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Jan 13, 2010 21:57:58 GMT
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just started using my new winter hack a golf estate Tdi W reg so not that new in some peoples eyes 10yrs old but still the newest car i own and really modern for me,even though most ppl not on here would think anything over 5 yrs is old!! the abs and brakes are so over servoed the abs comes on in the snow as soon as you touch the brakes also the steering is power steering and so light you get no feel as to grip and the fatter tyres are completely curse word and have no grip i used to watch the news and think how come all these cars are stuck in snow and i drive my 18 yr old polo everywhere no problem... the polo has 145 tyres no power steering and brakes you have to actually have a leg muscle to operate but its by far away miles better in the snow you feel exactly when yor on ice or its just a bit slippy- and i even passed a BMW last week stuck on a hill,back wheels twitching as the traction control had a fit,going nowhere except slightly sideways this must be progress eh! cant wait to get the Ami up and running,those tyres are as thin as ice skates the only thin on it powered is the interior light i think!
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Jan 13, 2010 22:01:53 GMT
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i think you are pretty much correct with your evaluation.
I have been conciously not putting too much fuel or weight in the back of my 405 becuase its front wheel drive. its not too bad traction-wise. but feathering the clutch is hard becuase its a stiff cable clutch. Also, emergency braking in thick snow is actually sometimes better to let it lock up, as the snow can bunch up infront of your wheels like a great big chock. ABS won't give you that option.
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75 Range Rover 2 door 82 Range Rover 4 door 84 Range Rover 4 door 78 Datsun 120Y 2 door 78 Datsun 620 Pickup 81 Datsun Urvan E23 86 Datsun Vanette van 98 Electric Citroen Berlingo 00 Electric Peugeot Partner 02 Electric Citroen Berlingo 04 Berlingo Multispace petrol 07 Land Rover 130 15 Nissan E-NV200 15 Fiat Ducato
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Jan 13, 2010 22:11:04 GMT
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Both of my moderns have been pretty good in the snow (my 306 and my works Transit Connect) However i think it had to do with the diesel engines. If i face a particularly slippy incline all i do i select an appropriate gear and let the engine do the work...it's allmost too easy.
My only gripe with the both of them is the washer jets. The bottels are ouside of the engine bay so when they freeze up, they get no heat to unfreeze them, something that wouldnt happen if the bottle was in the engine bay as with most retros.
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Jan 13, 2010 22:18:13 GMT
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Are newer cars all pants in the snow?
In short; yes.
'59 Anglia 100e handles and stops far better than an '08 VW transporter with all the modern gadgetry.
Bearing in mind the 100e has non-servo drum brakes all round, and 20+ year old tyres, that says a lot really!
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"A Pierburg carb? It would be more economical to replace it with a funnel..."
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sowen
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,245
Club RR Member Number: 24
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Jan 13, 2010 22:21:20 GMT
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I personally believe about half the trouble is down to the tyres fitted. I've noticed that most cars that have difficulty or even abandoned in the snow have completely unsuitable tyres to get any grip in the snow/ice, while most older cars have a more suitable tread pattern for the conditions.
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,784
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 13, 2010 22:24:07 GMT
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i hate ABS in the snow. it nearly caught me out earlier going from my caddy to a b3 passat. no 'feel' whatsoever.
maybe i should bang my 100e through a quick test!! 145s and 27(ish) HP FTW!!
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10mpg
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,253
Club RR Member Number: 204
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Jan 13, 2010 22:33:38 GMT
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My mrs's 05 cdti Honda accord tourer is awfull in the snow, fat run flat tyres, stiff suspension and 250lb/ft of torque not much of idle make it virtually undrivable in snow or ice..
We've just used the range rover most of the time anyway the traction control and the abs on there don't hinder it at all i used a shogun swb for a while with a view to buying it off a mate and the lack of abs made it much worse as it would lock up all 4 wheels at the slightest touch wheras the rangie you can use full brakes and still steer even when having a good slide... i reckon most people don't use abs effectivly and forget to give the pedal a good hard shove when it kicks back.......
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The Internet, like all tools, if used improperly, can make a complete bo**cks of even the simplest jobs...
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Jan 13, 2010 22:33:56 GMT
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I agree........our amazon is better in the snow than our maestro diesel, I know the datsun would be good as I drove it in snow 20 years ago.....but thats staying wrapped up til spring!
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Jan 13, 2010 22:38:13 GMT
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Anything with fat low profile tyres will be handicapped in the snow, whatever age it is.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,620
Club RR Member Number: 11
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Jan 13, 2010 22:41:58 GMT
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I havent driven my Polo in the snow but i have a feeling it cant be any worse than the Toledo which is utter pants!!
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Jan 13, 2010 22:42:44 GMT
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maybe I should bang my 100e through a quick test!! 145s and 27(ish) HP FTW!! Good idea. I know I enjoyed mine! ;D
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"A Pierburg carb? It would be more economical to replace it with a funnel..."
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Jan 13, 2010 22:52:22 GMT
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When it comes down to it our pickup might as well be a 30 year old retro, it has a cart axle out back hung under over strong springs with virtually none of its weight over the driving wheels and a big heavy diesel engine at the front, it should be rubbish in the snow in 2WD, in actual fact its not bad, it slides about a bit, but i was getting places cars were not getting and being able to keep up a reasonable speed and maintain dirctional control. I only used 4x4 a couple of times and that was to drive up the hill into the country park for sledging, pull a landy up our fairly steep hill, and get off the grass when i parked outside our chippy. The trucks got a LSD but the main thing is the tyres, its got AT's on, not designed for snow and ice, but the small shoulder lugs dig in and the tread is open enough to self clean as the tyre flexes. Modern cars with low profile tyres are so stiff they don't flex and never clean out the tread, it packs in hard and gives you slicks right when you really don't want them and smooth shoulders get no purchase.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,927
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Jan 13, 2010 23:05:18 GMT
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After nearly crashing a customers Yaris at work last weekend (and driving maybe 10 other new things) i'd say yes they are a lot worse. The ABS on the Yaris just stopped the brakes working altogether as I rolled at 10mph towards the security doors. Managed to get stopped by yanking the handbrake and sliding round sideways lol.
Matt
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Jan 13, 2010 23:10:33 GMT
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MK4 Golf is useless in the snow, but I took my oxford around the industrial estate with one break and it was lush!
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Jan 13, 2010 23:14:48 GMT
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I put the skinnier wheels back on my daily Arosa and it has no ABS so its been great - much to the annoyance of my co-workers as i sailed up the snow covered ramp from the underground carpark at work!! That said, i drove my mate's new 3 series last night and turned the traction control off - i was drifting in reverse!! Very odd sensation indeed
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Club Retro Rides Member
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Jan 13, 2010 23:35:06 GMT
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I have been using my 1990 VW Caddy by choice in the snow, it gave me so much more confidence than my T5 Volvo with its TC, ABS & 225 tyres Thats once I cleared this off
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The other day I tried to get up my steep, snowy drive without a runup. I failed, but realised that the car would sit in first, on idle, spinning the wheels while stuck in one spot, which amused me enough that I had to get out and watch for a while. My mums Ka with dangerously cheap tyres flies up the drive no issues
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chaseracer
Part of things
If you have to ask why, you will never understand...
Posts: 597
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Anything with fat low profile tyres will be handicapped in the snow, whatever age it is. SWMBO got 50yds up the road before the snow & ice stopped her (and, to be fair, many others) at which point I got the rescue call. Panda 100HP, 195/40x15 Goodyears: great normally, utter wibblepoo in the cold stuff. She actually said she missed her Micra diesel...
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i'm running 195/50/15's on my mk2 golf gti and i must say its coping pretty well with the snow there something about the moderns that makes them pretty usless in this weather i think its down to all the driver aids that come with cars now days all the gadgets are fine as long as the roads are to the conditions they were set up for which is an average get road conditions out of that average and they can't cope .much like today average drivers so used to the car doing most of the work that when it comes to having to think and actually drive the car for themselves they just can't cope made worse by the crapness of the modern cars
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Your just used to having no directional control anyway.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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