Cheap 4x4

In Switzerland, where a lot of my family are, the simple answer is invest in snow chains. I remember my old man was quite happy scurrying around in an old Fiat 500 with chains in inches of snow. Was the same every year and a way of life. No need for a 4x4
 
the 500 is quite light ;)

it's true though. investing in winter tyres is probably good enough.
here in norway almost nobody uses chains. it's either winter tyres or studded tyres.
I'm not sure about the legality of studded tyres in the UK though..

just get some decent winter tyres.
 
This thread is bizarre, if you want a 4x4 get one and make no excuses about it. Buying one for a few weeks of winter weather is totally retarded :p
 
SB118 said:
However the stepdown from a 2003 car may cause a heart attack, or at least some sort of psychotic break.
Click to expand...

Quite possibly but if the budget is in the £500-800 region I suspect you're going to struggle to do much better for offroading purposes.

lordrobs said:
Its an interesting question though (even though it is a daft idea to buy one specifically for the purpose)- what is the best banger for the snow?

Everyone seems to be going down the offroader route but wouldn't a much smaller car with skinny tyres and 4WD be a better option? Something like this wonderful example? http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...BARU&model=JUSTY&min_pr=&max_pr=&max_mileage=
Click to expand...

You won't get the same ground clearance from a Justy obviously so for deeper snow it might not be such a great plan. Also I'm a little bit dubious about narrow tyres for snow, the wider the contact patch with the snow then the more traction you'd have surely? That said it is probably a little bit academic for the UK, in the Scandanavian countries they just sling on chains or winter tyres (sometimes with studs) onto their normal vehicles as said and proceed as if nothing had changed unlike here where a couple of inches of snow seems to throw the country into a panic.
 
I wouldn't waste your money for driving on icy roads once a year.

I've been in my dad's car loads of times on mud/ice where people in 4x4s have struggled because they don't know how to drive on it.
 
Heres another option a subaru legacy, 4wd estate. Relatively cheap, reliable and practical enough to fit stuff in.

Aero
 
semi-pro waster said:
Also I'm a little bit dubious about narrow tyres for snow, the wider the contact patch with the snow then the more traction you'd have surely?
Click to expand...

No, it just means you'd slide over the top better. Think about it if you wanted to go across snow without sliding would you spread your weight over a large ski/snowboard or the small area of just your shoes?

This is why they use skinny tyres like this for snow stages in WRC
tyres.jpg
 
I can understand wanting a 4x4 for country roads purely because the people by me really don't like taking their cars in to the hedge.

The few people with nice off road vehicles really don't like taking theirs into the hedge if they are worth more than a few thousand pounds, so a cheap banger would be a good idea for a few months of the year!
 
Last edited:
Clarkey said:
No, it just means you'd slide over the top better. Think about it if you wanted to go across snow without sliding would you spread your weight over a large ski/snowboard or the small area of just your shoes?
Click to expand...

Now I feel dense, I was thinking from the perspective of a snowboarder on powder where the wider the surface area the better. Cheers. :)
 
[TW]Fox;13017796 said:
Sounds like he needs a car to mask his driving fail.
Click to expand...

Didn't you put your BMW into a ditch through a silly error?? :p

I've been driving 9 years with zero accidents, the g/f has been driving 10 with no accidents so I bet I am pretty safe in saying that our driving is fine! However, there is always a first and accidents happen, especially down country roads in bad weather!

I am going to look at winter tyres, only problem being she will always need her golf for work then so I am going to have to either push to get mine sorted or to look at getting myself a cheap banger! Want a bike but that won't happen until spring.

Personally I dislike off road vehicles, however I asked because I thought that this may of been the best solution in this case! However, you can't seem to win here, if you ask a question you get slated if you take peoples advice or not! :confused:

Sooner her work moves site the better!
 
Ok surely getting two sets of winter tyres is going to be cheaper than a 4x4 is to buy, tax and maintain?

//edit that is one set of winter tyres for each car and then everyone is safe and happy.
 
lordrobs said:
There is a huge difference between binning a car one time and buying a car so you can crash it without worrying :p
Click to expand...

There is also a huge difference between buying a car so you CAN crash it without worrying and buying a car INCASE you crash it.

I wasn't having a go at fox, simply pointing out that accidents can happen as was the case in his accident.
 
From what I can see your comment, as accurate as it may be, had nothing to do with this guy who wants to buy a huge 4x4 so it doesnt matter if he crashes. Accidents only happen if you **** something up, or somebody else cocks something up. It's very rare that a genuine, unavoidable accident happens.

Still, registered March 2008 eh? Yet you knew all about something that happened in 2006 ;)
 
i read the forums for years before posting

anyway op should just get any cheap 2nd car available and put on winter tyres. at 5mph do you really need a 4x4
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom