Budget 4x4 for Scottish ski touring

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 Starky 19 Nov 2020

I'm planning on doing as much ski touring/mountaineering as possible this year in Scotland but I have zero confidence in my Ford Fiesta to handle acess roads in winter.

What are some good budget (say under £5k) 4x4s that would be up to the job? Don't need anything big, just enough space for me, my partner and our gear.

We had friends out in NZ who swore by their old Suzuki Jimny. Is that a good shout here in the UK or are there better options?

1
 Tim Davies 19 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

get some winter tyres! My old Ford Focus with winter tyres and a cheap (£50) set of snow chains was brilliant. The fiesta might even be better as it is lighter. 

 DaveHK 19 Nov 2020
In reply to Tim Davies:

> get some winter tyres! My old Ford Focus with winter tyres and a cheap (£50) set of snow chains was brilliant. The fiesta might even be better as it is lighter. 

This. 

 TobyA 19 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

From the perspective of driving through 14 Finnish winters - it's not about the car, it's only about the tires. 4x4s are surprisingly rare in Finland, even among country people.

I've been amazed by how good Michelin CrossClimate have been in snow since moving back here (in Finland I always used studded tires in winter), but the cross climates stay on year round.

OP Starky 19 Nov 2020
In reply to Tim Davies:

Might be worth a shot and see how far we get. Just thinking of the Ben Lawers access road in particular where I've seen a lot of people get into messy situations. I suppose in many cases that could just be down to people driving without winter tyres and chains.

We had a Toyota Platz in NZ and it always got the job done with a good set of snow chains but we never took it too far off piste..

 sjminfife 19 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

I have been looking for a 4x4 to get down field tracks to the river. The Suzuki Jimni meets my needs and I think it might meet yours too. Not had bad reports from two local mechanics. I would also support Toby with his winter tyre reccomendation. I used them in Switzerland and they really do work.

 Tim Davies 19 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

There’s a limit to what’s possible of course - I’ve bailed out of that road and slithered back down. 
 

but for 90% of winter access winter tyres will do the job at a fraction of the cost. 
 

years ago I watched 4WDs concertina  into each other on a hill by My daughters school. My nasty focus just chugged up dodging the debris. Same winter I tested the focus against My brothers Shogun with normal tyres. Pulling away on hard snow , stopping etc 

you can guess  The result .....


 

Post edited at 20:26
 HeMa 19 Nov 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

Indeed. 
 

what’s the difference between 4x4/AWD and  a regular 2WD. You need a tractor to pull the 4x4 free.

get good tires and your all set. Atleast until there is so much snow that you run out of clearance. The small 4x4s will then get stuck on the next drift. 

 ad111 19 Nov 2020
In reply to TobyA:

The number of people with 4*4s in Helsinki is shooting up - there are gigantic Volvo XC90s and those fancy Audi estates with 4wd everywhere you look.

Not that it really matters as we don't seem to get any snow anyway!

The first few winters I was here I was amazed at how well our tiny hatchback did with just standard winter tires. Got to Ylläs and back in winter through some quite heavy snow with no trouble one year!

 gravy 19 Nov 2020
In reply to ad111:

I can't help but iterate that a fiesta with winter tyres is a properly good thing.

Last time I did Kinder Downfall I got there through heavy snow in a fiesta passing numerous 4x4s trapped in the snow.

I'd also add that not driving like a tit helps a lot!

 r.king 19 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

Learnt to drive is a ford fiesta with winter tyres during 09/10. Really capable and nothing more needed for 90% of Scottish roads.

Ben lawyers is the only high road without gates. I have used chains here before. Sadly every other road will have closed snow gates before you need chains and 4x4. 

Stick with the fiesta, get good tyres, chains (maybe a lesson?) and buy more free time off work with the money left. 

 PPP 19 Nov 2020
In reply to r.king:

Some judgement is required too. 
 

I was driving to Fersit on a singletrack this February in my VW Polo with CrossClimates. It was an early morning, road was untreated and quite icy. I decided to carry on, driving no more than 10-15mph. 
I ended up going in an S shaped downhill bit. I clear the first turn, but the car is completely unresponsive. Luckily, there was a barrier, the front bumper took the hit and I got straightened out. 
This should have been a sign I was an idiot and I should have left the car in the passing place to wait for the sun to come out. No! 
I kept driving until a steep uphill section on compressed snow that turned into ice. This time, there’s no barrier at the bottom - it could get messy really quick. I can’t get grip. I get out to get some grit nearby and my trainers just had no grip whatsoever and started sliding down. 
Spent a fair bit of time gritting the road until an SUV showed up who kindly helped me and told they’ve been stuck few days ago too.
 

Left the car in a safe spot and just had to walk further. The bumper is still scratched down to the plastic, but passed MOT fine and can’t be bothered to fix it by now. 
 

I should have just been more cautious and adjusted the plan instead of risking it. I’m unsure if better driving skills would have helped... 

 65 20 Nov 2020
In reply to TobyA:

I had a trip to Oulanka (near Arctic Circle/Russian Border) in March a couple of years ago. Even the major road from Kuusamo was under hard-packed snow. The few 4x4s I saw were all municipal or commercial vehicles. Private cars were mostly 2WD Volvos and VWs, and a surprising number of BMWs. 

Post edited at 00:04
 kevin stephens 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

Watch this video, 2 wheel drive with snow tyres vs 4x4

youtube.com/watch?v=mfuE00qdhLA&

 AukWalk 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

I'm very much an armchair expert, but a good way I've heard people talk about this sort of thing is that while 4wd will let you accelerate harder / make it up a steeper slope / keep going in more slippery conditions than a 2wd car, it won't have any effect on your braking ability, or ability to go round corners, or ability to avoid sliding off a road sideways. That's where winter / all season tyres come in.

A few years ago I went to Iceland in early spring and hired a hyundai i10, which came with studded tyres (admittedly a step up from normal winter tyres!). We had absolutely no problem driving it on snowy driveways / minor roads etc.

As others have pointed out 4wd cars likely have more ground clearance, allowing you to get through deeper snow before your front bumper becomes a snowplough.

But also as others have pointed out the further your car gets you in bad conditions, the more likely you are to get in some serious bother.

That said if you did want to have maximum possible mobility then something like a Jimny would probably be a good shout if you put some winter / all season tyres on it with chains in the boot - not too heavy, decent ground clearance, capable 4wd setup. They are well regarded as off roaders. Take a shovel though!

Maybe also consider a dacia duster - not quite as capable but think they do OK in difficult conditions, and will be cheaper than a jimny of equivalent condition, and much more spacious. Sure you'd be able to manage with a Jimmy for 2 people but there won't be tonnes of room!

Post edited at 01:15
1
 Doghouse 20 Nov 2020
In reply to kevin stephens:

> Watch this video, 2 wheel drive with snow tyres vs 4x4

So the conclusion is the best solution is a 4x4 with winter tyres. 

 DaveHK 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

If you want a 4x4 get a 4x4 but I think the number of occasions it's going to make a difference accessing hills is tiny.

 HeMa 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Doghouse:

Yes...

But if you don't have the skills, then you'll just be stuck in a ditch or drift in a nasty...

Or all four wheels pointing to the sky in the ditch. Which is rather common in the US near big ski-resorts.

 beardy mike 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

I had a natty old Subaru Impreza Wagon, the normally aspirated one with a 2l boxer engine. Been looking at them again recently and they go for anything between 1000-3000 quid depending on miles and age. The brilliant thing with them is that they come with a low ratio gear box (which you don't get on the saloon or other subarus that I've seen) and that combined with a set of good snow tyres and you will pretty much get anywhere as long as you have the clearance to get over the snow. I remember one year going up to Torpantau when there was a good foot or more of snow on the ground and we pottered up to the top. All the other vehicles up there were land rovers etc... the next year I went up with a Nissan Navara, similar conditions and it was far sketchier. If you look for one, make sure it's got that low ratio lever - looks like a second handbrake lever only smaller...

Post edited at 08:24
 summo 20 Nov 2020
In reply to HeMa:

> Yes...

> But if you don't have the skills, then you'll just be stuck in a ditch or drift in a nasty...

> Or all four wheels pointing to the sky in the ditch. Which is rather common in the US near big ski-resorts.

I overtook more Chelsea tractors in UK winters driving a 206 with winter tyres than I've had hot dinners ( well almost) .

Edit. Part of the problem is the width of modern tyres, pointlessly wide. Get down to 175s on a winter tyre and you'll get anywhere. 

Post edited at 08:47
 ScraggyGoat 20 Nov 2020
In reply to AukWalk:

Agree with all whom say winter tyres, unless the snow is only deep on the last few miles up a dead-end glen, or somewhere else rarely visited, clearance and chains are a moot point as the road will be blocked by stuck vehicles, and you won't be getting any further.

Often the most challenging park of the day is getting out of the car park due to packed snow, refrozen to ice and then highly polished. Ice axes and a bag of grit in the boot help to roughen up the surface.

If you are getting to first on unploughed roads, then clearance and low ratio helps.  But for those few occasions is that worth £5K versus £500.

 kathrync 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

Yep, winter tyres. Most roads in Scotland are kept well gritted and ploughed, or the gates are closed. As someone else said, the biggest problem tends to be getting in and out of car parks and possibly the last mile or so in some remote glens. I've been driving a rear-wheel drive van for the last couple of years. I keep a bag of grit, a shovel and a pair of snow socks available in winter. Used the grit and shovel to get out of car parks a couple of times, and the socks once. There have only been a handful of times where I haven't been able to get where I wanted to go. The majority of those were due to other vehicles without winter tyres blocking the road. For the handful that weren't, I doubt I would have attempted them in a 4x4 either.

Best car I ever had in winter was my old 1994 Nissan Micra!

In reply to Starky:

The first year I got winter tyres for my seat leon, I went up the Lawers road unploughed with 6" of fresh no issues whatsoever. In fact, my mum's freelander with its all year tyres was waay worse in the snow.

If it's bad enough that you can't het up it with 2wd and snow tyres, going back down isn't much fun! 

 wbo2 20 Nov 2020
In reply to kevin stephens: Winter driving lessons would help - get out of first and reduce torque, get less spin.

Pedantry note - Cross climates are rated as a winter tyre, but they're not a full winter - they have the tread, but not the very soft rubber, so ultimately you can do better. But they are a very good tyre for driving round mountains in most conditions (Norwegian 'summer') on most types of crappy road so for most of the UK a good compromise.  

 summo 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

A point to note that if any car is struggling with low speed hills, like in a car park, and it's front wheel drive, then reverse up it. It puts much more weight over the driving and steering tyres. 

 beardy mike 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:

For me this was a major benefit to the Scooby I had - going downhill was far more secure as you could wack it in low ratio and the engine braking you got kept the car nicely under control. Having lived last year in the Dolomites with only snow tyres on a 2wd, I would say my Imprezza was far better than it at handling tricky conditions. It was also better than the forester I had after it which had a auto gearbox (why did I get an Auto?) which was heavy by comparison. Your thing about the micra - they are super light, much like the imprezza... I loved that car... miss it all the time!

 DaveHK 20 Nov 2020
In reply to summo:

> A point to note that if any car is struggling with low speed hills, like in a car park, and it's front wheel drive, then reverse up it. It puts much more weight over the driving and steering tyres. 

A bit like they did with Katy in 'Ice Cold in Alex'.

 Snowdave 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

Its not the car its the driver & most importantly those four black rubber things called tyres.....

I live up here in the Highlands & travel to remote places for mountaineering & Ski-ing. In the 26 years I've been driving up here, in cars from small old VW Polos on normal tyres to other VW group cars on winters...& ALL of them 2WD (FWD)...good winter tyres with the 3 mountain peak & snowflake rating is the best. (I currently run a dedicated set of Michelin Alpin A5 for winter as 225/45R17)....overtaking bigger Landrover's, 4x4 SUVs, etc. on normal tyres whilst driving in a small car with winters on is a hoot..the looks on their faces!!...

Basically the Councils close the snow gates on many roads if they can't be bothered to clear them as often as they used to in the past. On roads where there are no snow gates, you can scrap the underside of your car if there is deep snow. BUT how much ground clearance do you need???

95% of the time its black ice, slush & about 2inches at most of snow on the roads...or its compacted down...

In the remaining 5% is mainly when trying to use laybys or carparks when the access has NOT been cleared & there is a "wall" of 12inches & more snow to get through....

Post edited at 11:38
 Enty 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Doghouse:

> So the conclusion is the best solution is a 4x4 with winter tyres. 


I watched it too and had one of those "no shit Sherlock" moments.

E

In reply to summo:

This.

Even with dedicated winter tires on my 4x4 is pretty sketchy (they're 275s)

 summo 20 Nov 2020
In reply to featuresforfeet:

> This.

> Even with dedicated winter tires on my 4x4 is pretty sketchy (they're 275s)

Floating on the snow and barely biting into it. 

In reply to summo:

Yep. Best vehicle I had in the snow was a T4 van - skinny wheels with all the weight over the driving ones.

 StuPoo2 20 Nov 2020
In reply to TobyA:

+1 for the cross climates.  1 tyre .. all seasons.

If you need more convincing:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO0zyQh2l3M&list=PLZ0DQfsN5MCahhmLNNNiC...

[Jump to 2.20]

Post edited at 13:27
 Basemetal 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

On winter tyres, watch out I you have a van or a 'van conversion' like a Doblo/Berlingo/Kangoo as you'll find the tyre requirement is listed as "C" rated  (Commercial) tyres. Despite the size being the same (except for the C letter added at the end) a dealer won't fit non-C tyres. I found this out when I wanted to put Michelin CrossClimates on my Doblo, as they don't make a C version despite making the right nominal size. In the end I had to go with Goodyear Vector 4-Seasons through limited choice.

I'd endorse everything that's said about winter tyres so far (even 4 season ones are a big help). I'd only stop short of recommending the Doblo as it has limited rear ground clearance due to the semi-coil suspension decks in the current model. Otherwise I've been happy driving them through winters in the hills for the last 20 years. Overseas markets can get a 2" raised model.

 Trangia 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Tim Davies:

How safe are winter tires for driving on normal (non winter) road conditions? Is there a loss in performance? Increased wear? Etc?

The reason I ask is because there must be a reason why people don't just fit winter tires and use them all year round?

 ScraggyGoat 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Trangia:

Winter tyres have a softer rubber compound, so theoretically wear quicker, no real performance issue in summer...they still have a speed rating far in excess of the law.

But also its better to have good deep tread for standing water, wet, snow and slush. So if you used them all year, by the next winter you'd have less performance. I try and drive more smoothly in winter, not just that its more sensible (poorer viz, trees/branches down round corners, pot-holes developing rapidly, standing water, deer by the road etc), but also to try and avoid scrubbing the winter tyres. I did keep my winter tyres on all year when I knew I was getting rid of the car, by the next dump of snow the performance i.e. grip was far less when worn...not surprising really.

A colleague who lives at over 1000ft inland in Scotland, uses mud and snow rated tyres all year, but puts new ones the start of every winter for this reason. Yes, he does get through a set of tyres a year!

Post edited at 16:08
 Trangia 20 Nov 2020
In reply to ScraggyGoat:

Thanks, that's helpful

 HeMa 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Trangia:

Well. As pointed out. Proper winters will wear out faster. And as they are for the cold, they are also likely to shear. 
 

So don’t use proper winter tires If it is going to be +5 or more. 


All seasons (or european ’winter’ tyres) are better for a bit of snow and less than +10. They still suck in comparison to real winter tyres in winter and same applies for summer. 
 

 rj_townsend 20 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

> Might be worth a shot and see how far we get. Just thinking of the Ben Lawers access road in particular where I've seen a lot of people get into messy situations. I suppose in many cases that could just be down to people driving without winter tyres and chains.

A few years ago my then-Octavia with winter tyres cruised up that very road without any hassle at all

 mike123 21 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky: pretty much as above , snow tyres + little car is a winner , I had a Peugeot 106 with winters on every corner and it was amazing , one morning a few years ago I drove out of the ungeritted lanes of the village on my way to work passing various fancy 4x4 s stuck in steep drives . When I sold the 106 to my neighbour I said he could have the steel rims and winter tyres but he said he didn't want them as he had no where to keep them . I still have them in storage but  can't remember what size they are . If they will fit your fiesta you can have them cheap . Must dig them out and advertise them on here . also get 4 and not 2. I found this out the hard way   I'm willing to bet you tube will have videos to convince you . Another also , the first time you drive on an icy road with winters on you will feel invincible , you are not , you still need to take it steady . I also found this  out the hard way . 

Edit : look on eBay for 2nd hand  winter tyres from Germany , I had a couple of sets with 7mm of tread on and they were fine . Do it before it snows as unsurprisingly the first day it snows the price goes up .

Post edited at 09:11
 Sealwife 21 Nov 2020
In reply to featuresforfeet:

> Yep. Best vehicle I had in the snow was a T4 van - skinny wheels with all the weight over the driving ones.

Yep.  I used to have a Citroen Dyan, skinny tyres, high clearance.  It would be out and about, cutting about with the land rovers, when other cars just couldn’t make it.  Totally rubbish heating system though - driving to work whilst scraping frozen condensation off the inside of the windscreen wasn’t so good.

 Sean Kelly 21 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

You might pick up a 3door RAV4 for under £5000, but they are thin on the ground. With winter tyres it was a wonderful car. If only you +1 in the car, you can remove the back seats and have a massive boot for all your gear. I drove mine through deep snow on roads that were virtually impossible. That is banked to the top of the walls. Oil the handbrake leads as they can freeze up in extreme cold. I've had 3 over the last 15 years and never ever been stuck.

 Martin W 21 Nov 2020
In reply to Trangia:

> How safe are winter tires for driving on normal (non winter) road conditions? Is there a loss in performance? Increased wear? Etc?

My last set of winter tyres, before I switched to all-seasons, I ran through the summer with no problems at all.  (I was being mean because I planned to sell the car later in the year, but the ordinary tyres were getting a bit close to needing replacing the last time I'd swapped them off for the winter tyres, and I didn't want to have spend the money to replace them and then have the buyer get all the benefit.  The car wasn't so old that a set of new tyres would have justified asking extra money.)

One of the often overlooked advantages of winter tyres is that they are better at clearing water, which can give them a bit of an edge on wet roads.  Living as I do in Scotland, that can be beneficial all year round.

> The reason I ask is because there must be a reason why people don't just fit winter tires and use them all year round?

They do wear faster in warmer conditions, but in my case that was moot because they only needed to last until I sold the car a few months later with the ordinary tyres back on it.  They actually still had plenty of tread left when I did that anyway - they absolutely do not fall apart at the first glimpse of a warm, sunny day, contrary to the impression that some people seem to try to give.

And yes, as you get close to the limit they probably do perform less well than ordinary tyres on a warm, dry road.  But TBH how close to the limit should one really be aiming to get on a public road?  Mine coped just fine when I had to do an emergency almost-stop because someone in front of me decided to do an last-minute left turn in to the camp site they were about to drive past.

At the end of the day, though, driving year-round on winter tyres isn't something I'd set out to do as a matter of course - hence why I now drive all-seasons.

(Some people will say that the cost of switching to and from winter tyres works out the same because you're wearing two sets of tyres.  I reckon that depends on the mileage you typically do: a low mileage user may end up with two sets of part-worn tyres that need to be replaced anyway due to their age.  It also doesn't take into account the potential ancillary costs.  I had none because I had the winter tyres on a separate set of wheels so I could easily swap them over myself, and I stored the set not being used in the garage.  But some folks aren't able to work that way e.g. because they are short of room at home, end up having to pay a tyre fitter twice a year to swap their tyres over on the same set of wheels, and to store the set of tyres they're not using.)

 wildebeeste 23 Nov 2020
In reply to HeMa:

Yes, plenty in the ditch every snow day on the road up to our local hill, Santa Fe. The victims seem to be a fair mix of 2, 4 and all wheel drive. But overwhelmingly Texas plates, much to everyone’s amusement. There was a pick up suspended about 15 feet up in the trees for a couple weeks last year, pretty spectacular.

Post edited at 02:04
 George Ormerod 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

Not that you’re going to, but whatever you do, don’t buy a pickup truck. I know quite a few people who have to put a few hundred pounds of gravel in the back to keep them on the road in the winter. 

 HeMa 23 Nov 2020
In reply to wildebeeste:

> Yes, plenty in the ditch every snow day on the road up to our local hill, Santa Fe .... overwhelmingly Texas plates....a pick up suspended about 15 feet up in the trees for a couple weeks last year, pretty spectacular.

Nice... My main experience was mostly from UT. So not that many TX plates. And for some "odd" reason, the primary cars I saw were indeed big Suburban kind of 4x4s...

In the tree, that was a sight to be seen.


Oh, central Europeans also has a similar MO as do people on the mountain states... Instead of Texans its the people from NL that are laughed here.

 Doug 23 Nov 2020
In reply to HeMa:

In our part of the southern French Alps we laugh at drivers from Marseille - very few Dutch make it this far south.

 HeMa 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Doug:

Good to know... my experience in the haute maritime (sp?) is a bit limited.

I would expect that it will be a tad different with in IT as well.

In reply to Starky:

We have done very well out of honda crvs. 

Buy at around 10years old for £3 to £4k and run to scrap, this typically takes 5 years. 

The soft road er 2 to 4 wheel drive helps out when it is needed.

Great dogging wagons, big boot and enough leg room to carry 4 adults comfortably on the long journey north. 

 Sir Chasm 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Presley Whippet:

> Great dogging wagons, big boot and enough leg room to carry 4 adults comfortably on the long journey north. 

Are there no dogging spots closer?

In reply to Sir Chasm:

I get about a bit

 yorkshireman 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Doug:

> In our part of the southern French Alps we laugh at drivers from Marseille

When I lived further south I was driving over to Veynes to the supermarket one Saturday afternoon in February and it was sleeting. As the road climbed over a small col all the traffic bunched up as everyone started putting snow chains on (it was slushy at best).

I pulled out and steadily passed everyone - FWD Volvo V40 with fat winter tyres. It amazes me how many people chance driving to the Alps without winter tyres. Some British bloke then started chucking snowballs at my car and hurling abuse (I was French plated) as apparently I was 'jumping the queue' despite simply just moving past everyone who was stuck.

> very few Dutch make it this far south.

We'd get loads coming over the Col de la Croix Haute but mostly in the summer and usually caravans - seeing the first Dutch carvavan of the Spring was like seeing migratory birds coming back telling you summer was coming.

 Doug 23 Nov 2020
In reply to yorkshireman:

Yes we do get the Dutch in summer, but probably more Belgiums

Last time I drove over a snowy Col de la Croix Haute (several years ago, normally use the Route Napoleon) it was slow moving traffic going northwards for a long while but OK with chains (no winter tyres). Then the car in front started to zig zag all over the road before ending up sideways across the road. I & some others went to try to help to discover a guy in total panic, with a 6 month old child on the back seat. No winter tyres, no chains & apparently he'd never driven in snow before (car had Marseille plates so possible).  We turned him round & last saw him going back southwards.

A few hours later we arrived at the start of the autoroute to Grenoble to find that the Gendarmerie had shut the road over the col, but the autoroute had been cleared of snow so the drive on to Grenoble was easy although we looked for a cheap hotel rather than carrying on to Paris as planned.

Car booked into the garage tomorrow morning for a change of tyres, no snow yet but some verglas in the shade on recent mornings.

 sjminfife 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Martin W:

I use Uniroyal Shark Skins and despite not being winter tyres they are great in the wet and ok in snow/slush. They are a soft compound and probably do not last as long as some but I worry more about stopping on wet roads than saving a bit of money. I usually drive up to 40k miles a year between Scotland and the Midlands.

I am just trying Cross Climates on the front and they seem pretty good. Well I did stop without skidding when a heffer ran out of an open gate.

 yorkshireman 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Doug:

> A few hours later we arrived at the start of the autoroute to Grenoble to find that the Gendarmerie had shut the road over the col, but the autoroute had been cleared of snow so the drive on to Grenoble was easy although we looked for a cheap hotel rather than carrying on to Paris as planned.

I used to live in La Jarjatte and back before Covid made a lot of business trips from Lyon airport so have done the Col early morning/late at night in the snow countless times - mostly its lorries that get stranded. Doesn't help that its a sheer drop on one side (I was once stuck behind a lorry that had blown over in the wind on there - could've been messy.

Last year I was coming back from the airport in a massive dump of snow in November and found a woman stranded in her car in a snow drift on the road up to Lans-en-Vercors. She ad no winter tyres depite living in Correncon (a ski resort), where we gave her a lift to, in a 4x4 with winter tyres thankfully because in Correncon the snow was heavy, unploughed and a foot deep.

My driveway is north-ish facing and 35º slope in places so 4x4 and winter tyres are necessary for when I haven't had chance to get the snow blower out.

 Pina 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Starky:

If you can find an old Subaru of some form with some high grade winter tyres (Michelin, Good Year..etc) you'll be unstoppable. That said, most cars with winter tyres will see you down pretty much any British road bar deep snow which is very unlikely.

Wee front wheeled drive cars with winter tyres behave behave real well in snow as the low weight will cause much less issues going downhill.

Would also recommend getting a full set of cheap rims (breakers yards can be good for this) if you have storage space for them as it'll make changing over in autumn and spring real easy.

I've opted for all season tyres at the minute as living in Scotland, wet performance seems to be most critical. Not yet convinced by their performance in snow though.

Post edited at 10:10
 HeMa 23 Nov 2020
In reply to Pina:

(Central) European Winter tires, or so called All Season tires are really quite shite in winter conditions. Miles better than summer tires though.

And to be honest, I think they'd be about perfect as a winter tire for UK. Those that live in really remote places in say Scotland will prolly also benefit from real winter tires, but for majority it is going to be an overkill... if you can't get up the road with all seasons, then it will be closed anyway .

And bar a heatwave the temps can be "winter" in Scotland year round. That being said, summer tires will again perform better than all seasons when it's dry.


I've been using Nokian Weatherproof SUVs on our big Multivan as a summer tire... not perfect but quite ok. Got e'm when we drove to 'Bleau for a longer trip a few years back... As where I live, winter tires are required by law during winter... We have proper studded tires as well, but you're not allowed to drive on 'em in most of GER or FRA... So we use those year round, and if he conditions dictate, I'll switch on the studded tires (we have both on their own rims), which is what I'll do when we drive further north for a longer stay again.

 kevin stephens 23 Nov 2020
In reply to HeMa:

I live in Sheffield and have a set of proper winter tyres (snowflake symbol) on steel rims which I fit every winter.  They make a fantastic difference even on our urban steep hills, also on the Snake Pass when it's snowing.  (as long as the way is not blocked by other cars slewed across it) This is manly due to the rubber which remains soft and flexible at low temperatures.

I do think they work out cheaper overall, especially if you take into  account loss of rubber on summer tyres when wheel spinning like mad stuck in a carpark or on a hill

 EdS 01 Dec 2020
In reply to Starky:

I've had a variety of 4x4 on various tyres for both personal use and work over the years.

Best car I had in the snow was a diesel Corsa on winter tyres. Left the snow plough slipping sideways coming through Glencoe one afternoon.

 nniff 02 Dec 2020
In reply to Starky:

Our two cars are now on winter tyres, despite living south of London. We have a hill, which catches and keeps any snow that comes this way, and without winter tyres we can't get out.  One car is big enough to take a set in the boot, and so the local place changes them at £10 a go.  The other one is a PITA and a mobile can changes those for £90 a set.  Stupid wide tyres on both cars, so happier in the wet too.  Can't say that I've noticed excessive wear when it's warmer.  Both cars have Hankook winter tyres - the last set came from Oponeu as the right sizes were not being distributed in the UK for the new car (bar Pirelli at £400 each, and you can stuff that).  One car has run flats in the summer and a can of sealant etc in the winter.

 GerM 02 Dec 2020
In reply to Starky:

My approach is just to stick to winter tyres. Not sure of the economics, there are I'm sure drawbacks in terms of wear and fuel economy (but nowhere near the fuel economy drawbacks of a 4x4 of any kind), but I simply buy two winter tyres every winter. Tyres cheap enough for my vehicle, so usually around £100 for a pair, last year's fresh pair go on the back, this year's new pair go on the front.

Get you about in some pretty snowy stuff, as long as you don't run out of clearance. Chains and a spade for getting out of trouble, but only for getting back home, not for getting further into trouble.

Ski touring isn't really an activity for the lazy or uncommitted anyway, if you can't get your car close enough, just walk/cycle/skin a bit further, it will get you to where you want to be, just need to work a bit harder. Earn your turns. It's all part of the fun!

 yorkshireman 02 Dec 2020
In reply to GerM:

It's been snowing here the last few days and it was a bit wet at first, the last 24 hours it hasn't got over -2º so the driveway has refrozen with hard slush turned to ice - making it like a downhill lumpy skating rink. It was a nightmare walking out with the dogs this morning (trick is to use the snow on the central grassy bit and dig my heels in). Normally I would get the snowblower out but I didn't think it would stick around until it was too late.

There's no way a car without 4WD *and* winter tyres would get up it. I could test with my old Passat (with winter tyres) but that's parked at the bottom of the hill along with all my neighbours' cars that won't get up their drives either.

A bit of a design flaw by the previous owner who built the house himself if I'm honest.

In reply to Starky:

People saying just get decent winter tyres are right up to a point but the issue you will  have with your Fiesta is clearance under the body. Once it starts floating on the snow you are stuffed. If you want something with decent groand clearance get an older Nissan X Trail and spend some money on tyres, Yokohama Geolander GO15s are excellent. Ours, until the turbo blew spectacularly in August, had done multiple winters in deeps snow. Just getting up and down our drive is often a serious challenge but the GO15s were up to it.

 Rich W Parker 02 Dec 2020
In reply to Starky:

If it's that bad ski the access road!

 Dangerous Dave 03 Dec 2020
In reply to Starky:

Ben Lawers access road can get very icy. A 2 wheel drive car with winter tyres and snow chains will get you up and down it. A 4x4 without snowchains will not.  A 4x4 is rarely required, the ground clearance is the main advantage. 

 Jimp97 03 Dec 2020
In reply to Starky:

I have Goodyear ultra grips on my van and they perform well in winter. I also leave them on year round as I find they’re better in the wet (which is handy with uk weather) and I’ve noticed no decrease in mpg or increased wear in summer.

 Toerag 03 Dec 2020
In reply to Starky:

Jimny or Dacia Duster if you want cheap, small, and ground clearance. Bigger would be a Subaru Forester, the older normally-aspirated ones have the low range box Beardy Mike speaks about. The S-Turbo ones don't and that would be a pain maneuvering on snow (I've owned both but not really driven on snow due to living somewhere it only snows mouse-knee deep every ten years).  They have the same ground clearance as a landrover Defender. If you're not worried about ground clearance then a Fiat Panda 4x4 might be worth a look if you can find one? The original square ones were the weapon of choice for the swiss post office - light, not too much power, agricultural 4wd.

 wbo2 03 Dec 2020
In reply to yorkshireman:

> There's no way a car without 4WD *and* winter tyres would get up it. I could test with my old Passat (with winter tyres) but that's parked at the bottom of the hill along with all my neighbours' cars that won't get up their drives either.

Diesel passet - try chugging up very slowly in 3rd at 800 rpm or so to minimise torque.... driving will beat 4WD

> A bit of a design flaw by the previous owner who built the house himself if I'm honest.

Haha.... but we've all been trapped in underground car parks with iced ramps

 yorkshireman 03 Dec 2020
In reply to wbo2:

> Diesel passet - try chugging up very slowly in 3rd at 800 rpm or so to minimise torque.... driving will beat 4WD

I'm sorry, but often it won't. There's a bit of a fetish about reversing a trailer up the north face of the Eiger if only you have enough bloke skills, but a lot of the time when that's successful it just means the conditions weren't really that bad. Winter tyres are definitely the biggest improvement you can make for winter driving, but sometimes 2 wheels just aren't enough.

> Haha.... but we've all been trapped in underground car parks with iced ramps

My last house was up the hill in a village at 1200m that got snowy and the only way to get up the hill in 2WD was to really put some gas on to carry you through and drift into the bend - losing your bottle and easing off meant reversing back down the hill and trying again. I know the high gear/low rev trick but if you've got verglas under packed snow it's pretty useless.

 wbo2 03 Dec 2020
In reply to yorkshireman: I would argue with your use of the word often... I've climbed up enough iced hills in Norway, the number of occasions that I've really lost traction is a handful... but you have to minimise torque.

The real 'siht' for absolutely desperate conditions is some stuff called 'dekk klister' (translation tyre wax) that you spray on your tyres.. and they are literally sticky afterwards for a few minutes.  I've used it to get traction in a car park of compressed ice with water in top, where you could spin your car by hand to point in the right direction.  Dekk klister got me out  - everything else - chains, studs, 4wd etc did not work


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