snow and ice
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Kent, UK
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
snow and ice
when considering what car to buy this year I mentioned to the missus that we should look at a BMW.
Her reaction was not favourable due to the fact that most of the cars that were having big trouble in the severe weather of January were Beemer's, due to their rear wheel drive..'we will never have a rear wheel drive car' she said.
Ha ha only told her after the deposit was paid on the RX!
But its a good point..I even had to push my mates 325 due to a very small chunk of ice was peventing him getting it on his drive.
lets hope its a mild winter cos driving e rear wheel drive car in ice is, in my opinion, a big risk.
anyone else feel the same?
cheers
Ken
Her reaction was not favourable due to the fact that most of the cars that were having big trouble in the severe weather of January were Beemer's, due to their rear wheel drive..'we will never have a rear wheel drive car' she said.
Ha ha only told her after the deposit was paid on the RX!
But its a good point..I even had to push my mates 325 due to a very small chunk of ice was peventing him getting it on his drive.
lets hope its a mild winter cos driving e rear wheel drive car in ice is, in my opinion, a big risk.
anyone else feel the same?
cheers
Ken
#2
I have had little difficulty with my BMW 728 in the snow.
Quite often it pays to switch off driver aids in the snow/ice and go and practice in a quiet large car park.
I do this whenever possible just practising going round in circles at slow speed and learning how to hold the backend out on the throttle as it lets you appreciate how to handle the inevitable break aways from the circle. Need a big car park at say 8am on a snowy SUnday for this though!!
I remember a freezing snowy night trying to get home up a slope with a massive queue of traffic all because there were lots of little
spots of frozen snow on the main road.
My 728 (auto box) got up the hill no problem but many others did not.
Still have the 728 along with the RX8 and DiscoII TD5.
You can guess which one I will be using though if we get the much hyped bad winter :D (all because the pattern in the past: good summer-bad winter)
Quite often it pays to switch off driver aids in the snow/ice and go and practice in a quiet large car park.
I do this whenever possible just practising going round in circles at slow speed and learning how to hold the backend out on the throttle as it lets you appreciate how to handle the inevitable break aways from the circle. Need a big car park at say 8am on a snowy SUnday for this though!!
I remember a freezing snowy night trying to get home up a slope with a massive queue of traffic all because there were lots of little
spots of frozen snow on the main road.
My 728 (auto box) got up the hill no problem but many others did not.
Still have the 728 along with the RX8 and DiscoII TD5.
You can guess which one I will be using though if we get the much hyped bad winter :D (all because the pattern in the past: good summer-bad winter)
#3
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Kidwelly,Wales, UK
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by specman
I do this whenever possible just practising going round in circles at slow speed and learning how to hold the backend out on the throttle as it lets you appreciate how to handle the inevitable break aways from the circle. Need a big car park at say 8am on a snowy SUnday for this though!!
I do this whenever possible just practising going round in circles at slow speed and learning how to hold the backend out on the throttle as it lets you appreciate how to handle the inevitable break aways from the circle. Need a big car park at say 8am on a snowy SUnday for this though!!
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is this not because the 728 weighs a ton!!!!
I have a 3 series tourer and we load the boot with heavy items on snowy days to keep the backend down and aid grip, if not it slides all over the place. Also swith off the driving aids as it makes the car unsafe in snow.
Will probably have to do the same with the Rx8 as this is going to be pretty light and an intersting drive in the snow
I have a 3 series tourer and we load the boot with heavy items on snowy days to keep the backend down and aid grip, if not it slides all over the place. Also swith off the driving aids as it makes the car unsafe in snow.
Will probably have to do the same with the Rx8 as this is going to be pretty light and an intersting drive in the snow
#5
Originally posted by AndyPearce
A bit chicken and egg really - you need the car park practice to be a ble to get to the snowy car park safely to practice!!!
A bit chicken and egg really - you need the car park practice to be a ble to get to the snowy car park safely to practice!!!
Main roads are gritted but private industrial estate car parks arent! They are the best bet for some snowy fun!
Not 2fast2furious stuff just some gentle sliding.:D
#6
Originally posted by fishadr
Is this not because the 728 weighs a ton!!!!
Is this not because the 728 weighs a ton!!!!
But with 255/45/ZR18 tyres on the back as ideal for the snow as you will get without buying snow tyres cos the footprint is massive.
Totally agree with switching off the driver aids in the snow.
Just need some things in the boot to weigh things down a bit.....
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Stafford, England
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I used to have to load concrete kerbs into the boot of my RX7 as it was so light at the back. Even so slippery roads led to "eventful driving"
Am hoping that the 8 will be loads better than the 7 (2nd gen) due to the better weight distribution.
Concrete kerbs & mpg don't go too well together!!
Am hoping that the 8 will be loads better than the 7 (2nd gen) due to the better weight distribution.
Concrete kerbs & mpg don't go too well together!!
#8
Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: London (England)
Posts: 813
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mazda test people seem to be pretty confident in this video... doesn't get worse that that!
http://www.fsck.co.uk/run02_high.wmv
http://www.fsck.co.uk/run02_high.wmv
#9
Senior Troll
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Northampton UK
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Prodrive day will show us all how to handle the RX-8 in slippy conditions. However because they dont start until next March it is probably worth each of us having a Land Rover in the garage just in case the forthcoming winter is a little inclement.
JH
JH
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Calgary, Canada
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It all comes down to tires. I've been driving my 8 on ice and snow for the past 3 weeks now. With OEM tires... forget it.
With Toyo Garit winters, it's stellar.
With Toyo Garit winters, it's stellar.
#12
UK Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Gloucester, England
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Winter tyres make sense in Canada where you have heavy snow falls for months, but in the UK we have a light dusting of snow two or three days e year. By the time you'd changed the wheels, it would have melted.
The entire country still grind to a halt in such conditions, including the trains. Which is such a laugh after travelling on the Trans Canadian through the Rockies, and seeing the conditions they run in there.
Cheers
---Dave
The entire country still grind to a halt in such conditions, including the trains. Which is such a laugh after travelling on the Trans Canadian through the Rockies, and seeing the conditions they run in there.
Cheers
---Dave
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
djgiron
Series II Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension
18
10-15-2015 04:07 PM
jasonrxeight
RX-8's For Sale/Wanted
2
09-30-2015 01:53 PM
CMRine04
Series I Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension
5
09-17-2015 10:04 AM
tigg.z
New Member Forum
0
08-26-2015 09:51 PM