GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Bullfinch on 20 November 2015, 14:51
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OK - so the chance of being snowed in Berkshire this weekend is less than 0.001% but now I've got my first DSG/Auto car how do you drive it in the snow? I'm thinking every safety device will activate and you end up going nowhere.
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I just stick it in manual and keep the revs up!
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Haha, yeah there's so many safety features to intervene now maybe the car will just confuse itself and spontaneously combust if it encounters UK snow (well the rest of the country does that). :laugh:
Joking aside, just drive it as you normally would but you might need to put it in manual for the ultimate control, to keep it in a lower gear if you need to negotiate some tricky situations. In really slippy snow conditions I usually turn off the (ESP) as I find it makes matters much worse in trying to compensate for the conditions. I've never had any issues with DSG in snow. The only thing that ever let me down in snow (on a previous DSG GTI) was a set of dreadful Bridgestone Tyres that were treacherous!
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I must admit I really want it to snow, I'm interested to see how well the 4Motion works on the R
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Gah! 4wd show-offs :cool: :grin:
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Yeah, bring on the snow. :laugh: ( not had snow for the last 2 winters in this far south eastern corner). Ha, I actually forgot about the 4WD till remlapeel mentioned it, lol. Really would like to see how the R copes.
I'll be leaving the ESP on on the R. My comment about turning ESP off on very slippery snow relates to FWD cars - GTI/GTDs.
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Shift up early, light on the throttle.... no need for low gear unless you go downhill.
If it snows pack on some winters tyres.... ;)
Jeremy Clarkson's 'power' approach does not do well in the snow, unless you're in an AWD and want to drift round corners and have good snow/ice driving skills (>90% of people in the UK don't) :D
I want snow too.... means roads will be clearer because all the girls stay home and I can get on with my job. Plus I love driving in the snow :D
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4WD will help you get going but you won't help you turn or brake - I'm also wanting snow, it brings out the child in me. It'll be interesting to see how the old git :laugh: gets on with the LSD on the pp (I've got winter tyres on) :wink:
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4WD will help you get going but you won't be able to turn or brake - I'm also wanting snow, it brings out the child in me. It'll be interesting to see how the old git gets on with the LSD on the pp (I've got winter tyres on) :wink:
It's the getting it going I want to test out with the 4WD. Not ever had any problems braking or turning in snow, though on occasion the old GTI struggled going uphill.
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The 4wd cars round my way are the worst come snow time and we get our fair share just outside Glasgow.
They automatically think because they have a 4wd snow is not an issue. It might get them going but it doesn't help them when they start drifting or try to stop!!
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4WD will help you get going but you won't be able to turn or brake - I'm also wanting snow, it brings out the child in me. It'll be interesting to see how the old git gets on with the LSD on the pp (I've got winter tyres on) :wink:
It's the getting it going I want to test out with the 4WD. Not ever had any problems braking or turning in snow, though on occasion the old GTI struggled going uphill.
Yeah that's what I was getting at. I interested how well it can pull away and who well it can shift the power front to back etc. I'm more than capable of car control, I do love nice empty tractionless road :)
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Had no problems at all last year with my GTI the LSD works wonders if you have the PP and I passed cars stuck on the hill at the bottom of the road.
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Be interested in how people get on if it does actually snow. Research suggests that a FWD car with winter tyres performs better that a 4WD on ordinary tyres.
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Can tell you from first hand experience that I got up a hill on FWD mk3 golf estate with winter tyres.... 4WD land rovers were not :D
From personal experience I can tell you that summer tyres suck in winter (summer tyres are not 'ordinary' tyres, they are just summer tyres in a country where most people are ignorant of what tyres to use in what conditions).
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Read the road to look for where the most grip is. Approaching a downhill junction for example, you'll find more grip for braking on loose snow on the side of the road, rather than the compacted stuff that other cars have been over. There is often a bit of gravel in it that will help too.
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I must admit I really want it to snow, I'm interested to see how well the 4Motion works on the R
Do not get too excited about 4WD in the snow because as much as it does give you some additional control and more so the ability to get you moving you will still be like Bambi on Ice if try to drive around normally or try to get up an icy incline.
Basic physics of tyres not gripping the surface no matter how many wheels are trying to help you!
Had 6 years of Audi Quattro prior to the GTD and you do really still have to be as careful as everyone else.
If have winter tyres with 4WD then that would obviously help a lot but most tend to stay on same tyres all year round.
The Quattro were on the older frame which was quite a bit heavier so not sure what the 4WD is like on new frame but just urge some caution when first go out to get feel for the real ability in them conditions.
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Be interested in how people get on if it does actually snow. Research suggests that a FWD car with winter tyres performs better that a 4WD on ordinary tyres.
Research? Common sense will tell you that, doesn't matter how many summer tyres you have spinning if they're packed with snow. I didn't put the winters on my Octy 4x4 last year and then when it snowed (for the 1 day) I had to use our Mk3 Golf (which did have winters on at the time) to get out the drive :laugh:
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I must admit I really want it to snow, I'm interested to see how well the 4Motion works on the R
Do not get too excited about 4WD in the snow because as much as it does give you some additional control and more so the ability to get you moving you will still be like Bambi on Ice if try to drive around normally or try to get up an icy incline.
Basic physics of tyres not gripping the surface no matter how many wheels are trying to help you!
Had 6 years of Audi Quattro prior to the GTD and you do really still have to be as careful as everyone else.
If have winter tyres with 4WD then that would obviously help a lot but most tend to stay on same tyres all year round.
The Quattro were on the older frame which was quite a bit heavier so not sure what the 4WD is like on new frame but just urge some caution when first go out to get feel for the real ability in them conditions.
Yeah I'm not gonna go for any land speed records here lol.
I have driven plenty of cars in the snow but all either FWD or RWD. I just want to see the difference between them and AWD. I live on the east coast so used to snow.
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I must admit I really want it to snow, I'm interested to see how well the 4Motion works on the R
Do not get too excited about 4WD in the snow because as much as it does give you some additional control and more so the ability to get you moving you will still be like Bambi on Ice if try to drive around normally or try to get up an icy incline.
Basic physics of tyres not gripping the surface no matter how many wheels are trying to help you!
Had 6 years of Audi Quattro prior to the GTD and you do really still have to be as careful as everyone else.
If have winter tyres with 4WD then that would obviously help a lot but most tend to stay on same tyres all year round.
The Quattro were on the older frame which was quite a bit heavier so not sure what the 4WD is like on new frame but just urge some caution when first go out to get feel for the real ability in them conditions.
Yeah I'm not gonna go for any land speed records here lol.
I have driven plenty of cars in the snow but all either FWD or RWD. I just want to see the difference between them and AWD. I live on the east coast so used to snow.
Same here, only driven FWD in snow. Just want to see how it performs in getting/keeping moving on snow. Not expecting any miracles, as some seem to think we R drivers are. :wink: It's not like we think the R is a massive 4x4 Monster Truck. :laugh:
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I must admit I really want it to snow, I'm interested to see how well the 4Motion works on the R
Do not get too excited about 4WD in the snow because as much as it does give you some additional control and more so the ability to get you moving you will still be like Bambi on Ice if try to drive around normally or try to get up an icy incline.
Basic physics of tyres not gripping the surface no matter how many wheels are trying to help you!
Had 6 years of Audi Quattro prior to the GTD and you do really still have to be as careful as everyone else.
If have winter tyres with 4WD then that would obviously help a lot but most tend to stay on same tyres all year round.
The Quattro were on the older frame which was quite a bit heavier so not sure what the 4WD is like on new frame but just urge some caution when first go out to get feel for the real ability in them conditions.
Yeah I'm not gonna go for any land speed records here lol.
I have driven plenty of cars in the snow but all either FWD or RWD. I just want to see the difference between them and AWD. I live on the east coast so used to snow.
Same here, only driven FWD in snow. Just want to see how it performs in getting/keeping moving on snow. Not expecting any miracles, as some seem to think we R drivers are. :wink: It's not like we think the R is a massive 4x4 Monster Truck. :laugh:
Exactly, although I would love to see the R perform like a Subaru on snow chains, I'm not stupid lol
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Exactly, although I would love to see the R perform like a Subaru on snow chains, I'm not stupid lol
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Realise most of regulars on here are more than aware given their wealth of knowledge so more aimed at those doing their due diligence and looking to move to 4WD for the first time and who were maybe taken in by the TV Ads of Quattro flying around effortlessly in snow covered surrounds.
So unfortunately some will think the 4WD will give them some vast improvement over ordinary mortals on the snow and so its no harm to put brakes on that thinking for the novice.
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Realise most of regulars on here are more than aware given their wealth of knowledge so more aimed at those doing their due diligence and looking to move to 4WD for the first time and who were maybe taken in by the TV Ads of Quattro flying around effortlessly in snow covered surrounds.
So unfortunately some will think the 4WD will give them some vast improvement over ordinary mortals on the snow and so its no harm to put brakes on that thinking for the novice.
Fair point. If they are on here reading this, it suggests they are doing a bit of sensible research.
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but now I've got my first DSG/Auto car how do you drive it in the snow?
Snow is fine ... it's braking downhill on icy roads where you need to be very very careful with the DSG IMHO, as there is the natural "creep" of the DSG at low speeds.
I've found it best to switch to manual in such situations and use engine braking as much as possible and then push the gear into neutral for the last bit of braking to completely eliminate all drive to the wheels.