How does your van cope in the snow?

[peckers]

How do you find your van copeing in the snow? Do you have a front wheel drive or rear wheel drive? have you got/or had both and do you find one is better then the other?
Do you change your tyres in this weather for snow tyres or something with a better grip tread or something similiar?

I have T5 transporter swb and I am finding it difficult to get around and we have only recently had 3 inches off snow it is front wheel drive and heavily loaded there for there isn't much weight on the driving wheels. even if i turn the traction control off it doesent seem to help much!
I havent actually got stuck this year like i did last year but i am finding it hard for traction on the inclines!

I used to have a trusty rusty transit and a sprinter and these were better in the snow as the weight was on the rear wheels. RWD

So who has the best 2 wheel drive for the snowy conditions and what tyres do you have on???

 

[mikethetile]

I find the rwd vans best in this weather as you can put weight over the driving wheels, mines fwd and I get better grip if I take weight of the rear wheels.

 

[kilty55]

i recently put winter tyres on and its made a difference

 

[Stewart]

Front wheel drive transit with a full set of Continental VanCo winter tyres. I have a fully loaded van and even when the snow and ice was at it's worst, I still managed to get to work with ease and I've got a couple of hills to negotiate before reaching the main road.

 

[tommyzooom]

I had to take the big wheels off mine (Caddy)as it wouldn't go anywhere. With the narrow tyres on she is reasonable, I got stuck on a hill yesterday after the rwd ambulance in front of me got stuck. after we all pushed it up I walked back down the hill to reverse and have another go when another caddy stopped beside me on the slippiest bit. "Don't stop,or you won't get going again" I said....."No problem, I've got snow tyres on" and off he set.
Oh and we had 8.5 inches of snow!!

 

[Ian]

Like tommyzoom I've got silly wide alloys on my front wheel drive vivaro and it gets stuck and slides around if it sees ice in the next county, better with the standard wheels and tyres, but it's a pain to keep swapping them over.

 

[Alan.P]

It's not the driving, VW Caddy, it's the getting into the van that's the problem, all the rubbers stick together, I'm gonna have to grease them up, it's getting a bit embarrassing climbing through the back doors :rofl: Apart from that, can't fault it, starts on the button every time.

 

[hillhead]

My Renault Trafic is superb in it, steady through 6"+ and i'v climbed quite a few hills.
Yesterday i climbed two hills on way home on unsalted roads and there was no other tracks in the snow !!! hairy 3 mile for that last bit of journey.

 

[Scott]

Toyota hiace doesnt cope with the snow at all IF i stop. Simple i just keep going. Rear wheel drive is pathetic in the snow, i have loaded the rear with a bread crate of bricks before and that made things worse when things get a bit tank slappy at the back end!

 

[peckers]

So perhaps skinny wheels and snow/winter tyres could be the best way to go for the snowy/icy periods?
For those that use them are they worth the cost? and do you keep a spare set of rims so you can change back to normal tyres as the weather gets better? and then use the tyres again next year etc?

 

[hillhead]

I'v been tempted for alloys before for my van but left originals on as they are so strong.
Van tyres are well protected and great in sites etc so i wont change especially with the climbing ability on my van too.
I'd like to hear if any other trafic,vivaro etc are doing ok in the snow?

 

[peckers]

I'v been tempted for alloys before for my van but left originals on as they are so strong.
Van tyres are well protected and great in sites etc so i wont change especially with the climbing ability on my van too.
I'd like to hear if any other trafic,vivaro etc are doing ok in the snow?

Ive just bought a traffic but its having a cam belt and service etc and i pick it up next week so im hoping its better then the vw
What year model have you got?

 

[SandyFloor]

I have newish tyres on the front of my Master and haven't had any probs worth mentioning.

 

[hillhead]

My trafic is a 2007 model, 2.0l turbo diesel and has 115bhp. Dc27 i think or something like that.
Great driving van too and economical.I have it three and a half years now.

 

[davebates]

ive got 57 plate vito and its rubbish really rubish

 

[davebates]

(works van)

 

[Ian]

I'v been tempted for alloys before for my van but left originals on as they are so strong.
Van tyres are well protected and great in sites etc so i wont change especially with the climbing ability on my van too.
I'd like to hear if any other trafic,vivaro etc are doing ok in the snow?

My Vivaro was top quality until I messed with it and put new alloys on it!!! Lovely to look at, pants to drive in anything other than dry warm roads!!!

Wide wheels with ice or snow, just doesn't work!!!!

 

[Andy Allen]

i got an old transit and its pants in the snow....

 

[aph257]

i lived in germany for many years, where everyone has two sets of wheels/tyres one set of steel rims with winter tyres on and one alloy set with normal tyres. come the winter off come the alloys on go the steels and set of chains in the back, saying that though it snowed every year and they are used to it. we've had two consecutive now but the country will never able to justify the amount it costs to keep the roads clear. my Bro-in-law lives in the States where they even have Under Road Heating on the Interstate.

 

[CJ]

05 Trafic............it manages. Never a problem for starting.......great heater when the engines warm. Also good for drifting in an empty car park

 

[Ken Bruty]

My transit is fwd, and rubbish in the snow, it just slides sideways if the road has a camber on it, also, it's stranded me this morning with a dead battery :mad2::mad2::mad2: so I'm sitting here waiting for my charger to breathe some life into it, I'm supposed to be in London in 20 mins, so when and if I eventually get going I've got 1.5 hours journey, that's if the roads are clear

 

[doug boardley]

I'm spitting feathers this morning,went to pick up my l200 after phoning bank to make sure funds were cleared, "yes" they said. Went to pay for it and card declined, apparently I've now got to wait till thursday as they decided to put an extended clearing date on cheque that I deposited, and as I'd changed insurance over to take effect from this morning I can't even use my scudo in the meantime:mad2::mad2::mad2:

 

[jay]

three more days doug

 

[faithhealer]

Stuck here too Doug, van was a non starter this morning, gonna give it to lunchtime to warm up (if thats the problem) then its AA time

 

[Gazzer]

Stuck here too, Got a heater in the car warming it up, car wont start , engine turns over but no go !