GeogreO2717
Member
Hi Avocet1A couple of observations:
1. There's snow, and there's "snow". Impressive YouTube videos of cars tanking through axle-deep snow look impressive, but fresh, new snow, is actually quite grippy. The nasty stuff, is the hard-packed snow, especially if the sun comes out and melts the top surface very slightly. When that happens, EVERYTHING will struggle! (Unless you have studded ice tyres)!
2. When the OP says the wheels were spinning, was the back end sliding? That might give some clue as to whether drive was reaching the rear axle as well.
3. Was the OP's traction control light flashing on the dash?
4. Personally, I find "all season" tyres a bit of a compromise. Mrs. Avocet's late X-Trail was on Scorpions and they're a great all-round tyre, but true "Winter" tyres are better on the cold stuff. My daughter has a completely standard 1300 cc Mazda 2 and lives in the Scottish Highlands. She runs on Kumho Wintercraft (other brands are available!) Winter tyres and has, on occasions, driven past stranded 4x4s. The fact that her car is light, also helps on slopes. Eventually, of course, she runs out of ground clearance when the snow gets too deep. That's where the 4x4s have the advantage, but on packed snow that's not deep, she can do just fine. True Winter tyres have a three peaked mountain with a snowflake symbol moulded into the sidewall. Tyres with "mud & snow" on them are not necessarily Winter tyres. That refers to tread pattern whereas the real secret is in the rubber compound used in a proper Winter tyre. It grips much better at low temperatures. Some "All season" tyres can just about scrape into the "Winter category" and meet the minimum grip requirements to be classified as such, but a true Winter tyre is likely to exceed those requirements by more of a margin. Nokian are another very reputable make. Popular in Finland!
My FL1 is on Event ML 698 "all terrain" cheapo tyres and they're OK in fresh snow, but they're pretty rubbish on the hard packed stuff or on ice.
With regards to the back end i am unsure, it felt more like the front sliding around the back end. I am going to go try again today with my other half, i assume i am looking for the back wheels to be spinning (showing power is reaching them).
With regards to lights, when DSC was on i kept getting the amber triangle with the anticlockwise arrow flickering. When OFF the only light i got was the constant arrow and triangle to show the DSC is off.