panadero
Plus in the years driving, he's only needed chains once and you only need to fit one set with 2wd.
4motion also fit one set! (according to the manual)
Plus in the years driving, he's only needed chains once and you only need to fit one set with 2wd.
4motion also fit one set! (according to the manual)
Having said all that, why wouldn't you? There are very few downsides to having a 4-Motion though if your budget will stretch to it. The only one I can think of is that 4WD vehicles often come with increased running costs where you don't expect it to. For example, often you will be required to replace all four tyres at a go even if you only need to replace one.
Valid point but how many people know what the payload is and how many take it to a weighbridge to check. We certainly never have.
We once did... 4 people, 4 bikes on the rack, extra campinggaz bottle, full fresh water tank, full diesel tank, extra tent, gear for a long weekend: 3300 kg...Valid point but how many people know what the payload is and how many take it to a weighbridge to check. We certainly never have.
The new Ocean I have is 4motion with a diff lock. Also has all weather tyres, the right size to allow for an original spare.We once did... 4 people, 4 bikes on the rack, extra campinggaz bottle, full fresh water tank, full diesel tank, extra tent, gear for a long weekend: 3300 kg...
It was then that we decided to apply for a higher max allowed weight (on the basis of our air suspension). We now have 3250 kg allowed on our certificate.
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The snorkel looks good.The new Ocean I have is 4motion with a diff lock. Also has all weather tyres, the right size to allow for an original spare.
Not fond of the cold but snow chains are a must. My favourite country to visit is Morocco, plenty snow there in the mountains. Also plenty sandy/stony desert with possible flash floods so am considering a snorkel, useful for dust and water.
Yes, that’s the one!The snorkel looks good.
Is this what you meant.View attachment 36617
The California system is not permanent 4WD like my Defender, you need to spin the front wheels before drive to the rear is engaged. The majority of normal driving in a 4WD Cali is FWD only.One of the reasons I added 4WD to my order was that as the Cali. weighs the best part of 3 tonnes the front wheel drive would would always be tending to loose grip when pulling away due to weight transfer towards the rear. This would show as a tendency towards wheel spin which would be greater in the wet or obviously on mud or grass.
With 4WD the front axle would pull & the rear push giving a much more consistent traction in all conditions.
4WD was actually an essential on my criteria which had more reasons than the above one.
I understand that 10% always goes to the rear wheels. Am I wrong?The California system is not permanent 4WD like my Defender, you need to spin the front wheels before drive to the rear is engaged. The majority of normal driving in a 4WD Cali is FWD only.
Ha, I was waiting for someone to call me out on that Pod! Actually no, not even Mrs VD would describe me as "dynamic", but here goes anyway...
What I was getting at is that I've noticed for years a prevailing belief that 4WD/AWD confers some magical quality that will make a vehicle stick to the road. Someone I know well was amazed when his Audi Allroad had the temerity to smack him into a barrier on a bend: "...But, but it's got 4-wheel drive!".
A lot of people with 4WDs seem to assume that, as well as the improvement in straight line traction (true, of course), they'll also get more lateral grip, or an improvement in braking. At the same time, the added traction of 4WD can allow faster acceleration in marginal conditions but the driver then needs to be more vigilant, not less.
Here's a very neat article, written by a Canadian (and let's face it they probably do a lot more snow and ice driving than most of us): http://www.wheels.ca/news/does-all-wheel-drive-actually-help-in-winter-driving/
Soz Westfalia, no not the one but similar. Mine is by Roca Silva of Alsodux, Almería.The snorkel looks good.
Is this what you meant.View attachment 36617
As a response to my original post, I did end up buying a new 150DSG 4 Motion with diff' lock and all season tyres in Late Oct 2017. I got a great deal from VW in Elche for a MY 2018, so I stumped up the extra cash. The vehicle is superb and very sure footed. It performs well on local tracks around the campo where I live. These have the consistency of soap when wet. We were in Taunton in Feb 2018 and got caught in the snowstorm whilst at a campsite in the Quantocks. The vehicle was brilliant and tackled the conditions with ease. However, I will be buying snow chains for future winter visits to the Sierra Nevada, Asturias & Pyrenees. My only regret was that I missed off the heavy duty anti roll bar on my order. By the time I realised, the vehicle was in build. So it's a bit 'soggy' on corners but I can live with that. Fuel consumption is pretty good too. A recent trip to Slovenia & Croatia via the alps returned an average of just over 40mpg fully loaded.
Found this a rather stupid test/comparison. A 4x4 on summer tyres on a ski slope, and then: “surprise”: a car on winters performs better than the 4x4 on summers... Amazing results?? DUH!! What does this prove? That it is a good idea to drive winters on snow? That it is a bad idea to drive on a ski slope on summers? Who would be so stupid anyway?Tyres make a HUGE difference to traction so dont necessary think 4x4 is better. Great video of a 4*4 with summer tyres and a 2wd with winter tyres both in snow. Amazing results!
Found this a rather stupid test/comparison. A 4x4 on summer tyres on a ski slope, and then: “surprise”: a car on winters performs better than the 4x4 on summers... Amazing results?? DUH!! What does this prove? That it is a good idea to drive winters on snow? That it is a bad idea to drive on a ski slope on summers? Who would be so stupid anyway?
One should compare a 4x4 on winters with a 2x2 on winters, or a 4x4 on winters with a 4x4 on summers. But this comparision is just plain useless...
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