jag x type 2.5

[chris yeatman]

just been out in dads x type in the snow, and because its a all wheel drive didnt slide once,
mite go and buy one lol :scratch:

[LVC]

Nice cars those :thumbsup:

[walpole68]

just did 30 miles in my tt quattro in 8-10 inches of snow with no problems,only trouble is im the only one at work !

[giler]

My little A3 1.9D Sport did me proud this morning, either it hasn't got enough power to slide :biggrin:or most people just cant drive:fou:

I was sensible and picked up two of the office staff on the way in so wouldn't be on my own (pure coincidence both women!).

[NattyBoy]

My Alpinas shocking. Rear wheel drive and front engine = 5hite traction ! Took 5 hours from birmingham last night (normally takes 1.5) and I nearly span it twice (having only got it back from the repairers on the 23rd!!)

Went out in the wifes RAV4 earlier (weve had a load of snow) and grip was mega. With a proper 4WD (low/High ratios and a lockable diff) you'd be laughing in this weather.

Spoke to Rich at Louigimoto yesterday and he was on his way to collect a dead 999 that wouldnt start. Who in the hell would want to ride an italian motorbike in this weather ?? Nutters !

[uksurfer]

my ranger did a fine job in 4x4 mode, got me to work safely :biggrin:

[MrsC_772]

In this weather, the Impreza P1 has become the sensible car! Huzzah for 4WD.

I'm with NattyBoy on the uselessness of beemers in the snow (I spent 15 minutes digging just to get it back on the drive in February last year).

[DaveM]

We got hit with the snow yesterday on the Ilse of Man and my Impreza was superb, constant 4wd with a permanent 50-50 split. Gave so much confidence while everyone around me was panicing and stressing out. It simply chugged away up hills past stranded and abandoned cars on the way to work without putting a wheel wrong.

I, like walpole68, was the only to actually make it into work. The boss called everyone to tell them to stay home, typical!! I stayed until about 11am then headed home via Tesco's for some breakfast and of course the obligatory play in the empty car park.

[LouSCannon]

Nope, you've all got the wrong car, the car you actually want is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTDNLUzjkpg&feature=player_embedded

[LVC]

Seriously awesome - I want one ..... even without the snow :thumbsup:

[chris yeatman]

Nope, you've all got the wrong car, the car you actually want is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTDNLUzjkpg&feature=player_embedded

how cool is that!!!!!!

[LouSCannon]

Would be great to pull up in the parking lot of Tescos with that bad boy!

[Thirdway]

I own a Beemer and an Octavia VRS. The VRS is front wheel drive and has rubber bands for tyres. Both cars are useless in the snow, but suprisingly the Beemer is better than the Octavia.

Did a bit of research on tyres:

Found out that 4WD is really a nonesense, it's the tyres you use. 4WD is maginally better, but if you use the proper tyres you can sail past in a BMW.

On the continent it is normal to use cold weather tyres for around 4 months of the year. These tyres are not classified as snow tyres even though they are quite at home on snow and ice. They look like normal tyres except the have a slightly different tread pattern and mor importantly are made with more natural rubber than the usual tyres. This means they work far better below 6 deg C which is what we get for 4 months of the year on average.

Grip on normal, cold wet roads is far better and you can just about drive around as you would on dry roads, even in the snow.

The continent have a far better set up for tyres. Dealers set up contracts which means you get the tyres changed with the seasons and the dealer stores your tyres for the rest of the time.

Ultimately you don't actually pay any more for tyres throughout the life of the car (unless you do very few miles), it just costs more upfront.

I'm considerng this for both our cars.

Those flat rubber bands that sit on the alloy wheels are designed to be much stiffer than high profile tyres. Essentially, if you have a powerful engine and rubber band tyres you may as well have skis on the wheels as traction is just about nil.

[LouSCannon]

Good points, apart from the 4WD being nonsense... it's more then just tyres when you compare a 4WD vehicle to a 2WD (Front or rear). You have to bear in mind low range gearing, traction control computers and intelligent differentials (Not to mention the skill of the driver).

I've been driving my other halfs little diesel Civic, and my 2.5 petrol turbo Mondeo in this weather and I've gotten past areas where 4WD have got stuck simply from experience and frankly blind luck.

The problem on slippery surfaces with standard 2WD vehicles is lack of traction, once a wheel spin starts most 2WD vehicles are rendered immobile, so the key is stopping any loss of traction in the first place, and the next stage is if it does occur being able to compensate for that loss of traction.

So yes, tyres can make a very big difference, however they are only one part of a much bigger picture. Dismissing 4WD is folly.

[Thirdway]

Good points, apart from the 4WD being nonsense... it's more then just tyres when you compare a 4WD vehicle to a 2WD (Front or rear). You have to bear in mind low range gearing, traction control computers and intelligent differentials (Not to mention the skill of the driver).

I've been driving my other halfs little diesel Civic, and my 2.5 petrol turbo Mondeo in this weather and I've gotten past areas where 4WD have got stuck simply from experience and frankly blind luck.

The problem on slippery surfaces with standard 2WD vehicles is lack of traction, once a wheel spin starts most 2WD vehicles are rendered immobile, so the key is stopping any loss of traction in the first place, and the next stage is if it does occur being able to compensate for that loss of traction.

So yes, tyres can make a very big difference, however they are only one part of a much bigger picture. Dismissing 4WD is folly.

The bit that touches the road provides braking, traction and steering. 4WD does traction but without decent tyres you may as well drive a normal vehicle . I have owned 4WD drive vehicles and have found that they struggle just as much as a 2wd vehicle. Fit the right tyres and a 4WD will be better than a 2 WD, otherwise there is not a lot to choose between them.

Have a look a topgears attempt at climbing a bank in an X6. Not only could it not get up, but with the handbrake on and the back wheels locked solid, it continued to slide backwards down the slope.

So, I'm not dismissing 4WD vehicles, because with the right tyres they can get place 2 WD vehicles can only dream of. However with a set of low profile road tyres they are only marginally better than the equivalent 2WD regardless of the applied technology.

[jerry]

How reliable are the X type Jags ..arnt they tarted up MUNDANOS ,, the 2.5 Mondeo cost £54,000 in Thailand and the Jag is £103,000

[LouSCannon]

Sorry chap, you've contradicted yourself there...

The Top Gear test of the X6 was to show how a 4WD vehicle without low range and correct diffs fails, was little to do with tyres?

And I'm not discounting the fact tyres make a big difference at all, in fact you quoted me saying they make a very big difference, but you originally called 4WD nonsense, yet go on to say they are not? *confused*

[LouSCannon]

How reliable are the X type Jags ..arnt they tarted up MUNDANOS ,, the 2.5 Mondeo cost £54,000 in Thailand and the Jag is £103,000

Pretty much, but based on the last model Mondeo... which in itself is a good car (Albeit boring). Things like the clocks were straight lifted out of the Mondeo in to the Jag, think it was the same wheelbase, not sure about the engines though...

[uksurfer]

not sure about the comparison between the 2wd and 4wd, but i'm sure the x6 wouldn't be classed as a 4wd as in 4x4 type 'trucks' IMHO. My ranger has been fine in the snow, purely feel safer than in a 2wd, theres no computerised technology in it, but you can spin 4 wheels at the same time which is fun :woot:

[Thirdway]

Sorry chap, you've contradicted yourself there...

The Top Gear test of the X6 was to show how a 4WD vehicle without low range and correct diffs fails, was little to do with tyres?

And I'm not discounting the fact tyres make a big difference at all, in fact you quoted me saying they make a very big difference, but you originally called 4WD nonsense, yet go on to say they are not? *confused*

If you read my first post you would have picked up that what I was saying was that 4WD does make a difference, however, when you stick on rubber band summer tyres on any car, ultimately there is little difference.

Top Gear were trying to prove that low ratios and diff locks were required for off road work and thats precisely what they are for (not for normal road use). However, if you noticed the car was sliding backwards down the slope with the rear wheels locked solid. That's simple physics, the tyres just did not have sufficient traction regardless of the 4WD etc. Thats why skis are made of nice hard, slippery materials and not grippy rubber and you don't see rally cars on slicks.

This should provethe point http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXuhfwY74b8

[jerry]

Winter tyres like they have in Scandanavia would help all our cars ...in Finland its mandatory to change your wheels and tyres from normal summer type to winter grip tyres most scandinavians have a spare set of wheels to fit. the winter grade tyres are not fitted with chains but have a special rubber formula that is very gritty . the same law applies in spring when the wheels have to be changed again as the winter tyres are dangerous as temp rises.

[DaveM]

when you stick on rubber band summer tyres on any car, ultimately there is little difference.

These are what I have on my Impreza, they are in large track day tyres rather than your average road tyres

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb81/cupradave/My%20Scoob/DSC_0240.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb81/cupradave/My%20Scoob/CupraDave31.jpg

As you can probably gather from the pics the car has been built around track days and quick sunny Sunday runs around the TT course but I had no issues what so ever getting to work when the snow hit the Island on Tuesday where everyone else was slipping, sliding and getting stuck

I have to agree with LouSCannon, a huge chunk of it is down to driver skill. I am by no means saying I am the best driver in the world but I pride myself in being able to drive confidently in all conditions, I actually really enjoy driving in the snow which makes it quite a bit easier too as I am just as relaxed in the snow as I am on a sunny Sunday run