To All The Show Off's With 4X4's In The Snow

[General Melchett]

I've seen SO many (even lightly) pranged cars over the last couple of weeks, all those essential 1/2 mile journeys to the shops everyone seems to be taking regardless are going to end up costing a fortune in insurance claims. I wonder if this will lead the insurance industry to take the lead in changing how this country deals with these conditions?

[Papa Serf]

Yep one thing I have been thinking is about damage - I think this may be to a build up of snow/ice in the well behind the wheel ?

My car has front wheel thingies - forgot what they care called - stop the spray from coming up.

Anyway it looks like these encourage a build up of snow behind the front tyre - which can turn into hard packed ice and when you look closely at it is full of grit/stones etc..

As quite often this more or less rubs against the tyres I reckon this may be one reason for wear and tear on an autosock.

Anyway I am going to remove mine - if I can remember what they are called !!

MUD FLAPS, and yes you could have a point there. Worth stopping every so often and clearing the build up of ice.

[ccc]

Mud flaps - cheers !!

[LiveinHope]

Just like us on HPC, not much point being in the minority as I found out this morning. Being the 1 in 100 with snow tyres I had to wait inline behind everyone else who was stuck :angry:

[Billy Ballyckz]

Pick any Volvo estate?

PS Seriously - the Swedes have a lot more experience of snow than anyone in this country. For years their domestic car industry churned out heavy-set family saloons and completely ignored 4x4s. Maybe that suggests something?

Thats why they used to look like 1960s Bumper Cars

[interestrateripoff]

And American special forces! They are shipped over from california with a few upgrades like infrared headlights.

Here's one for 3k with air conditioning, central locking, power everything. Buy a spare set of wheels with winter tyres and install a remote starter and what more could you want for snow?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201050375175682/

Do the SAS drive around with the UK flag on show? Got to love the sunglasses, nothing like looking like a tourist.

I suppose the flag is their in the vain hope US jets don't take aim. Although if that works then the enemy will simply do the same.

[pl1]

Methinks thou dost protest too much.

Ahh, the classic damned if you do damned if you don't fallback reply

I think in future I will go the autosock route.

[ccc]

After having driven a big Chevvy Van in Canada I do admit the 'sitting high up' viewpoint is very pleasant.

[Freeholder]

I have no issue with 4x4s as a choice of car. It's personal choice.

However, if someone buys one proffering the follwoing reasons they are complete c0cks:

'I need 4 wheel drive' - no you don't unless you are a farmer or in mountain rescue. This country hasn't morphed into Nepal since the mid 80s.

'It allows me to see over the traffic' - double c0ck. If that's what you want then be an HGV driver.

Also, whilst they maybe mechanically sound cars, in my opinion Range Rover Sports and X5s scream 'I'm being driven by a c0ck' to fellow road users. As for that

Cayenne monstrosity.... Too much money, zero class.

I'm quite sure though that there are some really good cars in this class.

As a biker I always assume that these vehicles are being driven by people of low intelligence and subject to random irrational impulses. This assumption has saved my life.

My wifes ageing Vitara says I am not rich and have an occasional requirement to go to very muddy places.

[Byron]

I live on a hill.

This morning there is a lot of new snow. I watched my neighbour go up the hill in a 4 by 4 with a lot of wheel slip.

Later, I saw a man struggle for 30 minutes and fail to get up the hill in a Citroen Picasso.

Eventually, I tried in my Astra Estate and just drove up the hill as smoothly as you could wish.

The answer seems to be traction control which I have on the Astra, no special tyres etc.

I must say that I am amazed.

[Gone baby gone]

I live on a hill.

This morning there is a lot of new snow. I watched my neighbour go up the hill in a 4 by 4 with a lot of wheel slip.

Later, I saw a man struggle for 30 minutes and fail to get up the hill in a Citroen Picasso.

Eventually, I tried in my Astra Estate and just drove up the hill as smoothly as you could wish.

The answer seems to be traction control which I have on the Astra, no special tyres etc.

I must say that I am amazed.

How well does traction control work when there is no traction I wonder?

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

How well does traction control work when there is no traction I wonder?

It doesn't. In fact I find turning on traction control makes it even worse. In my car traction control directs power from a slipping wheel to another wheel. It's easy to imagine what happens when ALL wheels have little traction.

I have a 4x4 hatchback with normal tyres. It's crap in the snow. Saw an X5 in a ditch on the way to work. Its a urban myth that 4x4's are much better in the snow. They're a bit better but only much better if you have the tyres. It's like shoes. Go out in flat soled shows on the ice and you;ll slip and slide all over the place. Put on a pair of boots with tread and you're fine.

With hills its all about pace. Drives me nuts when you get someone driving up a hill at 2 mph in the snow. Not only that, they get a queue of traffic behind them that can get into trouble as well. My strategy, keep well back from the car in front when the hill is coming up and give it some, nothing stupidly fast but enough for your momentum to keep you going, but not so much that you slide out of control. About 10 mph+ seems to do the trick.

Also women who won't wait for you going up hills. Drives me potty. Do they not realise that once you stop you're f****d ? Give way to traffic coming up the hill FFS.

[General Melchett]

It depends what sort of traction control you have, and the exact circumstances, but the general rule of thumb is to turn off traction control in such conditions, Byron.

Have a little think about what it is, what it does, and what it isnt and what it doesnt do, and you'll understand why. It doesnt, for instance, magically glue the tyres to the roadsurface or provide grip where there isnt any.

[Byron]

It depends what sort of traction control you have, and the exact circumstances, but the general rule of thumb is to turn off traction control in such conditions, Byron.

Have a little think about what it is, what it does, and what it isnt and what it doesnt do, and you'll understand why. It doesnt, for instance, provide magically glue the tyres to the roadsurface or grip provide where there isnt any.

How do you 'turn it off?'

I had the car for 3 years before one icy day I heard a noise and a light came on the dashboard. I had to look it up in the handbook, I discovered that it meant that Traction Control had operated. I never knew I had it until then.

Anyway, so far, so good.

It may be the type of car is accidentally good in snow.

Back in 1963, I found that my BSA C10L motorbike would go through anything and up the most impossible hills which no car of the rare Landrover could tackle.

It seems that most motor bikes are good in snow, far better than any 4 wheeled vehicle.

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

How do you 'turn it off?'

I had the car for 3 years before one icy day I heard a noise and a light came on the dashboard. I had to look it up in the handbook, I discovered that it meant that Traction Control had operated. I never knew I had it until then.

Anyway, so far, so good.

It may be the type of car is accidentally good in snow.

Back in 1963, I found that my BSA C10L motorbike would go through anything and up the most impossible hills which no car of the rare Landrover could tackle.

It seems that most motor bikes are good in snow, far better than any 4 wheeled vehicle.

Mine has a button on the dash labelled esp.

Motorbikes are crap in the snow - this is why you don't see anyone riding them around when it's snowing.

TBF old bikes might be better as they are lighter and easier to heft around over patches where you get no traction. You can also pick up a light old bike when it falls away from under you. You'd have to be nuts to take a powerful bike out on snow. Most people I know won't even ride them in the winter because of the danger posed by icy patches.

[ImA20SomethingGetMeOutOfHere]

I have no issue with 4x4s as a choice of car. It's personal choice.

However, if someone buys one proffering the follwoing reasons they are complete c0cks:

'I need 4 wheel drive' - no you don't unless you are a farmer or in mountain rescue. This country hasn't morphed into Nepal since the mid 80s.

'It allows me to see over the traffic' - double c0ck. If that's what you want then be an HGV driver.

Also, whilst they maybe mechanically sound cars, in my opinion Range Rover Sports and X5s scream 'I'm being driven by a c0ck' to fellow road users. As for that Cayenne monstrosity.... Too much money, zero class.

I'm quite sure though that there are some really good cars in this class.

Range Rover Sports, X5s and the like are NOT proper 4x4s. Try thrashing one around the Aussie Outback and watch it desintegrate. Landcruisers all the way!

[Daft Boy]

Range Rover Sports, X5s and the like are NOT proper 4x4s. Try thrashing one around the Aussie Outback and watch it desintegrate. Landcruisers all the way!

+1 My trusty 1992 4.2 series 80 toyota lancruiser has given me many years of superb service. Now with 250k on the clock i would still have no hesitation in driving it around the world in all conditions. If its good enough for the taliban its good enough for me. why spend £20k for some flash car to sit in the snow on your drive when you can buy one of these for around £2k on ebay and actually use it ?

[Gone baby gone]

Motorbikes are crap in the snow - this is why you don't see anyone riding them around when it's snowing.

Again, it depends on the tyres, or lack of them...

[profitofdoom]

+1 My trusty 1992 4.2 series 80 toyota lancruiser has given me many years of superb service. Now with 250k on the clock i would still have no hesitation in driving it around the world in all conditions. If its good enough for the taliban its good enough for me. why spend £20k for some flash car to sit in the snow on your drive when you can buy one of these for around £2k on ebay and actually use it ?

I recently bought a 1972 VW1300 Beetle from a customer of mine.It seems to cope with snow pretty well and has free road tax.

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

Again, it depends on the tyres, or lack of them...

That is cool. How much fun would riding one of those be !

[Gone baby gone]

That is cool. How much fun would riding one of those be !

Looks like a blast!

[pete.hpc]

'Bossybabe'

my 4 litre Landcruiser

Location:

rich mans house

You sound like an awful cretin

[xux42]

+1 My trusty 1992 4.2 series 80 toyota lancruiser has given me many years of superb service. Now with 250k on the clock i would still have no hesitation in driving it around the world in all conditions. If its good enough for the taliban its good enough for me. why spend £20k for some flash car to sit in the snow on your drive when you can buy one of these for around £2k on ebay and actually use it ?

I'm sure they're great but I overtook one in my 5dr diesel RAV this morning.

Drove 75 miles across the Cotswolds, Oxon. & Bucks at -10C this morning and I can definitively state that

the RAV4 knocks the socks off my Mk1 SLK in which I did the same trip in reverse on Fri.

I can also confirm that new Astras seem very happy in the snow.

Most nervous driver seemed to be the one at the wheels of a ridiculous monstronsity of an American pick up truck that eventually

turned into an RAF base.

A couple of those stupid oversized MPV things also pulled out of the airbase. I hope the drivers were seconded USAF - hate to think

our airmen are buying twatmobiles.

[ccc]

I'm sure they're great but I overtook one in my 5dr diesel RAV this morning.

Drove 75 miles across the Cotswolds, Oxon. & Bucks at -10C this morning and I can definitively state that

the RAV4 knocks the socks off my Mk1 SLK in which I did the same trip in reverse on Fri.

I can also confirm that new Astras seem very happy in the snow.

Most nervous driver seemed to be the one at the wheels of a ridiculous monstronsity of an American pick up truck that eventually

turned into an RAF base.

A couple of those stupid oversized MPV things also pulled out of the airbase. I hope the drivers were seconded USAF - hate to think

our airmen are buying twatmobiles.

No wonder. Driving 75 miles in reverse is never going to be easy.

[blobloblob]

I have no issue with 4x4s as a choice of car. It's personal choice.

However, if someone buys one proffering the follwoing reasons they are complete c0cks:

'I need 4 wheel drive' - no you don't unless you are a farmer or in mountain rescue. This country hasn't morphed into Nepal since the mid 80s.

'It allows me to see over the traffic' - double c0ck. If that's what you want then be an HGV driver.

Also, whilst they maybe mechanically sound cars, in my opinion Range Rover Sports and X5s scream 'I'm being driven by a c0ck' to fellow road users. As for that Cayenne monstrosity.... Too much money, zero class.

I'm quite sure though that there are some really good cars in this class.

Hold on a sec. Haven't you mentioned before that you live in Wilmslow? With wild opinions like that, your neighbours are likely to form a lynch mob. I'd lie low for a few weeks now if I were you.