Time to buy a new car

[Great War truck]

My current car is on its way out and i am looking for a replacement. I have got several different ideas in mind. However, my wife has suggested that because of the snow and ice we had this year that we should consider a 4WD. I suggested a war time Dodge but that did not go down very well. Anyway, my query is with modern cars, is 4WD really that much of a great help in snow and ice? The roads around me turn in to sheets of ice in Winter and some moron usually wraps himself around a tree early in the morning only to block me in the village. When the roads get bad i usually phone in, but if i have a 4WD then i really have no excuse not to go in - until of course i catch up with the early morning moron. What shall I do?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[Gordon_M]

Well, as someone who has no time at all for Japanese cars, I would still get you to consider those Subaru 4 x 4 car / estate things. I've seen a lot of people in situations like yours that found them - useful, and not too tractor-like.

 

Gordon

[Stormin]

The trouble with the car type 4x4's and softroaders is the tyres are really only road type tread so a bit of snow will easily defeat them. No substitue for proper four wheel drive with chunky tyres in the snow, especially seeing as chains are illegal in this country.

The other solution is to have two sets of tyres for your car but it's still easy to get caught out and it's a hassle changing them on a cold dark winters evening.

If I was you I'd continue phoning in and avoid all risk from other numpties on the road.

[AndyFowler]

I think 4WD is handy to have but when snow hits usually your progress is blocked by other vehicles that either can't cope with the conditions or the driver can't , in which case vertical take off and landing would be more usefull !

[snowtracdave]

Think I only actually engaged 4WD twice through the last winter and we never missed a single days work , driving technique counts for a lot really .

 

Some friends have a newish Subaru estate and it is a really nice useful car .

[Tony B]

The early Disco's are coming down in price. I'm getting a nice solid one on an L plate for a grand. Car wise, My Volvo 850 estate auto was great in the snow. I'd seriously look at the VX or a Subaru. the Subaru legacy's are now down to sensible prices and are a beautiful drive. Funy enough, one good scource of cars round here is the locla scrap yard! They get ten fiftten year old cars from main dealears, that have been traded, in perfect condition for stupid money!

Edited August 17, 2010 by Tony B

[mogmaner]

I agree with tony on the cheep Disco,s , just picked a 300 tdi on the L plate for £400 so there are bargins to be had.

[Richard Farrant]

No substitue for proper four wheel drive with chunky tyres in the snow, especially seeing as chains are illegal in this country.

 

 

 

Snow chains are not illegal to use in the UK, they can be used, but only on snow covered roads...........which is obvious really.

[ruxy]

The trouble with the car type 4x4's and softroaders is the tyres are really only road type tread so a bit of snow will easily defeat them. No substitue for proper four wheel drive with chunky tyres in the snow, especially seeing as chains are illegal in this country.

The other solution is to have two sets of tyres for your car but it's still easy to get caught out and it's a hassle changing them on a cold dark winters evening.

If I was you I'd continue phoning in and avoid all risk from other numpties on the road.

 

=======================

 

Sorry but I can't agree with this , a aggresive open tread tyre is more of a mud tyre - IMHO in snow you need a snow specific tyre , for most snow you are going to encounter 13" or 14" tyres are ample diameter with front wheel drive.

 

If you have never experienced deep snow (wet & dry) on steep inclines with such as a directional snow tyre - then you should.

I prefer :-

 

http://www.tyretest.com/pkw_winterreifen/vredestein/snowstar_i/index.html

 

Best to have a spare pair of rims for winter to limit wear

[AndyFowler]

I used a set of chains on my 2.8i Ford Capri in the 90's and was one of the few people to get to work in the snow (Would have been impossible without )! Mind you I later found out that my mate with the 4x4 Hilux had spent the day playing in the snow with it rather than get cold and wet at work !

[trustmeimamechanic]

If the only reason you are considering a 4x4 is the winter weather then buy an Audi Allroad or something like a Subaru estate or even Skoda 4x4 estate , they will all be sure footed in the winter and as they are much lighter than any off -road type 4x4 will be better in the ice when the momentum gained by a large 4x4 on sheet ice is not to be underestimated , we are unlikely to get another winter like the last for many years so ultimate performance in 8 inches of snow is not very high on the list.

I drive a huge 4x4 with a 4.2 l turbo diesel , 3 diff locks , and go anywhere tyres but on black ice its no better than anything else.

If you want 4x4 looks but not size then the Honda CRV is a very good bet , steer clear of early LR Freelanders with K series engines as there may well be trouble a head :-( .

[Tony B]

Why 'even' a Skoda? The local police use them and reckon they are great, especially the disiel. Quick economical and comfortable. The little Fiat Panda 4x4 has ben getting great reviews. I took an early one round a cross country course, suprisingly agile. Last time I used the Range Rover with a 2.8 Isuzui engine, trouble was the vehicle would go up the slope, but when you met something stopped, it wouldn't park but kept slipping back! The only acident I came close to happening was due to ABS. I was almost at a standstill with one of the buses, a wheel locked at about 1/2 mph, the ****** ABS unlocked everything and let the vehicle roll on! Fortunatley there was room to swing away.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Tony B

[Roy Larkin]

My current car is on its way out and i am looking for a replacement. I have got several different ideas in mind. However, my wife has suggested that because of the snow and ice we had this year that we should consider a 4WD. I suggested a war time Dodge but that did not go down very well. Anyway, my query is with modern cars, is 4WD really that much of a great help in snow and ice? The roads around me turn in to sheets of ice in Winter and some moron usually wraps himself around a tree early in the morning only to block me in the village. When the roads get bad i usually phone in, but if i have a 4WD then i really have no excuse not to go in - until of course i catch up with the early morning moron. What shall I do?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

Tim,

I'd look at the type of car you want for the rest of the year, rather than for the odd day or two when there's snow and ice. Using a car for 51 weeks of the year which isn't your first choice because you compromised to suit weather conditions that might last the other week, or maybe not at all, when looking at the last 10 years, seems a bit daft to me. Whatever you get to cope with the snow will be in the same traffic jam as everything else anyway. Anyway, don't you have a Jeep for when the snow's on the ground?

[mike65]

I don't thing tread pattern makes much difference in snow.

Tyre width is the killer though.

Todays trend id for nice wide tyres, look good but they lower the ground pressure.

Skinny tyres increase pressure, therefore more traction in snow.

Just look at rallying, Rally Finland (snow and ice) the tyres are remarkably narrow (ignore the studs).

From experience and people I know the following are not good in snow or ice. BMW X5 (especially 4.8I sport), Porsche Cayenne and the bif Audi one.

 

Whatever happens you will be stuck behind some idiot or unfortunate soul who is stuck.

There is a remedy for this but you need to be able to move them out of the way.

Only way I know of doing this with some speed and comfort is what Irefer to as the JCB GT.

 

Mike

[ruxy]

The correct tread pattern is all important , the subject research is complete - mandatory in winter months in many european countries , Google the subject and you will find such as this :-

--------------

There is no doubt that the government has a part to play. Something that would really help the UK market is legislation. A number of other EU countries have made the use of winter tyres a legal requirement and many offer specific winter recommendations. Without legislation, or at least official advice, it is always going to be difficult to encourage people to change life long habits. Even in a country like Sweden, where the need for winter tyres is quite visible, there were still a significant number of motorists driving without the appropriate tyres. That was until the government introduced legislation. In 1999, the government passed a law enforcing the use of season specific tyres. As a result, the total number of motorists using winter tyres went up 10 per cent by 2002, according to the Swedish National Road Administration. That may not sound like a huge amount, but the increase meant that nearly all drivers in the studied area (Östergötland) were using winter tyres.

[Gordon_M]

One for the daily driver, which cost about £20 from E-Pay, and one set on this;

 

 

 

It has the additional advantage that if someone really does do something silly in front of you then you can drive right over the mess.

 

Gordon

[Lord Burley]

If i were you i would go for a late TD4 Freelander. Car like handling. And with a proper set of tyres will be able to handle the type of weather we get here in the UK.

[Tony B]

If i were you i would go for a late TD4 Freelander. Car like handling. And with a proper set of tyres will be able to handle the type of weather we get here in the UK.

I know a lot would argue with argue with that. Not Land Rover's best product. Car first 4x4 second, I'd say the Volvo or the Subaru have it to perfection. The VX70 and the forester also have the added advantage of fitting in car parks.

[trustmeimamechanic]

"Why 'even' a Skoda? The local police use them and reckon they are great, especially the disiel"

 

Sorry didn't mean to be rude about Skoda's , just I started with the Audi Allroad which is not exactly the cheapest of cars even s/h , the newer Skoda's are just VW's with a different badge realy so are very good .

As others have said ... don't buy a 4x4 for one weeks bad weather a year , an all wheel drive car would be much better than even the smallest of the 4x4's .. eg - Freelander or whatever , they all are as airodynamic ( need spell checker :blush: ) as a brick and suffer from the school run image , an all wheel drive car or estate is much more discreet as most won't even notice its a 4wd .

If you need to tow heavy things and need to go off road then buy a Landcruiser or Landrover , anything else is just a compromise

[private mw]

well my car for work is a soft top suzuki jimny all that snow we had never stopped me going to work and getting home and i think theres only me that got up our estate and managed to get parked on my drive at night , very good on fuel too and never let me down , its our second car because not very practical for the shopping run or holiday trip no boot space , but i wouldnt be without it ,:-)

[honeileen]

I run 2 Pajero,s here one with road tyres and the other with off road/al terrain:-)

 

cos im too lazy to own one vehice and change the wheels over every time it snows!!

 

Christian

[Great War truck]

Some good advice there. Just to add to the fun, i need a six seater. so i am thinking of a Nissan Quashqai+2. I took it for a test drive and was very pleased with it. Anybody got any experience of them?

 

Tim

[Papav66]

Hi Tim,

 

When looking at cars I find the reviews by Honest John quite helpful, the link below is for the Qashqai so alot of the comments will apply to the +2

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/nissan/nissan-qashqai

[ashley]

[quote name=If you need to tow heavy things and need to go off road then buy a Landcruiser or Landrover , anything else is just a compromise

 

I must admitt when i brought my frontera ( after production ceased) and can`t really fault it for pulling power and nice to drive, it seemed at the time many of the 4x4 `s had a very low towing capability.

Ashley

[Tony B]

I can tell you one to avoid. A friend has just got a Toyota Priese as a company car. First day he phoned me, nearly incoherent. It had taken him twenty minutes to make the Bl**dy thing move!. :-D