economical-ish 4x4? HELP

DKLS

Scooby forester? admittedly mine is useless with its performance road tyres, but last year I stuck a set of winter knobblies on an old set of alloys, and I went everywhere in the snow plenty of grip and sure footed driving, and I had a total hoot driving, reminded me of being back in finland not that often I get the chance to practice scandinavian flicks these days, here's hoping for another great winter.

Gloomendoom

101 wrote: »

Regardless, imo the fwd would still be better.

But we're getting away from the point. A 4x4 will be better in snow than a normal 2wd, but that doesn't mean you can go round bends like you would normally.

Or stop!.....

Harry_Flashman

anewman wrote: »

Also got to hate the people in the 4x4's who think it entitles them to drive down the wrong side of the road past a queue of traffic in snow. I'm waiting for the queue and I could probably drive at speed down the other side of the road if I wanted to, but I'm patient and considerate thanks.

Why is that a problem?

Yes I drive a 4x4. Why would I sit in a queue when the outside lane is empty (albeit covered in snow)?

Lum

A lot of it is down to technique too. I don't claim to be a great driver in the snow, but the few tricks I do know

1) Don't stop. If you must stop then choose your stopping point very carefully

2) Don't go too slowly. If there is a hill coming then you will need to momentum to get up it.

I had an incident like this last year, I was stuck behind a 5mph Nissan Micra and there was a hill coming. I parked up in a clear section and waited to give the Micra chance to do what they were doing, then went up the hill and ended up having to overtake them as they got stuck 2/3rds the way of the hill.

The worst part is they obviously learned from this that a bit more speed is the answer because about 10 minutes later this bloody Micra caught me up and disobeyed rule #3

3) Don't tailgate. It takes 10 times longer to stop in snow

Which was then made all the worse by #4

4) If you're driving an auto and want to shift down into 2nd to engine brake for the roundabout that's coming up, don't hit 1st by mistake. You will instantly end up sideways across the road.

Fortunately the Micra stopped a few inches short of hitting me, and I didn't hit any roadside furniture, so just shoved it in reverse, straightened up and carried on

They stopped tailgating me after that.

5) Stay away from bus drivers

FWIW, my GF made it home fine in her front engine RWD modified automatic 200SX on summer tyres, even on the steep uphill, she just had to drive up the hill at a 45 degree angle as that autobox has no snow mode like mine. Only problems were the gits in 4x4s tearing the wrong way up the road trying to overtake everyone.

anewman

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

Why is that a problem?

Yes I drive a 4x4. Why would I sit in a queue when the outside lane is empty (albeit covered in snow)?

Because the other lane is for traffic coming the other way and if you're belting down it in snow and something wants to come the other way.... I'm not letting you back in. :rotfl: A queue is a queue, see what happens if you jump the queue at the bank or your local supermarket Granted the queue is usually formed by incompetent drivers and BMW's that can't handle the snow, but there we go.

Harry_Flashman

anewman wrote: »

Because the other lane is for traffic coming the other way and if you're belting down it in snow and something wants to come the other way.... I'm not letting you back in. :rotfl: A queue is a queue, see what happens if you jump the queue at the bank or your local supermarket Granted the queue is usually formed by incompetent drivers and BMW's that can't handle the snow, but there we go.

I see - I was thinking of a dual carriageway - the exact scenario occurred earlier this year one morning on the M621. I got myself into the empty outside line and sailed past all the standing traffic.

Lum

If it's a D/C and you can do it safely then that's absolutely fine.

Did that myself about 4 years ago when L2 has just the faintest dusting of snow on it and everyone was at a virtual standstill in L1. Wasn't even in a proper 4x4, just my old Subaru Legacy.

I think that's the quickest I've ever done Aylesbury -> M4 at that time in the morning

Oh, forgot rule 6) Watch Ice Road Truckers and learn how they do things.

Hammyman

101 wrote: »

I know, but someone further up said how any car can perform as well as a 4x4 in snow, which is wrong.

Not quite. If the question is "can I move the vehicle and be in control?" then the answer is yes.

There are many modern 4x4's which are quite frankly completely useless on anything other than slightly off road and slightly in snow - basically any 4x4 which doesn't have a proper diff lock and transfer box lock which about describes most things sold in the UK without a Landrover or Toyota Landcruiser badge on.

Lum

And even when you do have those. Don't forget about all the owners who still get stuck until some farmer comes along and points out that the 2H/2L/4L lever isn't just a convenient handbag/curry hook.

Hammyman

anewman wrote: »

RWD without mid or rear engine spells the end when it comes to the snow. You see all the people in their expensive BMW's getting into difficulties as soon as the road gets slightly slippery.

Yet in Germany etc which has worse snow than us, they don't. Hell, the Scandinavians run around in Volvos which are or used to be pretty much all RWD. You don't see them parking up for 3 months of the year.

And what about lorries? In the 16 years I drove, I never got stuck in snow and I had far more torque than any of the cars in this thread.