Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Raymond on 29 November 2010, 13:38:28
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Does anyone have any tips for driving a 2.6 auto in the snow. Couldn't get out of my driveway yesterday, managed today but can't get back to my driveway so had to dump the car on another street. Help please!
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Dont go spinning the wheels like a mad man as it wont get you anywhere.... nice slow actions but try and clear as much of the snow as poss too in front of your drive
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As many others say, weight in boot and plenty of fuel, Gentle progressive acceleration, check tyre pressures and tread :y
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Thanks for the posts people. I was toying with the idea of putting a couple of slabs in the boot, will give that a go.
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Lock your gears with the "snow" button next to your gear lever, and as others have stated do not let your wheels spin.
Apart from that have fun and, where safe to do so, learn some skid control techniques! ;)
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Thanks for the posts people. I was toying with the idea of putting a couple of slabs in the boot, will give that a go.
Get to your local Netto, they have rock salt for £6.50 for a 25kg bag. Drop a couple in the boot with a shovel and you'll never get stuck :y
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sometimes it helps if you rock the car by engaging drive, go forward a bit, then reverse to go back a bit then forward and so on, like a pendulum until you build up enough momentum to get off/away from the slippy bit you're on.
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Smoothness, anticipation ,anticipation and maintaining your speed.
If you can see a dork in front running into trouble slow down but keep moving. You are sunk in an Omega if you pull up and stop behind someone else stuck. ::) ::)
They may be crap in snow but last year here I abandoned my car much further up a hill than a local in his Fwd SEAT . yes we do get bad snow here too amazingly.
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Very gentle with r foot. A touch of handbrake can stop the spinning wheel and get you going. but be sensitive
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Had this today, the tyre on the drive wheel is perfectly legal but put the brand new spare on and so far not a problem. Hth
Mick
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An update. I put 24 bricks in the boot and it definitely helped with traction. Managed to get to work, albeit took me slightly longer. I found the most helpful thing was to dissengage TC. I have been driving smoothly with the snow button on but was finding that TC was creating problems by killing power when you are trying to keep up the momentum on a hill.
Anyway it was snowing when I left for work, got a 12 hour shift, I dread to think what it will be like in the morning :(
Thanks again for the tips :y
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just looked outside and yet another blizzard in york :( ontop of the 6-7 inches we have already had :o
cant see me going to blackburn tomorrow >:(
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An update. I put 24 bricks in the boot and it definitely helped with traction. Managed to get to work, albeit took me slightly longer. I found the most helpful thing was to dissengage TC. I have been driving smoothly with the snow button on but was finding that TC was creating problems by killing power when you are trying to keep up the momentum on a hill.
Anyway it was snowing when I left for work, got a 12 hour shift, I dread to think what it will be like in the morning :(
Thanks again for the tips :y
Yep... Sometimes. But most of the time it does a very good job and keeps you going in the right direction :y Mind you... I can get the car sideways with the TC on in the wet when driving enthusiastically :-[ ::)
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These things are scary in any slippery conditions. Best way is to use the snow button located next to the gear selector lever, and just go steady.
I'm toying with the idea of fitting winter tyres, which allegedly are supposed to grip much better in the snow.
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The TC can be as much of a pain as it can be a help. I've had it sideways in the wet with it on and other occasions it's dragged me out of a ditch. I did find that alternating between having the TC on and off last year helped me make my way up a hill, bit of grip and a bit of slip seemed to work. :)
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I can cope with the snow, after all York doesn't have any hills :y What I am annoyed about is that with all this snow my scuttle has leaked and the damn water has dripped onto the DIS - you don't much pull from a 3 cylinder miggy :( :(
And yes it goes 'dugga dugga dugga', at least thats what a bag of spanners usually sounds like! :y
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After going out once i have made up my mind and that is im not going to use the car at all ;D my trip out with snow mode on and having to use the hand break to keep the rear end in check and sliding about 5mm away from 5 parked car almost becoming an ex miggy owner has put me right off plus i had to wash my pants when i got home too :D ;D
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These things are scary in any slippery conditions. Best way is to use the snow button located next to the gear selector lever, and just go steady.
I'm toying with the idea of fitting winter tyres, which allegedly are supposed to grip much better in the snow.
Just be aware if fitting SNOW tyres then these are none standard fitment to cars in the UK and should be declaired as a modification
My wife had this question asked the other day (She is an insurance broker) and it increased the insurance policy on a persons car by £80.
The person asked why, and was told this is due to they then believe you will drive the car more agressively and less safely due to you are depending more on the tyres ;D
The insurers didn't take the opinion that it aided with control????
What a load of rubbish.
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These things are scary in any slippery conditions. Best way is to use the snow button located next to the gear selector lever, and just go steady.
I'm toying with the idea of fitting winter tyres, which allegedly are supposed to grip much better in the snow.
Just be aware if fitting SNOW tyres then these are none standard fitment to cars in the UK and should be declaired as a modification
My wife had this question asked the other day (She is an insurance broker) and it increased the insurance policy on a persons car by £80.
The person asked why, and was told this is due to they then believe you will drive the car more agressively and less safely due to you are depending more on the tyres ;D
The insurers didn't take the opinion that it aided with control????
What a load of rubbish.
but he suggested winter tyres, not snow (studded) tyres. Winter tyres are made of a 'rubber' more suited to colder temps than summer or all season tyres. :y :y :y
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These things are scary in any slippery conditions. Best way is to use the snow button located next to the gear selector lever, and just go steady.
I'm toying with the idea of fitting winter tyres, which allegedly are supposed to grip much better in the snow.
Just be aware if fitting SNOW tyres then these are none standard fitment to cars in the UK and should be declaired as a modification
My wife had this question asked the other day (She is an insurance broker) and it increased the insurance policy on a persons car by £80.
The person asked why, and was told this is due to they then believe you will drive the car more agressively and less safely due to you are depending more on the tyres ;D
The insurers didn't take the opinion that it aided with control????
What a load of rubbish.
but he suggested winter tyres, not snow (studded) tyres. Winter tyres are made of a 'rubber' more suited to colder temps than summer or all season tyres. :y :y :y
:o I will close the door on my way out. :'(
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i have winter tyres and they deffinetly grip better in snow. the rubber isn't getting hard in cold weather. below +7 degrees celsius it is recomended to fit winter tyres because summer ones will get stiff and loose traction. not to mention that winter tyres have such profile that throuws off snow of them.
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Drove home yesterday following a significant amount of snow - no problems. Parked on the drive, which is level but when I wanted to move the beast this morning all the wheels would do is spin and gradually drift the car towards a wall! :( Finally got it off the drive only for the wheels to end up in the kerb gully - stuck again! :'( After digging the ice from under the wheels and ramming old pieces of carpet in I finally got traction and was able to move it to the other side of the drive - this is all I wanted to do! >:( >:(
To add insult the Volvo drove off the drive without any trouble or hesitation! >:(
SWMBO tells me we are buying Volvos from now on!!! :o
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After going out once i have made up my mind and that is im not going to use the car at all ;D my trip out with snow mode on and having to use the hand break to keep the rear end in check and sliding about 5mm away from 5 parked car almost becoming an ex miggy owner has put me right off plus i had to wash my pants when i got home too :D ;D
;D ;D :y
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Drove home yesterday following a significant amount of snow - no problems. Parked on the drive, which is level but when I wanted to move the beast this morning all the wheels would do is spin and gradually drift the car towards a wall! :( Finally got it off the drive only for the wheels to end up in the kerb gully - stuck again! :'( After digging the ice from under the wheels and ramming old pieces of carpet in I finally got traction and was able to move it to the other side of the drive - this is all I wanted to do! >:( >:(
To add insult the Volvo drove off the drive without any trouble or hesitation! >:(
SWMBO tells me we are buying Volvos from now on!!! :o
tell her the expensive repair bills, she will give up :y
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My parents have a V70 that's sh1te in the snow. Won't even pull away without turning the TC off.
...and yes, the repair bills. :o
Kevin
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load your migs with a lot of crap in the trunk and you will definetly see the difference ;)
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load your migs with a lot of crap in the trunk and you will definetly see the difference ;)
Tried to get my son's clit in the boot, its crap, but it wouldn't fit! ;D ;D
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The lorry I was driving Tuesday breezed past many a stranded car, up hills and down without the slightest problem...I can highly recommend getting one of these if you are struggling ;D But the mig has been left at home to get me the half hour to work in favour of my wifes small diesel fiesta...the FWD and the car being lighter seems to work better in the snow...although the heater not working on it isnt exactly brilliant :o
Neither car is getting through the 16" of snow we have here in Gainsborough but a shovel works well enough to get onto the main roads which are mainly clear ::)
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well i am managing to get about,not missed a shift at work yet, only had car since july, and first car with auto and RWD, selecting snow mode makes a real difference and am keeping tank about half filled, only one real scarey moment was going down hill and let car run away, and engine got reved by gearbox and rear wheels locked, sideways now, hit throttle and she sorted herself out ;D
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Couple of bags of Wickes aggregate in the boot is another option, and if you get stuck in the gutter on ice a trowel to spread some on the road is a bonus :y
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I have 3 bags of sand in the boot now, made a huge difference... :y
Having driven for 36 years or so, rwd and frw, this winter is the first ever winter I have driven a rwd auto, many years with fwd, and it has been an experience... :D :D must admit I feel that you can feed the power down slower as the auto has an automatic creep... :y Got stuck in Tesco today and needed a little push.... ::) ::) ::)
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Took the mig to work today, was fine & managed to get out
the street just tho..(yesterday i couldnt move it :-? )
But come 5pm, it was startin to snow & freeze on the road,
roads was covered & snow bleachin down.
Was easy on the throttle, snow button on TC button was showing on dash (think a turned if off) got up the hill,
Bluddy thing, goes sideways when it wants & back end
went twice on turnin right :o and i was going slow.
Hated goin up and down banks as the arse end just twitches
& car goes where it wants !!
What tyre pressure should be in ??
In the boot there is spare alloy, a tool box & a big sack of
wooden pellets litter to try n weigh it down a bit
Its not my drivin before u say owt :D :D
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Loving it. Don't go over 20mph unless you're absolutely sure it is safe to do so.
Use the 3-2-1 option. If the road is wide and clear then give it a twitch and give it a few revs to keep the back end out.
On hills try feathering the throttle. Seems to help. Need to keep some momentum going.
Not needed the snow button yet.
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Alternatively. These may help:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arctic-Car-Snow-Chains-Size-100_W0QQitemZ310276266723QQcategoryZ9885QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D270659549148%252B270659549148%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5375269349827436580
Never tried them myself and you'd have to check the size. Someone else on here might have though?
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Alternatively. These may help:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arctic-Car-Snow-Chains-Size-100_W0QQitemZ310276266723QQcategoryZ9885QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D270659549148%252B270659549148%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5375269349827436580
Never tried them myself and you'd have to check the size. Someone else on here might have though?
I've got a set... Arrived today but not needed them yet as I could still get in and out (just) this evening. TBH, the roads all the way into Woodbridge were just about bad enough to justify them but wouldn't have bothered as correct driving style and gentle use of the controls was adequate :y :y
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Alternatively. These may help:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arctic-Car-Snow-Chains-Size-100_W0QQitemZ310276266723QQcategoryZ9885QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D270659549148%252B270659549148%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5375269349827436580
Never tried them myself and you'd have to check the size. Someone else on here might have though?
Just bought some of those. Seem as described and turned up next day IIRC.
Haven't tried to use them but looking at them I wouldn't say they are substantial enough to last many miles of continuous use but ideal to chuck in the boot for an emergency. :y
Kevin
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Has anyone ever tryed these nets?
http://www.4tuning.ro/images/vand-plase-antiderapante-AUTOSOCK-200-LEI-SET/67156a350358ba14b/vand-plase-antiderapante-AUTOSOCK-200-LEI-SET.jpg
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do snow chains have to be removed once on icy roads ?
Its crap where we live & the mig aint easy to keep straight :o
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buy a land rover defender 90 turbo cooking oil and you won't get stuck.
last year when we had it bad it never got stuck, I was one of the only people turning up for work.
pity the heaters where crap.
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Has anyone ever tryed these nets?
http://www.4tuning.ro/images/vand-plase-antiderapante-AUTOSOCK-200-LEI-SET/67156a350358ba14b/vand-plase-antiderapante-AUTOSOCK-200-LEI-SET.jpg
Seen people using them and they do seem to help. However, I think you have to remove them as soon as you're off the snow or do more than 20 mph otherwise they shred.
Mind you, think snow-chains have similar restrictions.
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thanx.. i really waned to try them