I chopped in a dog unreliable Freelander TD4 last April for a Honda CRV.
Last winter the Freelanderwas magnificent in the snow and I have had a slight concern that the CRV, with its Bridgestone road tyres, would be found out in similar conditions i.e. snowy, ungritted, hilly back roads and lanes in North East Surrey.
I need not have worried. Just like in the wet, the merest wiff of front wheel spin puts the CRV into 4X4 mode and it surges ahead in complete control. Equally impressive down hill, despite no Hill Descent Control.
I cannot recommend the CRV highly enough, although if buying new now I would wait a few months for the Diesel.
|
"Just like in the wet, the merest wiff of front wheel spin puts the CRV into 4X4 mode and it surges ahead in complete control. Equally impressive down hill, despite no Hill Descent Control."
Aha! These must be the driver aids to which I referred in the Snow thread part II which allow people to drive as recklessly as they like in poor conditions...didn't realise 106's, BMWs, Mondeos and Golfs all had these fitted too!
|
In contrast:
Today is the first day that I've driven my XJ in the snow and ice and she doesn't like it at all. Even with a featherlight touch on accelerator and brake and virtually new P6000s, the ABS and traction control were going crazy in traffic moving at walking pace!
Kevin...
|
|
Came down a hill in my Hi-Lux,and had to chuckle at the 15 or Mercs and BMWs abandoned at the side of the road.Snow ?what snow.
|
As I walked home last night I had to chuckle at all the 4x4 drivers who were stuck in all the gridlocked traffic, same as everyone else.
;-)
Gareth
|
|
With Silver German cars having their own lane on the motorway,4x4 drivers are now legally obliged to use pavements,front gardens and motorway hard shoulders to enable full chuckle progress.
|
"With Silver German cars having their own lane on the motorway,4x4 drivers are now legally obliged to use pavements,front gardens and motorway hard shoulders to enable full chuckle progress."
Well that's what I did. I got fed up with those euro-box plonker's who can quote their 0-60 time but have no idea of how to actualy "drive". I've always been sceptical about the validity to be able to drive at twice the NSL. But I thought well theres freedom of choice to be considerd. If they can't handle an inch of snow I wonder what they are actually like when driving FAST. Beemers may be the ultimate driving machine, but how many are owned by Ultimate drivers. Judging by there lack of thought and consideration for others using the road i would think about .... six of them!
|
|
|
|
|
having lived in Geneva I can tell you its down to tyres - all season or winter.
to all those 4x4 drivers who think they're invincible 4x4 does not give you more grip only more traction
|
|
Would one of our experts like to give us a definitive explanation of the difference between grip and traction?
|
|
Yeah!
Traction - Get you going
Grip - Keeps you where you want to go and slow down.
|
|
How can you have any traction with out grip?
|
How can you have any traction with out grip?
You can't.
But once you have traction and are going, you can lose all grip if you brake or corner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now there's a thing. My Lex was similar, and I HAD toyed with taking the XJ out instead...glad I didn't now!
|
|
experiences living here on Epsom Downs last night/this morn convinced me (more than ever) that I'll never buy again 1. rear wheel drive, and 2. auto gearbox (Lexus 200)... nightmare drive in white stuff - am now looking for A3 quattro, 5 door.
|
|
|
|
|
Not the same 106 that I followed this morning then, about 6 cars ahead. 15 mph along the A20 for 3 miles. I admit that conditions were far from perfect; there was slush on the road but some people need a dose of confidence!
|
My E320 CDI kicks out 204bhp and 500Nm torque through the rear wheels only with an auto box. Sitting on 245/35 17" tyres you would have thought reading above that I would have had problems in the snow.
I didn't, in fact my car was a damn site better at getting around in the snow than most cars judging by the posts above.
I have never had a problem about driving in snow and put it down to spending a bit of time in Vermont during the winter months one year. An old boy who lived next to where I was staying had an old Didge pick-up. I couldn't think of a worse car in the snow but he reckoned in 40 yrs of driving in the snow he had never got stuck.
The reason for him never getting stuck? Common sense and a technique that is very simple. Feather everything, steering, throttle, brakes. Very very simple but very very effective.
Who needs a 4x4 unless you have to pick the kids up from school obviously.
|
|
|
So...the stretch of road took you about 9 minutes longer than it usually would...or maybe only 6 minutes longer than it would've today, what with the conditions and all...
How on earth have you got time today to be still posting here?
So much lost time... :-)
|
|
Err...my last post was for Andy, not you Marcos
|
|
I worked that out smokie. Lol.
|
Just for info, the diesel CRV is unlikely to appear for at least 12 months.
Andy
|
Just for info, the diesel CRV is unlikely to appear for at least 12 months. Andy
>>
Andy,I was hoping to order a diesel CRV in May as I was informed by my local dealer, before Xmas, that they would be available then. Do you have more reliable information?
If you are right I may have to buy an X-Trail!
HectorG
|
|
|
|
Smokie:
Got time to be back here today with the 3 minutes I saved this morning!
Andy
|
|
|
|
|
|
