What no Quattro sir? How about snow tires? No? Gutted!
Discussion
After already seeing how impressive the Quattro drive on my A3 v6 was at getting up hills but not so good at stopping or going around corners on summer tires the last couple of winters I decided that I would bite the bullet and invest £900 of my hard earned cash on a smaller set of 17inch alloys with winter tires all around just to see if they really made that much difference.
The first day I saw 7 degrees on the in car thermostat I did the swap. But then annoyingly it started warming up again. 11c, 12, 14c NOOO!! "What are doing weather? Snow god darn it, SNOW!!!" I said to myself.
Then when it came up on the news that we where going to have a cold snap and I that snow was coming. I just couldn't wait to go out and play!
So snow start coming down in London and I head out in my snowboarding gear to meet my mates to walk their dogs, we park up and head for the woods. 2 Hours later we return to snow covered cars and we make are ways home.
Main roads not too bad in parts, in other parts slushy, side roads totally untreated. I tested the brakes to test to see at what point the ABS comes on in snow before I head out on the roads and it didn't unless I did a stupid stab.
I thought I better not get too cocky and still drive slowly. After 5 mins on the main gritted roads I was going stir crazy driving at 10mph behind a snake of OTT drivers. I had to come up with a different game plan. Right I pressed the Sat Nav button and plotted a route that would take me via as many side roads as possible! Going down hill no problem just keep it in 2nd or 1st and use engine braking and if I have to dab the brake it comes to a smooth stop. Up hill starts in totally snow covered roads where no cars have laid any tracks was child's play.
Now back on the main roads I see a snake of cars on the other side of the road waiting for a group of lads trying to free a stuck 3 series. Which makes me think holy crap I better not get stuck behind some guy. Long and behold I end up getting stuck behind a snake of about 10 cars and a bus going up hill. I see that there is nothing coming in the other direction so I decided to pull out at about 15phm and overtake them all just to find another 3 series stuck at the front of the queue! The roads where very quite so the only danger was from people walking in the road but I was constantly scanning to watch out for this danger. I ended up puling this manoeuvre off 2 more times and I have to say I felt like a Boss. FYI every snake had a Rear wheel drive car stuck at the front (FR to be accurate)!
I'm sorry but if the only car I had was rear wheel drive, I would go out and get snow tires for winter or snow socks at very least as a backup! I mean why put yourself in that position, why get all angry when some smug guy in a 4 wheel drive car overtakes you? I mean really? Really?
Peace out!
The first day I saw 7 degrees on the in car thermostat I did the swap. But then annoyingly it started warming up again. 11c, 12, 14c NOOO!! "What are doing weather? Snow god darn it, SNOW!!!" I said to myself.
Then when it came up on the news that we where going to have a cold snap and I that snow was coming. I just couldn't wait to go out and play!
So snow start coming down in London and I head out in my snowboarding gear to meet my mates to walk their dogs, we park up and head for the woods. 2 Hours later we return to snow covered cars and we make are ways home.
Main roads not too bad in parts, in other parts slushy, side roads totally untreated. I tested the brakes to test to see at what point the ABS comes on in snow before I head out on the roads and it didn't unless I did a stupid stab.
I thought I better not get too cocky and still drive slowly. After 5 mins on the main gritted roads I was going stir crazy driving at 10mph behind a snake of OTT drivers. I had to come up with a different game plan. Right I pressed the Sat Nav button and plotted a route that would take me via as many side roads as possible! Going down hill no problem just keep it in 2nd or 1st and use engine braking and if I have to dab the brake it comes to a smooth stop. Up hill starts in totally snow covered roads where no cars have laid any tracks was child's play.
Now back on the main roads I see a snake of cars on the other side of the road waiting for a group of lads trying to free a stuck 3 series. Which makes me think holy crap I better not get stuck behind some guy. Long and behold I end up getting stuck behind a snake of about 10 cars and a bus going up hill. I see that there is nothing coming in the other direction so I decided to pull out at about 15phm and overtake them all just to find another 3 series stuck at the front of the queue! The roads where very quite so the only danger was from people walking in the road but I was constantly scanning to watch out for this danger. I ended up puling this manoeuvre off 2 more times and I have to say I felt like a Boss. FYI every snake had a Rear wheel drive car stuck at the front (FR to be accurate)!
I'm sorry but if the only car I had was rear wheel drive, I would go out and get snow tires for winter or snow socks at very least as a backup! I mean why put yourself in that position, why get all angry when some smug guy in a 4 wheel drive car overtakes you? I mean really? Really?
Peace out!
Yesterday after managing to get home in her crappy 2wd Zafira with summer tyres, my wife said, " Why do all the t
ts in their four wheel drives seem to come out to show off when it snows?"
Last year I was one of these smug bds overtaking under confident fools in my £1200 Freelander. Until it broke down. Not used my automatic E34 all weekend. Should be fun in the ice tomorrow non?
ts in their four wheel drives seem to come out to show off when it snows?"Last year I was one of these smug b
ds overtaking under confident fools in my £1200 Freelander. Until it broke down. Not used my automatic E34 all weekend. Should be fun in the ice tomorrow non?
Emeye said:
Yesterday after managing to get home in her crappy 2wd Zafira with summer tyres, my wife said, " Why do all the tts in their four wheel drives seem to come out to show off when it snows?"
Last year I was one of these smug bds overtaking under confident fools in my £1200 Freelander. Until it broke down. Not used my automatic E34 all weekend. Should be fun in the ice tomorrow non?
HA class mate!ts in their four wheel drives seem to come out to show off when it snows?"Last year I was one of these smug b
ds overtaking under confident fools in my £1200 Freelander. Until it broke down. Not used my automatic E34 all weekend. Should be fun in the ice tomorrow non?
cahami said:
So in summary £900 to go up 2 hills?
Pretty much. I foolishly stuck to my well worn Goodyears F1's rather than buy snow tyres, and the inclement weather has meant I've really regretted this. Oh hang on I mean haven't regretted this at all since despite the claims that summer tyres don't work in cold temperatures, I've notice barely any loss of grip in the last few weeks with temperatures hovering around freezing, apart from when there was actually snow on the roads (when I did have to slow down a bit).SirVandru said:
SirVandru said:
Yeah but you can use them again for the next couple of year so works out good value in the end. Plus the handling is better in general then summer tires over the winter period.
Feel like I am talking to my wife...Mr2Mike said:
Pretty much. I foolishly stuck to my well worn Goodyears F1's rather than buy snow tyres, and the inclement weather has meant I've really regretted this. Oh hang on I mean haven't regretted this at all since despite the claims that summer tyres don't work in cold temperatures, I've notice barely any loss of grip in the last few weeks with temperatures hovering around freezing, apart from when there was actually snow on the roads (when I did have to slow down a bit).
You prob drive a 4 wheel drive car or just drive slow.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff