I was driving home in the snow in the Lakes on saturday and was watching people have difficulties. Some were slipping from side to side and wheel spinning on relatively easy slopes but others weren't. You could see big heavy cars and light or puny cars doing well and having difficulty.
That got me thinking what are the good points to have on an ordinary, inexpensive car that gets it through the snow. Assuming no winter tyres and no 4x4 just the same car that you'd have in the summer, what is it that makes some cars ok in snow?? What would be a good car to have year round that would be most likely to cope with the odd snow in winter. Bear in mind winter has only really been bad for a lot of people this winter and the previous two.
My theory is that it has to be a diesel due to the low revs and higher torque that they usually have. I also think that the extra engine weight I believe they have could help too. Then avoiding low profile and wide tyres too perhaps but not too narrow. A small car with thin tyres was really struggling in Ambleside. Also on the road south from Windermere the cars abandoned on the hill were mostly sporty cars with low profile tyres.
Any other characteristics that would stand a car in good stead in winter?
BTW my car is a lowly astra T diesel estate from late 2002. It was mightily impressive but I was not confident though. At the risk of blowing my own trumpet I reckon my driving was good too. I handled the clutch well and steering (skidded a lot and the front was moving a bit at times even at 30mph max speed everyone was doing). I suppose drivers make a big difference too. Higher gear and lower revs and all that. Plus good car control all add to getting home or paying out for expensive B&Bs (who probably would cash in too).
That got me thinking what are the good points to have on an ordinary, inexpensive car that gets it through the snow. Assuming no winter tyres and no 4x4 just the same car that you'd have in the summer, what is it that makes some cars ok in snow?? What would be a good car to have year round that would be most likely to cope with the odd snow in winter. Bear in mind winter has only really been bad for a lot of people this winter and the previous two.
My theory is that it has to be a diesel due to the low revs and higher torque that they usually have. I also think that the extra engine weight I believe they have could help too. Then avoiding low profile and wide tyres too perhaps but not too narrow. A small car with thin tyres was really struggling in Ambleside. Also on the road south from Windermere the cars abandoned on the hill were mostly sporty cars with low profile tyres.
Any other characteristics that would stand a car in good stead in winter?
BTW my car is a lowly astra T diesel estate from late 2002. It was mightily impressive but I was not confident though. At the risk of blowing my own trumpet I reckon my driving was good too. I handled the clutch well and steering (skidded a lot and the front was moving a bit at times even at 30mph max speed everyone was doing). I suppose drivers make a big difference too. Higher gear and lower revs and all that. Plus good car control all add to getting home or paying out for expensive B&Bs (who probably would cash in too).
