Cars for the snow. What's surprisingly good?

[Gritt23]

Okay chaps, and chapesses, we've had a fair bit of time on the snowy roads this winter, what cars are working and what's not?

Personally, I've been slipping and sliding around in a Mercedes C-class, and if I come to a stop, it's serious heart in mouth about whether I will have the traction to move away again. This morning I finally listened to the wife and tried her car, and blimey, the little Rover 200 skipped through the snow like it was made for the job. I was like Richard Hammond skipping across the Makgadikgadi in his little Opal Kadet. The wife's car is now officially to be known as Oliver.

So it's a :

Merc C-class -
Rover 200 -

What say the rest of you?

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

BMW=Toilet
Renault Megane=Excellent.

 

[Icy Gull]

A front wheel drive car is much much better in the snow than rear wheel drive, hence BMW's and Mercedes drivers look like the dicks, quite a few of them are, when trying to drive in the snow and ice

 

[strings]

My Mum was moaning about her merc A-class sliding yesterday. I've had no problems with my 206 (except the doors freezing shut). My other half has been fine with her yaris too, which has been surprisingly good, but slightly sluggish on main (non-icy) roads.

 

[burrish-gull]

My Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8LS Automatic went like a dream, a combination of the automatic gearbox and proven reliability makes this car a winner in the snow

 

[severnside gull]

Skoda Octavia - no problem

 

[backson]

I saw a 20 year old Range Rover at the end of last week, with mahoosive chunky tyres on it.

As I thought to myself "THATS the car to have in this weather", it went round the bend, and one of the back doors flew open, and continued to bang as it drove down the road.

 

[Badger]

Okay chaps, and chapesses, we've had a fair bit of time on the snowy roads this winter, what cars are working and what's not?

Personally, I've been slipping and sliding around in a Mercedes C-class, and if I come to a stop, it's serious heart in mouth about whether I will have the traction to move away again. This morning I finally listened to the wife and tried her car, and blimey, the little Rover 200 skipped through the snow like it was made for the job. I was like Richard Hammond skipping across the Makgadikgadi in his little Opal Kadet. The wife's car is now officially to be known as Oliver.

So it's a :

Merc C-class -
Rover 200 -

What say the rest of you?

Funny you should say that but my brother had a similar experience. He couldn't even get his Vauxhall Zafira off the drive but his battered old Rover 200 (with a walnut dash for executive status) eats up icy roads for breakfast.

 

[C17BHA]

Citroen Saxo has done the business for me...registration H17 BHA.

 

[john baldock]

Chelsea tractor for us in Gloucester been a god send

 

[gullshark]

Celica GT-Four = excellento.

 

[robbie c]

my C class Merc cant get up my hill as the traction control cuts off all power; my daughter's Y Reg Fiesta is doing fine and dandy!

 

[Gritt23]

My Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8LS Automatic went like a dream, a combination of the automatic gearbox and proven reliability makes this car a winner in the snow

Not sure it's down to the automatic gearbox or the reliability, as my Merc has both of those, but getting it moving from a standstill is a lottery .... oh, and turning corners, it won't do that in the snow either. That's proved to be a slight drawback.

 

[ManxSeagull]

My Lexus GS300 great fun for power slides but useless if I have to stop and move off again on anything slighltly more than flat.

Wife's Toyota Auris no problems at all.

 

[scooter1]

My Audi A4 estate, 1.9TDi auto has been fine. Good heavy oil burning engine over the front wheels has made for good traction. On a couple of steep hills i've had to resort to using a towing gear, but still done the job

 

[Da Man Clay]

My Rover 214 has been brilliant

 

[beorhthelm]

i think this demostrates how front wheel drive cars flatter the drivers abilities.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

A front wheel drive car is much much better in the snow than rear wheel drive, hence BMW's and Mercedes drivers look like the dicks, quite a few of them are, when trying to drive in the snow and ice

I haven't even been able to get my 3 series or my wife's mini off the drive, let alone on the road. Luckily we've got a spare freelander at work which is great in the snow & ice. Next car will be a 4x4.

 

[Bombardier]

Got a Mazda 6 estate, which is the rare(ish) sport4 and has permanent 4 wheel drive. So far it's been no issue as long as I don't get too carried away. I have to say, I did laugh whilst passing a C class Merc trying to get up snakey hill the other day. These rear wheel drivecars, eh?

What amazes me more than anything else is the dicks who still use their mobile phones whilst trying to navigate the snow drive around with no lights in the dark. Time for a rethink on the driving test renewal conversation!

 

[Giraffe]

Audi A4 Quattro Convertible - Excellent
Wife's VW Touran - shit. Got stuck and had to be pushed out with the latter. Bloody rear wheel drives, what's the point of them.