1k Snowwy Alps Road Trip Car?

[callywally18]

Evening All,

Going on my first skiing holiday in January to the french alps, & have opted to drive there rather than fly or get the train.

Currently have a bargain 1998 E39 BMW 520i, which would be taking us.

Question is, for around a £1000 is there a better car to do it?

Would need to:

Be a comfortable cruiser on the motorway (as majority of journey will be this)
Achieve a reasonable MPG on a run (30-35 would be ok at least)
Be able to cope with some snowwy mountain roads (only concern with the BMW, old RWD & snow doesn't sound like a good recipe in my head)
Decent amount of storage space

Any suggestions greatly appreciated !

[Eski1991]

Will be doing it in my Mondeo next year, 2.0 TDCI 130 so not terribly slow, 45 MPG at motorway speed with passengers and luggage, decent winter tyres and hope for the best, cost me a grand with turbo, injectors, clutch and DMF already done recently. Been great so far on 50 mile a day commute .

[lamboman100]

Take (and use) snowchains.

Practice fitting them at home before you go (they are a pain to put on in the cold).

Many resorts, particularly in France, will send out the police to check you have them on if there is a snowfall. Gives them something to do.

A Bimmer will be fine.

[Eski1991]

lamboman100 said:

Take (and use) snowchains.

Practice fitting them at home before you go (they are a pain to put on in the cold).

Many resorts, particularly in France, will send out the police to check you have them on if there is a snowfall. Gives them something to do.

A Bimmer will be fine.

Obvious hijack but something I am also curious about. Snow socks instead of chains? Any good?

[lamboman100]

Eski1991 said:

lamboman100 said:

Take (and use) snowchains.

Practice fitting them at home before you go (they are a pain to put on in the cold).

Many resorts, particularly in France, will send out the police to check you have them on if there is a snowfall. Gives them something to do.

A Bimmer will be fine.

Obvious hijack but something I am also curious about. Snow socks instead of chains? Any good?

Socks break more easily and have less grip.

Stick with chains.

[morgrp]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-XC70-AWD-/32146432...

To be fair, save your money, I go away every year skiing and have never got stuck in any 2wd car i've taken, you simply drive to the resort and then the car won't see any use for the rest of holiday as, trying not to state the obvious here, you'll be skiing. If you really want to burn some cash - Buy a set of winter wheels and tyres and set of snow chains for your existing car

Edited by morgrp on Tuesday 5th August 00:27

[Kawasicki]

Any of the E30 bmw 3 series is excellent in the snow, winter tyres and an lsd are required if you have steep climbs.

Go to 4:50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLGwqOZujSE

[Zad]

Check on the legalities. It may be that you are required by law to have winter tyres and chains anyway.

[Motorrad]

My E39 diesel managed perfectly well in the snow on winters- Nokian WRA3s and I only used chains where required to do so. Just turn off the DSC when you want to do a steep hill start or if you get stuck.

[Dannbodge]

Get a decent set of winter tyres fitted.
That will make all the difference

[lamboman100]

Just stop at a French supermarche halfway down on the route and pick up some chains for 50 quid. Or get some 2nd-hand off Fleabay.

If never needed again, resell them on Fleabay.

[M4TT C]

Jaguar X-Type, petrol ones are 4wd. I took mine all the way to beyond the arctic circle and back, cheap and reliable

[jamiebae]

Subaru Forester or Legacy.

I live in the Alps, everyone drives them out here, they are indestructible and I once drove my old '99 model Forester from Oxford to Toulouse in one hit - it was comfortable, quiet and a very good tool for the job.

[morgrp]

Zad said:

Check on the legalities. It may be that you are required by law to have winter tyres and chains anyway.

Germany and Austria is a definite yes on that one

[IanMorewood]

Winter tyres and chains just in case you get a dump of snow as your there.

[jamiebae]

morgrp said:

Germany and Austria is a definite yes on that one

You only have to have winter tyres if the car is locally registered, a UK car doesn't need them to be legal. Chains are a different matter, you have to have them and if you get into trouble as a result of not carrying them then the Police will want a word.

[smifffymoto]

Tyres are the single most important things on your car in the snow and more so in slush.

Why on earth woild you risk your families safety for the the cost of 4 tyres?

[seefarr]

F-150:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

But seriously, if you want a different car, anything with a Subaru badge is going to be great (just remember 4x4 helps with going faster, not slower). It's not going to be worth getting snow tyres, just grab some chains for the BMW just in case.

[ILoveMondeo]

lamboman100 said:

Eski1991 said:

lamboman100 said:

Take (and use) snowchains.

Practice fitting them at home before you go (they are a pain to put on in the cold).

Many resorts, particularly in France, will send out the police to check you have them on if there is a snowfall. Gives them something to do.

A Bimmer will be fine.

Obvious hijack but something I am also curious about. Snow socks instead of chains? Any good?

Socks break more easily and have less grip.

Stick with chains.

Also if the police are enforcing chains on the way up the hill they won't accept socks.

By the time you factor in chains, road tolls, fuel it will definitely be cheaper to fly. If you really want to drive, crack on, but it's not that inspiring a trip, just a mad dash down the motorway, and some unremarkable and busy hilly bits at the end.

Don't buy cheap chains (halfords for example) PITA to fit and mine broke after one use.

To echo above, my mondeo did the trip a couple of times and was fine.

[jamiebae]

ILoveMondeo said:

Also if the police are enforcing chains on the way up the hill they won't accept socks.

By the time you factor in chains, road tolls, fuel it will definitely be cheaper to fly. If you really want to drive, crack on, but it's not that inspiring a trip, just a mad dash down the motorway, and some unremarkable and busy hilly bits at the end.

Don't buy cheap chains (halfords for example) PITA to fit and mine broke after one use.

To echo above, my mondeo did the trip a couple of times and was fine.

It might not be cheaper to fly, even after paying for everything depending on the number of people in the car, especially if you're taking your own kit and having to pay the excess baggage charges for it.