JUST BACK FROM SKIING

[gobiman]

Just back from a skiing trip with the family to Austria and thought I would pass on a few comments -
1. The Vredestein winter tyres on 99 style wheels (18 inch) performed superbly. I was up in Obergurgl which is high (1900m) and the last 10 miles up the mountain was on uncleared road. As I drove up to it, I was a little apprehensive as there were about a dozen German cars all fitting chains and in front of a blue snow chains sign, at which point the wife remarked " are you sure we don't need chains?". Drove past the Germans smiling at them (and my wife) although was feeling distinctly nervous. Needn't have worried. Two hairpins later and it was clear that the car was well up to the job. I overtook two cars crawling up on chains and passed three which had clearly shed their chains on the way - with owners looking underneath in various states of distress. In the resort itself there was a steep up and then down to the hotel which the car also had no problems with and I got the chance to use hill descent control for the first time. From looking around at the various cars there, it is clear that a 4 wheel drive with winter tyres is the way to go. A couple of Germans in the hotel also remarked that it is generally accepted that BMW's X drive is superior to Audi's quattro for snow and ice at least.
2. The tyres were also great on the long autoroute/autobahn trip down and the ride is certainly more forgiving than the 20s with summer rubber.
3. Fuel consumption was 20.1 mpg for the 1500 mile round trip (fully laden with roofbox) which I didn't think was bad given long stretches of 85-90 mph in France and 90-110 mph on a clear unrestricted autobahn south of Ulm.
4. Coming back yesterday wasn't fun with heavy snow in France but the X5 kept going at 40-50 mph even in heavy snow and I got to eurotunnel with 10 minutes to spare. However the front of the car developed a kind of snow/slush/salt snout which completely covered the numberplate.
5. Just hosed it down this morning and amazed at the amount of salt that came of it. The price of clear roads is clearly a salt-encrusted car. Well worth the effort of 15 minutes with the hose though.
6. Off to rescue the Mother-in-law in Guildford this afternoon - up a steep hill which her Golf can't manage!

[ITBarbie]

Hi

Sounds pretty hairy in France then. I'm sure you have running boards? Are they very pitted with the salt? I think this is another advert for winter tyres Still wish I had them

[gobiman]

That got me worried and just been out to check!
Don't seem to have a problem with the running boards although I did hose them down quite hard.
I seem to remember that this problem was aired on the old forum and the conclusion appeared to be that some running boards had a tendency to "pit" whilst others were fine - a dodgy supply perhaps?

[pvr]

You got me worried as well, will clean them later on today.

Your experience was identical to the one I had earlier in the year, with the same snow chains stop places which I just passed. Also, a police car that was monitoring cars for appropriate gear did not give my X a second glance at all.

Touch wood, I have not had a single slope yet that the X did not just wander up. Even a solid ice one in France, just kept it steady and let the diesel do its bit and chuck up it without any issues. Best investment ever those winter wheels / tyres

[kena]

Pics








of the skiing

[CondorX5]

[quote=""pvr""]

Best investment ever those winter wheels / tyres [/quote]

+1 Keeps us

[Darnicmax]

Thanks for the posting gobiman....great to hear the X performed well with the Vredesteins! I am very familiar with Obergurgl and the drive up the mountain to it. As you say, very high resort and it sounds like you had the best car/tyre combination to get there!!!. I am off to Obergurl in January - flying with BA - but if there is any notion of industrial action - then I shall be jumping in the X5 and driving the family there instead....which is currently fitted with Vredestein winter tyres too

Did you do the trip in one hit....or did you overnight en-route? How many hours approx did it take you?

[Raj]

Another satisfied customer with winters on. Gives me more piece of mind that the X5 can cope with Britains current winter spell. Had a few moments where the back end has stepped out but it corrects itself fairly easily, but I am running the standard 20s with Toyo tyres.

[Sanj]

[quote=""Raj""]Another satisfied customer with winters on. Gives me more piece of mind that the X5 can cope with Britains current winter spell. Had a few moments where the back end has stepped out but it corrects itself fairly easily, but I am running the standard 20s with Toyo tyres.[/quote]

Hi Raj,

I'm looking to get some Toyos in Jan/Feb time for my 20s. So they should be OK for winter setup, albeit not as good as winter tyres but still good??

[gobiman]

On getting to Obergurgl, we stayed overnight with friends in Stuttgart both ways.
Distance from Calais was 466 miles to Stuttgart (going mainly on French autoroutes to north of Strasbourg) and then a further 215 miles to the resort. I've learnt from experience that the French do at least clear the autoroutes unlike the Belgians and, in my view,well worth the toll and extra 15 miles or so.
I'd always allow a couple of days to get there (stayed last year in the Karlsruhe Novotel which was cheap and good) which means you can get to the resort to sort passes/ski rental etc. mid-afternoon but you can certainly get back in a day (to London).
From the North, getting an overnight ferry is a good alternative.
Will post some picks when I get the camera back off the wife.

[kena]

[quote=""Sanj""][quote=""Raj""]Another satisfied customer with winters on. Gives me more piece of mind that the X5 can cope with Britains current winter spell. Had a few moments where the back end has stepped out but it corrects itself fairly easily, but I am running the standard 20s with Toyo tyres.[/quote]

Hi Raj,

I'm looking to get some Toyos in Jan/Feb time for my 20s. So they should be OK for winter setup, albeit not as good as winter tyres but still good??[/quote]

Sanj,

I'm running toyos on 20" wheels and had no trouble in the snow yet

[Sanj]

Thanks buddy, in the dilema of getting winter setup as well as Toyos all round???

We've had 5 days of snow so far so I'm thinking if I can get away with Toyos on my 20s setup and if that will suffice - hence the questions.

Much appreciated!

[Waka]

I've just changed my very worn Michelin Diamaris to Toyo Proxes on the front, just before we had the last batch of snow and the difference was immense.

Still managed to have a play on a roundnabout and get the back end to step out just like my old E30s