Stuck in the mud...

[D'sCali]

Having got our Cali stuck today for the 3rd time in the 10 months since we bought it - how many of you out there have done this and what tips (apart from not going on grass in the first place! ) for getting them out!

 

[ArunAlec]

Having got our Cali stuck today for the 3rd time in the 10 months since we bought it - how many of you out there have done this and what tips (apart from not going on grass in the first place! ) for getting them out!

Yep, first year I had mine, Christmas Day, parked outside parents on grass verge. Time to go home, front wheels sunk into the grass. An expensive tow truck call out to add to the Christmas bill! I bought some plastic mat things that help stop the wheels digging in, ready for next time.

 

[WelshGas]

Having got our Cali stuck today for the 3rd time in the 10 months since we bought it - how many of you out there have done this and what tips (apart from not going on grass in the first place! ) for getting them out!

What tyres have you got?

 

[Wesel]

Not once in three years. Very difficult last week when my 4 wheels were plunged into 10 cm of mud, but I was able to get out after some front and rear maneuvers.
But I have good snow tires and 4motion! In these cases it helps!

 

[D'sCali]

A very nice farmer pulled us out with his tractor today!
First time an army chap showed us how to crawl it out, there was no way that was working today though!
Mats sounds like a very good idea!!

 

[D'sCali]

What tyres have you got?

Not winter ones!

 

[D'sCali]

Not once in three years. Very difficult last week when my 4 wheels were plunged into 10 cm of mud, but I was able to get out after some front and rear maneuvers.
But I have good snow tires and 4motion! In these cases it helps!

We don’t have a 4motion, but am used to a 4wheel drive jeep, I think we just need to stop going into muddy grass!

 

[WelshGas]

Not winter ones!

If they are Summer tyres then changing to 4 Season will improve the traction significantly.

 

[Wesel]

Has anyone ever tried this?

 

[Meoncoast]

Stuck once. Rubber vw monster mats under the drive wheels to gain traction. Once going kept going. Once on hard surface collected mats.

 

[D'sCali]

If they are Summer tyres then changing to 4 Season will improve the traction significantly.

Thank you, think we will as we are using it all year round & had some great trips over the winter.

 

[TripleBee]

Once on a soaked campsite.
Had to take off the bike and bike rack from the towbar. Tractor from the campsite pulled me out (for free).
Put the van on a gravel pitch.
Went home a day earlier because of the bad weather.
Now I have 4 plastic grip mats. Don't know if they are any good, and I hope I never have to find out. But I have them with me.

 

[Kempy000]

Having got our Cali stuck today for the 3rd time in the 10 months since we bought it - how many of you out there have done this and what tips (apart from not going on grass in the first place! ) for getting them out!

Grab yourself some AT tyres... made a huge difference for us!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GrannyJen]

I don't cart mats, bits of old carpet, shovels, picks and grab hoes in my van. Rule one is to watch where you park, rule two is to have tyres to get you out of the mire, rule three is to have booze and ice cream on board to enjoy being stuck in the mire

 

[Eber123]

Good evening,

In 42 years of driving I never got stock with a car (well, beside in winter time), buy iy happened with the van during the first spring after we bought it (November).

Parked on even ground, but on the short gras (but wet). Cars parked in front and back. Took me ages to get out with always having an eye on the other cars not to damage.

I couldn't believe it!

Before their time I changed from the standard tyres to Michelin CrossClimate and try to stay away from slippery grounds. So far it works, but if I am out and about I am always nervous. On narrow country roads sometimes it is nessecary to move aside onto the muggy kerb. Here it is always a chance to get stuck.

Why this happens with the van, I don't know. I would love to have 4motion, but it is simply to expensive. With the T6.1, 4motion is only available with the hightest spec.

Save California,
Eberhard

 

[flying banana]

I have van contacts all season. Got stuck on some wet grass at clumber Park,I don't normally park on it but this time I did... Needed help to get off there. Rubbish really.

 

[Lightning]

I seem to get stuck fairly often...it’s not just mud...

As long as you are not properly off road or on a beach the recovery is normally covered, carry a tow rope too, people are helpful.

 

[babble]

My mud plan for a non-4-motion would be Michelin latitude cross tires, plus maybe something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RO6SGKE/?tag=eliteelect-21

or these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0823L2WW6/?tag=eliteelect-21

or maybe just snow chains to be honest, which are amazing for snow, and can help you out of a muddy emergency too.

 

[D'sCali]

My mud plan for a non-4-motion would be Michelin latitude cross tires, plus maybe something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RO6SGKE/?tag=eliteelect-21

or maybe just snow chains to be honest, which are amazing for snow, and can help you out of a muddy emergency too.

These look great thanks !

 

[babble]

oh, and don't fortget one last trick (along with taking a tow rope) - let the air out of your tires (to like 1 bar?) if you have an electric pump with you to pump them back up afterwards.

 

[Lightning]

I was thinking about getting a 12V winch to carry with me but they are not cheap and you need something to tie it off too. Tyre type is the most important change though. All season tyres are rubbish in snow compared to winter tyres for example.

 

[Alan Andrews]

Remember that if you have DSG, then you can switch to manual for greater gear control.

I have met many who have DSG but have never realised or tried the manual option.

Like others, I use internal mats to help if necessary.

There is such a thing as a traction mat. I think it was Blenheim M&C site where they offered these last year after heavy downpours.

 

[babble]

if you have dsg, i don't think manual gives you more control really to be honest, it's still all controlled by a computer. (and you can't, for example, pull off in second gear). What you can do is switch traction control off, either with the button, if you paid for it, or by doing some funny little on/off holding buttons thing, that you can find on-line.

 

[Lightning]

Remember that if you have DSG, then you can switch to manual for greater gear control.

I have met many who have DSG but have never realised or tried the manual option.

Like others, I use internal mats to help if necessary.

There is such a thing as a traction mat. I think it was Blenheim M&C site where they offered these last year after heavy downpours.

I have tried this and it wouldn’t let me select 2nd gear when stationary.

 

[Lightning]

if you have dsg, i don't think manual gives you more control really to be honest, it's still all controlled by a computer. (and you can't, for example, pull off in second gear). What you can do is switch traction control off, either with the button, if you paid for it, or by doing some funny little on/off holding buttons thing, that you can find on-line.

There is no button and no option on the T6 unless you have 4 motion.