Not impressed with my C4 in the snow today !!

[mwadams]

Okay perhaps its me ?
Had my C4 for just over 3 months and felt pretty dismal about the way it performed on the way home tonight !!
Tried it with the PSM both on and off as it says in the manual you may want to switch it off for snow ?
Is it because the car has 18" rims, would 17" be better on a more narrow tyre ?
Any other C4 owners like to comment.
It was not that heavier snowfall around the east midlands area, although the temp indicated around -2.5 ~ -4.5 C on the way home
Mark

 

[Rotorhead]

In European territories susceptible to snow, most owners would alternate between winter and summer tyres (see this week's Autocar). Christophorus has frequent articles covering the various options.

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Interesting Road Conditions... specially with a 996 C2 Cab and 2 brand new tyres at the rear (fitted this afternoon)!!!
So, don't worry you weren't alone!
I'm pretty sure the Cayenne is a much better car to cope with this kind of weather! ;-)
Fab

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: mwadams

Okay perhaps its me ?
Had my C4 for just over 3 months and felt pretty dismal about the way it performed on the way home tonight !!

I had the best journey home tonight that I can remember [] Porsche was fast asleep in garage dreaming of summer days to come and I went home in probably the greatest car in the world today for tonights heavy London snow fall "MINI Cooper "S"

I left the main solid blocked roads and went up all the back doubles in total control as I went past stranded BMW's Mercs and other useless tackle like that ... It was one of those "Priceless" motoring moments bringing back wonderful memories of the many a Monte Carlo victory for the original Cooper "S"

The glory lived on tonight for all us current MINI drivers [] and when normal conditions return in a day or so from now we still have the full on excitement the car delivers every trip rain, snow or shine [8D]

 

[Guest]

For the first time in long while I left my business forgot all the days' troubles immediately.
Heavy Snow, Oh No! I had an Interesting drive home sideways. []

 

[vic cohen]

Your certainly not alone ,mine wont even get out in the country lane this morning without ripping front spoilers off, and thats only ahill in Herts/N LONDON................Its always the same great traction, no steering,like the mini will go past all the fishtailing Beemer s and Jags and Mercs on the hills home , but no directional control...............only have a Mini Cooper but i am now giving the Mrs a lift so i can nic it ..........................who needs a Cayenne for a couple of days a year?

 

[Melv]

Unfortunately, four wheel drive isn't the great answer ppl expect on snow and ice -the laws of physics still come in to play -just be light on that throttle....

Melv

 

[C V Read]

Have to agree with you on that one Melv - I use a mini too and its great in the snow (on normal tyres) compared with a C2 and even happier than a jeep with 4wd and all the electronic traction stuff.

Plus there's the obvious advantage that its not the end of the world if you bump it so deserted slippery places are pretty good fun!

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: C V Read

I use a mini too and its great in the snow (on normal tyres) compared with a C2 and even happier than a jeep with 4wd and all the electronic traction stuff.

Plus there's the obvious advantage that its not the end of the world if you bump it so deserted slippery places are pretty good fun!

PLUS don't forget it still great fun even when the track is dry and the sun is up doing it's thing [8D] I think £ 4 £ they are brilliant pieces of iconic kit

 

[grant_goulding]

I have a question. My 1998 C4 didn't feel too good on the snow either. I am not sure that it is using all four wheels to transmit the power as I would expect it to. The front wheels only seem to work when the rears lose traction. I understand that only 5 or is it 10% is going to the front wheels but it seems to me to be less than that. My X-type used to be really good on the snow as it had a 40/60 spilt. Is my C4 working correctly or is the four wheel drive not as useful as I first thought? Any ideas?

 

[Melv]

Correct Grant! The 964 C4 probably had a better system in that the split was 30/70 with permanent drive to the front wheels via a mechanical clutch, and not a viscous coupling which only locks up when the rear loses traction as the 993 and 996.

The 964 also has a diff lock to get the car moving which disengages at about 15kph. Can't be done with a viscous coupling.

Try using a gear higher than normal.

Melv

 

[mwadams]

Hi Melv,

I must admit the 964 C4 I owned prior to my 993 Targa handled the snow much better than my current 996 C4...... still the snow has melted and for 1 day i am not that bothered now !

Think you will find the split is 35/65 on the 964 C4 ?

Mark

 

[Melv]

"Think you will find the split is 35/65 on the 964 C4 "

Actually Mark, it's 31/69. Source: Porsche 911 by Adrian Streather.

We were both wrong...but I was closest!! []

Melv

 

[Grant]

Hi chaps the 996 series 4wd will produce a 40/60 split in extreeme, so will be better than a c2 on the slippery stuff. The problem with snow is wide low profile tyres don't cut through it they just compact it, so a shopping trolley with skinny little tyres is likely to be better than a C4 on big chunky wide tyres !
If you look at Porsches winter tyres they are skinny & not low profile, in bad snow you also need chains or studs to get any grip.
Lets face it on black ice everthings useless.
So don't despair the C4 will still run rings round most things when it isn't snowing, but it just proves the point that we all get to feel these cars are "super-capable" (if you know what I mean) but as Melv says you can't overcome the laws of physics !

 

[Melv]

I remember driving my 964C4 in the snow, VERY light on the throttle. In a straight line, the back would slowly come around when provoked!! But when it came to applying the brakes........[&:]

The other fun thing was setting the car up sideways (on a snowy airfield!!) turn in, power off, power on, and driving around in circles looking thru the passenger or driver side window, depending on the direction of travel, at where I was going. All nicely controlled in second gear at about 40mph!! []

Melv