don't think anything with low profile tyres is any good in the snow. Till it's gone mine is staying snug in the garage and I can have the panics in the company car which feels like the treads are iced up and there's no grip. It really doesn't feel right at all.
If as I've heard low profile tyres are useless what do they fit abroad when they put winter tyres on, is it just a different tread? How does the old fashioned profile give a better grip?
I see buses don't seem to suffer any loss of grip, is that just the immense weight pushing out any wet and ice?

We've not had too much snow up here so far and the 100 seems to be ahndling it fairly well at the moment but there's plenty more forecast so we'll see how it goes with a bit more white stuff on the ground.......

Very icy here this morning and first Panda 100hp drive in such weather....Fairly happy with the cars handling ...it is massively 'over tyred' after all...in general though I dont like the 'snatchiness' of the brakes at top of pedal travel and in particular thats not good in ice/snow ...sixth gear is great for icy 'cruising though...got about 45mpg driving like a 'nun on ice'!50mpg must be IMPOSSIBLE in this vehicle !(Which is a shame cos it shouldnt be ...)

Yes its rubbish in the snow & ice. Low weight, relatively wide tyres and F1 tread pattern make for decidedly slidy progress.

I was noticeably holding up other traffic on Thursday evening. More snow and sub-zero temperatures forecast for the weekend -I won't be venturing out in the Panda until Monday morning.

Yes. You need narrow, soft, grippy, tyres; good articulation, and plenty of torque. The best cars in the snow were the old Citroen Dyanes and 2CVs. The Sporting is the very opposite of an ideal snow car unfortunately, but at least it has the weight over the driving wheels. Pity those with rear wheel drive right now. Lots of TLC needed when driving then!

A few thing spring to mind over this problem. One is the tyres on the 100hp, you need a narrow tyre to cut through the snow.As the norm, is that the south does not get a lot of snow, its a big expence to buy new tyres and wheels just for a few days snow. ( better to leave it in the garage as suggested ).
Second I dont think the gearing on the 100hp helps, even when trying to pull away in 2nd gear it either stalls or starts to wheel spin again.
Driving in snow is an art, and we dont get enough of the stuff to gain the knowledge thats required. (unles you live north of Perth).

Our daughter had got a set of fine snow chains in Finland, now they were never fitted as she got rid of the car, but to be honest i'm not sure the 100hp had the clearance in the wheel arch to fit them.

cheers Ian.

i was discussing this with chas the other day, i wonder if 13" 135 width wheels and tyres from an uno 45 would fit....

Highlander said:

Driving in snow is an art, and we dont get enough of the stuff to gain the knowledge thats required. (unles you live north of Perth).

cheers Ian.

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I stay just north of Perth and we have a blizzard happening just now so im afraid the 100HP is being left safely at the door and the M-Jet has been drafted (its a bit better). The couple of time I’ve been caught out with the 100HP in the snow or severe ice it really struggles and I've found myself having to reverse it along the drive to get it home.

DavePanda100 said:

It's that time again

The 100hp or should I say it's Goodyear Eagles hate it

I'm probably being over cautious but every little spin on the front makes me

Anyone else having panics?

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We don't get much in the way of snow to speak of, more a bit icy really. I kind of enjoy it, lots of wheelspin and on Thursday night went the wrong way to a hotel and was on a deserted road on an industrial estate. Couldn't resist a handbrake turn.

But, in saying all that I haven't experienced the 100hp in significant quantities of snow. I expect it will be much like most other cars i've owned, ie a bit of a challenge to punt along.

No tyre is good in the snow as one the tread is full up you have no tread to speak of. Mind you F1's may be worse for this. Have yoko S-drives on the front of mine though.

Thank goodness for your post TDQ....

I was beginning to think I was the only one that enjoyed spinning it about....

I too was doing HBTs in the car park at my wife's work yesterday....

Just a shame about the warning beep....

ThisBitterPill said:

Thank goodness for your post TDQ....

I was beginning to think I was the only one that enjoyed spinning it about....

I too was doing HBTs in the car park at my wife's work yesterday....

Just a shame about the warning beep....

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LOL! I actually discovered the warning beep when I took my one and a half day old car to a skidpan, had to give the handbrake a pull to get it sideways. Oh what fun!

Jai said:

i was discussing this with chas the other day, i wonder if 13" 135 width wheels and tyres from an uno 45 would fit....

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No - wouldn't clear the brake discs (but suspect it wasn't a serious question)

(see separate post for the 4x4's performance in Herts snow...)

Hmm, hand brake turns in car parks aint a smart idea. Let me put this to you, a little arse hole in his white corsa tried one in the car park at my daughters work, he did'nt quite make it and has hit the side of her 8 week old Grande Punto GP, AND THEN P****D OFF.

Now i'm quite lucky as one of the companys reckon they have the little b*****d on camera plus (shall we just say pigs in the family).

One thing I can promise, once I find ou who he is get, i'll rip his bloody head off.

ONE HACKED OFF DAD.

Yes 100hp is like pig on ice best is to move of in 3rd gear but is no worse than other cars i.e my Focus .Clutch and gears and as little as possible brakes.

I don't find much problem getting cars going in the snow.. stopping and steering is a whole other thing though... (big hills around here)

My car is still stuck half-way down my close - just tried to move it, and it managed all of one foot up the hill :shrug:

Luckily it is up the kerb, and not blocking others who can get by.

Highlander said:

Hmm, hand brake turns in car parks aint a smart idea.

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Well it's ok if, like me, you are doing it in an empty car park....

Strange I havent noticed a problem driving my 100Hp in the snow and down in Norwich area we have a good layer of it, kinda enjoy it.

cryptixabarth said:

Strange I havent noticed a problem driving my 100Hp in the snow and down in Norwich area we have a good layer of it, kinda enjoy it.

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AOL.

Drove home at 11.30pm last night following a curry with friends. There wasn't that much in the way of snow but there was slush down the middle of each lane and to the sides of the road. It was a 60mph limit, I was going at a reasonable pace considering 40-60mph but I was concentrating like mad trying to read the road ahead as it seemed a bit variable in slush covering.

Had a couple of times where I caught a bit of slush and got a bit of understeer, then another when I accelerated out of a corner in third gear, and was met by somewhat unexpected wheelspin at around 50mph.

Overall a bit slower than I would normally drive, but was not impeding progress too much. We've got a fair covering of snow today but I didn't have any need to drive anywhere so didn't bother.