I have both a 244, a 745, and had a 245 in the past, all in snowy areas. I live in Oak Park Heights MN now. I have never had any issues with the cars starting because it is too cold. Cars park outside with no heaters. I have also had a variety of front wheel drive cars.

My opinion of rear wheel drive vs front wheel drive is that there is a difference in how you should drive to keep them from skidding. But once you know how to drive them properly, the only real advantage of front wheel drive is that you are less likely to get stuck; as in when you just spin your wheels after stopping. That's now a huge safety issue. Braking should be, if anything, better in a rear wheel car because the weight is distributed better more evenly.

I think people see rear wheel as more problem in the snow because they certainly will tend to spin of you give them much gas in a turn, but that is just a matter of learning not to. And in fact, you can use a little of that slide to your advantage once you know how to control it.

As others have said, snow tires should be on at least the drive wheels of any car in MN. Extra weight in the back of your brick can only help too.

Plus the heted seats and great heater rule. My wife will insist that I trade with her and take her Town and Country on the really cold days so her butt can be warm.
--
Andy in St. Paul, '91 745 Regina 198K mi, '89 244 141K, '87 245 RIP

My diesel 760 started much better than my old 4x4, handled better and stopped better. The only issue I have is with the snow boogers that build behind the wheel wells and rot the car out. Good snow or M+S tires are almost mandatory in MN anyway so go invest in a set of 4. Remember the ice storm of early 1996? My old 740 was the only thing moving in my area short of the sand trucks.

988

Your 745t is basically the same as my 940t. With four studded Nokians on it and a couple of sacks of oil dry in the back, I go anywhere in a snow or ice storm. Much better than a 4x4, I love passing those guys as they're spinning out into the ditch in my rear wheel drive car. It's really fun shuttling my wife's employees around to and from work and pulling up past stuck 4x4's stopping and turining around and going back without skipping a beat. The look on their faces is priceless.
--
-------Robert, '93 940t, '90 240 wagon, '84 240 diesel (she's sick) , '80 245 diesel, '82 Mercedes 300SD

Yes, but you MUST have snow tires. Preferably on all four corners...I used to live in MN, got the heck out when graduated college..that year and several years before it was -40F or worse in Minneapolis (well, Robbinsdale). Up North it was well below -55F on some nights. One January we had 20 days with the high temp below 0 F. Not nice unless you like to go on snowmobile poker runs.

BTW, I have two 15" 1987 760T alloy rims for sale...see the classifieds.
One has an old snow tire on it and is in good shape, no rash. The other is freshly refinished...I'll take $150 for both of them plus shipping from MD.

The car will be great if you get 4 studded snow tires -- not just two for the back. Rear tires only help you go... front tires help you turn and stop. The latter is more important than the former when it comes to safety and handling snow.

Jeff Pierce
--
'93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow

Snow tires and weight in the trunk are a must. Without them you might as well forget it for most snow use.

A big box with RWD is always going to be hopeless in snow. I'm in the UK where we don't get anything like the snow in New England so we don't use snow tyres. On my annual trip to the French Alps I always take chains. Regards.
--
BillB

The wife's 91 744t was horrible in the snow with all seasons. Put four Toyo Observes on it and it's much much better. I haven't driven her car enough in snow to make a comparison to the 240 series but from what I've read, both cars are capable with good snow tires, though the 240 might be slightly better.

--
Volvo Farmer:

20 Volvos '58-'91

I dont know if you know anything about california but i went into a 360 spin in the "Grapevine" its the 5 freeway between the Southern and Central californis 4200 feet, i spun 8 times down the middle of the freeway and drove home without a scratch, ill drive a 700 in any type of snow or ice.