General Panda and winter

[pantastica]

The real winter has arrived to Sweden now, I live in Stockholm and temperature today was -12C and lots of snow of course. So how does it stand up to the cold? Rather good actually, the heater is adequate for this sort of temperature, it would be interesting to see how its copes with -20 to -25C. It takes about 10-12 kms for the engine to reach normal temperature.

The car is equipped with studded winter tyres which is a must for icey roads,driveablity is good in snow, I have not got stuck yet. Doors have a tendency to freeze to the doors rubberlist, you can prevent this with a silicone treatment for the rubber.Other stuff I have in the car is a shovel and box of sand if you get get stuck.A good battery ensures cold starts in the morning.

 

[Schwenck]

Is your Panda a 4x4? Or don't you really need it with studded tyres?

My Stilo said -7C this morning, that's quite cold enough for me. Snow is threatened here in Southern England tonight, cue travel chaos in the morning! I can't imagine many of my fellow commuters tomorrow morning will be equipped with sand and a shovel. Laughable really, we really don't cope well with it. Unlike our Scottish bretheren I'm sure...

 

[pandissimo]

It's four am and snowing here, soon I have to go work in the 4x4. But it isn't -12C and I don't have a shovel. I should get one, I think...

 

[Jai]

I don't have a shovel. I should get one, I think...

i think i need one too.....

 

[little-blue-chichi]

Higgle loves the snow! It is quite thick here in the
cotswolds but despite the fact that she isn't a 4 x 4 she got me to work an hour early this morning without any scary moments at all (except for being bombarded with slush by inconsiderate huge SUVs coming the other way at speed) .. So now I'm smuggly sittting at my desk taking calls from people who live almost next door saying the weather is too bad to come in. I really do think the Panda is just SO consumately practical.

 

[Schwenck]

inconsiderate huge SUVs coming the other way at speed) ..

What a surprise!

Narrow tyres definitely a benefit in these conditions, especially as no one in this country bothers to have winter tyres. We've just been watching people trying to park in our slightly sloping car park and the modern obsession with big fat tyres just makes it farcical. I made sure I was in work early so no one could see the problems I had on my 205/55s!

 

[Jai]

well just got back from dropping the mrs off in west london, 50 miles roundtrip, mix of a and b roads, with motorway involved, and the eleganza was absolutely spot on, did feel any slip, abs, or even for a moment she counldn't handle it.

i must say though, a little prep goes a long way, and i'm quite fussy about removing snow from the entire car, windows for all round vision, bonnet, flanks and roof so as not to bombard following drivers, some cars i've seen today have just the wiper arcs clear!

 

[pandissimo]

well just got back from dropping the mrs off in west london, 50 miles roundtrip, mix of a and b roads, with motorway involved, and the eleganza was absolutely spot on, did feel any slip, abs, or even for a moment she counldn't handle it.

i must say though, a little prep goes a long way, and i'm quite fussy about removing snow from the entire car, windows for all round vision, bonnet, flanks and roof so as not to bombard following drivers, some cars i've seen today have just the wiper arcs clear!

Just back from an exciting morning in the snow. We had only a couple of centimetres by the coast, but up on the South Downs where I work there was over 20cms in places. My drive to work is up a large hill, at the top early this morning there was just fresh virgin snow and no traffic. What a time to play! The 4x4 is superb in snow, it feels like driving on tarmac although you notice the extra drag from deep snow as soon as you enter it. There's plenty of grip from the winter tyres and the car has no problems traversing quite deep snow. If you build up too much speed and unwisely stamp on the brakes, the ABS cuts in with very noticable effect on the pedal. The trick of course is to keep road speeds very low so you don't loose grip if you have to brake.

At the top of the hill, was a Pe*g*t 206 parked in a ditch with two apologetic young men standing by it. I stopped, the younger more acne-struck lad said they were going along quite ok, and suddenly for NO REASON, the car veered into the ditch They weren't damaged, and a farmer had been despatched to find a rope. The car was highly modded, lowered springs , big oversized Toyo low profile tyres on the front which looked like slicks. No wonder the car headed for the fields.... Them tyres has less tread depth than my push-bike.

Here's a pic, on the way up, at the start of the trek to 600 metres. Doesn't do the snow scenes at the top justice. Snow was melting by 11am so on the way back down, all was normal and boring..

Can highly recommend the 4x4 and those Pirelli Winter tyres... :yum:

 

[Wee Smurf]

I equipped my Panda nicely with Continental WinterContacts... Just one small problem...













No Snow...

 

[Soepy]

I equipped my Panda nicely with Continental WinterContacts... Just one small problem...

No Snow...

Same here. I was so hoping to have some fun in the snow, but alas, no snow. Winters in Romania are usually pretty bad, temperatures about -10C, this year it's +16C! Are there still people doubting global warming? :S