I spent the two weeks over Christmas and New Year in Slovakia driving a 1.3 Skoda Felicia on snow, slush, sheet ice (freezing rain) and lots of standing water - not all at the same time of course!!

This experience was made easier by the fact that they (by law) have to change to winter tyres at a certain time of year. The little Skoda drove like a 4x4! OK it would slide if pushed but never for long before it regained grip.

We don't even seen to have the concept of winter tyres over here! I think we should.

- Frisky.

 

Paul, could it be the brakes cooling after the car was last used ? The metal contracting pulls the pads away again. A few owners have reported this - sounds very scary.

 

My metal garage doors were frozen shut this morning!!

Paul ..your situation at home sounds very similar to mine. An uphill run with parked cars on both sides of a very narrow street which is a skating rink after any snow. The worst part is trying to turn right out of my drive into the street with no room to play with.

Be careful peeps!

 

I was out in the Peak District this weekend and was surprised how well the S coped with some quite steep moorland roads. The roads were covered in mainly compacted snow rather than ice, but all the same. At one point I was being held up by a rather careful Rav 4! Wouldn't fancy the ice though.

 

I agree with UK Paul - I think the S's lack of engine torque at low-revs is pretty helpful in such grim driving conditions. "Grim" is relative I guess, but lack of road adhesion is the same if it's ice, an inch of snow or 20 inches of snow.

I have a feeling one of the biggest problems this winter will be the locals in the BMW X5s and Merc' MLs with the "drug-dealer-wheels" - the traction on what are effectively road tyres may be just about OK to get going, but can you imagine the emergency stopping distance in one of those behemoths...

 

I've got a ML (without the drug dealer wheels ) and in weather like this its superb! The S is tucked up nicely in the garage, and the ML is getting used heavily on the icy and untreated road. It stops very well when required!!!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by W6DAN
[B]Paul, could it be the brakes cooling after the car was last used ?

 

Pulled out of my drive this morning and changed quickly into 2nd to keep traction and slowly applied accelerator...........got about 200 hundred yards at about 15mph but noticed revs were at about 4k.......I was spinning the rears all the way down the road....didn't feel a thing!! Car didn't twitch once.

I now drive without the radio on so that I can listen to Revs and tyre noise!!

And yes I know that there's a big flashy rev counter in the S but I was watching the traffic around me!!

 

... if it stops very well, presumably your ML is fitted with the optional "Defy the laws of physics Pack"

 

Surely you mean LATER, or not at all.