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Apparently, they're now a very profitable company. I just hope they invest in new models for Europe. A Fiatless future does not bear thinking about!
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What's made you grumpy today?
Not fair. We never get decent snow these days in N. Ireland. I’d love to see how the Panda fares. I hear it’s quite good in the snow lol
It's the sorta thing that's fun if you have the road to yourself or are driving someone else's car..or have no imagination as to what's around the next corner. I've driven an uno, 2 puntos, the swift and the 3 in poor conditions and it's always bad. More weight and wide tyres makes it worse..but the main issue on wet snow is no stopping power. If you're smooth on the power and steering front drive cars will happily clip along on snow with the odd drift. But if you put on 1mph too much speed and attempt to brake, panic when it doesn't slow down and stay on the brakes you'll ride it down the valley like a sledge. I preferred no Abs for it at least it's predictable, the swift abs was terrible..at everything tbf it let you lock wheels in normal circumstances and the Mazda one is so busy keeping the wheels moving it forgets to brake..
Awaiting a post about winter tyres..
What makes me grumpy about winter tyres is the people who either;
Think winter tryes are for wimps, girls or bad drivers, they're too good to need winter tyres, too macho to admit that they work...
(almost exclusively male)
Know what winter tyres are, but when asked why they don't have them, reply with something along the lines of "we don't have those, it's alright for people like you who do, but we have to struggle without".
(almost exclusively female)
Brother in law's car is currently in a ditch, he lives in an area with lots of snow and ice, I'll let you guess which group he falls into
I've dragged a few of those guys (edit...usually joiners or plasterers in Transits or Berlingo's) out of ditches (or out of everyone else's way) over the years.
This'll be the 1st winter for years that I hav'nt had a Jeep or Defender so we'll see how it goes but, I must admit, I'm rather looking forward to some snow now I've put the winters on our little Panda.
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I entirely think they work but they make no financial sense for me..it's snowed properly once in 5 years. Rather than using madskillz to overcome the ice, I just take it very easy and fit tyre socks if it's deep or sheet Ice.
Not ideal but has done ok so far.
Fit winters at the beginning of December, take them off at end of Feburary (adjust months to suit climate). The only extra cost is a second set of wheels, a set of steelies from the breakers yard will do fine.
Your annual tyre budget is the same, you just spread the wear between two sets.
dtimmins1985
Established member
Are the socks any good? Was thinking about getting them.
A set of new 14" steels and winter tyres has cost me £315.98 
I could have bought 13's cheaper but needed 14's for temporary fitment to the 500C when I have the alloys refinished next spring.
I could have bought 13's cheaper but needed 14's for temporary fitment to the 500C when I have the alloys refinished next spring.
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Yes, but only on packed snow, use them on tarmac and they won't last long.
Tip - after use, put them in the washing machine, they last much longer if you clean them.
Unless I fit 4 space savers, there's no such thing as steelies for my car, the smallest wheel fitted is 16 by 6.5j anything smaller won't clear the brakes..and they never sold them on steelies so I'd be swapping alloys for alloys.
Also my annual tyre budget is 0..I do 8k a year so with rotation it takes 4 years + to burn off a set of tyres..with 2 sets I'd just be throwing tyres away when they are cracked. And I've got nowhere to store another set of wheels so yes I did consider them. But I'm swapping maybe 15-30 minutes inconvience driving in poor conditions for year round inconvenience. I'm not one of these people who goes out in winter with 20 miles of fuel in shorts and flip flops. If I end up in the ditch I'll be going slowly, if the tyre socks don't get it out, I've got rubber mats as well, if the rubber mats don't get it I've got a spade.
They do extremely well, but have their limitations. So if the road is clear you need to stop and remove them although you can travel for short distances as long as you are gentle. Also top speed is 30 mph and in the swift I used to occasionally get an effect similar to McDonald's tray drifting, that was probably the short wheel base though.
There was a nice moment when everyone was stuck in a car park in town, I drove in down to the bottom and got stuck in the Suzuki. Bloke in an A4 Quattro drove around me and parked up looking smug. Got out banged the socks on, handbrake 180 at the bottom of the car park and parked next to him. When I came back later in the day car park had frozen and everyone was stuck, I just fired it up and drove out.
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I feel for you, I have a bit of the same problem, 15" rims in 4x98 aren't all that easy to come by either, I currently have winter tyres on the front (fitted last weekend) and RainSports on the back, if the snow gets worse, I'll have to go for the "drift look" and fit some 14" rims I have lying around to the rear.
A spade is essential car kit
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A spade is essential car kit
You'd think but most people I know seem to think an Ice scraper and screen wash are optional..:bang:
There is a reason Britain comes to a halt when it snows..and it's not summer tyres.
Snow brush..... had one for the last 12 years, beats wrecking wiper motors trying to push several inches of snow off the screen
Winter tyres are not just about snow. The different rubber compound remains more flexible at lower temperatures, giving more grip in low temperatures, whether dry, wet, icy or on snow. In cold weather, even when the roads are dry, they feel so much better.
However, a separate set of wheels and somewhere to store them is the best way, and that is difficult for many.
Socks are for snow only, so less useful overall.
Whilst many cars sold here only have alloys, if the same model is available in other markets that use, or even insist on winter tyres, there will probably be steel wheels available. I was looking at the new Tipo on a foreign website recently, and the base model is on steels. I think UK cars are all alloy.
However, a separate set of wheels and somewhere to store them is the best way, and that is difficult for many.
Socks are for snow only, so less useful overall.
Whilst many cars sold here only have alloys, if the same model is available in other markets that use, or even insist on winter tyres, there will probably be steel wheels available. I was looking at the new Tipo on a foreign website recently, and the base model is on steels. I think UK cars are all alloy.
Breakups. If only there was an oracle of wisdom as helpful as FiatForum is for cars, to help with these matters
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Smashed a wheel and the bent the rear axle on the Punto today... More slippery than I expected unfortunately. Hopefully I'll get either a new rear axle or a parts car tomorrow (depends on what is cheaper).
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Sorry to hear that chap. Sadly, women are incredibly unpredictable creatures.
You're right. Though it's so much harder than I ever imagined to break up after a few years!!!
