Golf 4 Motion for the winter??

[330J]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for something to use a daily family car (2 kids, 1 little dog and SWMBO) Don't really want anything larger than a golf and have been looking at the 4 Motion and thinking it would be good to have around when the snow brings us to halt for a few days!

Seeing as they are not permanent four wheel drive, will it actually be any good or am I just buying a big engined golf with fancy drivetrain?

Any other suggestions around £3k would be welcomed..

Thanks

[Targarama]

Subaru Impreza Estate maybe?

Any car on winter tyres will be as capable as a 4WD on summer tyres.

[tomsugden]

Have you got a car already? Winter tyres on that will be better than a 4wd without winter tyres.

[Fox-]

Why do you want a 4wd car 'for the winter'? Do you know something we don't about the forthcoming weather forecast?

[t955daytona]

We never had a Golf but had an A3 with the same drivetrain. To be honest its all about the tyres, with the usual summer 225/45/17's fitted it just means you will have 4 wheels slipping instead of 2. If you fit winter tyres it will be a lot better but so would a front wheel drive car.

[RobCrezz]

Not a great AWD system, but better than 2WD. Wouldnt it be better to get a set of winter tyres for your current car?

[330J]

Thanks for the replies so far:

1. Completely agree about the tyres and would get a spare set of wheels with some winter tyres on ready.

2. My current 406 coupe is nearing the end of the road and fancy a change tbh.

3. I live at the top of fairly steep hill and was hoping the 4 wheel drive would give me better traction getting home.

Unfortunately, I don't have any psychic abilities but last year, I had to get the tram to and from work for nearly a month and hated every second of it!

[EDLT]

The Met Office predicted snow in October and a very cold November-December iirc. Get an M3, semi slicks might be cheap this time of year too, since everyone is worrying about snowmageddon 2.

[Gruber]

I had a 4Mot for the winter a couple of years ago and really liked it. It was comfortable and it got everywhere I wanted it to, and the 2.8 V6 is strong enough to give a decent turn of speed. With the traction control thingy turned off, it managed snow very well on ordinary tyres.

On the down side: they don't have much ground clearance, so no good if you get very deep snow; top gear is quite short, which doesn't make for particularly frugal or relaxed motorway cruising; and the engine fans are notorious for not working properly.

If you get one, make sure you check it has had the Haldex oil replaced at the correct intervals - every 40k if memory serves...

[Richieboy3008]

I had one a few years ago. Made hills i little easier. But as others have said, put some winter tyres on your current car, they DO make a big difference.

[Matt_N]

Not a fan of the 4motion.

Looked at a Bora 4mo last year, left me cold.

Thirsty engine that needs to be worked hard to get the most out it.

Expensive for consumables too as they have big brakes and lots of suspension bushes.

Interior is a nice place to be though.

Engine bay is also very cramped, wouldn't want to do even the simplest of jobs on them.

[Nick3point2]

EDLT said:

The Met Office predicted snow in October and a very cold November-December iirc. Get an M3, semi slicks might be cheap this time of year too, since everyone is worrying about snowmageddon 2.

Yep but then they admitted in the last week of Oct that that wasn't really based on anything concrete and they did in fact have lots of evidence supporting the contrary.

[LuS1fer]

Panda 4x4?

[thinfourth2]

Nick3point2 said:

EDLT said:

The Met Office predicted snow in October and a very cold November-December iirc. Get an M3, semi slicks might be cheap this time of year too, since everyone is worrying about snowmageddon 2.

Yep but then they admitted in the last week of Oct that that wasn't really based on anything concrete and they did in fact have lots of evidence supporting the contrary.

Okay who sent the met office a christmas card with snow scene on it.


You know they get confused

[Fox-]

Z4 Cab?

[Mr Dave]

2.0 litre impreza estate is so much more competant a car than a golf 4 motion.

A lot more reliable than the golf, more room inside and not that much bigger. Great in the snow with decent tyres on.

[Willy Nilly]

If you want it get it.

My mum drives because she has to, not because she likes it. Her steer is an 08 Fabia 1.9tdi 105ps. It's no chipped 335d but it's very grunty for a little car and has stoopid low profile tyres on it. She ALWAYS gets to work.

[alfa pint]

My sister has an A6 quattro which is as useless as most 2wd cars when it loses traction. It's all about the tyres - she's still got standard audi motorway tyres on it that are pretty useless in the white stuff and even funnier on wet grass. We've got a volvo V40 as the practical car - without winter tyres = death trap in the snow, very fidgety. With winter tyres = confidence and control.

However, the main reason that my missus couldn't get to work last winter was nothing to do with how much traction she had, it was the lack of traction and grip on various artic trucks jack knifing and blocking the roads.....

[Hark]

The mk1 TT I had, similar system, was very capable in the snow.

Obviously stopped the same as everyone else, but never got stuck pulling away.

Winter tyres are the business though.

Made my 340bhp Rwd Z4M a better snow car than my wife's Rover 25 on skinny tyres.

There in lies the difference.

[330J]

Again, thanks for all the replies (even the one for semi-slicks)

I guess I am attracted to the 4 motion as they seem outrageous value at around £2k for a 2000 pre-group M VED band with leather and around 80K

and I am not getting the tram into work again!