General How good is the 500 in the snow!!!

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General How good is the 500 in the snow!!!

keeforelli

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i have never driven a car so good in such treacherous conditions....

just did a 30 mile round trip in the most treacherous conditions ive seen since ive been driving-

not once did the car feel unsafe, there was loads of grip, i didnt get stuck, wheels never locked up on braking...i loved it!

thank you fiat, think the 500 is more awesome than ever now!

fat tyres, a light car and the torquey little 1.2 really coming into their own!

oh and some pics of my start n stop....looks great in the snow!
 

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I don't find mine particularly good, mainly due to the fat tyres I think. Generally the 500 lets you know what's going on and is not too bad to control, but I tried a gentle slope covered in packed snow and the thing just wouldn't get traction, no matter what gear i used. I have the 16" wheels with the Continental tyres and though they may be pretty good in the wet, the Contis were no good in the snow and ice for me.
I'm going to order a set of autosocks for it later.
Interesting to see that two similar cars can be so different. Mine is also a 1.2, tyres and everything else is brand new, which may also hamper things a bit.
 
Before christmas in the snow it seemed fine but yesterday it was terrible. I got stuck twice where other cars did ok. I have the fat tyres as well and quite low tread. Roads are alot busier this time so lots of stop-starting. In the end I went back home and caught the train. I think it gives you plenty feedback but you have to keep it moving.
 
I have to say the 500 is the worst car I have ever driven in the snow.

The fat tyres mean skates around all over the place following icy ruts. The grip is pretty poor too, but that likely because I'm down to 2.5-3mm tread!!!:eek:

do you have an abarth?

i have 15in wheels on the 195s......
also the fact that the car has the ability to pull along on idle means you can be very smooth with your inputs....

it is interesting that there is such a difference in experience tho- maybe some tyre/engine set ups are sweeter than others?
 
LOL those roads are nothing. It's when you have to set off on ice or have to go up a steep gradient with a lot of slush/snow that you'll fine yourself having problems.

That road looks like it's quite well used. Our road is not that well used and when the snow fell it fell thick and the few cars that went up have compacted the snow so it's ice. I've seen many cars try and go up today and all of them have got up, just with great difficulty.

Also it's mostly down to how a car is driven and what rubber is on the wheels.

Keeforelli, are you sure you have 195's on? The 15" wheels are meant to come with 185's and wider tyres on snow make it worse.

Personally for me the 500 is the worst car I've driven on snow. My 406 was better because in relation to its weight the tyres were narrower and of course the Subaru is 4wd so no contest there.
 
yep my abarth wont be moving till this is over - nearly slipped back down an uphill backroad near me yesterday afternoon, just made it back before the worst of the snow.

and today my road isnt even driveable, so much for gritting - cant even see the difference between the pavement and road...and can see the depth from the parked car opposite!

 
Mine is certainly better than our Pug 307 SW, the Pug loses traction very easily and doesn't like our sloping drive. Had to abandon it half way down the estate the other day as I didn't think it would get up the roads to our house and I didn't fancy careering into numerous neighbours cars. The 500 has been fine tho, seems more sure footed. Must say I have been hankering for my previous Panda 4x4 slightly over the last few days, that was great in the wet and slush etc.
 
306

these pics were the road when i got back- outside my house-

they were unused when i left oxford at 9am this morning....so definately not easy to drive on.

obviously experience is subjective, but i felt very safe and secure...

and maybe i do have 185s?....all i know is i kept moving!....

im not scared of driving in the conditions tho, and have done many times in other cars- i think if i was inexperienced and made sudden manouvers it could be very different....
 
yep my abarth wont be moving till this is over - nearly slipped back down an uphill backroad near me yesterday afternoon, just made it back before the worst of the snow.

and today my road isnt even driveable, so much for gritting - cant even see the difference between the pavement and road...and can see the depth from the parked car opposite!


suzisue...

youre in oxford too?????
 
I had to giggle the other day, one of out neighbours gets tease terribly by me fot bying a Nissan Qashqai, his standard response is "we'll see who laughs we it gets icy".

So I didn't take the micky at all when he got stuck on the hill onto our cul-de-sac (honest) the car has been parked at the bottom of the road for several days now.
 
I had to giggle the other day, one of out neighbours gets tease terribly by me fot bying a Nissan Qashqai, his standard response is "we'll see who laughs we it gets icy".

So I didn't take the micky at all when he got stuck on the hill onto our cul-de-sac (honest) the car has been parked at the bottom of the road for several days now.

LMAO!

faux roaders not quite what they are cracked up to be!
 
I had to giggle the other day, one of out neighbours gets tease terribly by me fot bying a Nissan Qashqai, his standard response is "we'll see who laughs we it gets icy".

So I didn't take the micky at all when he got stuck on the hill onto our cul-de-sac (honest) the car has been parked at the bottom of the road for several days now.

Whatever the car I think you still need to know how to drive them in snow and ice! I remember many years ago when I first started driving, we hit a hill in our Allegro estate on some slushy snow, and it slid serenely right to the bottom of the hill, did a slow motion 360 degree turn and came gently to rest against the kerb. I heard the Viennese waltz playing in my head the whole time.
 
Best car in snow out of 30+ cars i've had in 44 years of driving. Sure footed and serenely passed other cars stranded at the side.

Mine's diesel and I find that not using the accelerator when pulling away works brilliantly - the auto idle feature is perfect for this but you have to know how to apply it for best results. Same into 2nd once moving - no accelerator required.

Dunlop SP Sport on wide wheels.
 
Whatever the car I think you still need to know how to drive them in snow and ice! I remember many years ago when I first started driving, we hit a hill in our Allegro estate on some slushy snow, and it slid serenely right to the bottom of the hill, did a slow motion 360 degree turn and came gently to rest against the kerb. I heard the Viennese waltz playing in my head the whole time.

You do realise what you have just done....don't you?????
 
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