VW golf crap in the snow - why?

Theboinkmaster

Heya

My piece of sh!t golf is really bad in thw snow and I'm not really sure why. I see cards all around my fly around no problem.

It's a 2007 1.4L sportline with 17" - the tyres are only a year old (eagle F1 assymetrics).

Even if there's only a 5 degree incline it really struggles from a standing start, whilst all other cars see fine.

Is it just the car is so heavy for the sh!t engine?

johnos1984

Traction

You tyres and driving style may not be suitable for the conditions

Do you start off in first or second gear?

djimi

Depends how you are driving it. Try taking off in second gear and see if you get any more purchase on the road.

Also, age doesnt mean a lot to tires. 1 year old tires could be completely bald, depends on how you drive it, and any number of problems on the car could cause bald tires. Have you checked them?

joolsveer

Narrower tyres tend to work better in these conditions.

feelites

shoes are wrong
change for winter ones



nobody walks in a summer shoes in the winter right
same story with the cars
winter tyres for winter condition

.Longshanks.

Relatively fat 17" tyres with an all weather thread pattern is probably your biggest problem

Are these yours?


This tyre pattern would be better in the poor conditions we've recently been having

996tt

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Heya

I see cards all around my fly around no problem.

Maybe if you cut back on whatever you are smoking when you are driving

veetwin

I'm guessing its the driving style as opposed to the car or the tyres. I have a 08 Golf and its fine as long as you know what you are doing. You see some people doing ridiculous things in this weather incl taxi drivers/truck drivers and other "professional" drivers. Saw a taximan standing on his accellerator on the airport roundabout today and going nowhere fast. I was in the lane beside him and took off with no problem.

Panda Moanium

Have you tried turning off your ESP (or ASR or whatever it is called on a VW)?

antodeco

It's the F1s. Have had them on my car for 3 years. Took them off about 2 months ago. They're great in warm/wet weather, but useless on ice/snow. Had a few scary moments last year. Set of bridgestone on them now. No bothers :-)

pcardin

I had Eagle F1 (not asymetric) on my wifes car last winter. Had the same problem. I didn't blame the tyres as this model was meant for handling watter (one of the best in the class I think) but not snow. They are useless for snow as snow filled all the gaps and tyre became totally bold

dr.fuzzenstein

veetwin wrote: »

I'm guessing its the driving style as opposed to the car or the tyres. I have a 08 Golf and its fine as long as you know what you are doing. You see some people doing ridiculous things in this weather incl taxi drivers/truck drivers and other "professional" drivers. Saw a taximan standing on his accellerator on the airport roundabout today and going nowhere fast. I was in the lane beside him and took off with no problem.

Tires make all the difference in the snow, the wider the tire, the worse it is.
Which is why anything like a 195 upwards with a thread designed to work well on dry tarmac will be catastrophically bad in the snow, whilst any little tincan with skinny little sh*tty tires will run rings around you.
Look at the tires on rally cars in the snow, they're skinny as anything, they look silly, but they work.

whippet

i'd say your problem is the tyres alright. I have Eagle F1s AS on my GTi at the moment and it is pathetic in the snow.

Theboinkmaster

Thanks for all the replies. I know how to drive in the snow, ive used other cars the past week and no problems at all - just with my own. I've switched off the ASR and seems to help marginally but from what I've read here it does seem to be the tyres.

They were highly recommended/reviewed and seem to be great for rain, just not snow.

Ah well have parked the car up tonight, will be using the luas tomorrow.

Thanks everyone.

anewme

Exact same problem with my Golf. It has 18" tyres low profile on a 2ltr diesel 170bhp engine as far as I know. Every other car can get round the Estate except mine.

People are blaming my driving when I say it to them, but I am blaming the car.............maybe it is a bit of both.

Nonoperational

Have no problems here on ice and very very light snow. Golf on 17" Goodyear eagle F1

Overflow

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I know how to drive in the snow, ive used other cars the past week and no problems at all - just with my own. I've switched off the ASR and seems to help marginally but from what I've read here it does seem to be the tyres.

They were highly recommended/reviewed and seem to be great for rain, just not snow.

Ah well have parked the car up tonight, will be using the luas tomorrow.

Thanks everyone.

I actually bet you don't know how to drive in the snow, had any training? or do you just think you can. I would say most people in Ireland do not have a clue how to drive in the snow. Anyone can drive in it, but if something out of the ordinary happens, it will probably end in disaster.

I would also say your problem is down to your tyres. You really need to have winter tyres or even studded tyres. Thats what we use. You would be amazed at the difference it makes!

BostonB

Panda Moanium wrote: »

Have you tried turning off your ESP (or ASR or whatever it is called on a VW)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tSy5tHtT1g

BostonB

Don't think we needed studded tyres, the snow doesn't last that long. But our temps our low enough that winter tyres would be effective for 5~7 months of the year.