Dear All

I am having major problems in the snow here. I have a 1.9tdi elegance 130 bhp 55 reg with 225 45 15 Michelin Pilot tyres.

I cannot get hold of any winter tyrs, all out of stock.

Anyway, everyone on my estate is managing besides me and I live at the bottom which should be the easiest to get to.

I am driving with the ESP on and the car just dies.

Should i drive with ESP on or off, any tips would be appreciated?

Thanks

Usually it's a good idea to drive with the esp off if it's really bad.

The main thing is BE GENTLE!! Use the clutch, and if possible, set off in 2nd rather than 1st.

If you do feel your wheels slipping, put the clutch in a bit to allow the wheels to grip a bit more.

Usually it's a good idea to drive with the esp off if it's really bad.

The main thing is BE GENTLE!! Use the clutch, and if possible, set off in 2nd rather than 1st.

If you do feel your wheels slipping, put the clutch in a bit to allow the wheels to grip a bit more.

I seem to remember it tells you ti turn ESP off in deep snow, I've certainly had mine off and it seems to help. Not sure if I'm kidding myself but have never been stuck. Mind you I've read on here that those tyres of yours are one of the worst offenders :'(

I seem to remember it tells you ti turn ESP off in deep snow, I've certainly had mine off and it seems to help. Not sure if I'm kidding myself but have never been stuck. Mind you I've read on here that those tyres of yours are one of the worst offenders :'(

Is it the tyres or the size of the tyres (ie low profile)

Is it the tyres or the size of the tyres (ie low profile)

not sure but there's a thread running about the worst tyres in the snow and yours have lots of votes

Mind you mine came with Bridgestone Potenzas and one bloke reckoned they were awful, mine only started to struggle when the snow got to about 30cm

I've swapped them for Nokian winter tyres now as I don't want to take chances with my toddler in the car this winter

not sure but there's a thread running about the worst tyres in the snow and yours have lots of votes

Mind you mine came with Bridgestone Potenzas and one bloke reckoned they were awful, mine only started to struggle when the snow got to about 30cm

I've swapped them for Nokian winter tyres now as I don't want to take chances with my toddler in the car this winter

how are your nokian winter tyres like?

You don't really notice the snow or ice with 4x Nokian WRs, I used them for years for all continental travel in winter

At the moment my Octavia has 2 Nokian WRs with 4mm thread left on the front, and summer Nokian Vs at the back and the setup still works fine except for the back kicking out if you go too quickly into sharp turns. Entirely manageable if you are used to driving on snow.

And there are even better Nokians out there, Nokian WR is really an all-weather tyre which happens to be good on snow and ice.

Get the traction control turned off man. It's a myth a spinning wheel gives no grip. On the contrary, it's essential to have the wheels spin in snow sometimes. Take it slow, if the wheels spin, don't panic, just keep the revs low-mid range and point the nose of the car where you want it to go.

The traction control just cuts the power to the wheels right at the point you need it and often works against you in the snow ... it's why they stick a button there for you to turn it off. Although it's never turned fully off in reality.

For what it's worth, my tyres are useless on the ice also.

Get the traction control turned off man. It's a myth a spinning wheel gives no grip. On the contrary, it's essential to have the wheels spin in snow sometimes. Take it slow, if the wheels spin, don't panic, just keep the revs low-mid range and point the nose of the car where you want it to go.

The traction control just cuts the power to the wheels right at the point you need it and often works against you in the snow ... it's why they stick a button there for you to turn it off. Although it's never turned fully off in reality.

For what it's worth, my tyres are useless on the ice also.

Thanks man, switched the damn ESP off today and manged to get up the small incline which it has been struggling since the weather has been bad.

Beginning to hate the weather, my car feels more like a sledge!!!

the weather has isolated us, we live in a small village with only untreated country lanes as way in or out, i tried getting out today and the wheels spun on the hill and the speedo even read 120mph on my older hatchback felicia (top the speedo goes to), i'm leaving the newer estate in the garage till the weather improves dont wanna damage it yet lol

I've just been using the torque at idle, and going up through the box without throttle, the barge just chugs through it all fine

I know how you feel about Michelin Pilots being about the worst tyres in snow, my wife has been having trouble the past two weeks with her Polo, and while looking for winter/snow tyres, I discovered that Michelin Pilots are said to be worse than anything else. I would like to get Nokian W+ and some steel wheels, but its probable just easier to get Michelin Alpin 3 fitted to steels from Mytyres.

Dear briskodians, I own a Superb 130 DSL Automatic. I never imagined that the ESP could be turned off on that car. How do you do that? Maybe, you mean the ASR/MSR function? O'k, then how do you turn off that?

Anyway, I live in Finland, so snow is something we're quite familiar with. Once stuck in loose snow, definitely kill the MSR. It cuts the power to the engine when the tyres slip. It does help sometimes, when you're stuck on slightly steep (but firm) surface, but not on loose snow. Nokian tyres are the best, in my opinion (which has nothing to do with them being a Finnish company). Continental comes in second. Also here the majority of drivers uses stud tyres, which are illegal in the UK as far as I know.