Date:         Sun, 15 Jun 2014 13:34:37 -0300
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: I rather drive the Vanagon
In-Reply-To:  <CAHTkEuKGxkSDiw2OZkAYzH7ZUcufjN49rBjyTXg0giLZY_Q4LQ@mail.gmail.com>
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A year-and-a-half ago I moved from SoCal to Nova Scotia at the end of
December. In 22 years of desert living my only significant experience
driving in snow was in getting caught in a sudden and substantial storm in
Williams, AZ, in which I and the van did just fine, much to my surprise --
and that on my regular all-season highway tires.

In the time we've been here I've had one incident in the snow in which I
lost traction and couldn't make a hill. I was on those same tires, pulling
away from a stop sign at an intersection at the bottom of a steep(ish)
hill, in which the approach in that lane has what amounts to three steep
angles. I broke traction, slid back, then managed to keep it straight, at
which point I parked in a store lot and walked up the hill to my in-law's
place. I was feeling a little sheepish about it (despite my lack of
experience) when my FIL told me that the same thing sometimes happens to
him in that spot, and that every year people that've lived here all their
lives get stuck in that ditch.

I went out and got two snow tires to put on the rear. Yes, I know that's
not a great idea, but money was tight. I've since gotten the other pair for
a full set. Those tires feel like a whole world of difference. I was
getting around on the others, but cautiously. I have no issues with using
the van on the winter roads here with the snow tires on it.
As a side note, the tire guy was a little flummoxed at trying to find an LT
snow tire in a 14". He kept saying "I never heard tell of such a thing ...
". He made some calls and got it worked out, and at a decent price, as
well.

All of which is a long way of saying that in terms of "the way 2wd Vanagons
normally behave", I haven't had any of the traction problems you've
experienced, and that with a bone-stock auto, largely empty except for my
considerable weight in the driver's seat. Of course I don't spend a lot of
time driving on wet grass, but we've had five months of winter/snow two
years in a row now, and they didn't even really salt last winter. I've also
driven it in the mud here on logging roads, and I used to go wherever it
suited me in the desert -- places that made my wife pretty nervous. Otoh,
she did get it stuck on a sandy shoulder there once, but she said she
punched it trying to get out. I generally drive like an old grandmother,
and I think it makes a difference. YMWV


>   Well, nice discussion but it doesn't alter the way 2wd Vanagons normally
> behave.   They just are not as good, traction-wise, as many other
> vehicles..
>
> --
>

Cya,
Robert

'87 2.1/Auto GL