JUST BACK FROM SKIING
Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:16 pm
Just back from a skiing trip with the family to Austria and thought I would pass on a few comments -
1. The Vredestein winter tyres on 99 style wheels (18 inch) performed superbly. I was up in Obergurgl which is high (1900m) and the last 10 miles up the mountain was on uncleared road. As I drove up to it, I was a little apprehensive as there were about a dozen German cars all fitting chains and in front of a blue snow chains sign, at which point the wife remarked " are you sure we don't need chains?". Drove past the Germans smiling at them (and my wife) although was feeling distinctly nervous. Needn't have worried. Two hairpins later and it was clear that the car was well up to the job. I overtook two cars crawling up on chains and passed three which had clearly shed their chains on the way - with owners looking underneath in various states of distress. In the resort itself there was a steep up and then down to the hotel which the car also had no problems with and I got the chance to use hill descent control for the first time. From looking around at the various cars there, it is clear that a 4 wheel drive with winter tyres is the way to go. A couple of Germans in the hotel also remarked that it is generally accepted that BMW's X drive is superior to Audi's quattro for snow and ice at least.
2. The tyres were also great on the long autoroute/autobahn trip down and the ride is certainly more forgiving than the 20s with summer rubber.
3. Fuel consumption was 20.1 mpg for the 1500 mile round trip (fully laden with roofbox) which I didn't think was bad given long stretches of 85-90 mph in France and 90-110 mph on a clear unrestricted autobahn south of Ulm.
4. Coming back yesterday wasn't fun with heavy snow in France but the X5 kept going at 40-50 mph even in heavy snow and I got to eurotunnel with 10 minutes to spare. However the front of the car developed a kind of snow/slush/salt snout which completely covered the numberplate.
5. Just hosed it down this morning and amazed at the amount of salt that came of it. The price of clear roads is clearly a salt-encrusted car. Well worth the effort of 15 minutes with the hose though.
6. Off to rescue the Mother-in-law in Guildford this afternoon - up a steep hill which her Golf can't manage!
1. The Vredestein winter tyres on 99 style wheels (18 inch) performed superbly. I was up in Obergurgl which is high (1900m) and the last 10 miles up the mountain was on uncleared road. As I drove up to it, I was a little apprehensive as there were about a dozen German cars all fitting chains and in front of a blue snow chains sign, at which point the wife remarked " are you sure we don't need chains?". Drove past the Germans smiling at them (and my wife) although was feeling distinctly nervous. Needn't have worried. Two hairpins later and it was clear that the car was well up to the job. I overtook two cars crawling up on chains and passed three which had clearly shed their chains on the way - with owners looking underneath in various states of distress. In the resort itself there was a steep up and then down to the hotel which the car also had no problems with and I got the chance to use hill descent control for the first time. From looking around at the various cars there, it is clear that a 4 wheel drive with winter tyres is the way to go. A couple of Germans in the hotel also remarked that it is generally accepted that BMW's X drive is superior to Audi's quattro for snow and ice at least.
2. The tyres were also great on the long autoroute/autobahn trip down and the ride is certainly more forgiving than the 20s with summer rubber.
3. Fuel consumption was 20.1 mpg for the 1500 mile round trip (fully laden with roofbox) which I didn't think was bad given long stretches of 85-90 mph in France and 90-110 mph on a clear unrestricted autobahn south of Ulm.
4. Coming back yesterday wasn't fun with heavy snow in France but the X5 kept going at 40-50 mph even in heavy snow and I got to eurotunnel with 10 minutes to spare. However the front of the car developed a kind of snow/slush/salt snout which completely covered the numberplate.
5. Just hosed it down this morning and amazed at the amount of salt that came of it. The price of clear roads is clearly a salt-encrusted car. Well worth the effort of 15 minutes with the hose though.
6. Off to rescue the Mother-in-law in Guildford this afternoon - up a steep hill which her Golf can't manage!
Still wish I had them 
