OT - 4x4 automatic car.

[Roger Chapman]

Read what I said.

That would depend on what you are accustomed to drive and since you never drive a car with a foot clutch why on earth would you even try to press the accelerator at the same time as the brake.

For rather different reasons actually. With a manual car you need your left foot to control the clutch. In an auto your left foot is free to brake and the chances are it is actually quicker to brake that way than moving your right foot from accelerator to brake as needs must in a manual car. All you need to do is lift your right foot off the accelerator at the same time. All that takes is a little bit of coordination, less than that required for an emergency stop in a manual car.

[<me9]

Or a Snowcat. I remember getting stuck in December on the top of a Scottish hill in a series 2 landrover. We were rescued by a Snowcat. Very impressive.

[Roger Chapman]

Governors are usually to be found on stationary engines, not moving ones. The Prius has one I believe but that has a very weird drive chain involving a variable speed electric motor. If your auto has the engine governed at a set speed how do you vary the speed of your car?

It still doesn't seem credible regardless of what the manufacturer maintains. Engines don't work hard at slow speeds unless you are climbing a very steep hill which would be impossible in slippery conditions anyway.

[<me9]

My neighbour has a 4WD Skoda Octavia with DSG.

[Mark]

Wrong, are you the new dribble

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[John Rumm]

Small front wheel drive cars can do relatively well on snow since they have plenty of weight over the driven wheels. They also have the advantage that turning the wheel allows the drive direction to be turned, which can help get a car unstuck.

A 4WD auto will beat a manual 2WD generally, even if it can't match a manual 4WD. However even that is becoming less "true" with time. Many modern autos with snazzy independent wheel ABS and traction control systems can outperform what a skilled driver can do in a manual.

[John Rumm]

There are plenty of nice refined 4WD cars about without needing to stoop to a jeepette! As others have said a Forrester or a Volvo XC90, or the Audi equivalent are refined luxury family cars that are pleasant to drive year round and *also* keep going when others stop.

Even with 4WD, a decent set of winter tyres is sill very handy... failing that a set of snow chains for emergencies.

Having had decent 4WD cars for the last 14 or so years, I can see no reason to go back to 2WD ;-)

[John Rumm]

Not completely true, for starters you get engine braking on all four wheels. I agree it does not change the laws of physics however!

[Huge]

Thanks for confirming that you don't know what you're talking about.

[Roger Chapman]

So enlighten me rather than attempting to prove that you are what you are accusing me of.

[Adrian]

"sweetheart" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Yes, it is.

You'll have to take another test, but unless you don't think you'd pass that (if not, why not?) it's most certainly an option. Long-term, it'd be a very wise one, if a little more inconvenient in the short-term.

[Adrian]

"Peter Crosland" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

The difference between winter tyres & summer tyres is nothing to do with tread width, and everything to do with rubber compound. They make a huge difference even on 2wd cars on dry but cold (

[Adrian]

gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

No, they aren't.

I'm using Vredestein SnowTrac on the Saab at the mo. I've been quite happily listening to the radio on the way in this morning at perfectly normal volume levels. There's a slight increase over the summer Contis, but "noisy"? No.

[Adrian]

geoff gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Does "all other more comfortable solutions" include having swapped over to the spare set of rims fitted with winter tyres as the temperature started to drop?

[sweetheart]

I have dyspraxia which affects my left foot and nothing else, but it makes the use of the clutch difficult ( and would make me a danger in a manual car or at least mean I would wear out the gear box very regulalry) . I did say that at the out set which is why so many have concentrated their comments at being nasty to me personally for something I was born with. No doubt you would tell a war veteran to grow another leg on this forum.

[Adrian]

"Peter Crosland" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

If you find changing gear requires that much concentration, it's probably best you stick to an automatic.

[Adrian]

"sweetheart" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Oh, it's _her_...

[Adrian]

"sweetheart" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Please don't lie quite so blatantly.

What you said at the outset was...

[Adrian]

"js.b1" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Usually cheaper than a set of decent-quality summer tyres, and a second set of steel rims for £50 or so.

[Adrian]

"sweetheart" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

From the first post in the thread...