Small 4wd suggestions please

Herzlos

I concur; I wasn't convinced either but everyone who has used them seems to swear by them.

Much cheaper than buying a new car; especially when you consider that your summer tyres aren't being worn when the winters are on.

WellKnownSid

I did see a test of winter tyres - stopping distance at something like 7 degrees on a very wet skidpan.

Summer tyres - ABS kicked in, lots of noise, lots of fuss, some distance travelled.
Winter tyres - the car just stopped like it was a dry day, no fuss, in about half the distance. Absolute night and day. Could have easily been the difference between a big smash and driving away.

Herzlos

The biggest risk I've seen with winter tyres is forgetting that other cars don't have them. Either on your own cars, or everyone else on the road.

bigjl

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

To answer the OP's question which was asked.

Certainly recommend Subaru, but maybe the Forester is better sized for the OP than Legacy.
You may never want another make afterwards.

Very likely.

But I have a soft spot for the Legacy.

The one from 2004 onwards was what I had and I would have another. Not sure about the later models they are a bit !!!!!!.

To be honest I would happily have a Forester, Impreza estate of Legacy estate for family duties at the drop of a hat.

On the subject of winter tyres.

When I get paid I am going to order Hankook Ice Bear tyres for the Berlingo.

£37 a corner from Oponeo.

Considered Riken at £34 but I have never had a bad experience with Hankook.

Will be able to throw away the mismatched set of tyres that are currently on there. Might try and do a PX deal with the tyre fitter and he can sell them in, they are all decent enough tyres. But I prefer matched axle sets as a minimum.

wba31

Iceweasel wrote: »

I agree wholeheartedly with this.

Just to see what they were like I tried my BMW on an old set of partworn proper winter tyres (they came on a set of alloys I bought off eBay) and realised that they totally transformed the car.

We sold our Freelander as a result as it was no longer needed in rural Aberdeenshire.

The next winter I got a new set of winter tyres and now wish I'd done it long ago.

Those who say that winter tyres are not really needed in the UK haven't tried them.

Cue those who say:
They are a waste of money.
It's a tyre company con
They have nowhere to keep them.
They have managed fine so far.
We don't get enough snow
They drive carefully so don't need them
They don't drive when it's bad winter weather
etc. etc.

I went to a demo at Tamworth Snowdome a few years back where this tyre company had 2 BMW 5 series lined up at the bottom. We were allowed to look round the cars, they said one had brand new regular tyres on, the other had winter tyres on.

The one with regular tyres started trying to drive up the slope, cue what most badly driven BM's look like on a snowy hill.

The one with winter tyres on set off like it was on dry tarmac and tootled up the slope no problem. If I could afford a set, i'd get them...

dannyrst

I've been driving for 8 years (not a long time compared to some I appreciate) and not once have I struggled in the winter with normal tyres on my car.

Yes, I haven't driven with winter tyres. I'm not saying that they are worthless or that they don't work. Clearly they do.

Perhaps where I live the winters haven't been as bad as other places.

I remember driving up to my parents house in the snow, the road has a steady incline, nothing too steep, and hadn't been gritted. I put the car in 2nd and took the hill steady and maintained a constant speed, no problems. Got out at the top of the hill and saw blue flashing lights at the bottom. Walked down to see what was going on and a fire truck was diagonal across the road at the bottom and the crew were putting snow chains on.

almillar

Daihatsu Terios. Also note that very few Nissan Jukes actually have 4WD, I guess the Captur will be the same. And don't be fooled into thinking that a 2WD Captur will have better traction than any other 2WD car. Suzuki Jimny if you hate yourself.

BeenThroughItAll

tortoiseshellcat wrote: »

although not 4wd it sounds like it will grip well as it has advanced traction control system.

silvercar wrote: »

Nissan Juke?

Most modern cars will have traction control.


The Juke is available only with 4WD on Nismo RS and 190DIG-T is it not? Neither are practical nor cheap to run.


Sounds more like you prefer the look of a 4WD to actually needing one. That's fine, it's perfectly OK to just want one.

Whatever you buy, if you're concerned about winter use, all-season (it's Surrey, not Siberia) or full winter tyres will be more than adequate.

BeenThroughItAll

dannyrst wrote: »

I've been driving for 8 years (not a long time compared to some I appreciate) and not once have I struggled in the winter with normal tyres on my car.

Yes, I haven't driven with winter tyres. I'm not saying that they are worthless or that they don't work. Clearly they do.

Perhaps where I live the winters haven't been as bad as other places.

I remember driving up to my parents house in the snow, the road has a steady incline, nothing too steep, and hadn't been gritted. I put the car in 2nd and took the hill steady and maintained a constant speed, no problems. Got out at the top of the hill and saw blue flashing lights at the bottom. Walked down to see what was going on and a fire truck was diagonal across the road at the bottom and the crew were putting snow chains on.

It also depends on what you drive. A Clio with narrow summer tyres will get places an X5 on the silly fat summer tyres BMW like to fit won't.


However, based on experience, winter/all-season tyres are leagues ahead of summer rubber on anything.


Case in point (I'm going to hate myself for saying this, but I don't think Darkmatter is around) was my old M3. Would go nowhere in ice and snow on its summer rubber, but a set of Vredestein Quatracs and it got me wherever I wanted in rural Northumberland and County Durham.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Agreed, Quatracs have been on many of the family hacks and kept the girls safe and sure footed in all weathers.

On the subject of the one that haunts our nightmares, i have a horrible feeling he's turned up on another forum i've been on for years, some indecipherable posts from a newby there i can't make head nor tail of, please send the yellow van someone.