Snowpocalypse now

Yolina

vikingaero wrote: »

Here is some pointers when driving an automatic FWD or RWD car:

(1) Use the snowflake/winter button when starting off. On most cars this puts the gearbox into 3rd gear which helps to minimise wheelspin/slip. If your car doesn't have a snowflake/winter button then select 3rd gear.

(2) When braking or approaching a junction/obstruction which may be icy, use the gear lever to select N (neutral) On most cars there is a shiftlock to prevent you from moving the lever too far into R or P. But you can freely switch between D and N. This has the effect of reducing or cutting drive to the wheels. The last thing you want on a slippery surface is the car trying to push forwards against your limited grip/brakes.

Yaris Hybrid so e-CVT gearbox -> no winter mode but: eco mode (which I normally don't use, and just stick with "normal") is quite good for snow as it throttles everything down,so not much power going to the wheels. Also got a "B" gear selection which is engine braking.

Unfortunately no option to turn traction control off.

Took it out for a short drive earlier just to see how it felt on the paltry 2" of snow around here and it did better that I expected, though I think I'd be more comfortable on snow with "proper" gears (because that's what I'm used to) paricularly if it were somewhere hilly or back-home-in-the-Alps.

Lum

A CVT should, in theory, be awesome on the snow. Providing it's a proper CVT and not one that moves in steps in an attempt to simulate a normal gearbox.

With no gear changes, all speed changes should be really really smooth.

I always remember one mistake I made in 2009. Pottering down an unploughed dual carriageway at 30mph without winter tyres (and with a Nissan Micra tailgating me), decide I want to slow down, so change from D to 2, only I pulled the lever too far, got 1 and the car instantly skidded, leaving me sideways across the dual carriageway with the Micra a few inches from my door.

Didn't actually hit anything so just reversed back out and carried it, and had the added benefit that the Micro no-longer tailgated me, but yes... smooth gear changes are important.

Yolina

Toyota use a planetary system for all their hybrids, works quite well but it's done differently from the way you'd expect because it has to work with the 2 engines.

http://eahart.com/prius/psd/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmHpSyTsfm0

Because I'd only got the Yaris Hybrid a few months ago, I had absolutely no idea how it would handle in the snow (previous car was a 206 xsi, so totally different!) which is why I decided to try it today - I have to say that despite being fairly used to driving on snow, it's not something that I particularly enjoy and avoid whenever possible

flyingscotno1

Yolina wrote: »

Toyota use a planetary system for all their hybrids, works quite well but it's done differently from the way you'd expect because it has to work with the 2 engines.

http://eahart.com/prius/psd/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmHpSyTsfm0

Because I'd only got the Yaris Hybrid a few months ago, I had absolutely no idea how it would handle in the snow (previous car was a 206 xsi, so totally different!) which is why I decided to try it today - I have to say that despite being fairly used to driving on snow, it's not something that I particularly enjoy and avoid whenever possible

A CVT will be brilliantly smooth and the Toyota system is probably the best out there.

If it is using regenerative braking, when you put the foot on the pedal I think the electric motor is in reverse recharging the batteries rather than the brakes being applied too.

pinkteapot

DCFC79 wrote: »

Saw on 5 News earlier a bmw driver was trying to move off but his rear end was sliding.

Someone should tell him it's a bad idea to wear silk trousers if you've got leather car seats.

Shoshannah

RWD fun in the Sierra this weekend! No incidents yet, been getting about just fine. Did pass a stranded BMW 3-series Compact on the hill outside my house, though.

Yolina

flyingscotno1 wrote: »

If it is using regenerative braking, when you put the foot on the pedal I think the electric motor is in reverse recharging the batteries rather than the brakes being applied too.

It does indeed, however it depends on how hard you're pressing the brake pedal - hard enough and it will work the usual way rather than regen - moot point in the snow though as the idea of braking hard shouldn't even cross anyone's mind...

Lum

Snow is all gone away from here, even the single track lane out of my estate only has a few patches of ice left, although the Met Office have issued a yellow snow warning for tomorrow.

I'll be sure not to eat it, thanks Met Office.

mkirkby

zappahey wrote: »

I don't agree with this at all.

I have a SAAB 9-5 Aero Auto and I use the gear selector to slow the car on snow and ice, trying to minimise braking.

Slowing the car by using the engine is still braking no matter how you look at it. Furthermore, this technique is less predictable and brakes only the front wheels.

By using neutral and the brake pedal you have greater control over the braking force and you are also getting some braking on the back wheels to help prevent spinning

Mr_Toad

I've got winter tyres on my SLK and my rear wheel drive supercharged V6 has gone from undriveable in the snow to a go anywhere car!

I can't believe the difference they have made. I am very impressed with them.

I put them on in November in the hope that if I was caught away from home they'd give me at least a small chance of getting back.

I got to try them for the first time on Friday night and I can hardly believe the difference they make. I've got great traction, it brakes and corners without sliding about.

In the end I decided to take it places just to see if I could. I did check with a friend who has winter equipped Land Rover if he'd come and fetch me if I got stuck. :cool:

I took it up and down some steep hills, on roads with virgin snow as well as roads with packed snow.

It's like being in a 4x4. Put the gearbox in Winter mode and use throttle and brakes gently and progressively and it just works. I even stopped on a steep hill and it started off again without any drama at all.

At one point I even passed a Range Rover that was stuck on a hill. That was as much down to his choice of tyres as mine, he had huge alloys on it with very low profile tyres. The look on his face when I drove past was priceless.

I will never drive another winter without winter tyres.