Snow and ice performance of T6

[Buggirl]

so I am running cargo vectors and I have to say, you would have thought my Bus was 4motion! The railway bridge out of the car park tonight was glass! I watched as everyone attempted to get up the crazy gradient, even a Range Rover and thought oh no, I now have an audience (made up of all the drivers that had got out their cars as they were undrivable!)

I slipped her into first and went round them. They were all watching and shaking their heads! I applied some throttle but not too much and up I went! I looked in rear view mirror at their dismay! I was chuffed!

The downhill was bad too and I went sidewards a couple of times but with some very quick thinking steering avoided disaster and made it down safe! I have also ploughed through 6 1/2 inches of snow (yes I was sad enough to measure it!) and she was awesome!

Recommend those tyres ! Will post some pics soon!

 

[Tourershine]

My 2wd on Continental Sportcontact6 didn't cause me any issues either. The DSG seemed to make life a lot easier on the snow and in my own street it's now solid compacted ice, again no bother. Maybe the T6 in general is a pretty good winter vehicle in both 2 and 4wd.

 

[former member]

so I am running cargo vectors and I have to say, you would have thought my Bus was 4motion! The railway bridge out of the car park tonight was glass! I watched as everyone attempted to get up the crazy gradient, even a Range Rover and thought oh no, I now have an audience (made up of all the drivers that had got out their cars as they were undrivable!)

I slipped her into first and went round them. They were all watching and shaking their heads! I applied some throttle but not too much and up I went! I looked in rear view mirror at their dismay! I was chuffed!

The downhill was bad too and I went sidewards a couple of times but with some very quick thinking steering avoided disaster and made it down safe! I have also ploughed through 6 1/2 inches of snow (yes I was sad enough to measure it!) and she was awesome!

Recommend those tyres ! Will post some pics soon!

Great to hear as I have them too! Not tried them in snow and ice but they’ve been great for wet roads, muddy fields, etc.

 

[Buggirl]

 

[Buggirl]

 

[Loz]

I see you're still resisting the multi-storey

 

[Buggirl]

Yes @Loz iI still am! But to be honest, now I have moved, I have a train station nearer to me and have just paid £525 for a yearly pass, which I think is excellent value as you would pay way more paying daily or weekly! Only thing is that bridge in and out.

 

[Vinci]

See, don't need added complexity, costs etc of 4 wheel drive!!!!!

 

[former member]

See, don't need added complexity, costs etc of 4 wheel drive!!!!!

Ahem, torque steer especially with a 204, wet road traction, mud grip.
Yes you (well we) do.
A major selling point of the Cali for us is 4wd. I plan to not have another FWD again.

 

[Tourershine]

Ahem, torque steer especially with a 204, wet road traction, mud grip.
Yes you (well we) do.

Surely down to tyre choice, because my Conti's don't give me any issues with traction(I'm 2wd) . As you're well known for keeping your VW as Volkswagen intended, maybe the standard tyres are just not up to the job of 204 horses. Be interesting to see if any 204 4motions on standard tyres have the same issue, because I wish i'd of gone for the 4motion.

 

[former member]

Surely down to tyre choice, because my Conti's don't give me any issues with traction(I'm 2wd) . As you're well known for keeping your VW as Volkswagen intended, maybe the standard tyres are just not up to the job of 204 horses. Be interesting to see if any 204 4motions on standard tyres have the same issue, because I wish i'd of gone for the 4motion.

They aren't which is why I spent £700 on proper All Weather tyres and laser alignment before I hit 7000 miles. But also because I had savage outer edge wear on the front tyres - I sold the rear (Bridgestone Turanza on a 4wd van - WTF?!!) tyres as they were almost unworn.

I always ran the OEM tyres on our last 4motion Cali (which also wore too early on the outer edge fronts); Dunlop Sports. It's FAR easier to break traction off the line in the 204 than that old 180; 350lbs/ft is quite a bit of torque - 55 more than the 180. But the 4Motion is more sorted - feels less FWD biased, more balanced. Much improved IMO.

 

[Buggirl]

Don't get me wrong, 4motion is awesome and I have had a Tiguan in the past with it , but fir the amount of time I personally would maybe call upon it, it wasn't a massive thing for me. 2wd will suficre and did me proud!

 

[RayC]

Just put Winter tyres on anything they work great here is my T5.5 testing on a sheet ice handling track (not studs Euro winters)

Doesn’t matter how good any part of your car is the only bit touching the ground is the tyre

My T6 is coming to Sweden and Finland in Jan it will be -22 and very snowy!

 

[Blitz]

I used to run Winter tyres on my old car. A tyre is not just a tyre. The grip and stoping power has to be experienced to believe. I was sceptical until the first snow fall then a complete convert.

 

[Gazellio]

I have full Winters fitted to my Cali. Just drove to Obetauern at nearly 6000 ft in very snowy Austria on steep snow covered inclines and descents without using the chains without a single incidence of the traction light coming on. In my experience Winter Tyre's with front wheel drive are better than 4x4 with summer tyres. My other car is a 4x4 D4 with Pirelli Scorpian All Season Tyres but not a winter compound.

 

[Blitz]

Yes I had a 4x4 but actually only running hancook 4S tyres all seasons which I based my comments on. Full on winters would be amazing. Recommend the 4S to anyone and obviously kept mine on all year round

 

[Gazellio]

For the record my snow tyres are: Kumho WinterCraft WP71 255/45R18 103V XL

 

[Flashollie]

4wd is great for getting you going in the snow, especially on winters but is of feck all use when braking. I think peopl eoften miss this point.
That's the real benefit of snow or winter tyres traction and braking.

I used to drive a rear wheel drive BMW. Crap in the snow on summer tyres as is well publicised. Put the right winters on and it was transformed in winter conditions. The trade off is when you don't get wintery weather in the winter and you lose braking and traction.
In the colder higher north of the country, I'd choose a winter shod 2wd vehicle over a 4wd on summers.
Now I am in Bristol I dont need winters.

Do the Michelin cross climates fit the T6? They look a real true all year round tyre once I get my new wheels I'll be choosing these if they fit.

 

[former member]

4wd is great for getting you going in the snow, especially on winters but is of feck all use when braking. I think peopl eoften miss this point.
That's the real benefit of snow or winter tyres traction and braking.

I used to drive a rear wheel drive BMW. Crap in the snow on summer tyres as is well publicised. Put the right winters on and it was transformed in winter conditions. The trade off is when you don't get wintery weather in the winter and you lose braking and traction.
In the colder higher north of the country, I'd choose a winter shod 2wd vehicle over a 4wd on summers.
Now I am in Bristol I dont need winters.

Do the Michelin cross climates fit the T6? They look a real true all year round tyre once I get my new wheels I'll be choosing these if they fit.

They didn’t have them load rated enough when I looked (I have them on my Subaru Outback; brilliant tyres) so I fitted the Goodyear Vector Gen2 4seasons which I’d say are on a par. They might do CrossClimates load rated now though.

I lived in Bristol for 8 years; loved it!

Full Winters in mild weather are horrendous. Unless I move to Scotland or Scandinavia, I won’t fit them again; made my 335d dangerous.

My M135i is staying on SuperSports and on the driveway if it ever snows down here!

 

[mark421]

Hi All,

After getting stuck in the snow twice this weekend (admittedly in an BMW 5 series and an Audi A6).

Im in the process of buying a T6 and wondering now if i should go 4 motion.

Im thinking of muddy field on campsites as well getting stuck!

I have never driven 4 motion before, just wondering how good they are?

What does everyone think?

Thanks Mark