Bangernomics - What car for a ski season?
Discussion
Look mate, I'm living in whistler, canada with an e34 5 series. Snowboard fits across the back seats, mountain bike gets in there somehow, beer coolers are both in the boot and in the rear seats and my buddies have to get in there too.
Fantastic car for sliding around the alpine bends.
Having said that, I found my old pug 406 was great for driving around the alps. Spacious, comfortable, the top spec ones look smart and its french so plenty of spares.
Fantastic car for sliding around the alpine bends.
Having said that, I found my old pug 406 was great for driving around the alps. Spacious, comfortable, the top spec ones look smart and its french so plenty of spares.
Whistler is pretty flat though.
I had an awd Chrysler station wagon when I there and barely needed the extra traction.
When I lived in Fernie it was quite different.
The drive from town to hill was up a steep(ish) hill.
I drove a GMC day van. 6.5l v8, rwd.
Even with snow tyres getting up the slope could be tricky if I had to stop and start.
The alps can be more like fernie than whistler, and there are often steep slopes covered in snow.
It depends on the area.
For Chamonix a regular car would be OK, the valley is pretty flat.
But for anything around bourge St Maurice I'd want a 4x4 for those slopes in heavy snow.
I had an awd Chrysler station wagon when I there and barely needed the extra traction.
When I lived in Fernie it was quite different.
The drive from town to hill was up a steep(ish) hill.
I drove a GMC day van. 6.5l v8, rwd.
Even with snow tyres getting up the slope could be tricky if I had to stop and start.
The alps can be more like fernie than whistler, and there are often steep slopes covered in snow.
It depends on the area.
For Chamonix a regular car would be OK, the valley is pretty flat.
But for anything around bourge St Maurice I'd want a 4x4 for those slopes in heavy snow.
radiodanno said:
I can't think of a better excuse to buy a Subaru Forester.
If I had such an excuse, I'd have one bought tomorrow. Great image and a great motor.
Agreed. I ran one for a winter, great to drive, heated seats, super comfy and I got 30mpg which isn't bad for a 2.0 auto petrol. We drove it from Oxford to Toulouse in one go and got out at the other end feeling totally fine, and it only cost me £1k as well!If I had such an excuse, I'd have one bought tomorrow. Great image and a great motor.
Here's my choice, a 2002 Audi A6 Allroad 2.7T tiptronic with 102k on the clock.
Your requirements are:
Your requirements are:
- Budget: up to £3,000. Intend to sell it again next spring and would prefer not to lose much/anything on it (probably adding 3,000 miles to the clock), but may end up keeping it, if it's presentable enough for a 'shopping car'. Yes, this version is up for £2,995
- Economical-ish at motorway mile-munching (2 return trips to the Alps) Yes, a 2.7T petrol should be able to do mid 20's easily on a run
- Roomy enough for skis/snowboards plus four adults (fine to drop a single rear seat) and/or roof rails for a roof box. Yes, 455 ltr boot space with the seats up, and roof rails as standard.
- Must have at least a little room under the arches to make it easy to fit snow chains Yes, air suspension can raise the car to aid access, and 4x4 is an added bonus
- Reliable enough that we stand a good chance of not needing any work done over the winter and will start in cold conditions Yes, Audi's should be pretty bulletproof
- 4WD isn't necessary. I'll fit winter tyres. Winter tyres and 4x4 as standard!
- Heated seats Will heated, electric leather seats do you?
- Heated mirrors Standard, along with heated windscreen washers
- Not a shtty colour Would metallic silver be acceptable
Will you be driving it to the slopes?
Or just for driving round afterwards?
If it's the former than a large framed car makes it easier to get in and out with snowboard boots on.
I used to drive in mine with an auto.
Roofbox will become a pain in the arse as time goes on.
A big estate where the gear goes in the boot will be better.
Especially one where you can drop the middle seat so both rear passengers get a door.
Leather seats will prevent the ice and snow on your clothes soaking into the seats.
Consider some dirt cheap floormats though to protect the carpet for resale value.
Other tips.
Clear the snow off the air vents before turning on the fan.
Clear the snow off the roof.
That scary noise when driving is probably ice and snow in the wheel well, clear it with a heavy duty window scraper.
Find on offcut of carpet to put over the screen at night, it stops it frosting up.
Learn to control snow slides in a clear space.
Make sure you ride at least 100 days of the season.
Keep a calender, mark each day.
Powder days are rare, start early, ride hard.
Wear a helmet when you ride, no exceptions.
Have fun.
Once is not enough, be prepared to do it again.
Or just for driving round afterwards?
If it's the former than a large framed car makes it easier to get in and out with snowboard boots on.
I used to drive in mine with an auto.
Roofbox will become a pain in the arse as time goes on.
A big estate where the gear goes in the boot will be better.
Especially one where you can drop the middle seat so both rear passengers get a door.
Leather seats will prevent the ice and snow on your clothes soaking into the seats.
Consider some dirt cheap floormats though to protect the carpet for resale value.
Other tips.
Clear the snow off the air vents before turning on the fan.
Clear the snow off the roof.
That scary noise when driving is probably ice and snow in the wheel well, clear it with a heavy duty window scraper.
Find on offcut of carpet to put over the screen at night, it stops it frosting up.
Learn to control snow slides in a clear space.
Make sure you ride at least 100 days of the season.
Keep a calender, mark each day.
Powder days are rare, start early, ride hard.
Wear a helmet when you ride, no exceptions.
Have fun.
Once is not enough, be prepared to do it again.
Subaru Legacy. I doubt £3K will run to an Outback however a normal Legacy on Winter tyres will get you more or less anywhere on the planet. Go up a profile size and you'll have enough ground clearance on even Alpine roads.
They're not without issues though. Fuel economy is one, but they do need attention from time to time. Suspension bushes, brake discs (judder), exhausts (Y-section rusts) and other things. But if you buy well, one with a good history of replacement parts, it'll take you anywhere in comfort and get you back reliably.
They're not without issues though. Fuel economy is one, but they do need attention from time to time. Suspension bushes, brake discs (judder), exhausts (Y-section rusts) and other things. But if you buy well, one with a good history of replacement parts, it'll take you anywhere in comfort and get you back reliably.
Seems obvious, but nobody's mentioned it, so, out of experience, I will: If you are faced with inclines on ice, don't get a rear wheel drive car. I live in eastern Germany with an e92 3series on winter tyres. It's awesome fun, but you can easily get stuck in 6 inches of snow. I'd suck it up and go for something tough looking.
My bother lives out in Morzine for the winter season, he's had a £600 Subaru Legacy for the last 3 years. It's been pretty much unstoppable in that time, he's got proper snow tyres on it and it gets him everywhere he needs to go and has never got stuck. It's finally at the end of it's life now, and he's replacing it with another newer Legacy.
E30/E34 estate. If you are really lucky you might find a 4wd one about, there were a few in the LHD section a few months ago. I had the same plan and it was the best for me, bigger 6 cylinder car fuel consumption evens out when anything else needs a roofbox, at least for my skis. HTH
Oilchange said:
I always thought mid 40's and up was economical, mid 20's is awful fuel economy. Hence my pipe and slippers car...
I guess it's all relative! From my side, having run a petrol X5 for 60k miles and just taken a Disco 3 on a week-long trip to the Alps, (5-up with bikes on the back and roof box), mid-20's is a 50% improvement on my daily runner.... - Economical-ish at motorway mile-munching (2 return trips to the Alps) Yes, a 2.7T petrol should be able to do mid 20's easily on a run
I would be looking at a Mitsubishi Galant if I wanted something a little different (with a lot of change from your £3k budget)
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
Otherwise, a Volvo of some description would be ideal
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
Otherwise, a Volvo of some description would be ideal
bulldong said:
Keep the mini and put winter tyres on it. It is VERY rare that the roads are impassable without 4WD. I live here.
I've done a half season with the Mini before, on regular summer tyres too. It's perfectly capable in the mountains but I need more space. I'd actually prefer not to have 4WD for the extra economy. The longer I spend looking the more I'm keen on the heated screen (and heated seats for the GF) as I think that'll make a real difference to daily life. Lots of interesting options but I think I've narrowed it down to a V70 with the winter pack. Leather seats. Manual. Ideally a diesel.
There aren't too many with the winter pack but I've shot off some enquiries. I shall report back as and when I buy one.
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