Snow experiences ?

[Jaco2k]

3 minutes ago, Petunet said:

 

I like spikes:

 

 

Me too, but for some reason, everytime I buy a car it comes with kitka.

 

I am starting to become converted...

[Phillips]

 

This year is the first time I’ve had trouble driving in the winter on summer tyres so I’m putting it down to the Michelin Pilotsport 4s I’m running. This is also the first time I’ve used these tyres....

 

I keep considering winter tyres but I’ve never had any issues driving in bad conditions before in the UK plus the snow is so infrequent I’m not sure I’d get the benefit.

Edited 27 December, 2017 by Phillips

[Jaco2k]

5 hours ago, Phillips said:

 

This year is the first time I’ve had trouble driving in the winter on summer tyres so I’m putting it down to the Michelin Pilotsport 4s I’m running. This is also the first time I’ve used these tyres....

 

I keep considering winter tyres but I’ve never had any issues driving in bad conditions before in the UK plus the snow is so infrequent I’m not sure I’d get the benefit.

 

You guys are brave - I can only imagine what it feels like to drive in such snow with summer tires

 

Bit off-topic and pretty sure it is hard to tell on this weather, but what do you think of the Pilotsport 4S?

 

Considering them for summer tires.

[Ootohere]

Brave does not come into it really. 

Simply Clever is leave them parked and get public transport if it is moving and busses are not in gridlock stuck behind brave people.

[Jaco2k]

6 minutes ago, AwaoffSki said:

Brave does not come into it really. 

Simply Clever is leave them parked and get public transport if it is moving and busses are not in gridlock stuck behind brave people.

 

I guess you chose to misinterpret my comment, but hey... Different people, different strokes - that's internet forums in a nutshell

[wg100]

On 27/12/2017 at 16:53, Phillips said:

I keep considering winter tyres but I’ve never had any issues driving in bad conditions before in the UK plus the snow is so infrequent I’m not sure I’d get the benefit.

It's not so much the benefit of winter tyres in snow, but the fact that when temperatures are below 7C, summer tyre rubber compound is not as flexible as winter tyre rubber.

After a winter spent in Germany some years ago I'm a convert. My winter wheels go on in Oct/Nov and come off towards the end of April. There's the added benefit that I'm prepared for said infrequent bouts of snow!

[brettikivi]

I'm on Hakka 8s... they're pretty good so far

 

 - Bret

[Gromle]

Had a really wintery trip today. Too cold for the snow and ice to melt. 

[brettikivi]

I also went out yesterday and bought myself a pair of Merrell ice+ boots... astounding what they can do on wet ice. I had the choice there between spiked or not and stayed without spikes as I'd like to be able to drive with them on. Gritting the yard isn't always an option when you've got to clear it of the damned stuff again. We are officially at 24cm at the moment. 

 

 - Bret

[BoxerBoy]

Our 2nd hand Kumho boots performed very well today on the snow and slush.

 

Happily overtook an “Ultimate Driving Machine” that seemed stuck in 3rd gear at 49 mph on open road Grrrrrrrr

 

All is well.

[Jaco2k]

I travelled from Tampere to Helsinki last night (on my way to Estonia - on the ferry now) through quite a bit of snow on a not so clean motorway...

...since I was late, I had to drive the speed limit(ish) - just a little bit over the official 100km/h - and it was snowing quite a bit too.

There were some guys doing as low as 70km/h, so I had to do some sketchy overtakings on a really deep left lane, but the car held well

[waaar]

On 12/12/2017 at 10:11, rob_e said:

 

No, i actually bought them through mytyres.co,uk.  I did some shopping around and those guys were the best price.  IIRC they were only about 80 quid each at the time.

 

 

Just did a quick search, looks like exchange rates have made them a bit more expensive, now 100-ish each:

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/komplettrad.pl?dsco=110&cart_id=98904657.110.5338&CGISESSID=b7f2ab031d7b5363d8fee93cb62a9dee&Cookie=&Session_Clear=&Session_Detail=&typ=alu&TypeCode=&ModelCode=&language=EN&RadHerstellerFilter=ATS&Zoll=18&Einpresstiefe=EM70648B74-5&Session_Detail=

 

ok, link above doesnt' completely work properly, takes you to the 16" version of the wheel.  Mine are 18x8 ET45 Mattschwartz 109 each plus 9 for postage.  

 

A bit more than i paid but still cheaper than say rimtsyle:

https://www.rimstyle.com/alloywheels/wheel/ats_emotion_mb

 

 

Thanks for the information, I copied you and ordered exactly the same from mytyres. Will source the tyres locally myself.

 

I’ll post up a pic of what they look like on a silver VRS.

 

Had my Gemini’s redone in a dark metallic grey a few months ago, got rid of the diamond cut finish.

Edited 30 December, 2017 by waaar

[andyasjl]

Nice drive along the great langdale valley last week, first time out in the snow so put it in off road mode ( it's a dsg)and let it deal with the conditions, its a very twisty up and down road so under 30 is more than fast enough, 

[Gromle]

7 hours ago, andyasjl said:

 

 

What exactly does the off road mode do? 

[pist0nbr0ke]

21 minutes ago, Gromle said:

What exactly does the off road mode do? 

 

I wondered this too, and I've read a thread where the question was asked if it can be enabled on any Scout or 4x4 using VCDS. Don't think it has been successfully achieved yet.

 

This is the thread and this comment shows what it does:

 

 

Also:

 

 

Sorry to derail the thread!

[Prezafab]

On 16/12/2017 at 15:28, Browny said:

i dont have offroad on my vRS 4x4, but from experience with Yeti 4x4s and a Tiguan, the descent assist works well - especially if you are in the Alps on summer tyres on a sheet ice ski-ing car park. Made a big difference instead of praying and mashing the pedal when you start sliding.

 

I think for the rest of the time the ABS / ESP parameters are tweaked by 20% for the looser surfaces. The Tiguan has an off-road and a snowflake setting - bet they arent much different.

[andyasjl]

From my limited reading about the off road mode,  (i have a dsg) it held the second gear much longer than when in normal mode, which helped when going up and down the steep bends and humps in the road, I guess a bit like driving it in manual to use engine braking, so had more control. Also I think the power is spread evenly to all wheels when moving from a standstill, which seems to work perfectly as I had to stop on many uphill sections, to let other traffic pass, the car set off with no wheel spin I could detect.

i tested out the traction on a very steep section, at a crawling speed on purpose, and car didn't stop, very impressed. Even in my old 110 tdi defender I would have needed a fair bit of momentum to clear the same section. The car is a 65 plate so has just got this mode by a month, no physical button, just a extra mode selection tab on the infotainment unit.

Edited 2 January, 2018 by andyasjl

[Gromle]

I usually just put mine in Sport when climbing icy hills and keep a steady throttle. Has never let me down. 

 

Would be fun try off road mode just to see what difference it makes in winterdriving.

[andyasjl]

Yes, I guess in the off road mode... its automatically doing what a good winter driver would do by using the gears/speed as necessary.

as it's my first automatic.....and first time out driving it in the snow, thought I'd try it out, if the 'off road mode' wasn't  there I'd probably  use the manual shifting for the interesting sections..

Edited 2 January, 2018 by andyasjl

[Browny]

I’ve not used Off Road Mode in my Scout, mine is a manual if that relevant. If it snows again I will test it. 

[rob_e]

oh dear

 

that was an expensive fish and chip run..

 

Untitled by Rob E, on Flickr

 

front is worst, rear also dinged and tyre deflated, currently in the boot and i have the space saver on.. :(

 

 

[waaar]

4 hours ago, rob_e said:

oh dear

 

that was an expensive fish and chip run..

 

Untitled by Rob E, on Flickr

 

front is worst, rear also dinged and tyre deflated, currently in the boot and i have the space saver on.. :(

 

 

 

Ouch!  How did you manage that?

[rob_e]

3 minutes ago, waaar said:

 

Ouch!  How did you manage that?

 

 

easy, just lend the car to my wife for 30 minutes.   

 

to be fair it was dark and rainy, and it was a mega and i mean really mega massive pot hole that she hit full on. both front on rear wheel took a similar hit..   TBH though one of the reasons we run cheap wheels in the winter is that i'm happier (ok "less unhappy", maybe?) to be replacing a cheap aftermarket alloy and 18" tyre than i would be if she'd smashed two of my 19" extremes.

 

good news is i found a part worn ultragrip 8 performance for only 34 quid, should get it tomorrow - the other tyre is fine.  Two new rims ordered also today, 106 each was best price i could find.   On the bright side, it means i won't need to get these two old ones refurbished..  

 

Does anyone want to buy too "lightly used" ATS 18"s? 

[waaar]

9 minutes ago, rob_e said:

 

 

easy, just lend the car to my wife for 30 minutes.   

 

 

That was your first mistake! I rarely let mine drive mine, she smashed two of the alloys on my previous MK2 VRS 

[andyasjl]

Ouch! I hit a huge hole on the M1 by Watford gap last Friday night, should of reported it really, glad I just fitted the steel wheels, but made a hell of a jolt

Also some scum are lifting/stealing  drain covers from the curbside in Reading area, had a very close call at the weekend as a traffic island stopped me steering right