Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[atann]

Got mine out, stuck in snow, using snow mode on auto box. Was surprised being rear wheel drive. How do other owners find the Omega in snow/ice?

[JamesV6CDX]

Got mine out, stuck in snow, using snow mode on auto box. Was surprised being rear wheel drive. How do other owners find the Omega in snow/ice?

Rear wheel drive is worse than front, in the snow.

The blunt answer is, if it's snowing heavily, unless it's an emergency, leave the Omega at home. If you really must go out, make sure you have a full tank (weight in the back to steady it, plus heat if you get stuck), decent snow tyres, shovel, and food/drink, and warm clothing.

For the small amount of time this country gets snow, and the havoc it causes, it's just not worth going out.

Personally, if the snow is heavy when I wake up, it will be a case of walking through the fields to the pub with the old willies on for lunch and a pint

Rather hoping we get snowed in 

[Doctor Gollum]

Piece of piss in my 3.2 ex plod 3.2 manual with the aggressive tread of the Runway Enduro that were fitted at the time...

Equally, very impressed with my Desmond manual in the current weather... Fitted with Accelera winter tyres and no TC...

Nice and stable on both fresh and compacted snow

One thing that I will add, is that servotronic steering on the V6 might act unpredictably if the rear wheels are slipping. No such issue with the Desmond 

[Doctor Gollum]

Fundamentally, I agree with James's advice...

However with front wheel drive, once you lose traction, you're totally opposed as you lose steering as well. The only crash I have had in snow was in a diesel auto Vectra C... It wouldn't slow down, at all, and when it came to it it wouldn't steer either... Reverse and handbrake didn't even stop it from sliding across a junction and into a telegraph pole even though I was doing less than 15mph when I lifted off well before the junction (T at the end of a very gentle downhill). 

Personally, I try to make a point of driving in as much snow as possible in order to keep my hand in. It's all about driving to the conditions and your ability.

You can't control the conditions, but you can do something with your ability...

Mum bought me a skid pan course within a month of passing my test, and I can honestly say that it was invaluable and something that should be part of the driving test... Car control isn't simply keeping it between the lines whilst following the idiot box

[JamesV6CDX]

To be fair, I am referring to some really bad winters, not a dusting.

I still maintain that if the roads are awful, Omegas are best parked up and looking pretty

[JamesV6CDX]

You can't control the conditions, but you can do something with your ability...

I wholeheartedly agree with this.

The only problem I find, despite load of work and non work related driver courses -

I can be driving as safely as humanly possible in bad, icy, snowy conditions..... but some idiot will still rock up about half an inch from my bumper, with absolutely no perception of speed, distance, danger, how fast things happen, and what the consequences can be........

Unless it's an emergency, I just choose not to drive when it's that bad (unless I'm at work, and have no choice)   

[Doctor Gollum]

To be fair, I am referring to some really bad winters, not a dusting.

I still maintain that if the roads are awful, Omegas are best parked up and looking pretty

The only winter weather that I didn't work through was early December 2009... in the aforementioned Vectra.

Were I not currently laid up dying from manflu, I would be driving to/from work all week, and also at work... Had I been well and off shift, then I would still be at work driving one of the ploughs... not doing this is actually more frustrating than the being ill part

Those who can't or won't adapt their driving to the conditions won't get much past the end of their roads without coming unstuck. And hopefully without damaging anyone else in the process.

If you can't get the car off the drive, then you really shouldn't be going out. If you do go out, then be sure that you are actually prepared for the conditions that you are likely to encounter.

[mandula]

Absolutely no problem, but LSD and good winter tires are recommended. Hate to drive FWD's at winter, yes it is easy but handling is not so good than with Omega.

Below shown normal winter conditions, but goes easily even at 20 cm of snow (just don't stop).
Of course you need to know the limits with speed and generally know how to drive at winter, but even if rear looses it's traction it is easy just steer it back on track.
I don't have TC installed on my car, and I don't miss it (tried one with TC, no good at all).

[ajsphead]

Fundamentally, I agree with James's advice...

However with front wheel drive, once you lose traction, you're totally opposed as you lose steering as well. The only crash I have had in snow was in a diesel auto Vectra C... It wouldn't slow down, at all, and when it came to it it wouldn't steer either... Reverse and handbrake didn't even stop it from sliding across a junction and into a telegraph pole even though I was doing less than 15mph when I lifted off well before the junction (T at the end of a very gentle downhill). 

Personally, I try to make a point of driving in as much snow as possible in order to keep my hand in. It's all about driving to the conditions and your ability.

You can't control the conditions, but you can do something with your ability...

Mum bought me a skid pan course within a month of passing my test, and I can honestly say that it was invaluable and something that should be part of the driving test... Car control isn't simply keeping it between the lines whilst following the idiot box

Totally agree. Omega has good Winter tyres on it - fresh snow no problem, bit loose at the back, no problem. Provoking a 16 1/2ft diesel powered pendulum teaches you throttle and steering control if you never learned it years ago. Then again, I sometimes provoke little tail slides just for fun - then chastise myself for being naughty and unkind to my rear wheel bearings.

Cars with auto boxes I would leave at home.

Good FWD cars are fine - my old classic Saab 900 was a doddle to drive in slippery conditions but was so cleverly designed it's not a surprise. modern FWD cars - totally different.

Would I encourage the wife to drive the Omega in the same conditions - no.

Would I encourage everyone to learn how to control a car properly - yes. It might just save your life as well as your bank balance.

[aaronjb]

Personally, if the snow is heavy when I wake up, it will be a case of walking through the fields to the pub with the old willies on for lunch and a pint

C'mon.. Nobody?

And Mandula - you live in the country that gave us Ari Vatanen, Tommi Makinen et al; I assume you all pop out of the womb with an innate ability to drive like madmen in the snow

[Keith ABS]

 I was mightily impressed with my Omega auto estate when we had a lot of snow and -15c here in Essex a few years back. unless provoked, it handled everything with no dramas. Didn't think I would have stood any chance with some of the hills I had to go up but not a slip or slid at all.

Keith ABS

[mandula]

Personally, if the snow is heavy when I wake up, it will be a case of walking through the fields to the pub with the old willies on for lunch and a pint

C'mon.. Nobody?

And Mandula - you live in the country that gave us Ari Vatanen, Tommi Makinen et al; I assume you all pop out of the womb with an innate ability to drive like madmen in the snow

Just takes some practice 

If you find yourself sliding/pushing (probably because cornering too fast) you have at least two choices (with manual car, because whats fun with automatic?):
- boring one is just press clutch pedal down and notice how sliding/pushing stops/rear wheels get some grip and you can steer back on track
- funnier one is to make counter-steering opposite way you are sliding/pushing and at the same time (best with LSD) give some revs to adjust the slide the way you want. It's same with AWD, you just need some courage and practice to trust that car really does change direction as you want when you give some revs and steering to it

I don't know is it allowed for you to drive with steel-studded tyres (currently under my car), because those are superior at winter, but second best choice is to use proper non-studded tyres at winter (also can be driven at summer but will worn out earlier if you do).

[aaronjb]

Studs aren't legal over here - winter tyres are, though  I ran them on my old Omega which made it more or less unstoppable (at least in what we call winter - even the snowy ones); then again, I also got around OK in the heavy snow of 2008 in a mid-engined MR2 Roadster with summer tyres and an on/off race clutch

[STEMO]

I've got a diesel auto, the snow is about 6 inches deep everywhere around here, yet I have been out and about most of the time. 
It's all to do with experience, something I have lots of, so no danger of me leaving the car at home.

[Kevin Wood]

Agreed with getting a skid pan session and as much experience on the snow as you can. Once you are used to the feeling of the car sliding and it doesn't cause blind panic, you can make the correct inputs to get the car back on track. Until the panic subsides, you won't have a cat in hell's chance. Put a couple of bags of salt in the boot (full LPG tank helps too) and an Omega isn't a problem to control on snow. Leave yourself plenty of space to stop and adjust your speed to the conditions. If you get taigated, drive slower to give them some stopping distance and reaction time in addition to yours. If you're lucky the oppswit will get frustrated, overtake and crash elsewhere.

[Nick W]

For a RWD car to be usable in the sort of snow we see, it needs to be small, low powered and on narrow tyres. That will allow it to get moving, and then you can exploit the extra control that RWD  gives over FWD.


An Omega (or similar BMW/Merc/whatever) on wide low-profile tyres, with decent power driving through an auto is best left at the side of the road until conditions improve.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I just drove the 190 to the paper shop. The young lad who runs it told me he couldn't drive to work this morning because his 3 series is rwd. 
I pointed out the window to my car and told him "so are both of mine". 
No sense of adventure with kids today. 

[LC0112G]

For a RWD car to be usable in the sort of snow we see, it needs to be small, low powered and on narrow tyres. That will allow it to get moving, and then you can exploit the extra control that RWD  gives over FWD.


An Omega (or similar BMW/Merc/whatever) on wide low-profile tyres, with decent power driving through an auto is best left at the side of the road until conditions improve.

err....



I put my snow chains in the boot this morning just in case.

[mandula]

There is a big difference with non-studded winter tyre and "summer" tyre with M+S mark.

It might feel expensive to have two sets of tyres (summer+winter), but if you want to use your car also at winter conditions (and also avoid collisions) they are worth it and will last several years if used only at winter.
Of course if the winter lasts only few days per year, it is easier just to go for a pub and survive through it 

https://www.goodyear.eu/corporate_emea/our-responsibilities/road-safety/winter-tire-recognition.jsp

[LC0112G]

There is a big difference with non-studded winter tyre and "summer" tyre with M+S mark.

It might feel expensive to have two sets of tyres (summer+winter), but if you want to use your car also at winter conditions (and also avoid collisions) they are worth it and will last several years if used only at winter.
Of course if the winter lasts only few days per year, it is easier just to go for a pub and survive through it 

https://www.goodyear.eu/corporate_emea/our-responsibilities/road-safety/winter-tire-recognition.jsp

This ^^^

A true Winter tyre is designed to give optimal grip when the ambient temperature is less than about 7 degrees C. That's the temperature at which the rubber on a summer tyre becomes too hard to grip the 'road' properly.  A summer tyre will still work (on tarmac), but a winter will be better below 7, and give reasonable grip on packed snow. However, there are still occasions where a winter isn't enough and chains are required.

Many alpine countries now mandate winter tyres be fitted in the winter months (Swizerland, Italy & Germany but not France). However, the UK doesn't, and given that we only have a few days a year below zero it's probably not worth it for most. I got back from the French alps last week, and during my week there I had to help push several cars & vans up the road outside the apartment. All these had summer tyres and no chains, and were going nowhere fast spinning their wheels on the ice. Cars/vans with winter tyres had no problems.

My hire car also had summer tyres (Lyon charge extra for Winters), so I always buy a cheap set of chains from a supermarket on the way up the mountain (£20 typically). In the past 10 years I've probably had to use chains 5 times, and this was another time. A couple of those times - probably including this one - could have been avoided if I'd had winter tyres, but celery.

Most modern 4WD cars are particularly useless in the snow. They're always fitted with low profile, wide summer tyres which are bad going up hill, and lethal going down hill. Once you get 3 tons of X5 sliding down hill with all 4 wheels locked up it isn't going to end well. You see more X5's and Range rovers off the side of mountain roads than anything else.   

[danzigfan]

Doesn't get much better than rwd + snow believe me I adore It    Drove 40 miles every day to work these weeks... here. It's keeping me smile all day...I love it.
Winter tyres of course but you can slide every corner whenever you want to.

[ronnyd]

Took the Desmond out for a short spin this morning. Roads ok but laying snow was starting to drift in the wind. Was fine till some pillock in a Galaxy pulled out behind me, and as James eluded to earlier, decided to follow me about two car lengths behind.
After a couple of miles he thankfully pulled off. The visibility was a bit sketchy at times but a few decided they didn,t need their lights on.

[ajsphead]

Overtook my first incompetent twit today. Long 1/2 mile hill, 10mph, just drove straight around them. That was in my old FWD diesel astra (78 bhp & skinny Winter tyres).

Looking forward to going to work tomorrow, if it wasn't for the need for extremely defensive driving to make allowances for all the other incompetent twits in over sized over tyred over powered over priced washing machines it would be great fun.

[TheBoy]

Got mine out, stuck in snow, using snow mode on auto box. Was surprised being rear wheel drive. How do other owners find the Omega in snow/ice?

Never had an issues in my Omegas. And I don't use winter tyres.

I try to keep both LPG and petrol tanks full to add weight, and lob in a tow pole, shovel etc which add a little more, and drive to the conditions...   ...except when roads are empty, then its rude not to provoke some sideways action.
Only time I nearly got an Omega stuck was TB2, when I took it down a lane with too much snow, and as it built up in front of the bumper, the rear started to slip, so had to reverse a couple of miles back to a more main road, and go another way.

[aaronjb]

Only time I nearly got an Omega stuck was TB2, when I took it down a lane with too much snow, and as it built up in front of the bumper, the rear started to slip, so had to reverse a couple of miles back to a more main road, and go another way.

That's what finished off one of my journeys in the MR2 - turned the hard left into the incline of my road, found nobody had driven down it before me and the front end did a very good snow plough impression.

Was alright once I dug the front end out..

[Automaticman]

Many years ago I executed a fully controlled 360 in a ford escort works van going downhill in very snowy Llansannan in  north wales, I will never forget it and neither does my workmate who was sat white knuckled next to me lol, luck or skill or maybe a bit of both well never know but isn't it odd how everything goes slow motion 

[cam.in.head]

when my dad worked for telecom he drove a viva ha van all around the yorkshire dales and never got stuck once in the snow. thin tyres ,rwd and lots of weight in the back.

[Lazydocker]

WTF is wrong with you people? 

RWD is fine in the snow. Both my Omega’s were fine. The HiLux I’m currently driving for work was firmly in 2WD until my road, and even then only to assist the turn at the end!

Take some man up pills, learn to use the car and get on with it!

Of course, if the concern is the other retards on the road that is a different story...

[Doctor Gollum]

 

[ajsphead]

Omega defeated this morning - by 3ft snow drift which I left a lovely reverse image in. Never mind, just backed it up the hill back home.

[aaronjb]

I went out for food last night - absolutely bugger all grip but the journey would have been fine if it weren't for all the abandoned BMWs (and that's not a slight on BMWs - I also have one! - but every abandoned car was, indeed, a BMW); one of which meant I had to stop half way up the fairly steep hill to our house.. for a minute I didn't think I was going to be able to get going again afterward. FWD no likey..

Other than that, though, the traffic was moving pretty well (albeit at 15mph, which was about right for the conditions as you certainly couldn't steer or stop when going any faster) - maybe because half the population of Northampton is Polish, and that was the half that was still driving (they're used to it, after all!)

[Kevin Wood]

What is it with BMWs in the snow?

1) Rock hard suspension
2) Drug dealer tyres
3) D**k behind the wheel (sorry! present company excepted)

They always seem to cope much worse than any other RWD cars.

That said, I saw a Merc CLSuppository stuck yesterday. I was slightly concerned that, as I went past not exactly able to stop or manoevre quickly, he was still pointing at me with his rear wheels doing about 60 MPH equivalent. I'm rather glad he didn't suddenly find traction. Clearly traction control and driver working in perfect harmony.

[aaronjb]

I am going with #3 Watching people drive their FWD boxes around they appear to only have one response to get going - "mash throttle and hope" - if you do that in a RWD car you're going to find yourself quickly pointing in the wrong direction..

[edit] One of the stuck BMWs was an old E39, which were fitted with the same sort of tyres as most cars of that vintage - so no drug dealer tyres there to blame.. which brings me back to #3.

[Lazydocker]

Omega defeated this morning - by 3ft snow drift which I left a lovely reverse image in. Never mind, just backed it up the hill back home.

That’s a different matter

[Kevin Wood]

I am going with #3 Watching people drive their FWD boxes around they appear to only have one response to get going - "mash throttle and hope" - if you do that in a RWD car you're going to find yourself quickly pointing in the wrong direction..

[edit] One of the stuck BMWs was an old E39, which were fitted with the same sort of tyres as most cars of that vintage - so no drug dealer tyres there to blame.. which brings me back to #3.

I saw a variation of that on our road earlier. "Mash throttle and turn steering randomly lock to lock". Watched as the driver's eyes doubled in size as it caught a bit of traction and headed straight for the kerb (where the front wheels were pointing) at high speed. 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I encountered all kinds of retards on the way to work tonight, including one simply stopping in the middle of the road in front of me. They just sat and stared at a moderate amount of snow on the bend ahead for a minute or two, before proceeding around the bend on the wrong side of the road, against oncoming traffic, to avoid the snow.
It was a biggish Japanese something or other, which may well have had four wheel drive.
I despair. 
It might snow a lot more overnight ? But at least the roads should be pretty empty on the way home in the morning.

[mandula]

There was small snow storm yesterday. Omega went like a train through it 

https://youtu.be/ixa2NLlW8Vw

[Lazydocker]

There was small snow storm yesterday. Omega went like a train through it 

https://youtu.be/ixa2NLlW8Vw

How do you manage not to laugh at all the idiots here in the UK who can’t get about in a couple of CMS of snow?

[aaronjb]

There was small snow storm yesterday. Omega went like a train through it 

https://youtu.be/ixa2NLlW8Vw

How do you manage not to laugh at all the idiots here in the UK who can’t get about in a couple of CMS of snow?

I imagine he does laugh.. and wonders why we don't fit winter tyres like the rest of northern Europe

[mandula]

There was small snow storm yesterday. Omega went like a train through it 

https://youtu.be/ixa2NLlW8Vw

How do you manage not to laugh at all the idiots here in the UK who can’t get about in a couple of CMS of snow?

I imagine he does laugh.. and wonders why we don't fit winter tyres like the rest of northern Europe

Only the highlighted part 

And I understand that if there is only couple of days or weeks winter conditions per year, it might be too expensive to buy proper winter tyres for that time period.
But at the same time I need to say that Omegas (and any other car) snow performance, as the topic says, is all about your tyres and driving skills/experience in the end.

[aaronjb]

We get six months of cold, pouring rain.. does that count as winter conditions? (I think I'd rather have your weather .. well, some of the time, anyway! I don't envy a Finnish friend of mine when he posts a picture of his thermometer at -20ºC on Facebook.. )

[Doctor Gollum]

Give me -20 and sunshine over +5 with drizzle any day...

[STEMO]

Give me -20 and sunshine over +5 with drizzle any day...

Yeah. Another grey, wet day here.........everyone rushing around the park with their dogs in tow, imploring them to have a shit so they can go home.

[aaronjb]

Give me -20 and sunshine over +5 with drizzle any day...

Likewise. I think. I've never actually experienced -20...

Yeah. Another grey, wet day here.........everyone rushing around the park with their dogs in tow, imploring them to have a shit so they can go home.

I shall be doing that shortly, though the pup has broken a nail so is walking a bit gimpy at the moment which means I get to enjoy a shorter than usual walk, hurrah!

[STEMO]

Give me -20 and sunshine over +5 with drizzle any day...

Likewise. I think. I've never actually experienced -20...

Yeah. Another grey, wet day here.........everyone rushing around the park with their dogs in tow, imploring them to have a shit so they can go home.

I shall be doing that shortly, though the pup has broken a nail so is walking a bit gimpy at the moment which means I get to enjoy a shorter than usual walk, hurrah!

Shortly? My dog needs out by about half eight, she refuses to 'go' anywhere other than the park. 

[aaronjb]

Ours is out at 6.30am for a half hour walk, out again at ~12 for another half hour and then gets 45-60 minutes in the evening.

I'm not sure if he loves it or just gets up because "They're going out again, I better go with them!"

[ronnyd]

Back on topic Not much other traffic about on the clip helps. Not meeting the idiots.

[BazaJT]

According to the forecast some at least might get another chance to find out this weekend as snow is on the way again-apparently.

[mandula]

Back on topic Not much other traffic about on the clip helps. Not meeting the idiots.

Spotted one idiot crushed under light pole (driver and passenger OK) and other three crashed together (no damages there either) on the way home that night.

But yea, even in Finland there are drivers who stay at home when shit hits the fan 

[biggriffin]

According to the forecast some at least might get another chance to find out this weekend as snow is on the way again-apparently.

Will I need snow tyres.

[Andy A]

Had to go out and my Desmond manual got stuck in the snow had to have a push and then got stuck again. I was told years ago about an old trick, was to let 50% air out of the rear tires being rear wheel drive. Did that and it got me all the way back home no problem. 

[STEMO]

Had to go out and my Desmond manual got stuck in the snow had to have a push and then got stuck again. I was told years ago about an old trick, was to let 50% air out of the rear tires being rear wheel drive. Did that and it got me all the way back home no problem. 

Works for FWD too, as long as you take it easy and don't go far.