Driving on snow

steviebabes · Post by **steviebabes** » Sun Dec 11, 2022 12:36 pm

I had a 30 mile round trip this morning, mainly on untreated country roads in Wales. There were a few hairy moments but generally an easy car to control and the traction, possibly due to the weight was excellent. The car was covered in about two inches of frozen snow, a brush didn't touch it. I plugged the car in to the charger and set the heater and seats from the app and it was all clear after half an hour, brilliant.
I think my younger days with a Triumph Spitfire served me well, I used to go on snow covered car parks to practice drifting. If you can drive a Spitfire on snow you can drive anything!

Jamie1c · Post by **Jamie1c** » Sun Dec 11, 2022 2:12 pm

Thanks for letting us know

Did you happen to go up any snow covered hills?
My towns full of hills and I live in the highest part of town. Can be challenging even with 4wd that I have at the moment.
Would be interested in hearing how the id3 copes with snowy hills.

steviebabes · Post by **steviebabes** » Sun Dec 11, 2022 3:07 pm

The steepest was 16% with quite a lot of snow and it just sailed up. The biggest problem was on narrow parts of the road, I stopped but others coming the other way didn't. A DPD van went a bit sideways but stopped in time to let me past.

Jamie1c · Post by **Jamie1c** » Sun Dec 11, 2022 4:27 pm

A close shave there then.

Glad to hear the car went up the hill with no probs.

Casparh · Post by **Casparh** » Sun Dec 11, 2022 9:43 pm

We were out this afternoon before it started snowing. Headed home as soon as we could and it was coming down heavily by the time we got to the bottom of the hill we live on. There was probably 2-3cm maximum of fresh and the car was awful, back end sliding all over the place. About 50m from the top it just refused to go forward anymore and we had to be pushed by 3 people to make it up. Not sure if there was a traction setting I was missing but didn't have a chance to look in all the commotion. I certainly won't be taking it out again until the snow has gone. It's easily the worst vehicle we've owned for getting up the hill.

monkeyhanger · Post by **monkeyhanger** » Sun Dec 11, 2022 9:59 pm

Casparh wrote: ↑Sun Dec 11, 2022 9:43 pm We were out this afternoon before it started snowing. Headed home as soon as we could and it was coming down heavily by the time we got to the bottom of the hill we live on. There was probably 2-3cm maximum of fresh and the car was awful, back end sliding all over the place. About 50m from the top it just refused to go forward anymore and we had to be pushed by 3 people to make it up. Not sure if there was a traction setting I was missing but didn't have a chance to look in all the commotion. I certainly won't be taking it out again until the snow has gone. It's easily the worst vehicle we've owned for getting up the hill.

Bridgestone 18" tyres?

Casparh · Post by **Casparh** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 7:30 am

Bridgestone 18" tyres?

Yes

G43FAN · Post by **G43FAN** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:04 am

Went out Saturday morning on fresh snow, car seemed capable but I wouldn't say it was happy.
Later on slush and with heavy fresh snow falling car was still OK but struggled with any incline other than minor.
Later still with refrozen slush, compacted snow and ice.. stay at home, irrespective of tyres.

JohnP · Post by **JohnP** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:11 am

Had to abandon my ID3 last night. Tried to start from stationary at the bottom of a modest hill. The snow was not particularly deep but partially melted and refrozen so no traction at all. Couldn't even park it safely. Hope to get back to it today sometime and recover it. Yes Bridgestone tyres.

OB1CCFC · Post by **OB1CCFC** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:23 am

I found my ID3 on 19” Contis to be pretty decent on snow. The exception being downhill when you could worryingly feel the chunky weight.
There have been quite a few posts on Speakev about getting tyre socks which seem to help quite a lot and aren’t that bad to put on…

monkeyhanger · Post by **monkeyhanger** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 11:26 am

So far, my Born on 19" Contis has been driveable. I've seen a little traction control light-up.

We're pretty well salted around here, apart from the nearest 3 short roads. My wife has started a new job up in Morpeth and the car skidded a tiny bit on a turn off to a side road (the other Born, also on Contis).

Bridgestones in the Summer are like driving on Summer tyres in the Winter, Bridgestones in the Winter are next to useless.

SinglePointSafety · Post by **SinglePointSafety** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 1:26 pm

Pretty much all summer tyres are useless in snow - loads of videos on YouTube,
.... especially if your summer tyre hasn't got much tread left

daern · Post by **daern** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 4:19 pm

SinglePointSafety wrote: ↑Mon Dec 12, 2022 1:26 pm .... especially if your summer tyre hasn't got much tread left

Not summer, but this is a fascinating video:

(tl;dw: A worn out set of CrossClimates out performed brand new budget all-season tyres in pretty much all conditions. Eye opener for me, who happens to have a set of nearly-but-not-quite-knackered CrossClimates on his other car!)

paultoon · Post by **paultoon** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 4:46 pm

My first experience of driving the ID.3 on snow and ice was over the last couple of days and had a couple of hairy moments. Most notably when the backend swung out when turning 90 degrees onto a (not very steep) downward slope. Took it very slowly but the car did not like driving on compacted snow especially. Got a longer journey coming up later this week so I'm hoping it will manage it!

I've got Bridgestones. It's not really practical for me to consider changing the tyres. I usually drive in D mode. Is B mode any better? I put it in Eco mode too as I thought this might limit the acceleration.

Any tips for driving the ID.3 in wintry conditions are much appreciated!

Gannet15 · Post by **Gannet15** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 5:25 pm

I live in Scotland and worked in the electricity supply industry for some thirty years so have experience in driving in all sorts of conditions. My car is a Family Pro and I found the 18" Bridgestones awful, the rear was very twitchy in the wet, even at moderate speeds. Due to recent weather forecasts, I recently changed the rear tyres (only done 6k miles) to Micheliin Cross Climates and the car is much more stable. Recent weather is mixture of snow and ice but car feels much better and less liable to go adrift.

colonelpurple · Post by **colonelpurple** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 5:54 pm

paultoon wrote: ↑Mon Dec 12, 2022 4:46 pm My first experience of driving the ID.3 on snow and ice was over the last couple of days and had a couple of hairy moments. Most notably when the backend swung out when turning 90 degrees onto a (not very steep) downward slope. Took it very slowly but the car did not like driving on compacted snow especially. Got a longer journey coming up later this week so I'm hoping it will manage it!

I've got Bridgestones. It's not really practical for me to consider changing the tyres. I usually drive in D mode. Is B mode any better? I put it in Eco mode too as I thought this might limit the acceleration.

Any tips for driving the ID.3 in wintry conditions are much appreciated!

Not sure that B mode is safer on ice, but its far superior to D mode. B mode gives you much more control, and once used to it you cant go back. D mode has much more "simulated" drift , to replicate a petrol auto gearbox, which I find a bit silly

monkeyhanger · Post by **monkeyhanger** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:30 pm

colonelpurple wrote: ↑Mon Dec 12, 2022 5:54 pm
paultoon wrote: ↑Mon Dec 12, 2022 4:46 pm My first experience of driving the ID.3 on snow and ice was over the last couple of days and had a couple of hairy moments. Most notably when the backend swung out when turning 90 degrees onto a (not very steep) downward slope. Took it very slowly but the car did not like driving on compacted snow especially. Got a longer journey coming up later this week so I'm hoping it will manage it!

I've got Bridgestones. It's not really practical for me to consider changing the tyres. I usually drive in D mode. Is B mode any better? I put it in Eco mode too as I thought this might limit the acceleration.

Any tips for driving the ID.3 in wintry conditions are much appreciated!
Not sure that B mode is safer on ice, but its far superior to D mode. B mode gives you much more control, and once used to it you cant go back. D mode has much more "simulated" drift , to replicate a petrol auto gearbox, which I find a bit silly

I'd stick with D personally - much better control for slowing down when using the pedal intended to modulate slowing down, than inverse use of the pedal that is intended to make you go faster. Add to the fact that if you need to slow faster than initially anticipated, beyond B mode braking capability, you are already on the brake pedal and just need to press it harder.

Don't forget also that D mode does regen to the same level as B mode does, when you actually use the brake pedal - some people have preconceptions that B mode is more efficient than D mode as they imagine D mode has no regen, or less regen.

B mode for braking is like using a knife to do the job of a slot screwdriver to rewire a plug!

AntHillMob · Post by **AntHillMob** » Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:47 pm

I put on the winter wheels with Bridgestones two weeks ago and just in good time, living in North East of Scotland. Mainly driving on mix of treated / untreated roads with ice but not too much snow at the moment. Car has felt balanced and solid with these on, no slips or slides so far. Heavier snow forecast over next couple days so we'll see how she handles that with the Blizzaks on.

duncsand · Post by **duncsand** » Tue Dec 13, 2022 8:20 am

I have 18inch Bridgestones and ventured out on our very slippery road this morning - all compacted snow and ice. I was very careful and had the car in 'B' mode as I felt that best to kept things nice and slow going down the hill. The car performed absolutely fine, no issues. I was super nervous, given the different traction and it being a very new car, but I needn't have worried. I dropped my wife off and then came back, ascending the same hill, again without issues. Very relieved. I can't get the charging flap open though - it's iced solid, but I guess a bit of sun later on will fix that!

LongMynd · Post by **LongMynd** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 4:33 pm

I was on the M54 on Sunday just before multiple accidents closed the motorway.
Nearly everyone was driving in the slow lane at around 33mph. I pulled out into the right hand lane (there are only two) and the rear end twitched as the cruise control tried to accelerate mea bit too enthusiastically. I switched off the cruise control and from then on it felt secure, though I still stayed below 40! I was the only car in the right hand lane, apart from a dented stationary vehicle with its hazard lights on.
I was driving on Coninental All Season tyres in D mode.

Driving on snow

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