ADP

Well its nearly that time of year, and Ive not used mine in the winter before.

So what are scoobs like in the snow?? The last car I drove in the snow was a pug 306 GTI 6. It was terrible.

I know scoobs are 4X4 but I just wandered whether with all the power and wide tyres they may be crap too???

Im sure someone can tell me!

Andy

DavidBots

Only drove my P1 a couple of times in the snow but it was fine providing you kept in a high gear and were very easy with the right foot and did not activate the turbo !!

David

Dave T-S

Just remember a tyre has the same amount (or lack) of grip on ice and snow however many wheels are driven!

A nice open tread pattern such as Toyo is best on snow (apart from dedicated winter/snow tyres of course).

S55 HOT

As you'd expect really, better grip, but way too much power. Take it wasy and you'll be OK.

Remeber though, just because you have better traction, it doesn't mean you'll be able to stop any quicker..........

GM

The four wheel drive obviously gives you better traction than a 2WD car but that's about it. Some people will disconnect the ABS in snow (by removing the fuse I think) - on the basis that they'll stop quicker if they can lock the front wheels a bit and "snowplough" to a stop. Cornering not really any better that a 2WD car. As you say - wide low profile tyres don't help much. Most important thing (IMO) is not to get overconfident based on "I've got 4WD, I'll be OK". You don't win any prizes for ploughing into the back of someone (particularly if it's me )

logiclee

And bear in mind with large wide tyres sometimes there is little to no grip.

2X0=0 and 4X0=0 so 4 wheel drive doesn't help much.

My wifes little Toyota FWD with 145 tyres was better in the snow than the Scoob.

Lee

Toonman1

Having spent all of my Scooby owning years living in or around the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, I've found them great. Never got stuck once and I used to live 850' ASL on top of a hill.

Just be careful and remember 4WD doesn't defy the laws of Physics.

Si James

If snow is a serious problem in your area, get a 2nd set of wheels with M&S tyres, they imprrove things greatly. However they are only rated to <130>mph, so be careful.

Si

Josh L

I agree with Lee.

My P1 just sat on the top of the snow like snow shoes and span it's wheels (It didn't help that they never grit the road past my house) so I put it back in the garage, and drove my Wife's yaris until it cleared. The narrower tyres on the Toyota cut through the snow, and get down to the road surface.

Once it all melts a bit, the Scoob's great, but be careful.

Josh

MARK MORRIS

my my97 was brilliant in the snow, very similar acceleration to dry, lovely drifts around bends, terrible to stop though, didnt try my p1 but didnt fancy catching the wheels or splitter on a curb, sti7 should be good
mark

The Zohan

GRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!!!

clubby

Definetly remember you dont stop any quicker. Be careful, keep it off the Turbo until you get really confident. Ive driven the scoob in whiteout conditions through a foot in snow, but I was taking it easy.

Defo proceed with caution, but the 4wd goes make a difference.

DanTheMan

Thing is with 4wd that you get yourself into trouble faster than you can get out of it.....

I dinged a kerb "expecting" to be able to go round corners faster in the snow, but its all down to experience

A Citroen 2CV running bmx tyres probably has more grip

camk

Got to second the comment on Snow tyres, standard fit out here from Nov-April, We live 200 metres up a 10% gradient hill and my 523 gets up every time due to the tyres. First real day of snow show the punters without the right tyres. I thought our C4 would be fine without winter tyres as it was 4WD, how wrong I was.....needless to say tyres purchased right after first 2 hour stressful drive home. You will never believe the difference they make in snow.

Cheers
Cammy

Si James

Cammy is right, I run on Vredestein WinTracs, they seem to do the trick.

Si

stephen30

Last Xmas I was parked in a car park in the snow. The car park sloped upwards to get out, and I was the only car that could go straight out without going the long way round where there was less of a slope. Did get it sideways at about 20mph on one of those pointless painted roundabouts though which wasn't fun. I'd rather have the Scoob than anything else in the snow.

Steve

HKSubaru

haven't driven the scooby in the snow, but seen one slide out on frost nearly! and oh the good old 106 when it started sliding down a road when i was driving, just becareful when the weather is cold, black ice is a problem too.

MGJohn

What are they like in snow? ... depends on the snow - it really does.

Consider this: If an 8 stone woman in stilletto heels steps on your foot, it's likely to hurt more than some 20 stone geezer in Doc Martens .... spread the load and all that. Thus your Subaru is probably NOT as good as say a 40 year old Morris Minor, which, because of its skinny wheels and tyres, penetrate the snow and maybe have a better chance of reaching the tarmac/ground below. FACT. Big fat wide tyres, once loaded with solid hard frozen snow become treadless "slicks" and thus next to useless. Have a close look at your tyres (on ANY vehicle) next time you experience very cold snow conditions, not the quick melt/disappear stuff we usually experience dahn sarf. Plus, that much larger tread print area spreads the load reducing tyre penetration to the firm surface below, unlike the skinny Moggies wheels. So, those dry road advantages with wide, fat, high performance tyres are all but lost when the going gets tuff - I mean really tough - that's why the works Subaru rally cars and the rest all use slimmer tyres with metal spikes in their tyres under tougher snow/ice conditions ....

So under certain conditions, your sooper dooper 4x4 100k whotnot, maybe considerably (what a great word) INFERIOR to that 40 year old banger under less than ideal conditions ..... no, make that

Happy "Safety Fast" MotorinG

markbluemica

last year in the snow i was in tescos carpark it was empty so decided to have a play i can tell you now i was very very lucky turned the steering wheel a little quick to try to get the back end out but nothing happened and the car carried going straight on about 20-30 yards away was the bottle bins the car only turned about 5 feet away from bins and that was doing about 15-20 mph and without touching the brakes be very very carefull!



Mark

Youve been warned but good fun though

hawkeye

OK? And...............


Hawkeye

MGJohn

There's more ...

... BLACK ICE ... that's usually the excuse used by some who will never ever develope that "seat of the pants" extra sense ... many drivers will never appreciate this even after Professional skid pan tuition ....

Few years ago, following a very cold but clear night in Gloucestershire, there was a brief rain shower. The icy conditions once the light dawned on that beautiful winter's day when most were attempting to get to work were the worst I've experienced in over 40 years of motoring in the UK and I remember the 62-63 winter. Many younger drivers had never experienced this sort of thing before. Cars were left at the roadsides everywhere ..... and not parked tidily. Those cars still on the move were going every which way, overshooting junctions, sliding down the shallowest of slopes etc. One driver in a near new BMW 5 series, slowly drifted across and sideways down the camber towards me ARRRRGGHHH! Then gently tipped into the ditch at the road side. Stopped closeby, I clearly observed his expresion which was priceless. It seemed to say "hey, this is a BMW - this should not be happening". There was nothing he could do about it .... I went on my way with my aged front wheel drive car arriving at work 15 minutes later than usual. Forget all that advertising blurb, your average rear wheel drive car (yes even those Bavarian Sierras ... ] is often INFERIOR in these conditions. and yes Scooby enthusiasts, even your beloved Subaru maybe too ...

Go careful - whatever you drive. That old adage "Safety Fast" always applies ...

Kingsize K2

Aside from the safety aspect, which clearly has to be adherred to, Scoob's are great in the snow. Last year driving up to Morzine, every other car was stopping half way up the mountain as the snow was coming down by the bucket load. We just ploughed on in the Scoob arriving safely at our destination a lot warmer than the poor souls getting out trying to put chains on in the freezing, dark night.

Go find an empty car park and have some fun! Great fun to learn what they can and can't do in the snow. You will get in wrong several times but when you get it right, it's worth it

Braking wise they are no better than any other car but the 4WD helps massively when pulling away...

DavidRB

If it does snow, take every opportunity to practice in wide-open car parks. Wide low-profile tyres work against you, but 4WD works for you, as long as you keep the power on. If you find that the front wheels are losing grip all the time, then you are turning the wheel too sharply and at too high a speed. It is more effective to turn in slowly and then power out of the turn.

You can do beautiful powerslides in a Scoob, circling endlessly with the tail out, but if you lift off, or hit the brakes, the car can slide out of control very easily. With 4WD, you have to use the throttle to pull you out of trouble, not rely on brakes to stop you.

The best instruction I ever received on this was from Don Palmer on The Wetter The Better course and it works a little like this:

Make sure you have a wide, flat space covered in snow.
Start moving and drive in a circle, ensuring that there is enough room so that if you slide, you won't hit anything.
Increase speed without adjusting your steering.
As you reach the limit of adhesion, you will feel the steering wheel get light.
You will also notice that the car begins to drive a wider circle.
If you are on the limit of adhesion, turning the front wheels towards the centre of the circle will cause the car to run wider (understeer) more. Conversely, straightening the front wheels slightly will cause the car to turn a tighter circle. This may run counter to your intuition, but it is a very important lesson!
Try varying your speed up and down and notice how much difference a few mph makes to your ability to control the steering.
Slow down, so that the car is controllable.
Put the car in 1st or 2nd, turn towards the centre of the circle and boot the throttle.
If you get it right, the tail will come around. If you are travelling too fast or you use too much throttle, the car will drift sideways or understeer off the road.
Once the tail is out, try backing off the throttle slightly and point the front wheels straight ahead. If you get it right, the Scooby can be made to continue driving in a circle, but with the tail hanging out, but it's much harder to explain in writing.

speedking

Always remember that piece of film from "You've Been Framed"(?) of a dustcart sliding out of control on ice on a shallow slope with all wheels locked solid, bouncing off the kerbs and parked cars.

Scary :O