Menu toggle

Don't Take The Back Road

I agree Paul. When I were a lad and it snowed every year and we lived on top of a hill we always had to leave RWD cars at the bottom of the hill and walk up to our house - until my dad started buying Audi's, from then on only occationally in the very heaviest of snowfalls with drifting conditions would the Audi be defeated and then only those neighbours who had Land Rovers and 4wd Subaru's ever managed to get their cars up. FWD is definitely good in snow conditions but 4wd is in another league altogether. - however in Moscow I saw no end of old Cold War era RWD Lada's and BMW's bombing around on compacted sheet snow on snow tyres with no problems whatsoever - as on the track, the tyres you run can make all the difference. If we had consistent snowy winters in this country there is no reason why a snow tyre-shod 944 wouldn't be able to get around as well as any other rwd car.

Unfortunately in Derby we seem to have missed all the snowy weather. We've had a light dusting of snow but suffered the ice. Collegues at work who come from areas only 20 miles away have been coming to work with a good few inches of snow on their roof's and bonnets.
 

ORIGINAL: Hilux

Love driving my 44 in these conditions
Click to expand...

I dont mean to be or sound disparaging but I live in little village in North Herts where we have had it as bad as I can remember and your statement is all very well provided you arent going to get stuck and block the roads so the gritters excavators and ploughs cant get through or add to the recovery services misery.

Rear wheel drive cars on large low profile tyres are the worst possible cars to take out. They without question have been the ones primarily me and other 4x4 owners have been pulling out locally for days now so we can all use the (currently single track) road into the village. The little FWD`s with a bit of traction control or decent driving technique go anywhere in comparison.
Click to expand...

I do have a nissan patrol as well, and to be honest that can be more of a liability, short wheel base no ABS and it weighs over 2.5 tonnes so takes some stopping on ice. the big knobbly tyres help, heading down icy hills it always made me nervous

The 944 off boost I found fine fine, any boost it spins the wheels but gently off boost I always found it ok, with planning haven't got it stuck - However we do not get that much snow this far south, probably only 3 winters in the time I have owned it.

The volvo 940 I had last year however was awful way worse than I had expected, with no LSD and worn dampers was dangerously useless.

Playing in a car park my Audi A6 Quattro can find amazing traction with or without ASM/ESP But it is surprisingly poor at stopping, steerable and very controllable on the ABS but very little retardation compared to the traction.

Tony
 
I've just been reminded of something that happened earlier this year when I came back off a skiing holiday and we had the snowy and icy spell back in Feb. I came back and the 944, which had been in the car park for a week and had a nice covering of iced over fresh snow, had the challenge of getting out of the busy car park that had a layer of about 2 inches of fresh snow over the top of sheet ice. I didn't fancy my chances at all, but like Tony, I actually found the car to work quite well - it was certainly better than the plethora of RWD Audi's and BMW's on the uphill incline where they couldn't find any traction at all and were stationary with their wheels spinning while I just mooched past the outside with no drama at all. And that was with my wide fat low profile tyres too. I think with the transaxel over the rear axel the 944 probably handles slippery conditions better than most RWD cars. I wonder why these cars were never rallied.
 
I think you are spot on with the transaxle thing Scott. I had a trip out in my mate's 964 with all the weight of his beetle engine in the back he had far more traction than I did and I think he is running 265s on 17" rims.
 
The volvo 940 I had last year however was awful way worse than I had expected, with no LSD and worn dampers was dangerously useless.
Click to expand...

We couldn't get our 740 Turbo up the hill to our old house in even light snow. Hence being on our second Legacy.

Even though we've got fairly low-profile Sport Contacts, probably never designed as a snow-tyre, it's been surprisingly useable. It got Jane home on the worst night, when our neighbour spent the night rescuing people with his Defender and the local supermarket put hundreds of people up for the night.

I didn't take the S2 out. [&:]
 
The turbo has been locked for three weeks and making without its debauchery of power is beginning to be difficult [:(]

Scott, "our" cars were rallied. For instance Walter Röhrl drove a 924 CGTS at the German rally in 1981, and the car was reproduced by Christian Löffel who regularly rallies it nowadays.


9344BCDECF4A456CBD3526F26B5BCBD5.jpg
 
Cool, I love those rear and front arch extensions. I've emailed a work colleague of mine who rallied a MK1 in the Historic Rally Car Circuit before he emigrated to the states and is into Porsches. He's after another rally car project to work on and was considering a 911 but he might like the idea of this instead as he likes his transaxle Porsches.
 
http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/6739391/17517757

Think they might have done better with the brakes off (pretty sure the handbrake is on even when they take their foot off the brake - looks lethal though
Tony
 
Seems to have been removed, as the driver and passenger both got out as it accelerated backwards out of shot maybe there is an insurance issue?

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Posts made and opinions expressed are those of the individual forum members

Use of the Forum is subject to the Terms and Conditions

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily those of the Club, who shall have no liability in respect of them or the accuracy of the content. The Club assumes no responsibility for any effects arising from errors or omissions.

Porsche Club Great Britain gives no warranties, guarantees or assurances and makes no representations or recommendations regarding any goods or services advertised on this site. It is the responsibility of visitors to satisfy themselves that goods and/or services supplied by any advertiser are bona fide and in no instance can the Porsche Club Great Britain be held responsible.

When responding to advertisements please ensure that you satisfy yourself of any applicable call charges on numbers not prefixed by usual "landline" STD Codes. Information can be obtained from the operator or the white pages. Before giving out ANY information regarding cars, or any other items for sale, please satisfy yourself that any potential purchaser is bona fide.

Directors of the Board of Porsche Club GB, Club Office Staff, Register Secretaries and Regional Organisers are often requested by Club members to provide information on matters connected with their cars and other matters referred to in the Club Rules. Such information, advice and assistance provided by such persons is given in good faith and is based on the personal experience and knowledge of the individual concerned.

Neither Porsche Club GB, nor any of the aforementioned, shall be under any liability in respect of any such information, advice or assistance given to members. Members are advised to consult qualified specialists for information, advice and assistance on matters connected with their cars at all times.

Porsche
Lockton
Pirelli
Officially approved
Oracle Finance
WEX Esso
Collecting Cars
Back
Top