What have you done to your Elgrand today?

[Reverend RobP]

Had it sideways!!!!!!! I f*****g love snow driving ❄❄❄❄ Elgrand drift car

Edit:
Just to clarify before anyone thinks I'm a dick. No other road users were put at risk whilst drifting

 

[Elliematt83]

Had it sideways!!!!!!! I f*****g love snow driving ❄❄❄❄ Elgrand drift car

Edit:
Just to clarify before anyone thinks I'm a dick. No other road users were put at risk whilst drifting

Awesome braver man than me I'd be scared I broke something

 

[Reverend RobP]

Awesome braver man than me I'd be scared I broke something

Time and a place dude

 

[Lacabrera]

View attachment 47080
Like it @Lumpy something different

I reckon it would look better on a white one. My brother had a martini style Lancia Delta HF turbo back in the eighties.

 

[Lpgc]

Today I've done around 5 miles in my black one currently with dysfunctional 4wd and 45 miles in my white one with functional 4wd, both in snow.

Vast difference between the two in terms of grip in the snow, the only reason I drove the black one without working 4wd was to swap cars to my white one with working 4wd, had to travel 5 miles to get to it.

True the black one needs new tyres and would have fared better with them... but many 2wd vehicles of all types (fwd, rwd, small and large) were getting stuck on some of the steep rural hills, the 4wd Elgrand went past whole rows of them that were stuck and with very little drama, same as every other 4wd vehicle I've seen out on the road today. Quite a few 2wd vehicle drivers of all types were abandoning their vehicles after failing to get up steep hills.

The 45 miles took around 4 and a half hours due to a combination of road closures (due to roadworks and due to accidents) and traffic jams caused by rows of vehicles stuck before every hill.

If my black one had working 4wd and I'd used that Elgrand instead of the my white Elgrand I expect it would still have fared far better than most 2wd vehicles on the road even though it needs new tyres. Even with dysfunctional 4wd and needing new tyres I reckon I could have made the journey in the black one, but with lots of wheelspin and sideways action going uphills, which isn't what you want if trying to get up a narrowed (due to snow) hill while other vehicles are coming down the other way, and isn't what you want if you have to keep stopping when going uphill because somebody else is stuck in front of you.

I've seen the Auto Express etc vids comparing 2wd with snow tyres to 4wd with normal tyres but I'm not sure they're really representative of the conditions usually faced when driving in snow... We seldom drive on fresh snow, we drive on compacted snow where other vehicles have already driven. Ultimately snow tyres could be fitted on the 4wd for the best of both worlds, but I still think a 4wd with all weather tyres would beat a 2wd with snow tyres in all respects except perhaps braking distance.

The reason for my trips was to pickup my niece from her work, her work closed and she set off to drive home but a motorcyclist crashed into the rear of her little Merc, she's only a young lass and didn't fancy driving again after that, plus during the time she spent swapping insurance etc details with the motorcyclist (who was fine, and only very minor damage to her back bumper) the snow had come down worse.

My brother in-law asked me to take him through because he might have driven the Merc back if conditions didn't seem too bad but I know he's not too great at driving under a bit of pressure (like the time he had an accident taking my nephew to hospital when he'd broke his wrist), so when we got there and he asked me if I thought he should try to drive the Merc back I advised him not to lol.

Niece told us the motorcyclist told her he thought she was turning left on the roundabout, which she couldn't understand because she wasn't indicating left. He was at fault for crashing into the back of her car when she was on the roundabout (and she didn't just pull out in front of him) but it was probably one of those things that wouldn't have happened if she and the motorcyclist both had more experience... I expect the motorcyclist incorrectly thought she was turning left due to how she positioned the car when going around the roundabout and she'll have been going slower than usual due to the snow.

 

[Bob Edwards]

I'm still filling and sanding my grill cold weather doesn't help with drying filler and fat fingers trying to get between the rails doesn't helpstill I'm getting there

 

[Lpgc]

Funny bit I nearly forgot to mention!

During my trip today (post above #13045) we were stuck in a traffic jam heading North on the A638, traffic hadn't moved for 10 minutes, busting for a wee, so decided to turn around and go in the wrong direction for half a mile to join the A1 North. Stopped in a layby just before joining the A1 North to have a wee at the back of the car, a VW van went past and beeped it's horn (probably taking the mick for the Elgrand being stopped in the layby in the snow and/or me having a wee). We should have only had to drive a couple of miles on the A1 to turn off at the A639 junction but that turn-off was closed, so the new plan was to turn-off at Wentbridge but we knew this would mean some more little road driving with stuck vehicles. Drove past Rogerthorpe Manor where one of my customers stayed before lockdown, approaching a little roundabout on another uphill stretch sure enough loads of vehicles were stuck and were trying to take it in turns to get up the hill with wheels spinning. One of the stuck vehicles was the same VW van who'd beeped me, and by the time we reached the hill we were just a couple of vehicles behind it. Like other vehicles the VW was making repeated attempts to get up the hill, getting halfway up before coming to a stop, having to reverse back down again for another run. Sailed past him in the 4wd Elgrand and beeped my horn

 

[mikkb]

Today I've done around 5 miles in my black one currently with dysfunctional 4wd and 45 miles in my white one with functional 4wd, both in snow.

Very useful to get this comparison in the real world, thanks. Amazing conditions you're getting up there at the moment. So far not a flake down here..

 

[Curly59]

Very useful to get this comparison in the real world, thanks. Amazing conditions you're getting up there at the moment. So far not a flake down here..

I have 2WD with new snow tyres all round.... waiting to give it a test and report, but as yet no snow!!!
(Stoke-on-Trent)

 

[Redmeg]

Hi Redmeg, was removing this little middle seat easy to do? I've been thinking of doing this for a couple of reasons. I've not looked at it yet but do you have step by step guide?

Thanks.

Yea it was pretty easy once I got the confidence to do it! Pop the 4 trim rivets off and pull the back half of the trim away from the seat (sort of pull it back towards the rear of the van and a bit up) it wont come off completly due to the handles but enough room is gained. You will then see two more hidden rivets holding the front piece on, pop these too and pull the front half away. You will then have enough room to get a 14mm socket in and remove the 4 off bolts you’ll see under the trim. The seat then just lifts off .... I left the runner brackets in the floor (looked tricky to remove them) but I unbolted the spring mech attached to them. It only left a couple of slim brackets that dont really get in the way but will allow quick refitting of the seat if you wish. Good luck.

 

[Robocop]

Used the Snow mode today, put the wagon in drive, did not touch the accelerator, released the brake and it moved slowly away. No wheel spin on the ice covered yard.

 

[Clsjason]

Took a trip out in the bus to collect the wife from work. Used the snow button, going to resticker it as the slow button. Did the job tho, no wheel spin or sliding, just press the accelerator half way to get into move.

 

[David1972]

Target vehicle secured in Japan in the early hours of this morning - excited!

 

[dognero]

Great news

 

[David1972]

Great news

Thanks @dognero i've popped a few more details in my Car VX review post

 

[Bob Edwards]

all i done was get a puncture fixed had a 10mm bolt in the tread

 

[jakemetcalf]

managed to change the centre rear light cluster bulbs without breaking the clips!!!! thanks for the advice of using hair dryer to soften it up!
not happy with the light though! the LEDs look fresh but dont think any brighter than originals. think need to look at other options

what bulb replacement have others used? might even go back to none led

 

[Clsjason]

Have been out in the bus several times in the last two days in the snowy/icy conditions. Must say I am very surprised at how well it has gone. Was worried that being rwd it would struggle the same as BMW/ mercedes have around here. Well chuffed.

 

[David1972]

Have been out in the bus several times in the last two days in the snowy/icy conditions. Must say I am very surprised at how well it has gone. Was worried that being rwd it would struggle the same as BMW/ mercedes have around here. Well chuffed.

What tyres do you have on please?

 

[Clsjason]

I only use budget tyres. I average 15-180000 miles a year. Have on van 8ply tyres for the weight of the bus. Have used the snow settings which has greatly reduced wheel spin/ slip.