Small cars in winter query.....

reeac

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

RWD is only a problem when fitted with the wrong tyres, you can also help things by putting some weight in the boot.

My RWD is the only 2WD car that makes it out from where we live when it snows heavily...apart that is from the geezer who has the sense to reverse his FWD up the hill, we don't get gritted here its all by hand from the bin.

The main plus of FWD is that you can turn the driving wheels to find a fresh path for them in order to get out of deep packed snow.

Lagoon

I recall a couple of years ago, when my little (original style) Corsa was driving through a pretty severe snowstorm, by UK standards. We'd been sent home from the office because it got so bad, and our employers never sent us home if they could help it!

On the way back we drove up and down some big hills. All sorts of other cars were getting stuck, and mine had no trouble passing them all including luxury cars, 4x4s, vans and various other cars of medium/large sizes.

Iceweasel

Chickabiddybex wrote: »

Last winter I saw soooo many 4x4s think they were invincible powering up hills in the snow... Then sliding back down them again sideways because they are so top heavy

No - it's not being top heavy - once again it's the tyres.

Many/most of the bigger luxury 4X4s - RangeRover, BMW, M-Benz have high-speed, road-going tyres and therefore are no better in the snow than other cars. They were never designed to be off-road vehicles with go-anywhere capability.

The mere fact that they are 4X4 does not mean they are good in snow at all.

My rear wheel drive BMW 3 series with winter tyres will go places where my daughter's 4X4 BMW X5 with normal tyres gets stuck very easily.

Iceweasel

AndyPK wrote: »

Small cars are better for snow.

They still can't defy the laws of Physics though. LOL

alastairq

A few years ago now, but my old Volvo 740 eeestate, RWD, with Colway snow tyres on the driven wheels, got us out of Grosmont [North Yorkshire Moors] in very heavy snowy conditions, including a 1- in- ridiculous hill.....

where Range Rovers, and other 4x4s gave up.

It took a while, but eventually we arrived at Sleights...very much to the surprise of the local trafpol who were busy emplacing 'road closed' signs....

We tried to return across the moors...but were effectively stopped by a multitude of other, stuck, vehicles.

Returned eventually via the Scarborough road....and even that was a slalom around stuck/abandoned vehicles!

The things one does for one's young son?

aileth

Chickabiddybex wrote: »

Last winter I saw soooo many 4x4s think they were invincible powering up hills in the snow... Then sliding back down them again sideways because they are so top heavy

Oh yes there were lots of these round our way. They also thought they could barge past everyone because they had a 4x4 and simply got stuck further up the queue. It was very funny. I think after last winter we will be investing in winter tyres. It's not much fun being stranded at the bottom of a hill if it snows. Then again, will mean we have to sort out the mess in the shed....

womble12345

I like the idea of winter tyres but cant run to the cost of 4 of them, would having winter tyres on the front (the car is a front wheel drive clio) and leaving the normal tyres on the back be a stupid idea? I realise in an ideal world you would have 4 winter tyres but would I get any benefit by just changing the fronts?

OddballJamie

womble12345 wrote: »

I like the idea of winter tyres but cant run to the cost of 4 of them, would having winter tyres on the front (the car is a front wheel drive clio) and leaving the normal tyres on the back be a stupid idea? I realise in an ideal world you would have 4 winter tyres but would I get any benefit by just changing the fronts?

Don't do this. You will lose control when braking and turning, plus your car insurance may be invalid.

Iceweasel

Even 4 budget winter tyres will be much, much better than summer tyres, or 2 premium brand winters.

But have you considered getting them sent from a dealer with a huge throughput of tyres and thus they can offer very low prices on known brands. You can have them fitted locally, by a small independent fitter, at a small charge of course.

That's a lot cheaper than the usual big high street names.

Check
https://www.mytyres.co.uk
or
https://www.camskill.co.uk

I saved over £40 per tyre and had them fitted and balanced for £5 each at a little local garage.

You need to weigh up the cost of the tyres against days off work due to snow, or worse still the cost of even a minor accident or hitting a kerb and damaging a wheel and the steering.

aliasojo

OddballJamie wrote: »

Don't do this. You will lose control when braking and turning, plus your car insurance may be invalid.

That's useful. I wouldn't have known that tbh.