How many here have 4 Motion? Worth it?

[WelshGas]

Yes, but they are normally high performance vehicles with lots of power. Cali would be better suited to bigger suspension travel and decent 4wd.
Volkswagen were thinking about releasing a variant called Rocktron or something a couple of years ago, with this sort of setup and more robust body mountings.
Would be good to see something like that released

Mm mm. The Rocktron is available from VW but not in a camper format and I'm not sure the Fiats Panda 4wd or the Yeti amongst others would qualify as high performance.
Each to his own, but I just find the 4Motion more planted on the road especially in the winter and on switchback roads as in the Ardeche, Alps or the Pyrenees.
There are many videos of standard and raised 4Motions strutting their stuff with the big boys and they do quite well, but if it is not a 365 day vehicle used here, there and everywhere then the extra cost may not be worthwhile for most owners.

 

[JohnnyP]

What is the best type of tyre to improve grip on campsites with wet grass / muddy conditions on a Cali with 2wd. Will an all weather tyre give a significant improvement?

 

[bvddobb]

Mm mm. The Rocktron is available from VW but not in a camper format

Have a look here. They are really nice campers, we saw quite a number of them at the 4Motion Offroad Festival in May this year. Love the roof setup.

 

[WelshGas]

Have a look here. They are really nice campers, we saw quite a number of them at the 4Motion Offroad Festival in May this year. Love the roof setup.

I agree. What I meant was VW do not sell a California based on the Rockton. There are camper conversions based on the Rockton.

 

[VW Cali]

4 Wheel Drive is not just for Off Road. Many cars nowadays have 4 Wheel Drive and not for Off Road use but for the driving benefits it brings.

Very true.

My Cali will be the first non 4 WD car in the household for 4 years.

In some cases they are overkill. In others not so. Because of a rather steep hill near the house in winters the 4x4 SUV helps....

For high performance sports cars the 4WD also helps.

However, I can also say the quality of tyres for winter driving matters a lot. Some of the high prrformance tyres for high end sports car are like ice pucks. No 4 WD compensates there.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Very true.

My Cali will be the first non 4 WD car in the household for 4 years.

In some cases they are overkill. In others not so. Because of a rather steep hill near the house in winters the 4x4 SUV helps....

For high performance sports cars the 4WD also helps.

However, I can also say the quality of tyres for winter driving matters a lot. Some of the high prrformance tyres for high end sports car are like ice pucks. No 4 WD compensates there.

That's a very good point about tyres.
I was skiing two years ago in France and got talking to the taxi driver (T5 Multivan) assumed it was 4 motion being at 2000m in the Alps in winter. No he said not required, just decent winter tyres. I was gob-smacked...!!!

 

[soulstyledevon]

Having crunched the numbers using the current UK road tax Bands and average mileages etc, it seems the 150PS 4Motion 6 Speed, would cost about £150 more to run annually than the 150PS DSG. I've no idea on Insurance costs for either model option though - that might skew the whole cost-dynamic completely of course!

What's the cost of 4 motion...???
That would definitely be a deciding factor for me. To expensive, I would give it a miss. If it isn't to costly, then why not go for it, unless your worried about extra fuel consumption. Which I'm personally not to fussed about. My other car is a Porsche and it's not what you would call economical, especially the way I drive it

 

[BarryC]

live in French Alps so 4M was top of the list. I would suggest the diff lock would be wanted by anyone wanting 4M also.

 

[Digger]

Mercedes E class useless in snow. Fit winter tyres and it is transformed. Tyres make more difference than realised but 4 wheel drive with proper tyres is even better.

 

[BarryC]

Mercedes E class useless in snow. Fit winter tyres and it is transformed. Tyres make more difference than realised but 4 wheel drive with proper tyres is even better.

As someone with 4 years living in the Alps I would agree 100pc with this. I'd rather have 2WD with Winter Tyres than 4WD on summer tyres in snow. Chains and Socks are a giant pain in the butt.

 

[VW Cali]

What's the cost of 4 motion...???
That would definitely be a deciding factor for me. To expensive, I would give it a miss. If it isn't to costly, then why not go for it, unless your worried about extra fuel consumption. Which I'm personally not to fussed about. My other car is a Porsche and it's not what you would call economical, especially the way I drive it

Is yours a 911, and if so, a 911 4S or 911 turbo (which is also all wheel drive).

One of my abiding memories from Dec 2010 is being in my BMW X5 4.8 litre V8 with 370bhp. The massive snow storm meant the 35 mile journey from London to country house took 5 hours.

Worse, when finally in middle of town, had to go around a sharp little round about at super slow speed. This had a camber into railings towards the pedestrian crossing. I just managed to stop the X5 from sliding sideways into the railing. But everytime I tried to move forward it wanted to slide sideways to smash its side and the rails.

With bumper on bumper traffic, I thought about the hilarity of a spanking new X5 unable to handle the snow and ice, while little Ford Fiestas had made it through. I could imagine the pics in the town paper the next day. Finally, in desperation, I reached into fhe glove box, read the instruction manual, and found a button for icy and low traction conditions. Pressed that and the car was on its way...

Now during the same storm, 2 of my other cars then, my favourite old BMW 740 sport, and the new BMW 750i, were totally useless. But our station car, a 2001 Ford Mondeo, had no issues at all. Off it would go, no slipping and sliding from 2.0 litre petrol engine and front wheel drive.

For sports cars too, I recently changed tyes on mine. It is 4 wheel drive, naturally aspirated 550bhp. It has remarkable handling and control. But below 7C temperature at times it seemed like it wanted to be next Torvill and Dean. Changed the tyres and hey presto, totally transformed.

So I have learned a few things.....

 

[soulstyledevon]

No running a Cayman S 987.2. It's more of a toy, the Cali is used for the day to day stuff.
I wouldn't buy a carrera 4s simply because I would want the trills of a tail happy 300+bhp rear wheel drive machine that has the serious potential of killing me. That's what makes it exciting
Saying that, if it was my only vehicle I could see why a 4s might be the thinking mans choice, especially in rain soaked England.

BMW are renowned for their ability in the snow. What with the engine in the front and the drive at the rear.
Absolute nightmare...!!!

 

[VW Cali]

No running a Cayman S 987.2. It's more of a toy, the Cali is used for the day to day stuff.
I wouldn't buy a carrera 4s simply because I would want the trills of a tail happy 300+bhp rear wheel drive machine that has the serious potential of killing me. That's what makes it exciting
Saying that, if it was my only vehicle I could see why a 4s might be the thinking mans choice, especially in rain soaked England.

BMW are renowned for their ability in the snow. What with the engine in the front and the drive at the rear.
Absolute nightmare...!!!

Absolutely love the Cayman S and Boxter. Best cars that Porsche make because of the mid engined layout...

I nearly got the Boxter S 4 years ago. Instead now driving a mid engined 4 wheel drive naturally aspirated 550bhp 2 seater I can't see myself ever selling...

Thus the Cali....plus keeping the BMW 4x4 for now. If Cali good enough as DD may sell the Beamer...

 

[kave]

BMW are renowned for their ability in the snow. What with the engine in the front and the drive at the rear.
Absolute nightmare...!!!

I drive a 520D 2011 and that is fantastic in snow, well balanced and drives really well due to the close to 50/50 weight distribution.
Old Volvos on the other hand, horrible unless you put some 200kg of stones in the back.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Absolutely love the Cayman S and Boxter. Best cars that Porsche make because of the mid engined layout...

I nearly got the Boxter S 4 years ago. Instead now driving a mid engined 4 wheel drive naturally aspirated 550bhp 2 seater I can't see myself ever selling...

Thus the Cali....plus keeping the BMW 4x4 for now. If Cali good enough as DD may sell the Beamer...

What's the mid-engined beast? Sounds awesome, any pics

 

[VW Cali]

What's the mid-engined beast? Sounds awesome, any pics

Haha, I better not post pictures here - only Calis here! Might PM you. You can narrow down because there aren't many mid engined 4wd 550 bhp naturally aspirated cars these days.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Haha, I better not post pictures here - only Calis here! Might PM you. You can narrow down because there aren't many mid engined 4wd 550 bhp naturally aspirated cars these days.

Hmm.
A few choices there. But, going by what else is in your garage from Germany. A shot in the dark, possible the Audi R8. Otherwise could be the other sibling from Lambo. Although I always thought they were 2wd...???
Either way, that's a very cool set of machines

 

[briwy]

This is why we went for 4wd. Ourside our place in the Pyrenees last year. Agree winter spec tyres make all the difference though.

 

[Hotel California]

This is why we went for 4wd. Ourside our place in the Pyrenees last year. Agree winter spec tyres make all the difference though.

Hey , did you swaped to a smurftop

 

[X4 VWC]

If you can, try to drive both before you buy. I prefer the 'feel' of all-wheel drive vehicles, in all conditions, having owned an Audi with Quattro for a few years, and having driven both the regular and 4Motion variants of the T6. I don't know that I could justify it on the grounds of cost, fuel, or conditions I might drive in, I just prefer it.

 

[Erbster]

I had a 2WD T5 camper for 6 years and quite often went on grass, gravel etc. Never got stuck.Pulled off the road in Scotland in Feb, no props, Thought it drive well on snow too.

I might be tempted by 4motion, but you can't have DSG unless you go for the (most expensive) 204PS engine. I value the DSG over the 4motion, personally.

 

[Ian66]

What's the cost of 4 motion...???
That would definitely be a deciding factor for me. To expensive, I would give it a miss. If it isn't to costly, then why not go for it, unless your worried about extra fuel consumption. Which I'm personally not to fussed about. My other car is a Porsche and it's not what you would call economical, especially the way I drive it

July 2016 UK OTR Prices:
150 BMT None 6 Speed Manual £48,547.00
150 BMT None 7 Speed DSG £50,538.00
150 BMT 4 MOTION 6 Speed Manual £51,332.00

 

[soulstyledevon]

July 2016 UK OTR Prices:
150 BMT None 6 Speed Manual £48,547.00
150 BMT None 7 Speed DSG £50,538.00
150 BMT 4 MOTION 6 Speed Manual £51,332.00

£3k is a bit of a number. Then factor in the extra running costs. Although you might claw back some of that initial outlay on resale.
I think if I lived in a rural location it would be worth having. Best to road test both 4 motion and non, to compare on road driving experience.

 

[Ian66]

£3k is a bit of a number. Then factor in the extra running costs. Although you might claw back some of that initial outlay on resale.
I think if I lived in a rural location it would be worth having. Best to road test both 4 motion and non, to compare on road driving experience.

From the data in the VV brochure and from DVLA Data (for 12000 miles of driving)... The DSG is the cheapest to Tax and Fuel. The standard model is about £80 more and the 4motion about £150 more to run than the base model. I've no idea on Insurance or Servicing costs though.

Anyone know if there's an insurance advantage of a 4Motion over the other models? What about servicing?

 

[vmaxkiddy]

From the data in the VV brochure and from DVLA Data (for 12000 miles of driving)... The DSG is the cheapest to Tax and Fuel. The standard model is about £80 more and the 4motion about £150 more to run than the base model. I've no idea on Insurance or Servicing costs though.

Anyone know if there's an insurance advantage of a 4Motion over the other models? What about servicing?

The haldex drive system will require an oil and filter change at 40000 miles I believe. I have the same system on my car and a lot of owners miss this service item as it usually occurs outside the warranty period and is not flagged up by the onboard computer.