Today I am mostly driving....

[mrlozzer]

Check xdrivers.co.uk

Thanks for that. I'll give that forum a look.

It is all in the tyres by the way, without the proper winter tyres it still won't do you that much good.

Yeah, we use winter tyres on the old Grand Vitara that we have at the moment. We're looking to get rid of that and my wife's car and replace it with one car. Got to be 4x4, preferably diesel (as she does 20k miles a year) and definitely something that's more comfortable than a 10 year old Suzuki!... hence why I thought that an X3 might fit the bill. The only thing that concerns me is that the Vitara is a 'proper' 4x4 with low transfer 'box whereas the X3 (and X5) are the more modern "send power to wheels if needed" type of 4x4. We get pretty heavy snowfall round our way and we're usually last on the list when they clear the roads, so it's got to be up to the job!!

 

[Bing]

I've got a Freelander as well as the zed and I love them. I had a Freelander 2 before the zed but parted it for the zed and then bought a Freelander 1 (I'd already had a 1 a few years ago) They've never put a foot wrong in the bad weather.

Mrs Bing likes them too, great for bad weather, and of course I have to cart a load of rugby kit around every weekend so would be ideal for that too. Been having a look but Freelander 2s (about 3 yrs old version) are still a bit on the expensive side for me right now.

 

[cj_eds]

I would not buy a 4x4....

Why not? The only thing that works in the last 3 winters in the UK. Funny how "we" are called upon to deliver stuff to the elderly and get other cars out of the snow.

I saw plenty of two wheel drive cars still working in the snow in the last few winters. This country seems to have the problem though that a lot of the people that just see motoring as a way of getting from A to B (they don't enjoy it) assume a 4x4 will make up for their inability (or lack of practice) to drive in low-grip conditions.
I would agree with the second bit of your post. It's a bit sad that 4x4 owners get targeted with stereotyping abuse and shafted with taxes then are expected to somehow be the lifeline of Britain in heavy snow. Fickleness rules.

 

[mrlozzer]

I saw plenty of two wheel drive cars still working in the snow in the last few winters. This country seems to have the problem though that a lot of the people that just see motoring as a way of getting from A to B (they don't enjoy it) assume a 4x4 will make up for their inability (or lack of practice) to drive in low-grip conditions.

I agree with you, but a lot depends on where you are. We are properly rural. Up a steep hill from the town to get to our village, up another steep hill to our road, then another 150m very steeply uphill to get to the house. We're lucky to get the gritters to the village, let alone any further. However competent a driver, you're going to struggle in those conditions and a foot (or more) of snow. I'd rather take the easy option, buy a 4x4, put on winter tyres and do as much as I can to make sure that my better half is as safe as she can be, than see her try to struggle with a 2wd car with no ground clearance....

 

[cj_eds]

fair point mrlozzer, ruralness is certainly an exception.

 

[mrlozzer]

I saw plenty of two wheel drive cars still working in the snow in the last few winters.

When we had the heavy snowfall a couple of years back, my uncle came over from Ontario, Canada. He went to the car rental desk at the airport to pick up his pre-booked car to be told that because the weather conditions were so 'treacherous' (the motorways were all clear) and as he was a foreigner used to driving on the wrong side of the road (he passed his test in the UK and drove here for many years before emigrating), they weren't prepared to give him the car!

In the event, he showed them some pics on his phone, standing beside his RWD Buick after doing some errands in thick snow. A foot of snow on the roof. He explained that in Canada they only get the snow chains out when there's a couple of feet of snow... and you only have a 4x4 if you live in the woods!

As you say, it's all about practise!!

 

[Carol M]

I saw plenty of two wheel drive cars still working in the snow in the last few winters. This country seems to have the problem though that a lot of the people that just see motoring as a way of getting from A to B (they don't enjoy it) assume a 4x4 will make up for their inability (or lack of practice) to drive in low-grip conditions.

I agree with you, but a lot depends on where you are. We are properly rural. Up a steep hill from the town to get to our village, up another steep hill to our road, then another 150m very steeply uphill to get to the house. We're lucky to get the gritters to the village, let alone any further. However competent a driver, you're going to struggle in those conditions and a foot (or more) of snow. I'd rather take the easy option, buy a 4x4, put on winter tyres and do as much as I can to make sure that my better half is as safe as she can be, than see her try to struggle with a 2wd car with no ground clearance....

X 2
I also live in a rural area. If I lived in town I wouldn't have a 4X4 probably but some people need them because of where they live. Ever tried driving on an icy road, up and down hills thick with snow in the middle of the countryside with added wind chill because of the wind whipping across open fields? Not fun and can be very dangerous even if you are a good driver. I'll keep my 4X4 thanks.