What makes the perfect Winter car

[BTB 500]

My space saver is the one that came with the car....so at least 2009! I've never had to use it but I would. To be honest I've never heard of anyone replacing a space saver tyre just due to its age!! But personally I like my road tyres under 5 or 6 years old....its rare they last that long anyway. And I change tyres over 10 years old on anything I buy regardless of what it looks like.....it will have hardened and wont grip anything like as well as a new one...even of the same tyre.. When I sell caravans I cant let anything go out of the gate with tyres over 5 years old.

Caravans are a bit different in that the tyres are almost always permanently exposed to UV and they typically spend most of the year standing in one position (with a lot of weight on them). Also you often only have two of them, so losing one is a 'bad thing' Hence I do replace my caravan tyres based on age (same with gas hoses, of course) ... even though I have Tyron bands and TPMS.

As far as cars go the tyres on a rarely used 2nd / 3rd car kept in a cool & dark garage won't age any quicker than spares do. But a low mileage car parked up outside in the open is a different matter.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Yes....the NCC wont let us sell a van with 5 year plus tyres on....so in reality we have to replace them at just over four years as we probably wont see them until the next service in 12 months....We don't even stock Tyron bands anymore. Thing of the past with a very minimal effect on safety. When caravan wheels had a deep centre well that the band filled it certainly stopped a tyre dropping into it a popping the off the bead.....but for the last 15 years or so caravan alloys don't even have a centre well....just a gentle slope from side to side.....making it much harder for the tyre to come off when flat....and harder to change tyres!! Now the Tyron band are just narrow things that live in the bottom of that slope. Obviously dealers that sell them and Tyron themselves will have a different story.......! And of course you can still get an insurance discount for having them.

When they worked...


Now!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Back to top.

First drive in snow for Autumn/Winter
First drive in heavy rain for Autumn/Winter
First mention of winter prep on auto podcast

Must be time to bring this thread back to top!

 

[ChrisHGTV]

Back to top.

First drive in snow for Autumn/Winter
First drive in heavy rain for Autumn/Winter
First mention of winter prep on auto podcast

Must be time to bring this thread back to top!

I remember everyone said the old Audi Coupe Quattro Turbo was the best all-rounder and that would be a great practical winter car. There’s a nice one round the corner from me in that pearly white/silver. Nice warbly 5 pot, reminds me of my old Fiat Coupe Turbo. Designed by Giugiaro to, who also designed a pasta shape called Marille and a vodka tomato sauce to go with it. I’ve tried so many times to find some but alas….(apparently the design is actually flawed as one part stays too al dente when the rest is just right)

 

[NJSS]

As I said in the second post in this thread:-

"Quite simple - Range Rover or Discovery."

I see no reason to change my opinion.

 

[rf065]

As I said in the second post in this thread:-



I see no reason to change my opinion.

On a recent trip to the north east of Scotland, I passed two Range Rovers on the m/way, both on the hard shoulder and both burned out. Ideal winter car for keeping you warm!

 

[ChrisHGTV]

Aside from an Audi Coupe Quattro Turbo I’d be tempted to add a Lancia Hyena for shorter runs if we run out of Horlicks or firelighters for instance.

 

[Will]

I picked up a new car at the weekend and have to say I was very pleased with the pre-entry climate function (yes I know it’s been out for ages, but it’s the first car I’ve owned with it)

Reasonably cold outside (3c) but got into a toasty warm car with cabin heater blowing warm air and heated seat on ready!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

My son’s bus to school was late and then aborted - I assume because of the snow and resulting heavy traffic this morning, so I hopped into our winter car and went cross country/ I wish I had taken some photos now as it was a beautiful virgin white vista.

 

[BlackC55]

I have a S212. 200k on the clock. Body is rough but inside its nice. I go to and from work in it and I don't care too much if it gets marked. 50+mpg, very comfortable and it was £1500. Its the ultimate winter hack.

 

[Will]

I have a S212. 200k on the clock. Body is rough but inside its nice. I go to and from work in it and I don't care too much if it gets marked. 50+mpg, very comfortable and it was £1500. It’s the ultimate winter hack.

Extra points if it has heated seats and a new subframe

 

[BTB 500]

Something small, light and cheap with FWD and skinny tyres is pretty handy for winter ... just like BTB Junior's Citroen C1, which I drove in the snow this morning

 

[Bellow]

Something small, light and cheap with FWD and skinny tyres is pretty handy for winter ... just like BTB Junior's Citroen C1, which I drove in the snow this morning

It's in its genes. A 2CV in snow is unstoppable,

 

[BoristheBounce]

This week I was listening to a podcast from The Intercooler which is a few months old now, and Andrew Frankel and Dan Prosser were debating what makes a great Winter car, and it got me thinking…

…What would you look for in the perfect winter car?

For me, whilst it might be well suited to winter driving it would still need to be the sort of car I’d really want to drive, so something a little left-field, and not a common sight on the road.

It would also need to have something about it which makes it feel a little special, and for me the engine is an important part of that, something with character and ample performance potential.

It would need to be practical though and so black seats and carpets are a must, with big doors and generous boot so that my passengers can get in and out quickly and easily on poor conditions.

Four wheel drive, premium Winter tyres, and high ground clearance are a must for me to make sure that I can keep moving in deep snow and deep floodwater, as that is a too-common occurrence for us

All of that is my perfect winter car, however fitting a set of premium Winter tyres on any car transforms it’s ability in cold, wet and dirty roads - never mind ice and snow - so they’re a must.

What would you look for in the perfect winter car?

The winner....

The Puke machine itself, goes anywhere.

She's devastated, I'm retiring soon so the company car (EQC) is going and so the Jimny will be going to be replaced with something more suitable and refined.

 

[RichardF]

Mrs F had a 107, great car.

 

[Dryce]

On a recent trip to the north east of Scotland, I passed two Range Rovers on the m/way, both on the hard shoulder and both burned out. Ideal winter car for keeping you warm!

So south of Perth.

Denying those who live in the real north who really need the warmth

 

[Pontoneer]

This week I was listening to a podcast from The Intercooler which is a few months old now, and Andrew Frankel and Dan Prosser were debating what makes a great Winter car, and it got me thinking…

…What would you look for in the perfect winter car?

For me, whilst it might be well suited to winter driving it would still need to be the sort of car I’d really want to drive, so something a little left-field, and not a common sight on the road.

It would also need to have something about it which makes it feel a little special, and for me the engine is an important part of that, something with character and ample performance potential.

It would need to be practical though and so black seats and carpets are a must, with big doors and generous boot so that my passengers can get in and out quickly and easily on poor conditions.

Four wheel drive, premium Winter tyres, and high ground clearance are a must for me to make sure that I can keep moving in deep snow and deep floodwater, as that is a too-common occurrence for us

All of that is my perfect winter car, however fitting a set of premium Winter tyres on any car transforms it’s ability in cold, wet and dirty roads - never mind ice and snow - so they’re a must.

What would you look for in the perfect winter car?

Skinny tyres , a VW badge on the front , and an air cooled engine in the back .

Ready to go anywhere

 

[Pontoneer]

That was my first thought when you posed the question.

Something light, on skinny tyres, is hard to beat in slippery conditions. Add in 4WD and you have a winner.

Or an air cooled engine over the rear driving wheels

 

[Pontoneer]

'Vera' the Defender was really good when we lived somewhere that we had snow and my wife had to commute up to Buxton in the Peak District.
Now we live on the dry Norfolk plains again, I just use whatever needs cleaning next. The other one stays clean and dry in the garage.
I have used both in freezing conditions and they are both fine.

View attachment 152193

I thought Vera was an Avro Lancaster !

 

[Pontoneer]

i had skid pan training “back in the day” but I can’t think of any places to do this now, except at Mercedes World. Are these places still around anywhere?

Every police college has one