Wow, good to see lots of replies here.
Now, I'll add to the list, and give my $.02. FWIW I live and work in the snow belt (and I've been here my whole life), so snow driving is something I do A LOT of.
......1. Do i actually need snow tires? I've been told, i don't actually need snow tires if i am not going to drive in more than 2 inches of snow!....
Snow or Winter tires (the difference has already been covered) are a great idea. Do you NEED them? No, but they do help. I have my patrol car switched to snow tires every year, and I've got many years of snow driving experience. Why not take advantage of technology that's there. Someone designed something that will help, it's pretty arrogant to think you're above the technology and think that it can't help you, regardless of how much experience you have. Maybe a better tire can prevent the experienced driver from having to call on that experience.... that is safer, whether they like it or not.
......2. If yes, Can i go for used ones? How to make a choice?.....
Yes, used snow/winter tires are fine. Just make sure they aren't dry rotted, or worn out.
......4. A lot of people recommended adding weight to the rear, by putting sand bags in the trunk. Some have suggested against it. How does it matter?.......
This isn't as important as it was years ago. What nobody has done is tell you WHY it's recommended. The whole point in adding weight to the trunk (or bed of a truck) is to put weight on the drive tires. All this does is get you rolling when you'd be stuck spinning your tires. The Charger is a very well balanced car and this isn't really an issue like it is with a truck. Of course that said, a bag of sand or litter is nice because it gives you something you can throw on the ground for traction if you need it, and really all it hurts is a slight loss in fuel efficiency by adding extra weight. It can't hurt mileage that much, it's not like you're adding several hundred pounds to the car.
......
And last - Any tips regarding driving itself? Dos and Don'ts...
The biggest tip, which several people have already mentioned is
SLOW DOWN. The number 1 way to avoid a crash in poor road conditions is to slow down. Give yourself time to react, and to make subtle changes in the driving inputs. Sudden movements is what causes you to loose control. Drive slow, brake easy, steer gentle.
As for tips.
Keep in mind that sliding tires are useless. If you're sliding, cutting the wheel is doing absolutely nothing at all to improve your situation. As odd as it sounds, straighten the wheels back out into the direction your moving so they start to ROLL again. Then you can
gently turn them and the car will turn instead of continuing to slide straight.
In a related issue. If you're sliding toward an object (tree, ditch, car, etc) don't stare it down. I know it's hard to do, but look where you WANT to go, not at what you don't want to hit. The car will go where you are looking (because you will re-actively steer it there), so staring at that ditch will usually put you right in it. How do you know where to steer the car if your not looking there.
Now to reply to what the others have said...
......1. Lane transitions are the most dangerous part of snow driving since accumulated slush and snow can force the tire to lose contact as you change lanes. If you're new to snow driving, try to stay in the same lane on your commute.....
Very solid advise. I've handled more crashes that result from people getting caught up in slush during a lane change than I can even possibly remember.
......2. Never exceed your own personal limits. It's OK to feel uncomfortable if you've never driven in snow before but if it the thought makes you queasy, you're better off letting someone else drive you.....
Yes nervous is fine, panicked is not. If you're nervous you'll be cautious, if you're panicked you'll overreact. Ease into it. Just like riding a bicycle you weren't flying down the street on day one, you have to slowly learn how it feels, and what you can/can't do. Take your time, and work within you personal limits and comfort zone.
......3. Leave plenty of stopping distancein front of you in case you need to stop suddenly due to an obstacle or slow moving traffic......
YES YES YES!!!!!! Following too close, is the #1 cause for crashes in the snow. Leave enough room to safely react, and then leave 50% more room than that. Do this and you'll drive all winter long with no problems.
......4. Practice. No really, I mean this. If you can take your car to an empty parking lot with a bit of snowfall this will give you a great idea as to how it handles and what the limits are. Go 15 miles and hour and slam on the brakes to see what happens. It's a great way to understand when the car is simply wagging the rear and when it's at the limit for traction.......
Again, YES. I was going to make this very recommendation. Now I'm not saying to play in a parking lot. I'm saying honestly go practice. Find a big open empty lot, and just drive around in it. Turn, brake, stop, start, etc. Drive straight for a bit then make a "lane change" so you can feel what the car feels like when shifting to a parallel lane. Make a few "evasive" maneuvers (abrupt turn, hard brake, etc) so you know what it will feel like, and how the car will react.
Sliding around the parking lot at wide open throttle is NOT practice. The whole point in this exercise is to learn how to keep the tires rolling, not sliding. Playing in a parking lot is a good way to get a ticket, so don't mistake practice for screwing around.
......5. As much as possible, try to keep moving and avoid stopping in deep snow. If you do need to start from a stop, do so gently to avoid as much wheelspin as possible. Traction control will be a big help here........
Yes, momentum is your friend in deep snow. If you have to stop (such as a stop sign, traffic light, traffic, etc) ease into the throttle. Wheel spin will make a patch of ice that you'll be good and stuck on.
......More than anything else, relax and take your time. Don't let anyone pressure you and don't feel rushed. Once you understand your limits and those of your car, you'll be fine.....
Yeah, people will get right on your bumper regardless of how fast/slow you drive. Don't let them pressure you into driving faster than you are comfortable with or more importantly, faster than is safe. If they get all pissed off because you're driving slow and safe, too bad for them. They aren't paying your damages, ticket, or medical bills if you crash, so don't let them dictate how you drive.
.......I would add one old trick I've always used...when trying to stop or turn in extremely slippery conditions, put the tranny in neutral to take the power off the wheels. It will help to make the stops and turns far more easily controlled, and after you complete the turn or stop, put it back in to drive to regain power.......
Ha ha. You're showing your age here Ddaddy. This is a trick we used back in the days before traction control, limited slip, and with big V8's. Ha ha. Not so much an issue these days, as the car automatically limits power to the tires when the slip, but still a good trick. The only down side I see to this is with the shifter on the new 8 spd transmission. I like it but without a position for each gear (you just push the lever forward or back) you could pass neutral and find reverse. EEK!!!
Is traction control the same as ABS?
Is traction control activated when required or is the something i have to look into each time i drive?......
No traction control and ABS are two different things. Traction control will limit the amount of power to the tires to prevent wheel spin, where ABS (Antilock Braking System) is designed to prevent the tires from locking when braking. Basically they "pulse" the brakes like they used to teach people to do, only they do it much faster than we ever could. That is the really quick jackhammering kind of noise you'll hear, and feel on your brake pedal, when you jam the brakes in a slippery situation.
What is kitty litter?
What do you mean by 'lay down' the sand/kitty litter?........
Kitty litter, is basically clay. It's the bag (or bucket) of stuff you pour into the litter box for a cat to do their business in. It absorbs moisture. It's really no different than a bag of oil dry, but tends to be cheaper.
.......If you need to change lanes, wait for tracks from someone making the same lane change. Take your foot off the gas and take your time switching lanes. Sudden lane changes will send you off to the ditch.......
Well put. Make everything smooth and easy when driving in snow/slush.
......Never ever try reverse if sliding forward. That will not help.......
Yes. If you don't have enough traction for a stopped tire to grip, a tire spinning the opposite direction is getting no more grip that the stopped/sliding tire was. It's a waste of effort, eliminate your ability to recover and get rolling if you do regain traction.
......If your back end starts sliding to left or right take your foot off gas and slowly steer into the direction of the slip. It should straighten right out. This is a sign you are going too fast for conditions......
Again, well put.
......Don't let your windshield washer fluid get low. You'll need it when washing salt spray off your windshield to see. Some mornings I wash 5-6 times on the way to work! Never use water for washer fluid like they do in the south.......
YES!!!! Keep the windshield clear so you can see. On the interstate you'll get road spray on it very quickly and salt will cloud your view very quickly. Washer fluid is your friend. Also as noted, water would be bad because it will freeze and probably brake you resivoir, spray nozzle, etc.
.......Do i buy tires and get them on the existing rims, or buy tires with rims for easy chage over? Will the extra set of rims be additional maintainence? Rusting and other issues?......
The benefit of having an extra set of rims/tires for winter, is that you can change them quickly and easily yourself every season, plus you don't have to worry about salt on your "good" rims.
.......Best one is take your car to the empty parking lot first snow and run the crap out of it. Learn how it reacts to different inputs. Purposely put it sideways and figure out how to recover. Do donuts, practice turning, stopping, starting, etc.......
As previously mentioned, I agree with going to a parking lot and actually practicing. Doing donuts is NOT practice. Be sensible, and simulate how you would drive on the road. The point is to learn how it reacts on the road, not to see how many circles you can spin, or how tight you can make them. That's good fun, but minimally educational, and at risk for a ticket.