has anybody experienced snow?

Debb

Member
hi folks, as a recent a2 owner (and a very happy one at that) i feel i must ask one burning question to you all (my last car was a shogun 4wd)... what is the lovely a2 like in the snow? as would like a tad preparation before winter arrives (sorry to pose such a question in september). has anyone had experience? :confused:
 
Hi: Thanx to EDS and ASR The A2 is a great winter vehicle.To get up a steep slippy road you can set the ASR to OFF. Then you keep more power to the wheels (both R & L because of the EDS which blocks the diff.) I´ve driven mine for 5 snowy winters in Norway (knock on wood) without any problems. Under extreme conditions I will recomend the norwegian invetion :Autosock. Good luck
Jossi
 
Hi Debb
My previous car was an Audi Quattro so when I first got the A2 I was also a little apprehensive about winter driving.
Overall, I have been very impressed with the car's abilities on ice and snow. The traction control, ESP and light weight all contribute to the performance in slippy conditions. Low ground clearance and a flat undertray however work against it in deep snow so be careful if the white stuff is drifting or more than about 5" deep.
The key to getting maximising the car's capabilities in these conditions is wheel size and tyre choice. I use 175x60x15" wheels with std Michelin tyres but propper winter tyres would be even better.
If your car has the wider 16" or 17" wheels then it would be advisable to invest in a set of narrower 15" rims and if the budget allows, go for some propper snow tyres. (mytyres.co.uk had some bargain Goodyear's on offer last year but they quickly get snapped up when the first snowflake falls)


Cheers Spike
 
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The Norwegian button!

Hi Jossi

Jossi said:
To get up a steep slippy road you can set the ASR to OFF.

When I asked my stealer what the ASR button was he replied: "you don't have to worry about that, it's the Norwegian button!".
 
Having winter for six months of the year I may have some experience in winter driving. First of all, ESP will not change the law of physics for you. It will help you in controlling the vehicle if skidding but if you go too fast into a bend the car will run off the road anyway.

Second, winter tires is the key to safe winter driving. Driving with summer tires in snowy/icy conditions should be (and is here) against the law. Until you have actually compared driving with good winter tires against summer tires you will not understand what I mean. The difference is just unbelievable.

Third, adjusting the speed to road conditions. This sentence says it all.

Now, for the A2's capabilities on snow and ice. I've been driving with 155/65-15 as winter tires. These are Continental Winter Viking tires with spikes in them, probably not allowed in the UK. Winter tires should be as narrow as possible to avoid sliding above slash instead of through it. The A2 with these tires performs well, and the light weight of the car is noticed when manuevering on slippery roads. The car stops fast and is quite neutral in keeping the rear end where it is supposed to be. The ESP is good for that purpose, but if it kicks in you are driving too fast or too aggressive for the road conditions, it's time to slow down. Invest in winter tires marked M&S for "Mud and Snow" and follow my recommendations above and you will hopefully be just fine during the winter.
 
Nothing will save you apart from driving with care, but one thing I'm absolutely sure is that when I climbed a slope (steep, with a turn) where I live, with snow, slush or black ice, the traction control handled it brilliantly. In fact, I floored it all the way and ASR made the car move at about 10mph and completely controllable! There wasn't much traction on my 185/50 Dunlop SP9000 but I got home safe and sound!
 
have a look at my icon/picture!

Winter tyres are absolutely worthwhile

I use 145/80 R14 on my 1.2 TDI Continnental ones sell for around 40 to 45 GBP each fitted.
 
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