Prezafab

I did exactly the same in the 80's relic that was the Toyota Tercel 4WD estate, and survived. Actually got through the deepest snow I ever have at Widdop moor. Light weight, low power, narrow winter tyres, extra,low first gear.

Will PM you.

Thanks. Will talk with him this weekend. Dont want to waste your time but might take you up on your offer.

Got it started. Sounds a bit tappety and there was some blue smoke but no rough-running or erratic idling. Not sure if this is just from lack of use for 8 months, but its first drive would be to an MOT station.Only fault is the traction light is on (The yellow triangle with circling arrow). Not sure if this is connected with low battery or a sensor has had it ? What do you think ? Buy it back off neighbour for £200 (as almost scrap), take it for an MOT and hope it doesn't expire on the way (turbo / other mechanical?), but fix the MOT failings? Or at that point scrap it anyway if it needs a lot spending on it? OR Walk away and watch it slowly rot on the drive for the next few years ? I'd put used winter tyres on it that still look fine and the vRS interior I put in it still looks half decent, so I'm thinking, worst case take bits off it.

Car on charge now but. Coolant and oil levels both ok. No signs of any significant oil or water leaks. No dampness in air box, no mixing of oil and water. Oil looks quite thick - which fits with him not servicing since I sold him at 160k. (Now 188k). No oil underneath and its too long ago for any signs under the exhaust pipe. Will have a go at starting later - if dead I presume terminally sludged up - or any other ideas???? Such a shame really. Will

I'm thinking either 1) Water ingested in engine - not sure if this is recoverable ? 2) Turbo gone (coincidence), but I thought it would still start ok but just not have any power ?

I was trying to explain to my other half about narrow tyres with lots of grooves being best in the snow, but I gave up because a bigger tyre must dig into more snow apparently!

Glad the snow socks worked. I have some in the boot to use in an emergency, but I had a Scout in 2008 and they were brilliant in the Alps - especially for braking. I know what you mean about fitting. I gave up on my other halfs Audi A5 in the last big snow in 2010 because there just wasnt enough room to get your hands in to stretch over the tyre. Also if you are fitting on the hoof rather than in your drive its hopeless with snow and ice in the arches

I really like the Cross Climate tyres idea. 95% of the benefits of a 'winter tyre' with none of the drawbacks of having to change them or use separate rims, while wearing out at a similar to normal summer performance tyres.

It does make it look more like a snow plough / rally stage special. Even in North Bucks.

Great combo ! That was exactly our problem - an hour to do a 20 minute round trip to the kennels, at which point we took the dogs home and abandoned any ideas of doing the 2 hour round-trip we had planned. The old stereotypes were out there - 3 series BMWs facing backwards, idiots driving with no gap, mega-rev wheel-spinners at junctions, Skoda 4x4s taking it all in their stride. Even got a thumbs up from some yoofs on mountain bikes as we were the only vehicles on one road.

Thanks - that's a really good idea and something I'm actually capable of looking at myself ! If it has had water in there what can you do / need to have done ?

I reckon its got both a small water leak and oil leak, but there is plenty of oil on the dipstick and the coolant is well up in the reservoir. I can't see any obvious mixing of oil and water either. The only other thing I have thought about was the turbo when he said lots of white smoke ? I am going to have a look tomorrow as I finally managed to get the keys off him. Its such a shame that its sat on the drive as a constant reminder of how well I looked after it and how his reputation for a car killer continues ! (Last two cars had snapped cam-belts because he didn't see the point in changing them...)

Long story short. My neighbour's 4x4 1.8T estate died on him in March coming back from the car wash. Lots of white smoke and chugga chugga noises. He had one go recently to see if it would work, but it now won't start - chugging roughly. (Battery was charged up first) What would you suspect ? I've no idea but I'm thinking head gasket, coil packs, oil sump feed clogged up ??? The reason why I'm interested is that I had full Skoda history on the car when I sold it to him at 160,000m and it now has 190,000, but it had cambelt, water pump, thermostat, coolant sensor, long life oil etc before I gave it him cheap. I suspect he's not had the oil changed since. Any ideas - I'd like to see it alive again.

I thought I'd ask how people got on. This is my 4x4 vRS DSG which coped very well in 4-5 inches of snow on Bridgestone summer tyres. I kept it in manual and let the engine do the braking as I know from loads of ski-ing trips that anything without winter tyres can't stop in the snow. You end up mashing the pedal while it slides away into the distance. I reckon with winter tyres it would be almost as good as my Subaru