Engine Dilema

[Yetski]

Is it possible to remap a DSG or ill-advised?

[rockhopper]

Is it possible to remap a DSG or ill-advised?

The gearbox or the engine?

My CR140 DSG has the engine remapped.

DSG gearboxes can be remapped, but generally it is the petrol engines that have it done. Last time I enquiried it wasn't possible for the diesel.

[Yetski]

I was referring to the 1.2 TSI DSG

[bilun777]

I was referring to the 1.2 TSI DSG

Yes,around 130 BHP and lot's more torque throughout the usuable rev range.

[yetifabia]

Just a last thought from me.  It seems to have become the accepted wisdom that a 2wd on winter tyres will cope with anything the weather can throw at you (I am paraphrasing).  I don't entirely buy into this but there is another issue that a couple of 1.2TSi owners have reported, which is that there is not a lot of weight over the front wheels, which can lead to a lack of grip.  In one case when the car was parked on a steep drive.  Another owner couldn't get out of his company car park when conventional 2wds were coping.  I'm not knocking the 1.2, I know it's a cracking engine, but it's an issue to consider.

[MarieK]

I can't speak for the yeti in winter as yet, but the first winter that I had the juke it couldn't get up the drive in the snow/ice.

I then bought winter tyres and the difference was like night and day...effortless.

Obviously there may be conditions that are too severe/extreme for them but generally with winter tyres and knowing how to drive to suit the conditions then you should be fine with 2WD.

[bilun777]

A couple of cement bags in the pax footwell perhaps?

Many years ago my fatherinlaw had a VW 411 with the engine in the boot.

A previous owner had placed a half inch steel plate under the bonnet floor to weight the nose down.

[AlleyCat`]

  Another owner couldn't get out of his company car park when conventional 2wds were coping.  I'm not knocking the 1.2, I know it's a cracking engine, but it's an issue to consider.

 

This is quite a fair point.

I had a touran with a 1.9 Tdi and it was a proper little "billy goat" in the snow and ice.

I put it down to the very heavy engine sitting right on top of the driven wheels.

 

It ended up as the "shop" mobile for our street in the worst parts of the winter months as it was surprisingly capable.

The thing it really lacked was ground clearance

[900000]

 

I put it down to the very heavy engine sitting right on top of the driven wheels.

 

 

Hence why most Mercedes and BMW owners with rear wheel drive cars will be much better off in the winter by just putting a few bags of sand in their boots...  i.e. more weight over the driven wheels.    That is step one BEFORE you go to the expense of buying winter tyres on a RWD car.  Though sand bags will be no match for proper winter boots of course.

[eccleshill]

Would like a 4x4 - live on a hill and its like a 2wd graveyard in the winter

Colleague at work has same winter hills issue.  Runs a Yeti Greenline 2WD and has a set of winter tyres.  She reckons she passed quite a few floundering 4x4's on her way in to work.

Set of steel wheels plus winter tyres MUCH cheaper option than 4WD.

[Huskoda]

Colleague at work has same winter hills issue.  Runs a Yeti Greenline 2WD and has a set of winter tyres.  She reckons she passed quite a few floundering 4x4's on her way in to work.

Set of steel wheels plus winter tyres MUCH cheaper option than 4WD.

Yep, I've tried both setups and will choose winter tyres over 4WD any day. I tried to convince my parents they don't need to change car, just tyres but they wouldn't listen. Last winter their new CRV couldn't get out the drive and I had to give them the 'I told you so' as my lass' FWD on winters gets everywhere it needs to.

 

The only limit I've seen is with the car bottoming out in deeper snow.

[ernieb]

There are a number of youtube videos showing winter rubber 2wd v 4wd on summer rubber. The winter tyre car always seems to stop quicker and corner better.

[900000]

There you go.  A test with two Yetis about 2wd winter tyres vs 4wd summer tyres:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/264037-autocar-winter-tyre-test-on-yeti/

[JCP]

My resommendation is 4wd and winter tyres why not compare like with like?

[900000]

My resommendation is 4wd and winter tyres why not compare like with like?

 

Because why cart around all the 4x4 gubbins (95kg if memory serves) the WHOLE year, and pay much more for it to begin with, when for most people a 2WD car with a set of winter tyres would be totally sufficient?  Of course 4WD and winter tyres will be the best.  But a Ferrari is always faster than any Škoda but we can't all afford the Ferrari in all things.  

[JCP]

Luckily I can afford a 4wd Yeti and it is useful whenever there is less grip than I expect, a sharp shower after days of hot sunshine, a film of sand or soil on a country lane, a spill of diesel on the first roundabout after a filling station, a scattering of gravel along the nearside of a road on the apex of a bend  I have seen all those in the last week.

If I was a quick driver I expect I'd find better traction powering out of bends too. If I want to venture off road winter tyres would make no beneficial difference on damp grass or mud.

I have managed for donkey's years with 2wd and can cope-although a Toyota Soarer V8 across a sloping field of damp grass was a bit of a challenge. 4wd is an excellent addition-I don't regard the undoubted utility of a fwd with winter tyres as a reason to dissuade someone from a better vehicle.

[Huskoda]

If I want to venture off road winter tyres would make no beneficial difference on damp grass or mud.

While I agree with you a 4wd is always 'better' if you can afford it (I am paying the premium myself), you might be surprised re that. Winter tyres have deeper more open tread patterns so do provide benefits on mud and grass. I will be going camping soon and will likely be fitting my winter boots.

[JCP]

My Nokian winters do not have a more open or deeper tread pattern than the standard dunlops-they have more sipes and a different compound.

Mud and snow tyres do resemble your description rather better but my use doesn't warrant them and they would do poorly for road use in wear and noise terms 

[Huskoda]

My Nokian winters do not have a more open or deeper tread pattern than the standard dunlops-they have more sipes and a different compound.

Mud and snow tyres do resemble your description rather better but my use doesn't warrant them and they would do poorly for road use in wear and noise terms 

My winters are mud and snow rated as well as mountain and snowflake. Admittedly, I am more looking at checking they're surviving summer storage