Winter Weather
- Thread starter Stuart Hardy
- Start date
We have been very lucky here in the Fylde as Peter has already said. No snow at all but freezing rain on Saturday.
We went up on to Blackpool Promenade to watch the Legendfires North West Stages Rally. At one point they nearly cancelled the stage as three cars had turned over in Fleetwood and the Lower Promenade between Cleveleys and Norbreck was like a skating rink. After the best part of two hours delay the event went ahead. There were no actual accidents but many close calls. The cars were travelling at about 80mph within inches of the sea wall on a surface that was almost impossible to stand on. Fantastic viewing for the spectators but very few people envied the drivers.
I can't remember the last time I felt so cold.....it took all night to thaw out.
Fast forward to Monday. It was foggy this morning, but it cleared by lunchtime. We walked up to the Promenade again this afternoon in glorious sunshine, and it was so warm we were able to sit on a south facing bench without coats.
Eeee! It's grim up north.
We went up on to Blackpool Promenade to watch the Legendfires North West Stages Rally. At one point they nearly cancelled the stage as three cars had turned over in Fleetwood and the Lower Promenade between Cleveleys and Norbreck was like a skating rink. After the best part of two hours delay the event went ahead. There were no actual accidents but many close calls. The cars were travelling at about 80mph within inches of the sea wall on a surface that was almost impossible to stand on. Fantastic viewing for the spectators but very few people envied the drivers.
I can't remember the last time I felt so cold.....it took all night to thaw out.
Fast forward to Monday. It was foggy this morning, but it cleared by lunchtime. We walked up to the Promenade again this afternoon in glorious sunshine, and it was so warm we were able to sit on a south facing bench without coats.
Eeee! It's grim up north.
vitesse
Active member
Ooh-you soo--o active these days -almost like spring chickens, Mac & Sue.
Irene drove up to our daughters near Morpeth this morning in the newly washed grey 924S leaving Formby in sunshine,stopping for a coffee at Westmoreland services after thick fog & in 3" of snow-came out of the fog just after Haltwistle & then coped with deep snow as she traversed cross country via Stamfordham & Belsay,driving in the tractor ruts into Whalton where there was virtually nothing.
Needless to say,it will need a good wash next weekend-but good example of how practical the 50/50 balance of the 924S/944 chassis is for all year round driving as it comes up to 97,000 miles without missing a beat.
Can't say the same for Irene-she said she felt "shattered" & that was before grandchildren.
Irene drove up to our daughters near Morpeth this morning in the newly washed grey 924S leaving Formby in sunshine,stopping for a coffee at Westmoreland services after thick fog & in 3" of snow-came out of the fog just after Haltwistle & then coped with deep snow as she traversed cross country via Stamfordham & Belsay,driving in the tractor ruts into Whalton where there was virtually nothing.
Needless to say,it will need a good wash next weekend-but good example of how practical the 50/50 balance of the 924S/944 chassis is for all year round driving as it comes up to 97,000 miles without missing a beat.
Can't say the same for Irene-she said she felt "shattered" & that was before grandchildren.
Stuart Hardy
New member
I love this thread. Great reading.
Picked up this bit of advice from another marque forum "put 2 space saver wheels on your car".
Yep, I'm going to do that, aren't I?
By the way, how often do you check the pressure in your space saver? Mine had 18 psi in it when I first bought it. Had just passed an MOT too.............
Picked up this bit of advice from another marque forum "put 2 space saver wheels on your car".
Yep, I'm going to do that, aren't I?
By the way, how often do you check the pressure in your space saver? Mine had 18 psi in it when I first bought it. Had just passed an MOT too.............
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I would have thought traction control helps too, i remember a video of a jag on top gear trying to get up a small icy incline once, with TC off it couldnt get up but once it was switched on there was no problem. Its amazing what all these little gadgets do. Also psm makes a big difference if youve ever been to you drive at silverstone.
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If my memory serves me correctly, I seem to recall that when I drove a Cayman up the Ice Hill at the Silverstone Centre with only the n/s wheels on the slippery surface, the car felt more stable with PSM turned off, although traction control was still operating.
Jeff
In order to drive fast or get going in the first place on snow and ice you need to "break" the friction, in other words spin the wheel. As all nanny-systems are designed for the opposite they don't work very well in that sense.
Good example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgTu4aZ3cEc
Good example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgTu4aZ3cEc
Snow not so bad so far this year... My daily runner had decided to die last year... So 996 C4 (tiptronic) it was. It handled no problem, even with half worn summer tyres. Only problem was the 'Aerokit' front splitter! Acted as a snow plough and lost that after about 10 mins. At 150 quid (then spray) to replace its staying in the garage this year! On the subject of RWD in the snow.. It dont matter how good a driver you are, its the others you have to watch for! Thats how my M3 ended up 2 inches shorter than it should be!
Definitely agree about the "others" so many these days think they can drive in any conditions the same as in the summer, usually in FWD which is not as good as they think and so they turn and go straight on into whatever is directly in front!
It's the one thing that makes me think twice before driving anything in the snow.
Fresh snow, no traffic, not concerned.
It's the one thing that makes me think twice before driving anything in the snow.
Fresh snow, no traffic, not concerned.
Having used winter tyres each winter for the last 3 years I'm completely convinced. It doesn't have to be icy or snowy. You get the benefit in any temperatures under 7. My RWD LSD Merc auto goes further on winter tyres than my friend's A6 quattro on summer tyres.
It's a pain to store the extra wheels, but it's more of a pain making insurance claims etc.
GT3 and M3 go into hibernation each winter[
] storing 2 sets of extra wheels is more than enough.
It's a pain to store the extra wheels, but it's more of a pain making insurance claims etc.
GT3 and M3 go into hibernation each winter[
] storing 2 sets of extra wheels is more than enough.
steveoz32
New member
Understeer is a problem on FWD cars in the snow / ICE. Most people understeer, head towards something, then slam the brakes on and continue on their path into a kerb or object!
RWD is fine as long as you don't hammer it around at least you can face the front of the car the right (or wrong) way, but all in all, lets be honest, if you are driving on a bed of snow or ICE in a sports car, neither makes much difference, you'll be sliding everywhere at the slightest touch of the throttle.
Oh and no my 996 doesn't even come out in rain lol, I hate to have to get under her and clean all the gunk off all the time
RWD is fine as long as you don't hammer it around at least you can face the front of the car the right (or wrong) way, but all in all, lets be honest, if you are driving on a bed of snow or ICE in a sports car, neither makes much difference, you'll be sliding everywhere at the slightest touch of the throttle.
Oh and no my 996 doesn't even come out in rain lol, I hate to have to get under her and clean all the gunk off all the time
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