If I see any more snow this weekend I'm going to get the 18's shod with proper winter tyres and get them back on.
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Grip in snow
- Thread starter stuarttunstall
- Start date
If I see any more snow this weekend I'm going to get the 18's shod with proper winter tyres and get them back on.
If I see any more snow this weekend I'm going to get the 18's shod with proper winter tyres and get them back on.
Same for me Warren, if this is going to become the norm - on the basis winter tyres are better for this time of year generally, it will become standard practice for people to run summer tyres in the summer and winter tyres the rest of the year. They should last a couple of winters due to the harder compound so it really is money well spent. My old LC Tdi was utterly cack in the snow too - over tyred and over torqued.
I put my standard 17's on for the winter, but have never needed winter tyres on them.
Looks like the snow is here to stay for a while so I'm going to find a set of Wintrac Extremes (local tyre exchange said he's getting another delivery from Holland on Monday).
Looks like the snow is here to stay for a while so I'm going to find a set of Wintrac Extremes (local tyre exchange said he's getting another delivery from Holland on Monday).
How much are people paying for their Wintrac's?
I've seen them for £600 fully fitted for 225/40/R18.
How many people have bothered with different wheels - steelies or otherwise?
I've seen them for £600 fully fitted for 225/40/R18.
How many people have bothered with different wheels - steelies or otherwise?
cyberman
Guest
My Leon FR is not ideal on the ice, snow is ok but ice is 'interesting'!
If there is any kind of incline I find I have to be in second gear and very careful to only put minimal power to the wheels.
A 2.0TFSi engine is not the best for ice!
Not that the new Leon FR diesel I have ordered will be much better I suspect.
If there is any kind of incline I find I have to be in second gear and very careful to only put minimal power to the wheels.
A 2.0TFSi engine is not the best for ice!
Not that the new Leon FR diesel I have ordered will be much better I suspect.
Camskill have 225/40/R18 for £130 each (but no stock at the moment!). Add on about £15 each for fitting then it'll be about £600.
The smaller diameter wheel the better really, but I have 18" Audi alloys for summer use & swap over to my standard 17" Sport alloys for winter use.
I've found my Cupra to be OK in the current snowy/icey conditions.
I have to get up and down a hill to before I can reach a clear road.
I turn off the ESP, stick it in second gear and as Martin Brundle says tread on the throttle so carefully imagine there is an egg underneath it and you are trying not to break it!!
I took out Mrs Saintelise's A4 Cabrio this afternoon and it felt nowhere near as good as my car.
Now I am no driving God I'm sure, although I have been at it nearly 26 years - the one thing I have done is some tuition on an old fashioned skid pan at Goodwood - covered in oil and water, much slippier than you can imagine, but they teach you to be so gentle with your throttle and steering inputs because any sudden movements and you will lose control.
As I've also said before, last car was an Elise, no driver aids at all, very light and semi-slick track biased tyres - probably the reason why the Cupra feels so well planted in most conditions to me.
I have to get up and down a hill to before I can reach a clear road.
I turn off the ESP, stick it in second gear and as Martin Brundle says tread on the throttle so carefully imagine there is an egg underneath it and you are trying not to break it!!
I took out Mrs Saintelise's A4 Cabrio this afternoon and it felt nowhere near as good as my car.
Now I am no driving God I'm sure, although I have been at it nearly 26 years - the one thing I have done is some tuition on an old fashioned skid pan at Goodwood - covered in oil and water, much slippier than you can imagine, but they teach you to be so gentle with your throttle and steering inputs because any sudden movements and you will lose control.
As I've also said before, last car was an Elise, no driver aids at all, very light and semi-slick track biased tyres - probably the reason why the Cupra feels so well planted in most conditions to me.
turbopete
Guest
I'm finding the ice a little tricky- although the welsh hills are a large factor! Grip can come and go even under light acceleration, but braking has given me a bit of a scare. Rolling slowly down a hill with some kids on the road in front of me I lost all traction... fortunately they shifted just in time- but the car was not for stopping till much further on!!
Thorgen
Guest
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6af_1263062691
Someone from the forums?
If it's that slippery and you don't have proper winter tyres, how stupid one must be to try driving on it?
Someone from the forums?
If it's that slippery and you don't have proper winter tyres, how stupid one must be to try driving on it?
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6af_1263062691
Someone from the forums?
If it's that slippery and you don't have proper winter tyres, how stupid one must be to try driving on it?
Thats funny
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6af_1263062691
Someone from the forums?
If it's that slippery and you don't have proper winter tyres, how stupid one must be to try driving on it?
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=249505&highlight=brave
The driver confesses here
How you finding the Mx5 in the snow Mark, have you kitted it with winter / snow rubber or have you put it away till next year? I'm guessing you've been out powersliding all over the place
Sooty torques
Oooh, careful love.......
Not wanting to sound like an old fart (but utlimately seeming to), but...
Have to agree that it's *mostly* down to driver technique and of course, experience... Being the wrong-side-of-50 means that "severe" (yeah, right...) weather conditions are not new to me or the wife. I remember when they used to show Road Safety ads on the telly in winter advising how to drive in snow and ice - they made a lot of sense and I still remember their mantra: high gear as poss / low revs as poss (just above stalling) / plenty of stopping space / plenty of space to manouevre if the guy in front gets stuck / etc etc.
We live on a road with an incline - not steep - but have a very steep drive to get up to the house. Neither the wife in her Yaris D4D nor myself have had any problems, neither getting out and to / from work or visiting / shopping... But the neighbours, mostly young-ish (who park on the road outside) and deliveries are a joke: 1st gear, foot flat on floor, spin tyres until the engine is screaming and tyres are smoking.
Which of course "polishes" the road surface and ice to make it more difficult for everyone else!
And then of course they moan it's the Government's / Council's / Gritter's / Snowplough's fault...
If I say anything, they just say: "Yeah, but your's is a diesel..." I don't mention the 15 yrs on m/cycles in all weathers or the similar number in petrol powered cars...
Have to agree that it's *mostly* down to driver technique and of course, experience...
Being the wrong-side-of-50 means that "severe" (yeah, right...) weather conditions are not new to me or the wife. I remember when they used to show Road Safety ads on the telly in winter advising how to drive in snow and ice - they made a lot of sense and I still remember their mantra: high gear as poss / low revs as poss (just above stalling) / plenty of stopping space / plenty of space to manouevre if the guy in front gets stuck / etc etc.We live on a road with an incline - not steep - but have a very steep drive to get up to the house. Neither the wife in her Yaris D4D nor myself have had any problems, neither getting out and to / from work or visiting / shopping... But the neighbours, mostly young-ish (who park on the road outside) and deliveries are a joke: 1st gear, foot flat on floor, spin tyres until the engine is screaming and tyres are smoking.
Which of course "polishes" the road surface and ice to make it more difficult for everyone else!And then of course they moan it's the Government's / Council's / Gritter's / Snowplough's fault...
If I say anything, they just say: "Yeah, but your's is a diesel..." I don't mention the 15 yrs on m/cycles in all weathers or the similar number in petrol powered cars... 
Not wanting to sound like an old fart (but utlimately seeming to), but...
Have to agree that it's *mostly* down to driver technique and of course, experience...
We live on a road with an incline - not steep - but have a very steep drive to get up to the house. Neither the wife in her Yaris D4D nor myself have had any problems, neither getting out and to / from work or visiting / shopping... But the neighbours, mostly young-ish (who park on the road outside) and deliveries are a joke: 1st gear, foot flat on floor, spin tyres until the engine is screaming and tyres are smoking.
And then of course they moan it's the Government's / Council's / Gritter's / Snowplough's fault...
I agree. The only thing that has stopped me so far was a 4 - 5 foot drift! Even gave a Land Rover Discovery a fright, but eventually both of us got out. My brother couldnt even open the door on his side of the car!
Have to agree with sooty, me and my Cupra have not had any real problems with the weather.
1. Plan your journey (avoid hills / side roads where poss.).
2. Make all input steady and smooth.
3. Leave plenty of room between the vehicle in front.
4. Brake with in plenty of time.
1. Plan your journey (avoid hills / side roads where poss.).
2. Make all input steady and smooth.
3. Leave plenty of room between the vehicle in front.
4. Brake with in plenty of time.
For me and a lot of others that would mean staying at home...
I know if Id not been using winter tyres, Id have been forced to take 2 days off last week.
Agreed though, a big part of it is down to the driver, but it heavily depends on the roads you travel on.
I only JUST managed to get home on Friday, judging by the number of abandoned cars a lot of people werent so lucky - and if Id been ina Cupra/FR etc with summer tyres I'd have been one of them.
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I've had my first real problem in the snow today.
Strangely, as the snow has thawed a little, it's become more difficult to get traction, especially down the back lane where I live.
It's become deep & slushy, so the slightest bit of throttle spins the wheels. Even when crawling along in a straight line the car slides around & is difficult to control.
So, I've just ordered a set of 205/50 R17 Wintrac Extremes. 225/45 17 are out of stock everywhere!
Strangely, as the snow has thawed a little, it's become more difficult to get traction, especially down the back lane where I live.
It's become deep & slushy, so the slightest bit of throttle spins the wheels. Even when crawling along in a straight line the car slides around & is difficult to control.
So, I've just ordered a set of 205/50 R17 Wintrac Extremes. 225/45 17 are out of stock everywhere!
^^^^far cheaper to just crawl along in first gear on tickover until you get out of your back lane and onto a clear road. 
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