A lot action in snow this days for panda.
This morning -20C
This morning -20C
General Pandas playing polar bears
- Thread starter VmanC
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General Pandas playing polar bears
OP
OP
Well we had a couple of inches of snow this morning so I dashed out to take a couple of pics for this thread. Hopefully there'll be more opportunities later, but for now it's all melted away 
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Jealous
Gloucestershire is always last to get snow lol. I wana play tooooo!!
Gloucestershire is always last to get snow lol. I wana play tooooo!!
i did a video of me doing the school run in mine.. then taking a nice long trip back home down some back lanes.
theres a kinda outtake at the end that funny heh
on the way back we saw a field with a few 4x4s in driving around.. i had to pull in and have a go.. after a while.. i got stuck >_<
still, got free under the cars own power though! super stuff!
should of recorded it.. wish i did now.
theres a kinda outtake at the end that funny heh
on the way back we saw a field with a few 4x4s in driving around.. i had to pull in and have a go.. after a while.. i got stuck >_<
still, got free under the cars own power though! super stuff!
should of recorded it.. wish i did now.
:woot: Snow!!
Well it got to about 12pm and I was fed up with work - this was the view outside as the snow got started in earnest...
Having warmed up the Panda and cleared all the windows lights & numberplates (before someone comments, all the following was accumulated during the drive!), I went out to play in the leafy(!) Chiltern hills.
I actually had some work to deliver to a client who lives up a track in the hills. I thought I might be a bit ambitious as it wasn't signed & I thought I might be going up a footpath (the track or house weren't visible!). This is on the way back down - spot the sump guard being a snowplough.....
Had great fun round all the hills and tracks - had to stop for petrol at one point as I was out so long, and only came in when it got dark
The Panda was superb and was running rings round all the expensive stuff getting stuck, falling into hedges, etc. Worth its weight in gold
When I got back my neighbour had managed to get stuck coming down ( ) the hill to my drive. I was going up the hill (just to prove a point to everyone who couldn't :devil: ) and found him in the way - simply hopped the kerb up the grass, round the stranded piece of German technology & a stranded piece of French technology & back onto the drive. I did offer a tow, but it was declined.......
Well it got to about 12pm and I was fed up with work - this was the view outside as the snow got started in earnest...
Having warmed up the Panda and cleared all the windows lights & numberplates (before someone comments, all the following was accumulated during the drive!), I went out to play in the leafy(!) Chiltern hills.
I actually had some work to deliver to a client who lives up a track in the hills. I thought I might be a bit ambitious as it wasn't signed & I thought I might be going up a footpath (the track or house weren't visible!). This is on the way back down - spot the sump guard being a snowplough.....
Had great fun round all the hills and tracks - had to stop for petrol at one point as I was out so long, and only came in when it got dark
The Panda was superb and was running rings round all the expensive stuff getting stuck, falling into hedges, etc. Worth its weight in gold
When I got back my neighbour had managed to get stuck coming down (
) the hill to my drive. I was going up the hill (just to prove a point to everyone who couldn't :devil: ) and found him in the way - simply hopped the kerb up the grass, round the stranded piece of German technology & a stranded piece of French technology & back onto the drive. I did offer a tow, but it was declined....... 
Excellent! Unfortunately I've got the 4x4 up on stands at the minute but I do at least have some nice new winter tyres on the CLX which seem to be performing very well.
Pandas in snow....best car I have ever driven in these conditions...
Gavin....a couple of years ago I was using the bumper as a snowplough..great fun isn't it!
Gavin....a couple of years ago I was using the bumper as a snowplough..great fun isn't it!
Pandas in snow....best car I have ever driven in these conditions...
Gavin....a couple of years ago I was using the bumper as a snowplough..great fun isn't it!
Couldn't agree more Kev.
Each time I get in the snow I think, is it really as good as I remember. Then it's just so amazingly competent at everything you throw at it, you realise it's better than you remembered!
I reversed up a really steep snowy hill to get out of the way of some clown in a Passat being towed up backwards by a tractor - he said you'll never get through & there are 4x4's crashed all the way down. Yep there were (quite expensive ones too!), but the Panda took itself down in 1st gear without a hint of trouble.
I was also told on the v.steep right angle corner that I should go the other way as I'd only slide into his (very stuck) van - ignored that, and ashamed to say he was a bit of a git so I didn't offer to tow him out & just sailed round the corner in full control. Well he had plenty of company as there were at least 6 people digging it out mainly from other crashed 4x4's
That's so good to hear Gavin.....total confidence..
My Toyota 4x4 is good, but it still weighs alot and you have to watch the braking as stopping 2tons needs planning....this is what other 4x4 drivers fail to understand...
My Toyota 4x4 is good, but it still weighs alot and you have to watch the braking as stopping 2tons needs planning....this is what other 4x4 drivers fail to understand...
What tyres did you go for? considering some for Fizzle as needs a pair for the mot may as well go mad
Very jealous of these Panda 4x4's first winter not had one on hand to borrow off Dad
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OP
OP
Well done Gavin, glad I'm not the only nutter.
Oslo is on loan to future son in law at the moment, he needed to get to school today (teacher not pupil). This left the Sisley, Charmania, Pinky and the blue 4x4 to play with .
Barbara needed to go out at about ten this morning, and out of the three at home I was going to use the Sisley and the blue 4x4 had a fuel problem. This left Pinky......
So I cleaned him off and took him for a spin around town.
I've loaned Pinky some Avon M+S tyres and John, they were great, I highly recommend them. I'm ashamed to say I felt really smug terrorising Alton traffic in a pink Panda . When I thundered past a newish Saab going up a steep hill on the way back to the house I bet the owner wished the ground could have swallowed him up :devil:.
The biggest hurdle for anyone leaving our Cul de Sac is having to get back in, having to negotiate a sharp left hand bend onto a steep hill about 100m in . Pinky managed it with little drama, I was very impressed.
I then did the same lap in the Sisley, for scientific reasons you understand. As Gavin says, the 4x4's are extremely capable. By this time even more snow had fallen but the Sisley drove almost as if it wasn't there. I did feel that Barbara may struggle in Pinky now though so I gave her a lift to her destination.
While I was waiting for her to finish I had a great time driving round the area, having the fast lane on the dual carriageway all to myself, the Sisley feeling totally stable.
When I stopped for fuel my smugness changed, I couldn't get the petrol cap off. Went home, poured hot water over it.. went back to petrol station, frozen again :bang:. Plus, I could no longer remove the key, must have bent it in the lock. After picking Barbara up and dropping her back home I decided to try the 18 mile trip to the workshop to see if I could sort the petrol cap and pick up a few tools to take home and fix the carb on the blue 4x4 (the mot runs out today and I needed it at the workshop for when I continue working on it).
As you can see I made it ok, even threw a bucket of water over the Sisley while I was there. With the help of a hot air gun I managed to undo the petrol cap, I've now temporarily replaced it with a non locking one, going away for the weekend and didn't want any further problems. Yes I do need a Sisley sticker for that side.
Here's how the red 4x4 and Farmyard looked outside the workshop.........
Sorry, didn't have time for pretty pictures today.
Ok, went back home with no issues, filled up with fuel too.. Then I fixed the carb on the blue 4x4 and went back to the workshop again . It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it. Future son in law had been sent home from school so he came too in Oslo, I thought I may need backup for the trip back home as it would be in Charmania, more snow now, 2wd and barely legal front tyres .
As it turned out Charmania was brilliant, well until I got to that bend and hill in our road, no way would it get up there. Future Son in law had to tow me up for the last 150m of the trip. Pinky would have made it so those Avons are definately good :worship:.
I've waited years to see first hand what the 4x4's are like in real snow, as you can probably tell from this long post, I haven't calmed down yet .
Oslo is on loan to future son in law at the moment, he needed to get to school today (teacher not pupil
). This left the Sisley, Charmania, Pinky and the blue 4x4 to play with .Barbara needed to go out at about ten this morning, and out of the three at home I was going to use the Sisley and the blue 4x4 had a fuel problem. This left Pinky......
So I cleaned him off and took him for a spin around town.
I've loaned Pinky some Avon M+S tyres and John, they were great, I highly recommend them.
I'm ashamed to say I felt really smug terrorising Alton traffic in a pink Panda . When I thundered past a newish Saab going up a steep hill on the way back to the house I bet the owner wished the ground could have swallowed him up :devil:.The biggest hurdle for anyone leaving our Cul de Sac is having to get back in, having to negotiate a sharp left hand bend onto a steep hill about 100m in . Pinky managed it with little drama, I was very impressed.
I then did the same lap in the Sisley, for scientific reasons you understand
. As Gavin says, the 4x4's are extremely capable. By this time even more snow had fallen but the Sisley drove almost as if it wasn't there. I did feel that Barbara may struggle in Pinky now though so I gave her a lift to her destination.While I was waiting for her to finish I had a great time driving round the area, having the fast lane on the dual carriageway all to myself, the Sisley feeling totally stable.
When I stopped for fuel my smugness changed, I couldn't get the petrol cap off. Went home, poured hot water over it.
. went back to petrol station, frozen again :bang:. Plus, I could no longer remove the key, must have bent it in the lock. After picking Barbara up and dropping her back home I decided to try the 18 mile trip to the workshop to see if I could sort the petrol cap and pick up a few tools to take home and fix the carb on the blue 4x4 (the mot runs out today and I needed it at the workshop for when I continue working on it).
As you can see I made it ok, even threw a bucket of water over the Sisley while I was there. With the help of a hot air gun I managed to undo the petrol cap, I've now temporarily replaced it with a non locking one, going away for the weekend and didn't want any further problems. Yes I do need a Sisley sticker for that side
.Here's how the red 4x4 and Farmyard looked outside the workshop.........
Sorry, didn't have time for pretty pictures today.
Ok, went back home with no issues, filled up with fuel too.
. Then I fixed the carb on the blue 4x4 and went back to the workshop again . It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it. Future son in law had been sent home from school so he came too in Oslo, I thought I may need backup for the trip back home as it would be in Charmania, more snow now, 2wd and barely legal front tyres .As it turned out Charmania was brilliant, well until I got to that bend and hill in our road, no way would it get up there. Future Son in law had to tow me up for the last 150m of the trip. Pinky would have made it so those Avons are definately good :worship:.
I've waited years to see first hand what the 4x4's are like in real snow, as you can probably tell from this long post, I haven't calmed down yet
.
Great to see and hear reports of how well the Panda's are doing
We've not had as much snow in York as you have - so far -our cul-de-sac is pretty ropey too.
Have you had the Avon M+S's long? can't find them on the Avon website, not in a 13" at any rate. Have a feeling by the time I get sorted the snow will have gone
We've not had as much snow in York as you have - so far -our cul-de-sac is pretty ropey too.
Have you had the Avon M+S's long? can't find them on the Avon website, not in a 13" at any rate. Have a feeling by the time I get sorted the snow will have gone
Not playing, just waiting...
OP
OP
Great to see and hear reports of how well the Panda's are doing
We've not had as much snow in York as you have - so far -our cul-de-sac is pretty ropey too.
Have you had the Avon M+S's long? can't find them on the Avon website, not in a 13" at any rate. Have a feeling by the time I get sorted the snow will have gone
They were bought about 18 months ago. You may get away with it this year, as I mentioned, Charmania was fine on just legal front tyres, only the steep bit beat her. You've then got until next year to find a spare set of wheels for some proper winter tyres.
The Sisley has Debica Frigo's
confused on it, 145/80/13's and they have been unbeatable so far. I know it's not just the 4 wheel drive that's making the difference because the blue 4x4 has Nankang 165/65/14's and they didn't feel half as good. When it comes to performing on snow or mud the skinny tyres rule, the wider ones just look better.Went out in the Sisley again this morning looking for trouble, waste of time. I chose the narrowest, steepest, most remote lanes I could find but nothing seemed to test it even a little. As a last resort I pulled into a field that had a six inch covering of snow, nope, just drove round like it was Sainsburys car park :worship:.
Took a couple more pics, nothing amazing, I'm too busy having fun driving to stop and get out.
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Mine was the same Vernon. At first I didn't think the Nankang's were as good as the previous ones (hopefully they will last longer though!), but they were superb particularly in deeper snow.
cheekylittlescamp the improved Debica Frigo mk2 (Goodyear by another cheaper name) is at http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rs..._pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi
Good price
cheekylittlescamp the improved Debica Frigo mk2 (Goodyear by another cheaper name) is at http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rs..._pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi
Good price
The mk1 has been quite at home the last 2 days and I have been having much fun!! These Malatesta tyres are proving a great buy, even on sheet ice the wheels are gripping nicely.
So few pics for now. Up on selsley common gloucestershire we took on some snow drifts :devil: hard to see ditches when the snow has blown flat over them though but even then she bounced across with no dramas:
And a nice artistic one...
I have a video of some fun in a local car park but it's on a friends camera so will have to wait till monday to see it unfortunately.
So few pics for now
. Up on selsley common gloucestershire we took on some snow drifts :devil: hard to see ditches when the snow has blown flat over them though but even then she bounced across with no dramas:
And a nice artistic one
...
I have a video of some fun in a local car park but it's on a friends camera so will have to wait till monday to see it unfortunately.
Fancy my 4x4 panda on the road but no snow
Sadly we missed the snow this time so we drove to it 25 milles ish to find some. All the roads were clear all we could find was a layby to pull up to and got some quick picks on the b3157 abbotsbury hill
Not sure why its the wrong way round prob the iPads fault ?
Sadly we missed the snow this time so we drove to it 25 milles ish to find some. All the roads were clear all we could find was a layby to pull up to and got some quick picks on the b3157 abbotsbury hill
Not sure why its the wrong way round prob the iPads fault ?
Hi Stuart,
I hope you are well. Great to see the orange beast still soldiering on too! Sorry to hear you have not had snow; I think a road trip is in order :devil: pop up to Gloucestershire! Tonnes here and hopefully more on the way too :devil: It's like an ice rink outside my house at the moment but fortunately all flat so no cars losing control (hopefully
).Si
Looks like you've been haing some fun we haven't had the white stuff here since winter 2010Hi Stuart,
I hope you are well. Great to see the orange beast still soldiering on too! Sorry to hear you have not had snow; I think a road trip is in order :devil: pop up to Gloucestershire! Tonnes here and hopefully more on the way too :devil: It's like an ice rink outside my house at the moment but fortunately all flat so no cars losing control (hopefully
Si
