Cheap 4x4

sillygoose

Originally Posted by Flearoy
Was thinking about getting some winter tyres for my car, but thought better of it. Unless the people in front of me get winter tyres too I'll still be stuck!

Lum wrote: »

That's true for any measure you might take to improve your performance on snow, such as buying a 4x4.

I don't agree. Our CRV had no problems on its M&S tyres going anywhere at all but many routes were blocked by others who couldn't move, its all dual carriageways here with steep exit ramps and even if they could move nothing with 2 wheel drive could get off the highways. In desperation many tried to turn around across central reservations piled with snow and got grounded - Winter tyres don't work if they are not in contact with the road! The whole town was literally littered with abandoned cars all over the place but I had no problems threading my way through them. Its not all just about grip.

Lum

Depends on the nature of your local roads and how people end up abandoning them. You wont be threading past someone who has gotten stuck on one of our local single tracks lanes, for example.

sillygoose

Lum wrote: »

Depends on the nature of your local roads and how people end up abandoning them. You wont be threading past someone who has gotten stuck on one of our local single tracks lanes, for example.

Absolutely

Ghostrider

I don't know about you lot, but i'm not going to be decided on my own road saftey and wether or not to fit winter tyres to my car because of what other road users are or are not doing.

I know that winter tyres will perform FAR better in the cold, ice and snow, thats a proven fact many times over. This means I feel they are worth buying for my own safety wether it be lessening my chances of an accident or preventing me becoming stranded somewhere.

If somebody happens to be stuck in front of me then thats a different matter altogether, i'd either turn around, drive past them, or get out and help - the same could happen in any weather if a large vehicle breaks down in front of you on a singletrack road, you'd asses the situation in a similar manner.

I worry that so many people here are quick to judge other road users driving, yet in my mind aren't voicing particularly useful advice themselves.

fivetide

I'm judging others driving and I think the useful thing is - if it looks really bad out then stay in.

What's the point in risking it? You said about considering your own safety, very true and winter tyres are for cold weather not just grip in slushy conditions. Reading some posts you'd think they were a go anywhere tyre or had spikes in or something. Even a winter tyre will not grip on sheet ice and ice was the major issue buy us this year. Lots of people spent nights sat on the motorway. You can't nip past, you can't turn round and the front of queue is miles away in freezing weather.

If that is a possibility, winter tyres, 4x4 or whatever, stay in, put the kettle on and don't join in the madness.

5t.

Ghostrider

fivetide wrote: »

Even a winter tyre will not grip on sheet ice and ice was the major issue buy us this year.

I agree staying in is the safest option, but if you really must go out then you'd be surprised just how much better winter tyres actually DO grip on sheet ice.

I know it sounds absurd, but it's true, watch this video for starters or trawl through you tube etc, you might be surprised (like I was!)

http://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/winter-tyres.html

sillygoose

Ghostrider wrote: »

I agree staying in is the safest option, but if you really must go out then you'd be surprised just how much better winter tyres actually DO grip on sheet ice.

I know it sounds absurd, but it's true, watch this video for starters or trawl through you tube etc, you might be surprised (like I was!)

http://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/winter-tyres.html

Of course the wrong tyres are the wrong tyres in the wrong situation... like this? :rotfl:how much do these cost? :rotfl:

scheming_gypsy

fivetide wrote: »

Even passed someone on a hill into a housing estate. He was about halfway up and having waited for him to move decided to just go for it.

wasn't in Preston was it? sounds just like my estate. The council won't grit it but the only way on / off is a hill that leads straight onto a busy main road

mianjakesmummy

i would recommend a toyota rav4, now i am a woman so my recommendation may be somewhat worthless but i had an M reg gx and i loved it - when i bought it, it came with snow tyres had it for about 2 years and then last year when we had all the snow i was the only one who could get to work (bad thing probably as everyone else who couldn't get in still got paid!) and ended up picking picking up and dropping off other workmates without a problem.
being a 2ltr it wasnt amazing economically - i would put a £10'ers worth of fuel in each week but it really good to drive (again a woman's point of view)

i ended up selling it (or exactly what i paid for it 2 years previously!) and getting a citroen c3 in an attempt to save dosh..... and when we had some bad rain recently i drove my little hunk of metal through a huuuge puddle,,, thinking i was still in my rav, got stuck halfway through

insurance wise the rav cost me about £300 a year to insure (and it was my first car after passing my test) and the tax was double what i pay now but i would happily go back if i had the spare cash

i miss my rav .....

Ghostrider

sillygoose wrote: »

Of course the wrong tyres are the wrong tyres in the wrong situation... like this? :rotfl:how much do these cost? :rotfl:

About £70 each for my S3, being fitted next Saturday. Not from Audi mind you, they charge the earth!!