Cheap AWD for winter - trying to predict the weather....

[83C]

Recently I've been considering buying something AWD for a winter spare car. 

 

I have to drive quite regularly over bits of road that can be a bit shit in poor weather, and I don't think the current 5-series will be much cop with its autobox. Last year I had my old 5 with a Spanish box and turn-offable traction control which worked just fine in snow. 

 

Thing is, just about everyone else seems to have had the idea of buying something AWD and there are no cheap ones about. I'd prefer something manual, diesel would be nice but not a deal-breaker. Budget is playing a big part as usual, preferably less than £500. I'm down to looking at Freelanders and the like but most of them seem to have had the propshaft removed.

 

So what do the AS massive think will happen this winter? Are we in for a proper winter or is it just going to be a wet fart at the arse end of autumn again?

[Stanky]

Iffy time of year to buy an AWD vehicule, like soft tops in summer the prices seem of AWD stuff seems to go up substantially once october has rolled around.

 

A guy I used to work with bought a Nissan X-trail as a present for his girlfriend in November 2013 for £4k, cheapest around. She didn't like it and he sold it the following April for £2.5k, having put all of 2k miles on it.

 

Not helpful, I know!

 

What about the Skoda Octavia 4x4 thats just popped up for swaps/sale on here? thats probably a good blend of affordable, practical, competent in snerrrr and relatively cheap to run. I think these got the most detuned 1.8t engine with 150bhp on tap? Probably good for ~35mpg?

[Asimo]

I don't know what the weather will do. Hedge your bets: get a 4wd convertible and then you'll be fine come snow or sunshine.

 

[Christine]

Honda hrv

[bangernomics]

Nissan terrano? Cheap and maybe even veg friendly. Minters struggle to fetch £1k and £500 should get you one with a ticket.

[DodgeRover]

Wasn't someone selling a HRV?

[Mrcento]

Iffy time of year to buy an AWD vehicule, like soft tops in summer the prices seem of AWD stuff seems to go up substantially once october has rolled around.

 

It hasn't happened yet this year. Probably because the weather has been unseasonably warm. First real proper winter snap they will go, though!

 

I'm in the market for a Disco replacement so been keeping an eye on the prices since about June, and things 4x4 wise are the same as they were June/July. In fact, if anything they have gone down a little!

[dollywobbler]

 A set of winter tyres is a lot cheaper than an entire new car.

[Broadsword]

I second that. On my first car (a W-reg Yaris) I forked our for some fancy Nokian winter tyres from Oponeo. In icy and snowy conditions in North Yorkshire during the winter years back it was unbeatable in terms of stability and grip and would run rings round anything else on summer tyres, including 4x4s. I forget the precise model (WR-D3 I think), but gosh they were brilliant and transformed the car completely.

[red5]

Frontera A. Game over.

[83C]

A set of winter tyres is a lot cheaper than an entire new car.

Not in 245/45/18 & 275/40/18 they’re not. Nearly £500 fitted for anything half-decent (Continentals at £121 a corner), plus refitting the summer tyres next year for £10 a corner. Plus, I really don’t think the F10 is suited to snow driving - the gearbox is brilliant normally but I can’t slip it like I would a manual. I’d rather buy something cheap that can do general tat duties (my wife needs something to get about in for a few weeks when her Touran gets sold) and also cart me to work if required.

 

Didn’t notice the Octavia forsh ale here, i’ll go and invesimagate.

[stonedagain]

I second that. On my first car (a W-reg Yaris) I forked our for some fancy Nokian winter tyres from Oponeo. In icy and snowy conditions in North Yorkshire during the winter years back it was unbeatable in terms of stability and grip and would run rings round anything else on summer tyres, including 4x4s. I forget the precise model (WR-D3 I think), but gosh they were brilliant and transformed the car completely.

I fitted a set of Nokian tyres to my Freelander 2 last winter, expensive but awesome! Made in Finland!

[Guest Hooli]

RWD autos are fine* in the snow, it just takes getting to know them. And in my experience dropping it into neutral at walking speed or the fronts will lock as the car trundles along at idle speed without slowing.

[vaughant]

Some sort of rav4?

 

Most likely a non Derv at that money but the 2.0 in the mk 1 rav is a good motor and ok on fuel.

 

Really good in the OMGSNOKAOS plus never break becausetoyota.

[garethj]

Daihatsu Terios?  4WD, decent ground clearance, quite light and very small so even if you start slithering into a fencepost you've got a spare 6-8 inches before you actually hit anything

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-Daihatsu-Terios-1-3-5dr/123372596618?hash=item1cb9946d8a:g:oVoAAOSwUVBbr2yp:rk:2:pf:0

 

[Matty]

Not in 245/45/18 & 275/40/18 they’re not. Nearly £500 fitted for anything half-decent (Continentals at £121 a corner), plus refitting the summer tyres next year for £10 a corner. Plus, I really don’t think the F10 is suited to snow driving - the gearbox is brilliant normally but I can’t slip it like I would a manual. I’d rather buy something cheap that can do general tat duties (my wife needs something to get about in for a few weeks when her Touran gets sold) and also cart me to work if required.

 

Didn’t notice the Octavia forsh ale here, i’ll go and invesimagate.

Don't bother buying new, rakes of part worns with about 5mm on at dodgy tire places.they come in from places like Germany, Sweden etc where legality regarding tires is different. That's the route I always went down. Two on the back of my E39 £30 each fitted and balanced. it had planty of traction in the snow then. As others have said winter tires are a complete game changer. especially if you live in East Lancashire like me where everything is a hill. On front drivers I put a pair on the front and then swap wheels onto the back for the rest of the year. That way you can get next winter out of them as well.

[Lacquer Peel]

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=http%3A%2F%2Fautoshite%2Ecom%2Findex%2Ephp%3F%2Ftopic%2F33609-1997-Subaru-Impreza-estate-automatic-2%2E0GL---%C2%A3400&share_tid=33609&share_fid=68430&share_type=t

[DVee8]

Are you handy with the spanners?

 

if so

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/52-Reg-2003-Toyota-RAV4-3-door-Petrol/323541120267?hash=item4b548db50b:g:iRQAAOSwqS5b1Ixv:rk:2:pf:0

 

[skattrd]

That Scooby posted by LP is a good shout.

 

I used to use winter as an excuse to get somethign 4wd, Subrau SVX & Daihatsu Mira classic were two examples, both of those were hilariously bad in the snow on summer tyres. The little Daihatsu just span all 4 wheels when the turbo came in at 2k rpm, and the Subaru had big wide tyres with virtually no grip on anything but dry roads.

 

As said above get winter tyres, even if you get a 4wd, look at winter tyres.

 

 

edit: the best car I used in snow was a mk1 750cc panda with skinny winter tyres, second was a Volvo S80 diesel auto with winter tyres.

The W203 c270 auto last year wasn't bad either, I won't say what tyres it had, but I think you can guess by now.

[Lacquer Peel]

There's a good video by Auto Express magazine, a FWD Ford Kuga on winter tyres vs. an AWD Kuga on summer tyres at an indoor ski centre, the FWD car powers up the slope while the AWD car is left scrabbling for traction. Obviously an AWD on winter tyres would do a lot better but most people think they already have the traction panacea with all/four wheel drive.

[Matty]

This exactly. Most things can be made winter ready with decent rubber

[Rocket88]

My Octavia.................£900............best of both worlds........

[dollywobbler]

Thing is, 4WD only helps you get going. It does not help you stop. Or go around corners. In fact, if it's part time with no centre diff, then it'll be even worse at going around corners.

[Dan the van]

Vitara?.

[blackboilersuit]

This....

 

Small FWD with the skinniest wheels you can find and a pair of winter tyres would be near invincible. 

 

In 2010 when we had the massive snowfall in December I owned a Landrover 90 with massive mud tyres on it. I could climb the steepest hills on the local back roads when they had 18" snow drifts on them without even engaging the diff lock. Still couldn't get to work 5 miles away through urban roads because of all the abandoned cars everywhere. Other people are a bigger impediment to your movement than your own car in winter weather.

 

I currently have a CRV which is great in snow if it has good tyres on it. It's like Bambi on ice if it's fitted with mis-matched Chinese ditch finders though. Any 4x4 you buy for £500 is guaranteed to have shit tyres. The only way you'll get a good winter car for your budget is to buy a £300 fiesta and stick £200 worth of new rubber on it.

 

 

There's a good video by Auto Express magazine, a FWD Ford Kuga on winter tyres vs. an AWD Kuga on summer tyres at an indoor ski centre, the FWD car powers up the slope while the AWD car is left scrabbling for traction. Obviously an AWD on winter tyres would do a lot better but most people think they already have the traction panacea with all/four wheel drive.

[chadders]

All season tyres? 

 

Newer ones like Michelin Cross-climate are supposed to be very nearly as good as winter ones in the snow but work well all year round.

 

I've just had a set fitted to our Roomster so will find out sooner or later, depending on which weather forecast is right.

[Bucketeer]

Wasn't someone selling a HRV?

Wuvvum has got a 3dr 4x4 HRV. I don't know if it's for sale. Worth an ask. It looked pretty cool, a bit like a modern Aerodeck/Rancho on stilts.

[DodgeRover]

Cross climates are mega soft, down to the cords in 10k in our case.

 

Haven't seen any part worns with 5mm for £30, round here at that price it's more like 3mm plus fitting

[83C]

I’ve done a good bit of snow driving (including with automatic coaches and buses). The best thing I ever drove in snow was a Mitsubishi GTO - never lost grip unless I wanted it to, just grip and go.

 

The old 525d did well last winter despite it being on summer tyres, one of the worst things I drove early this year in snowy conditions was an auto DAF coach with traction control that couldn’t be switched off - as soon as it slipped it just cut power to the throttle. Absolutely useless.

 

Colc - your Octavia looks great but sadly about twice as much as I can afford. GLWTS!

[lesapandre]

Be careful of part worn tyres. Some are barely legal. Some bargins but be very careful. A Vitara or Fourtrak? Something late 80's early 90's. Might even go up in value?