmonton owner of an RDX. thought i was the only one :p
the SH-AWD IS awesome indeed

TSXdawg

The RDX definately makes driving in the snow fun. However, with all the salt on the road, has anybody noticed rust on your wheel lugnuts and on the exhaust pipes? I haven't even had my RDX for 6 months and have noticed some rust in those areas. Anybody else?

imlou

I picked up my 07 RDX recently and the lug nuts already have rust spots. I've noticed this happening a lot with Hondas recently even on new cars (civics, el, accords, etc) 07/08, looks like they went cheap with the lug nuts or something.

The dealer is giving me a new set anyways.

SinCity

I'm glad I only visit Vancouver between May and October.

mav238

Regarding rust on the exhaust pipes, use Mother's metal polish and it should come off easily. Same with the lug nuts.

The only way to avoid the rust completely, is to hose down the wheels and exhaust pipes each time you drive home after a snow fall. But that would not be practical as well.

imlou

My 03 civic sir (100000km) has OEM lug nuts and I never clean the wheels on purpose. Not a spec of rust on them. While my rdx with 12500km has rust showing on all the nuts.

TSXdawg

Thanks for the tip...I'll have to pick some up at Cdn Tire. Question with the metal polish though...will the rust come back when it simply rains (without salt on the road) or will it rust up right away?

mav238

You know, salt is really corrosive, and thus even those nice alloy powder coated wheels will rust if we don't wash them regularly after a snow bout. So, no two way about it, rust will come back... but if you apply a layer of acrylic polish on the chromed pipes, it may help reduce it.


But, man........ I live up on Westwood Plateau, and it was a SNOW WAR ZONE!!! People here just aren't getting themselves ready for the winter. Rear wheel drive cars with no snow tires, can you believe it???

Anyway, the RDX continue to prove it's SH-AWD is a champ in these really challenging snow conditions. We had up to about 1 feet of snow on the roads last night. The VSA together with the SH-AWD system, pulled the RDX up the sloping mountain road.
Cars stuck spinning their tires were littered all over the place.

Again, even a BMW X5 was stuck at the side... go figure... the X-drive is not that good??? or the driver was simply not skilled in driving in snow...? anyway, not great advertisement for the BMW X-drive system.

TSXdawg

I live on the Plateau too and I have to echo what you're saying. What a mess. It was like a scene out of "the day after tomorrow". People were abandoning their cars and walking up the hill, shivering and wet.

All sorts of AWD cars were spinning and getting stuck on the road. I have to admit, I had a few nervous moments but I passed them all. It was kinda fun watching the SH-AWD bars oscillating back and forth as the car was searching for traction. However, another example of the superiority of the SH-AWD system!!

mav238

Just wanted to add a digressed point:

Someone here said that all my posts were usually related to how the RDX handles in snow... Well, to that I say, the RDX has shown me that it is that which it particularly does so well... so why wouldn't I talk about it?

It is no off-roader, it is certainly NOT a true sports car (though some people here thinks it is), and my RDX has continued to show me that it can deal with most of the rainy fall conditions and snowy winter conditions thrown at it thus far, why wouldn't I talk about it?

I am very satisfied with what the RDX was designed to do with it's SH-AWD. Kudos to Honda.

scottRDX

MAV,

You can and should talk about your RDX as much as you want. That is what this forum is here to do! And it wouldn't be successful if you and everybody else didn't contribute. So go ahead and post whatever the hell you like.

SinCity

Are these hills steeper than the one going up towads Capilano?

mav238

Nope, but it does wind up slowly up a couple of thousand feet up.

missjennieb

You guys in Canada are getting some major snow! I admit that I check the weather everyday to see if we'll be getting snow here in Denver, just so that I can take out the RDX LOL I guess I'll have to take it to the mountains!