Bongo Fury

having read the stick in the mud thread,what can i reasonably expect my loverly green machine to behave like if we get any snow,i was expecting to be over those white hills and far away! regards neil

2WD or 4WD?

I'd expect you'd get very cold feet in the snow if you didn't wear sensible footwear maan

90% depends on your tyres.............wrong tyres - tough.

The biggest problem I had last Thursday is I'm still getting used to the automatic gearbox. One or two unexpected and inappropriate gearchanges on the white stuff were a little scary. That said, I probably treated it with a little more caution than it needed but it got me home safely through some bad snow and some slush and lying water. Never a thought about abandoning.

The differential effect was much more noticable than on any other vehicle I've driven but not really a problem to manage.

I'd say just take it out and practice. Personally I'm hoping for more snow and looking forward to taking the Bongo up to the Scottish ski slopes a couple of times soon

Once you get used to the auto-box you will find it very easy. Use a gentle touch on the throttle and it will stay in a high gear and retain good traction.

I have used the rocking technique with a rear WD car in the past to get out of a snow drift. Gentle pressure on the throttle, keeping to below 1000 rpm, and rock the gearshift between D & R. This wil get you out of most things, and doesn't harm the gearbox at all. Should work even better with 4WD, but I haven't yet had a chance, or need, to try it.

Also good practice to use the HOLD facility - especially when moving off - this disables 1st gear (in D and S) so there's less torque to spin the wheels.

scanner wrote:90% depends on your tyres.............wrong tyres - tough.

I think 75% (or even more) depends on the driver, 25% or less on the tyres.

I speak as a Land Rover trained off-roader. A couple of years ago in a snap heavy fall of snow, I got home in a SportKa when people in 4wds were failing. And that had no weight, fwd, and wide tyres with no tread pattern worth mentioning. It is very hilly where I live. (Narrow tyres are often best in snow, btw.)

I remember seeing a Subaru Justy 4wd (Fiesta sized car) on road tyres on an off road course, that was going places where less experienced drivers in their butch off road vehicles were getting stuck...

trevd01 wrote: Narrow tyres are often best in snow, btw.

I would change "often" to "almost always" just compare the width of tyres on a WRC car on the Swedish Rally and on what used to be called the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland - run over almost identical roads.
But - the first is run in January & the latter in August.

On the Swedish they will be studded "Hakkepelitas" and probably 195 wide at the very most, in Finland they will be nearly slick and about half a mile wide.

I'll rephrase my statement "all other things being equal, 90% depends on your tyres.............wrong tyres - tough."

4wd and all weather tyres,im used to driving in the snow but never had 4wd or auto box,so reading between the lines,put it in s with hold button in and steady as she goes. thanks for the info.

scanner wrote:I'll rephrase my statement "all other things being equal, 90% depends on your tyres.............wrong tyres - tough."

Yes, I agree with that.

I have had two Subaru Legacy 4wd estates, one a standard 2 litre - came with modest wheels and tyres. I got home from Nottingham to West Yorkshire in that one day when the whole of the North of England closed down because of snow. Took me six hours trying to go round the cars that were going nowhere, or abandoned on hills.

The other was a turbo nutter job with much wider low profile tyres. It was useless in snow.

scanner wrote: (Narrow tyres are often best in snow, btw.)

Anybody got 3 spacesavers I can borrow....

boyfrombrasil wrote:

scanner wrote: (Narrow tyres are often best in snow, btw.)

Anybody got 3 spacesavers I can borrow....

Many a true thing spoken in jest........................

Driven with a bit of common sense your Bongo will
get you through anything other vehicles will but remember
it wont stop much better than anything else, you can
arrive a bit faster than you expect.

From the weather forecast, some of us (you) are about to get your chance to find out