Fish tail problems?

[strabes]

Hey folks, I have a new Range Rover Sport.

Was driving on unplowed road yesterday covered with a couple feet of packed snow. Several cars were in a line driving down the canyon including some basic 2 wheel drive cheapo cars and my new RRS was the only one that spun into a 360 and a half and off into the ditch and got buried so deep I couldn't open my door. Luckily a $2000 old truck behind me had a chain and pulled me out no problem.

So, I'm struggling with this. My friend has an old Discovery and it frequently fishtails for no reason just driving down a snow road. Is this a common thing with Land Rovers? One would think the vehicle marketed as the best offroad vehicle would do better than the 2-wheel drive Chevy Malibus and $2000 old trucks that were on the road with me yesterday.

It was a bit embarrassing to say the least, but I'm more concerned with this being a real problem with Land Rover. I've never owned a vehicle before that fishtails and goes into a spin for no reason.

I don't have snow tires, which could explain lack of traction. But why do Land Rovers spin out and lose total control??????

 

[Kestreljr]

check out Rangerovers.net forums/ RRS. I think there was a thread on this exact topic yesterday.

 

[joey]

Tires is 90% of the issue... I know my 97 disco has never done that and I drive it hard in the mud or snow... I don't worry, I just drive.

 

[strabes]

my tires are the stock Continental M&S 19" that come on the RRS. I didn't realize til now that M&S meant "mud and snow" so they're rated for snow. Can't believe what happened yesterday after realizing these are snow capable tires.

Also, I had the terrain system set for snow. Apparently I should've bought a simple Subaru Outback.

 

[roverman]

skinny snow tires are your answer. Don't know what your driving conditions were, ie how steep the hill or whether you gunned it when you started to slip etc...but you're right, it is very embarrasing. I have nokian snow tires on my RR and they stick like glue.
BTW, huge fan of the Outback, had one this weekend in the Rockies and they are fabulous.

 

[Moose]

Maybe it was the space between the steering wheel and the back of the driver's seat? A LOT of one-car accidents (which your ditch incident was) are due to driver error. These are not bulletproof, all-conquering vehicles, especially on snow/ice.

Tires help, but so does learning how to drive a 4WD vehicle. It's not the same as RWD or FWD.