Who Is Looking Forward To Sleet & Snow ?!

[Fabpreza]

Ok, I confess. This is a cheap attempt for 4x4 owners to raise our profile again

Seriously, I'm intrigued how people who've had their Octavias (4x4 / FWD) a while got on in the snow last winter ?

I've had a few 4x4 cars and can fool this one into some wheelspin from junctions in the wet if I try - are Octavias fairly stable in the ice and snow ?

Rob

[SimonT]

I'm looking forward to looking forward to ice and snow: I pick up my Octy 4x4 on Friday! :D

[week46]

Ive driven a couple of rental TDi 90's in the snow up here in Scotland and have to say they seemd perfectly fine - reasonable stable and plenty of traction from that engine.

Mind you - current car is a Punto Sporting, engine wieghs about as much as a packet of crisps and traction really does suffer - hitting drifts of snow is quite dramatic also!!

Hoping the Fabia will deal better with the roads to the skiing which have been closed by the police!! Take the hint guys- - you will never stop us getting up that hill on a sunny morning after a blizzard.

THATS WHY IM GLAD ITS FINALLY GETTING COLD AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

[fab16v]

F$%king, s*!%ty snow!!!

Fabia + 17" alloys + lowered suspension does not take kindly to snow! Had to abandon my car last year after it took me 5 hours to do 4 and a half miles! Still had another 7 miles to get home. Had to sit in the car and wait for salvation from my mums other half and his Corsa diesel with skinny 155 section tyres!

Oh well. Hopefully that was just a freak storm and it won't happen again.

[Fabpreza]

Originally posted by SimonT in this post

I'm looking forward to looking forward to ice and snow: I pick up my Octy 4x4 on Friday! :D

Good choice - what colour etc ?!

Rob:D

[devonutopia]

[fond memories] - battled to work in the snow (tdi torque = lovely) - Hardly anyone else had got to work so I had a fresh layer of snow in the car-park on which to do a bit of hand-brake induced sliding. It made the 90 minute 30 milejourney all the more worth while.

[KentStu]

Bah humbug - surely the RS is better than a 4x4 in snow :p

Anyway Simon, don't know why you need the 4x4 - we never get snow down in sunny Canterbury Just remember when you pick up the car the first mod has to be the BIG Briskoda sticker - as you saw on mine it looks brill!!

[Freakcrab]

Not looking forward to driving the RS in snow for the first time.

Big wheel and big tyres do not make a good snow combination.

It's winter were all the SUV owners drive around looking smug.

[Erik@aat]

I've got the snow tyres fitted already

[SimonT]

Originally posted by KentStu in this post

Bah humbug - surely the RS is better than a 4x4 in snow :p

Anyway Simon, don't know why you need the 4x4 - we never get snow down in sunny Canterbury Just remember when you pick up the car the first mod has to be the BIG Briskoda sticker - as you saw on mine it looks brill!!

Are you on commission? Yes, I'll put a sticker on order today. As you know, Stu, I wanted an RS but for various reasons couldn't live with the zero ground clearance. Besides, I'm reliably informed that a certain company in Peterborough can make the 4x4 reasonably swift anyway? And I think that a clever 4wd system scores about 5 points in the office "why my car is better than yours" conversation.

Colour? Well, it wasn't my choice. I won't stand out from the croud, put it that way.

[Fabpreza]

Sounds like Silver ?

I agree, the ground clearance and ride quality are very useful Simon.

I needed to make some allowances on the roadholding/bodyroll compared with the Impreza, but even since it 'went near Peterborough' 10000m ago, I haven't felt that I've had to lower it or uprate the brakes. They would make a great car better, and as with other 4x4 owners, I'll probably do a couple more things after this winter is out.

Rob

[SimonT]

Originally posted by Fabpreza in this post

Sounds like Silver ?

Not far off: Metallic Stone Grey. Looks far better than it sounds, but probably because it sounds ABSOLUTELY PANTS. It's a sort of bluey silver.

[Fabpreza]

It looks fine - nearly bought a Fabia TDi in that colour early in the year.

Speaking of sounding pants, the stereo speakers aren't the best - have a search on here. The modification to cut the door membrane is worth a go before splashing out on new speakers.

Rob

[Stimps]

My fabia was going to be Stone or Slate Grey - then a dark green one arrived so I had that instead

Looking forward to snow, despite the fact that the ASR on the fab will just flicker away like a light on a seasonal chrimbo tree. There again, I can always just find the mp3 player and a thick coat and walk the mile or so to work!

Best car I had for use in the snow and ice was (don't laugh) a 1.6 Capri - so much fun to get it sliding around the place

[Huck]

i like stone grey - was seriously tempted to get a second hand 4x4 in stone grey and RS'ify it.

couldn't be bothered in the end, so just got another RS. for my purposes and driving, it will do just fine.

[devonutopia]

Originally posted by Huck in this post

it will do just fine.

Bit of an understatement isn't it? It would be more than just fine for me - I'd never stop driving the thing if I had one.

[philc]

One day, Jason, one day.

Here's a thought -the oldest RS's are now approaching 3 years old -they'll soon be turning up as minicabs! Scary or what.......

Phil

[SimonT]

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

Bit of an understatement isn't it? It would be more than just fine for me - I'd never stop driving the thing if I had one.

So what stops you getting one? Fuel economy? A bit low compared woth your TDi:(

[Freakcrab]

Originally posted by philc in this post

One day, Jason, one day.

Here's a thought -the oldest RS's are now approaching 3 years old -they'll soon be turning up as minicabs! Scary or what.......

Phil

Mines 3 years old in March.

I'll probably just hand over the keys straight after the MoT.

[devonutopia]

Main reasons why I don't have an RS is a simple inability to run it. I earn just enough to pay the instalments on my TDI, with enough left over to run it.

If I had an RS, I'd be paying a lot more to buy it, and running it would be loads - more fuel which isn't much of a worry, but insurance would be a nightmare for me at my age. Won't stop me thinking about getting a second hand one at some stage though. I think buying new was a bit of a mistake for me as I'm going to be paying for my car all the way to November 2005, at which point it's going to be worth... hmm.

[robmawer]

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

I think buying new was a bit of a mistake for me as I'm going to be paying for my car all the way to November 2005

If you had bought second hand though, you would pay it off sooner but it probably wouldn't last as long! Either way you're going to lose...

I've been told I'm not allowed to trade-in for another 4 years, when the loan which paid for the car will be paid off. The fact that it also paid for a wedding and furniture is irrelevant...

Rob.

[ncarring]

Mine will be having its MOT next week after 10 months of ownership. I expect to own it for at least another year, after which another commuting camel will have to be sourced

[Freakcrab]

[edit: when you say "hand over the keys", do you mean over to me?

If you've decided to become a mini-cab driver, then yes .

[KentStu]

Originally posted by Freakcrab in this post

Mines 3 years old in March.

I'll probably just hand over the keys straight after the MoT.

Any particular reason why you would change it straight away? Personally, im a lifelong second hand car buyer who generally believes in running a car until it dies or becomes uneconomic. I've never understood people buying cars new and then selling them at about the point where they have lost the most in terms of depreciation. Warranty does not bother me as long as I know the car has a reputation for reliability, parts aren't too expensive and there is a private garage nearby that will do the work for reasonable rates.

I know i seem to be a minority nowadays as so many people seem to change their cars regularly but would like to find out what your thinking is. :cheers:

[devonutopia]

Rob - I changed the loan thingy so that the car became wholly mine to do whatever I wanted - i.e. I used an unsecured personal loan to get the credit finance people off my back.

And you never know if my career path will suddenly change to become a mini-cab driver - especially if the promise of a three year old red RS stands...