Driving in this dreadful weather

AdorableAlice

AdorableAlice

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Standing in bright sunshine two weeks ago and watching the garage put on four winter/snow tyres and then parting with a significant amount of money, I wondered if I had done the right thing.

It was most certainly the right decision and my ford focus has morphed into a landrover, unbelievable difference and if you have to drive to your yard and can afford the tyres, they are well worth it.

The stress of worrying if I can get to the horses has gone, I don't have to start ringing around friends with 4x4's begging for help and then feeling rushed on the yard. Plus, I feel so much safer and independent. The normal tyres will go back on when the weather clears up and the winter ones stored for next year.
 
See I asked 3 seperate independent garages about snow tyres for my ford fiesta and they said don't bother as on these small cars they don't make much difference. Mu fiesta zetec copes admirably in snow round here on the hills!
 
Interesting, a focus would be a little heavier than a fiesta. My focus was useless with the normal tyres, even on the flat it preferred to go sideways than forwards.

This morning it was so different, the steering was positive and I could feel the tyres grabbing the ground. Not a single wheel spin in any gear or up hill.
 
I have a Citroen C1 that is coping safely with this snow. I did have a Citroen AX a couple of years back and that was even better.
People always seem to be amazed when I turn up (wherever it may be, old yard or new yard) in my little car, having come further than others that have 4X4's. I take it sensibly and steady and so far (touch wood) have always reached my destination.
 
I have a mini and it's totally crap! The traction is awful I don't know whether I'd because it's a heavier car on wide wheels but honestly it's awful - luckily my route to the yard is all motorway so it's completely clear- its just the big hill to get to the yard which is impassable so I just walk rather than risk it!

I drove in Norway last year and was amazed how brilliantly winter tyres coped with heavy snow and ice- I'd invest if I had the money !
 
maybe i should trade my C class in for a fiesta then :D

Last year had a BMW 1 series, I can honestly say its the worst car EVER in the snow ( and probably the wost car all round) Hated it. Managed to trade up to my latest car, which is lovely. Although did struggle a little this morning getting off the drive.

We tend to use the Nissan pick up when the weathers poor, now thats awesome in the snow, mud etc.

Well impressed with your fiesta AA!
 
patchwork puzzle said:
I have a Citroen C1 that is coping safely with this snow. I did have a Citroen AX a couple of years back and that was even better.
People always seem to be amazed when I turn up (wherever it may be, old yard or new yard) in my little car, having come further than others that have 4X4's. I take it sensibly and steady and so far (touch wood) have always reached my destination.
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My C3 is ace in the snow!
 
We're out in the pickup having fun atm. 4h for serious country lane driving... 2wd for spinning circles :D have the bog standard all terrain tyres.

I'm sure my wee car could cope with this snow if she didn't have bald tyres :eek: I was meant to be collecting new ones yesterday... Bloody snow!

The only car I've been scared in the snow in was a bmw. We slid backwards down a slope and thankfully hit a snow pile rather than a person or anything solid. It was absolutely rubbish and that was just trying to get home when it started falling with less than a cm!
 
We used to have an old fiesta that was great on slippy roads. Never got stuck in it. It once even got up a hill when I was fence judging that some 4x4's couldn't manage, and I'll admit I'm not the greatest driver in snow/mud. Def thinking about getting some winter tyres for mine as I'm stuck at home at the mo.
 
I have winter tyres on my Toyota Estate and 3.5 T horsebox. I feel completely confident driving even in really heavy snow fall. Here in Denmark the majority of drivers swap their tyres. It is compulsory to put on winter tyres in Sweden.

If we came back to the UK I would definitely continue to do the swap over.
 
I too once had a BMW that was total rubbish in the snow. I now have a Landrover and all terrain tyres so we're o.k! When it snowed couple of years back, I worked at a hospital at the top of a steep, ungritted hill. The only two cars that made it up were my Landy and a Porsche Carrera.
 
E19
I have Pirelli snow control tyres on my wife's Fiesta and they are really good and unless the snow is very deep it's better than my Pajero on its big fat tyres with chunky tread because the rubber compound is designed for low temperatures and are also good with water as well ( there is more rubber in the tyre than normal)

Well worth the money IMO
 
Another winter tyre lover. I think they are much misunderstood - lots of people think they are only for snow. I also think many people don't realise how much difference they make in cold weather. I discovered them last winter snd will now always swap my tyres twice a year.
 
sandy3924 said:
I have snow socks for my 206 SW. A bit of a bind putting them on before driving but I can safely get to the yard through all the snow. No skidding and easily manages the slippy hills. Best £50 I have spent.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...01_productId_832053_langId_-1?cm_mmc=GooglePP
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I would recommend these too. My boss picked me up for work and used these, we were the only car that could get up our massive hill and no slipping or skidding. We had to stop at traffic lights half way up and it pulled away perfectly:)
 
The best snow car I ever had was a little Hillman Imp with the engine in the back, it just skimmed over the snow. One snowy day there was only that and a Landrover in the school carpark in snow about a foot deep. Its only problem was that the heater barely worked.

My Suzuki Grand Vitara has yet to let me down though and we live at the top of the Pennines, so it gets plenty of hillwork and its heater works fine.
 
I looked at winter tyres for my rav 4, at over £700 I thought a bit expensive for the odd bit of snow most winters have so I got snow socks as well, put them on yesterday for school run on a small road/track they were brilliant 6inxhes of fresh snow, no problem. I also thought they were really easy to get on
 
Lovescobs said:
I looked at winter tyres for my rav 4, at over £700 I thought a bit expensive for the odd bit of snow most winters have so I got snow socks as well, put them on yesterday for school run on a small road/track they were brilliant 6inxhes of fresh snow, no problem. I also thought they were really easy to get on
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How much !!! Under £300 for four and a wheel balance, Ford focus in the midlands, fitted and supplied by an independant, but I was quoted nearly double by a 'big name' supplier.
 
I've got a diesel peugeot 106 and it is fab, made it to the stables last night including an ungritted steep hill both up and down!! Mind you, coming down it with a junction at the bottom was a bit nerveracking but little car was fine. Funniest thing I've seen though was a gritter lorry who had unwittingly decided to do a bit of offroading on the local common, bad idea as he was at 45 degrees in the bottomless bog!!
 
I have a ford fiesta with normal tyres and it's been an absolute trooper these last few days, i've had the odd wobble here and there but generally it's coped incredibly well considering the amount of people i have passed that have either got stuck, skidded off the road, or just generally all over the place wheel spinning, and most of these in bigger cars!
 
yeah my Yaris has winter tyres. Even if there is no snow, they do help out in cold conditions and are designed to work under 7 degrees. They helped out on the black ice where we had some freezing rain. They weren't too expensive for the size of wheels I had, I think total was £200 for four tyres plus fitting. The independent garage I got them fitted at, the manager was quite scaving about them and thought it was a bit overkill, but after being caught out last april just having had removed them I really noticed the difference and won't ever consider not having them again.
 
Ford Fiestas have obviously got better. I had one in ye olden days that was a death trap in snow and ice. Not helped by my living in Derbyshire hills with the gritters on strike.
My next car, a VW Golf, was just brilliant in any conditions. I still miss that car.
Current one, a Skoda, is a wimp if it's skiddy. But the worst two I ever drove were a swanky BMW 6 series that skidded around like it was performing in Dancing on Ice, and a Triumph Stag. Great car in good conditions, but lethal if it was icy.
 
My old ka was incredible in the snow on normal tyres. When everyone else was skidding and sliding about going up steep hills I glided past quite happily.

I never got to drive my focus in the snow as some snobbery drove into it on Tuesday before the snow. Grr.

The Toyota auris I have as courtesy car is useless
 
We have an Isuzu Trooper and an AWD X-Type Jag - Both are excellent in the snow. If I ever did trade in the Trooper I would buy a Subaru forrester or and Audi with AWD. I wouldn't go back to 2wd now as much prefer the AWD versions, Since we have quite a few hills and often have to drive across muddy fields etc.
 
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