mk1-forum.net

Is it me?
As a Londoner, the only serious snow I remember was the 1962/63 winter conditions when I was in my early teens. Blue Peter spec sledge used for at least 3 months and then converted to a 4 wheel contraption with foot steering and safety ropes if the legs did not react in time.
Raymod Baxter was promoting the Mini with its front wheel drive on snow.
I have Discovery images of a 4x4 which appears to have slid backwards on the Wrynose pass.
Modern 4 x 4 cars have fantastic qualities but are they communicated to the purchaser on delivery or is it an optional extra to purchase.
In the mod 1980s I had a BMW and the dealer offered a day at the Nurburgring, for reasonable fee to learn how to drive the powerful car.
Do car dealers offer this facility now? What about the hand over of a modern home car.
Please discuss.

Mercedes World at Brooklands & Porsche Silverstone offer their good set ups for basic & advanced Driver "experiences" ..just a matter of how much you want to pay?
Best thing i ever purchased for my Son was a Defensive Driver Training day held at Silverstone this gave that young Driver their confidence in Car Control & back then.. 5% off his Insurance premium.
Grandson (13) got his surprise Xmas present .. Young Drivers Training .. Vauxhall Astra with Dual control on private ground, he will be learning to drive at Bicester Heritage.

A lot of winter driving is very basic in my humble opinion and experience - or lack of it. First, go prepared to sit tight for 24 hours. But before you do go out in the heavy rain and snow, remember that slushy sleet is worse than snow and as soon as your car starts to struggle or slips, it's time to go back to where you were safe.

I recall standing at a snowed in/snoowbound country road in South Oxfordshire, telling motorists that they couldn't go any further......... when along comes a dickhead who's got his kids in the car who explained to me that he was taking them out to see the snow. He eventually took notice of what we said after my pal told him in n uncertain terms that if he went 1 metre further, past us, he was being arrested for endangering his kids life.

I know....., I know....., a bit harsh and maybe exceeding our authority but needs must. Even we were in borrowed Land Rovers!

Personally I think a lot of winter driving is down to two things, reading the conditions and tyres. Modern cars have so much done for you now you don't have to do anything, they even steer for you !!! and I think that has removed the big part of been able to read the conditions as you expect the car to do it for you and tyres, no matter how good the car is if you have road tyres they will never be any good in snow or slush. Ice, well it is just good luck as nothing works apart from chains and studs.
Them vehicles up on Wyrnose, just numties thinking because they have a 4x4 they can do anything because they have a switch which says they can

I had a Merc 190e fitted with Mich Cross Climate tyres a few years ago. It would drive better in the snow than nearly all the modern 4x4 on standard road tyres. The trick seemed to be that the fine tread pattern would fill with snow which in turn stuck to snow and ice on the road, a bit like snow "Socks". Loved asking drivers of modern cars to move over if they were stuck and then just trundle past them .

Winter tyres make such a difference, as the Sweeds say winter tyres first 4x4 second.

A good few years ago I was driving home from work on Cumbrian fell roads in my Seat Arosa with winter tyres,I passed cars going up the Corney fell a feat in its self and then a bit further down the road up hill I passed a Discovery spinning it's wheels.

I don't need to drive to work anymore but still have winter tryes on my Skoda Superb 4x4 for added piece of mind.

Forgot to mention the roads were a bit Snowy at the time

All season (or winter) M&S tyres and common sense. Unfortunately neither seem to be on the radar for most people at this time of year. You still get tail gated by muppets irrespective of the conditions.

The first snow I drove in was 40 years ago so December 84-Jan 85, in a Mini 1000. It was fine of course.

But then most ordinary cars were ok in snow such as Escorts, Cortinas, Maxis etc. The secret was skinny tyres. A ton or so on four well treaded 165 radials got the job done.

Yesterday I had to laugh at some electric VW crap spinning it's very wide rear wheels on the shallowest of inclines.

I don't drive in snow these days. I trust my driving, but not that of others.

Best car I ever had for snow was a 1937 Ford I had in Hight School. Skinny tires not much power and mechanical brakes that would barely lock up the wheels. Car would go almost anywhere.

I'm in the northeast US, where we *used* to get a lot of snow...not so much nowadays. But I'm always amazed on the new MINI groups in the area how many people purchase snow wheel/tire packages and use the same wide widths they use on their summer tires. Big 205 wide snow tires when they could have used 185s or even 175s - and spent less money as well!

Lining up at an indoor ski slope with an Audi A1 2WD facing off against an Audi SQ7 AWD....

"In normal conditions, you’d think this would be a walkover for the SQ7. After all, it’s powered by a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 that can put down 507hp and 770Nm! In comparison, the Audi A1 only has a little 1-litre 3-cylinder under the bonnet that’s only good for 110hp and 200Nm. It’s also only available with front-wheel drive, while the SQ7 has all-wheel drive. However, the A1 has an ace up its sleeve. It’s had some winter tyres fitted, while the SQ7 only has summer tyres on and of course, let’s not forget that the A1 is a whole lot lighter, tipping the scales at 1,130kg. In comparison, the SQ7 weighs a whopping 2,265kg!"

2WD Winter tyres vs AWD Summer tyres:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm98DrOgSmc

I could watch about 30 seconds of that. Typical CarWow which is braying halfwits shouting and being LADZ.

Watch from 3 mins to 3.30.

The A1 wins, btw.

Costafortune wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2025 12:56 pm I could watch about 30 seconds of that. Typical CarWow which is braying halfwits shouting and being LADZ.

Watch from 3 mins to 3.30.

The A1 wins, btw.

I just use the 'Fast Forward' to cut to the chase in 'you tube' videos with any 'braying halfwits' intros....
I do the same with many car shows on TV (except 'Bangers & Cash'). Also only watch any TV with ads recorded or delayed enough to FF through all the ads (which makes a 1 hour show approx 45minutes)....even the BBC channels (which I avoid watching wherever possible) now seem to have endless mind numbing ads about their other 'woke' shows in between every programme.