Z4 + Snow

An old Diahatsu Terios is my real bad weather commuter! The best fun in the snow though is my 50cc Aprilia Scooter!! :P Z4 stays on the drive when snowing! Trouble with driving in snow is it isn't always about the way you drive!! It's the way others drive that can damage your car! :o
 
Sometimes its good to have a token for logging into the work network from home :P

I'll be doing that for the next couple of days if it starts to snow - there's just no point risking it...
 
Aebous said:
Correct about the handbook to turn off DTC, thats because you will have to have some wheel slippage to accelerate.

I'm nervous too about the possible snowy/icy roads. I saw earlier some snow flurries dropping so here's hoping I get snow in this neck of the woods. I'm leaving for work an hour early (takes 20 min in good weather, 30-35 if bad) just to be safe.
At least I'll get to see how the PS2's do in cold/slick weather as opposed to cold/wet. Now to find that parking lot :D :driving:
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Do you want some advice from the Colonies? No, too bad. I have been driving in Canadian winters for more than 35 years and I/we all started out with rearwheel drive cars. Put lots of weight in the trunk/boot (a couple of 40lb sandbags is good), install good snow tires (not all seasons) and drive carefully because it's a damn sight harder to stop than it is to go. Early post comments about hills are correct.... don't stop or slow down going up one or you'll be done in. As for PS2's ha ha ha, sh*t that's a good one :rofl: Three snowflakes on the road and you won't make it up a 1 percent grade, I had them on my Z3, my M3 and I have them on my Z4. I actually think that British snow is slipperier than ours 'coz it's usually closer to 0 deg C.( I did grow up in Bedfordshire and do remember UK winters) My solution, after shoveling mountains of snow and towing many vehicles from snowy ditches, is to park the little car and use a 4WD. If it's your only form of transport, buy some really good snow tires and a bus pass.
 
I used to ride to work on my sportsbike in the snow.
take your time, plan well ahead and watch for idiots...

then you'll be fine :)
 
People are soo getting the wrong side of this thread...

Z4 + Snow + Abandoned Carpark = FUN! :lol: :D 8) :P

In all honesty though, its not that bad. Slippage is controllable if youre not driving like a noob. RWD+Big rear tyres isnt a perfect combinations though, so make sure you keep up your momentum sensibly. Be sure to disable the DTC so that some foreward slip is allowed, otherwise the engine will pull off power untill it stalls!
 
I'm one of those that go looking for the stuff to play in :)

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Techniques have been covered but I can add a couple : Start in higher gears to avoid spinning and you can use the handbrake as a fairly sophisticated traction control device. Useful when you get stuck on the most stupid innocent looking bit of road while FWD's can sail along :thumbsdown:

For serious commuting - put it away and get the 4x4's out....but for the big empty carpark with no parking kerbs, all aids off, then I bet it can be fun, but this is not the sort of thing I'd ever do. :wink:
 
I love that second pic CJ, the way the car is poised with an icy road ahead of it and the top of a warning triangle in the picture!

Seriously though this is a responsible forum... be safe on the roads and don't run with scissors!
 
EdButler said:
People are soo getting the wrong side of this thread...

Z4 + Snow + Abandoned Carpark = FUN! :lol: :D 8) :P
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A man with the right idea :thumbsup: check for cement blocks first then wahooo!
I taught my second wife to drive my FJ45 Landcruiser in a foot of snow at the football stadium parking lot, ....you can't buy that much fun.....

If anyone asks, it's called "Accident Avoidance & Advanced Skid Training".
 
LOL, I got stuck 3 times last year! If it happens this year I might think of fitting a winch LOL!
 
Last year I got not get the M up the hill, nor down it as I was going all over the place, even at 3 mph or so. At least I got there after doing about 5 miles in the first hour before getting to the main roads, unlike the mothers taking their children to school and even overtaking me at the normal 60+ speed.

Most ended up in the trees though by the looks of it ...
 
I feel sorry for peeps who use the Zed as a first car this time of year. I just wouldn't risk it in the snow - its the other tw*ts you have to watch out for!

Thats why you keep a 4x4 round the back :thumbsup:
 
i wouldnt feel sorry for me....... i dont. :D i have another car but i just hate driving it so it just sits there for the mo

if its other people that you are worried about then its going to happen no matter what car you are in.
 
to cj10jeeper,
Not meaning to hijack the thread - that's the first time I've ever seen a hardtop on a Z. Looks pretty sharp.


Quote: "i wouldnt feel sorry for me....... i dont. i have another car but i just hate driving it so it just sits there for the mo

Hey , Misery loves company and my z is under a cover in the garage so I'm miserable. Actually I'm really jealous of all you lucky sods in the UK that can drive one all year and just worry about a few days of poor weather.
 
Rudd_2002 said:
No never, just had to check google earth to see where it is :P
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Rudd.....

A686 from the A69 @ Haydon Bridge through Alston/Hartside to Penrith..... what a road!!! Seriously cant wait to get the coupe along that road when off to the lakes over Xmas! Thats if its not snowing :wink:
 
mcbeee said:
... a few days of poor weather.
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oh no.. we have poor weather 362 days of the year. the other three we're stuck doing things we need to do now that its "good out". :headbang:

but then... our definition of poor is probably different to yours, by a good few feet.
 
Great response people, i think I might hitch a ride with the wife .. not sure which is more dangerous though lol :evil: There is a fairly steep hill to contend with on my route so I'm thinking i might give it a miss.

Appreciate the advice though, if it's still snowing at the weekend I may just find a large empty car park to practice my car control! :driving:
 
sk93 said:
mcbeee said:
... a few days of poor weather.
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oh no.. we have poor weather 362 days of the year. the other three we're stuck doing things we need to do now that its "good out". :headbang:

but then... our definition of poor is probably different to yours, by a good few feet.
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Today I have blue sky, 30mph wind and it's +5 deg C, Monday morning was dark, grey and -38 deg C. The snow may go away, and it may not but it always comes back when you really don't want it to......
Either way the roads are sh*t, icy patches with sand and gravel everywhere so make me proud, put some decent tires on that sled and drive it. (because I can't and you can).
 
sk93 said:
I used to ride to work on my sportsbike in the snow.
take your time, plan well ahead and watch for idiots...

then you'll be fine :)
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Snap!

Even the police riders bottle out when it drops below 2 degrees celcius (so I was told anyway?)

Frankiefish,
I'm in the same boat as you, having only had the car a few weeks. Luckily I have a very short commute to work, so I'm not too worried - but I shall be taking my time and, well, finding an empty car park to experiment on :)

I like the idea of putting something heavy in the boot to aid traction - the only flipside to that is all that extra momentum then makes braking and cornering so much harder as you've much more inertia to change direction with.

I really can't wait for the snow now!

(If this global warming continues we'll be driving to work with the roof down next December, so we'd best make the most of it)

:)
 
Extra weight - Don't worry about cornering and momentum, it's like having your GF in the car except the weight is over the drive wheels where it should be. Pretty much like hauling a few cases of beer or lots of groceries. Besides, you won't be racing, just trying to get somewhere without pranging it up.
 
only tried it once in a heavy fall, like walking in ballet shoes I would imagine not having worn them. I live as about a mile from the main road and that is the main barrier with a few short sharp hills on them too. Definitely getting the bus if it falls
 
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