4motion and winter tyres Versus 2 wheel drive and winter tyr

Californiaman · Nov 20, 2013

Re: 4motion and winter tyres Versus 2 wheel drive and winter

Deflate the tyres a bit... and you'll get a lot more grip.

Want to go round corners fast in the ice, get a subaru with active torque dynamics - want to stop fast, get a Jimny. Want to make lots of noise get a car with studs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmYxvAcnVys

TwentyOneThirtyFive · Nov 20, 2013

Re: 4motion and winter tyres Versus 2 wheel drive and winter

Californiaman said:
Deflate the tyres a bit... and you'll get a lot more grip

This is true and a 12v compressor is small and easy to store in the van.

KernowLad · Nov 20, 2013

Re: 4motion and winter tyres Versus 2 wheel drive and winter

Teenboy; snap! Put ours on yesterday but a bolt snapped doing the tracking and I have just spent half of today not sorting it out.
However the dealer has made a rather interesting offer on changing it for an m135i, which the Winters would fit onto...

Is your Cali 4mo?

reserves · Feb 6, 2015

Having driven my old Audi S4 quattro in snow on normal tyres, I'll be looking at some snow tyres for my next Alpes trip!

marshian70 · Feb 6, 2015

I have a rear wheel drive BMW 3 series and having used winter tyres the past two winters now I can confirm they make a huge difference. Definately worth the investment if you intend to keep a vehicle for any reasonably length of time as it saves wear on the summer tyres too.

GrannyJen · Feb 6, 2015

I am often surprised that there is even a debate. 4WD on summer tyres is a vehicle on summer tyres, end of story.

If you are going where you are likely to encounter ice and snow then why compromise safety, security and mobility? We can spend hundreds, thousands, on accessories to make it look good and barely think about it and then debate endlessly as to whether to spend hundreds on extra rubber to keep you, and anyone near you, safe.

bvirc · Feb 6, 2015

I really don't understand why media in the UK constantly repeat a claim "There are lots of tests around the web showing 2 wheel drive with winter tyres beating the traction of 4 wheel drive with normal tyres."
It's like comparing pineapple and apples, it makes no sense at all and it's misleading.
The California 4motion is my 4th car equipped with 4motion (Skoda Octavia, VW Passat and VW Tiguan) - no reliability issues at all in all those years.
It's more expensive, it takes some power and acceleration and adds some additional fuel consumption - you have to decide by ourself.
But for driving on muddy or snowy/icy roads, it does the job - I do a lot of winter trips to the Alps, no problems so far.
But for some tricky descents on steep ice, I would definitely have snow chains for backup. Cali is a heavy vehicle.

rippers · Feb 6, 2015

I've gone for 2wd but will get a set of steels with winter tyres. When that inevitable day arrives when I get stuck on a camp site and a Tractor pulls me out I'm sure the £5K+ I saved will help ease the pain lol

GrannyJen · Feb 6, 2015

It's all horses for courses. Where and when you camp, where you want to get to etc.

4WD is essential for me, I rarely use campsites, rarely can bank on a nice man with a tractor. The same with winter tyres, apart from anything else they are mandatory in a lot of places I might want to go to, and had I not had them fitted a couple of weeks ago then a very nice policeman would have turned me round and a 2-3 hour 85 mile diversion would have been the penalty.

If I was sensible then I probably would not need either, nice campsites in summer and shoulder seasons in warm places but sadly normality is not an adjective that I am often graced with

briwy · Feb 6, 2015

I agree totally with jen, its all about where and when you go.
We have the 4Motion Cali and a 4wd Yeti. I fit separate steel wheels with winter tyres at the end of November to both as either get used to go down to the Pyrenees in winter and sometimes have to cope with conditions like this
Snow | VW California Club
All personal preference and being sensible really but I agree it's the winter tyres that make the most difference, the 4wd makes it even better.

GrannyJen · Feb 6, 2015

Well, sadly it looks like Nordkapp for me in March is off, and even more sadly the far North of Scotland next week is going to be warmer than at home in Sussex :shocked

If I wanted heat and oil then I would trundle over to Qatar ...

dannosail · Feb 7, 2015

If it's muddy fields you are worried about I think the 4WD is worth the money although it is always a trade off of the increased cost vs the number of times you really need it. Better tyres clearly make a difference but the 4WD drive will win out.

For snow the use of snow chains or socks leaves more options. On compacted snow, my Cali with snow socks on the front could keep up with my brother's Range Rover Sport on normals. I agree that FWD with winter tyres or snow socks <=> 4WD normal. In deep-ish snow, I wonder if a FWD with chains is much worse off than a 4WD on winters?

MCh1777 · Feb 8, 2015

I have a couple of vehicles which have switchable 2WD/4WD (a small Kubota tractor and a John Deere Gator). Both are designed for off-road use and have very 'knobbly' tyres; even so it's surprising how often they get stuck on slippery mud in 2WD. Switching to 4WD always gets me moving again. Very reassuring.

Also, I recently went on a Land Rover Experience course and was amazed at what 4WD is capable of. I did the course in the new Range Rover Sport and you just press the 'get me through this in one piece' button and the car does the rest!

I'm not sure how all this is relevant to my 4-motion Cali but I am convinced about the benefits of 4WD. And the 4-motion isn't a particularly expensive option (when compared to things like xenons, rear view camera, wifi, SATNAV, fancy wheels etc).

GrannyJen · Feb 8, 2015

Are

MCh1777 said:
I have a couple of vehicles which have switchable 2WD/4WD (a small Kubota tractor and a John Deere Gator). Both are designed for off-road use and have very 'knobbly' tyres; even so it's surprising how often they get stuck on slippery mud in 2WD. Switching to 4WD always gets me moving again. Very reassuring.

Also, I recently went on a Land Rover Experience course and was amazed at what 4WD is capable of. I did the course in the new Range Rover Sport and you just press the 'get me through this in one piece' button and the car does the rest!

I'm not sure how all this is relevant to my 4-motion Cali but I am convinced about the benefits of 4WD. And the 4-motion isn't a particularly expensive option (when compared to things like xenons, rear view camera, wifi, SATNAV, fancy wheels etc).

I love the Gator.

Up to a year ago I lived in a very isolated and rural part of Somerset.

I came home from a posh frock event, still with my posh frock and tiara on, my BMW could not get up the lane. Sensibly I parked up at the local pub and called my Sister who came down the lane in the only vehicle that could make it in the snow.

The pics of me in my heels, long frock, swish coat and swished hair getting into a gator to go home in adorned the walls of that bar for two years