Surprised by poor snow performance

[Jobaker4]

Hey guys, sorry about the slow time to respond. I appreciate all your comments and it helps a lot to hear your thoughts.

To be honest it must be my lack of familiarity with the vehicle. To answer some of your questions the vehicle has the OEM Conti's which it sounds like may contribute. Vehicles around me were doing ok but that also depended on the drivers, it was a wet heavy snow so maybe it was compacting under the tires which worsened the feeling of slippage. In hearing from folks who have been in a lot of snow with these vehicles I agree with Rostov that it may be lack of experience with the Rover. Hopefully we'll get more snow so I can experiment more and post an update.

It just really felt different moving from the Bimmer that handled very differently with the "XDrive"... But as many of you pointed out this is a very different vehicle and I can't wait to go off-roading this summer with it!!

 

[ycharlie]

Hey guys, sorry about the slow time to respond. I appreciate all your comments and it helps a lot to hear your thoughts.

To be honest it must be my lack of familiarity with the vehicle. To answer some of your questions the vehicle has the OEM Conti's which it sounds like may contribute. Vehicles around me were doing ok but that also depended on the drivers, it was a wet heavy snow so maybe it was compacting under the tires which worsened the feeling of slippage. In hearing from folks who have been in a lot of snow with these vehicles I agree with Rostov that it may be lack of experience with the Rover. Hopefully we'll get more snow so I can experiment more and post an update.

It just really felt different moving from the Bimmer that handled very differently with the "XDrive"... But as many of you pointed out this is a very different vehicle and I can't wait to go off-roading this summer with it!!

i am not sure why everyone's knocking the oem contis. they worked just fine for me when i drove in the blizzard of NY with 0 visibility and slush on the road. i saw cars sliding all around me on the highway while the rover drove as if it there were no snow. i've also drive in heavy fresh power and, again, it maneuvered with ease. all this with the contis.

 

[mateored]

I've taken my LR4 up to the Eastern Sierras 4 times this winter and still haven't gotten the opportunity to drive on snow (other than a brief foray onto a field with about 6 inches of crunchy old snow to turn around)! Such a bad snow year. Just in case (and to comply with the law up there), I've been carrying Thule K-Summit chains. Haven't had a chance to use them yet.

 

[94speedster]

Don't despair just yet! I live in Park City, Utah where we get 350+ inches of snow per year AND we commute to Salt Lake City daily (100 miles R/T) all winter which includes a 3000 foot vertical descent and a 3000 foot vertical ascent. Let me also note that my kid goes to school in Salt Lake City, and has never had a snow day in 9 years (7th grader)! Our Land Rover has made that possible.

Okay - so that is my street cred.

The trick to driving fast & with confidence in the snow is based on vehicle weight and proper choice of tires. We commuted in a BMW X3 for a few years, and it was difficult because the car was just not heavy enough to get good traction. We cycled through 3 pairs of snow tires until we found a confidence level that was tolerable, but not ideal (Michelin X-Ice btw). However, when we bought our LR3 the experience went to a whole new level. The OEM tires were crap, so we went to dedicated winter tires. We chose the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV1s in 18s and it was game on! You would be shocked how well in treacherous conditions my wife could drive that LR3! The trick to a good snow tire is M+S designation, AND the tire must have a right-angle on the sidewall (for turning grip). Many winter tires are rounded, and this will NOT allow you to turn in any unpacked snow above 4 inches. The DMV1s were SO GOOD that we would buy a pair each November, and run them all year (35k miles) until the next November when it was time for a replacement.

We purchased an LR4 this past summer, and ended up with 20-inch wheels standard. I wanted to give the 20s a try, so purchased dedicated snow tires (Pirelli Scorpions) from Tire Rack, and they have been very good on ice, but quite poor in deep snow. They suffer from the rounded edges I talked about above. The Blizzak DMV1s don't come in a 20-inch size "approved" by Land Rover, but I will run them again next winter in a narrower configuration. They will meet the maximim load requirements, so that will not be an issue...

Please don;t give up on the Rover. It is the best snow car that I have ever owned, and I have complete trust that my wife will be safe!

-Blake

 

[jamgolf]

@94speedster
I feel more informed about and confident in LR4 after reading your post.
Thank you !

 

[94speedster]

I found some online pictures of the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV1s (preferred tire) and the Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow (what I have now).

You can see the 90 degree angle on the Blizzaks versus the rolled edges on the Pirellis. Both tires are excellent on ice, but the Blizzaks are just amazing in deep snow... The perfect "bring it on" winter weapon!

Good luck, and enjoy your LR4!

-Blake

 

[Finlayforprez]

Don't despair just yet! I live in Park City, Utah where we get 350+ inches of snow per year AND we commute to Salt Lake City daily (100 miles R/T) all winter which includes a 3000 foot vertical descent and a 3000 foot vertical ascent. Let me also note that my kid goes to school in Salt Lake City, and has never had a snow day in 9 years (7th grader)! Our Land Rover has made that possible.

Okay - so that is my street cred.

The trick to driving fast & with confidence in the snow is based on vehicle weight and proper choice of tires. We commuted in a BMW X3 for a few years, and it was difficult because the car was just not heavy enough to get good traction. We cycled through 3 pairs of snow tires until we found a confidence level that was tolerable, but not ideal (Michelin X-Ice btw). However, when we bought our LR3 the experience went to a whole new level. The OEM tires were crap, so we went to dedicated winter tires. We chose the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV1s in 18s and it was game on! You would be shocked how well in treacherous conditions my wife could drive that LR3! The trick to a good snow tire is M+S designation, AND the tire must have a right-angle on the sidewall (for turning grip). Many winter tires are rounded, and this will NOT allow you to turn in any unpacked snow above 4 inches. The DMV1s were SO GOOD that we would buy a pair each November, and run them all year (35k miles) until the next November when it was time for a replacement.

We purchased an LR4 this past summer, and ended up with 20-inch wheels standard. I wanted to give the 20s a try, so purchased dedicated snow tires (Pirelli Scorpions) from Tire Rack, and they have been very good on ice, but quite poor in deep snow. They suffer from the rounded edges I talked about above. The Blizzak DMV1s don't come in a 20-inch size "approved" by Land Rover, but I will run them again next winter in a narrower configuration. They will meet the maximim load requirements, so that will not be an issue...

Please don;t give up on the Rover. It is the best snow car that I have ever owned, and I have complete trust that my wife will be safe!

-Blake

Awesome post - thanks! I live in Northern CA, so I don't get much snow unless I go to Tahoe / Yosemite and this year we just don't have the snow! :-( With that said, I may be buying a ranch in Utah at some point (likely a second home), as that is where my wife is from and wants to go back because she misses her family and church.

 

[overblown]

I too believe it has the most to do with the stock tires. They do great in slush and pretty bad on ice and in really deep snow. I've never gotten stuck nor feared doing so but they are less than confidence inspiring in corners. Hopefully by the time these need to be replaced, there will be a few good options out there.

 

[PALR4]

If you have 19" wheels, the Nokian WRG2 tires are the best "all Year" snow tires. They don't have square edges, but they are V speed rated extra load with a 111 weight load rating and work great in all conditions.

Fantastic tires...!

http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11955&group=2.01&name=Nokian+WRG2+SUV

 

[mateored]

If you have 19" wheels, the Nokian WRG2 tires are the best "all Year" snow tires. They don't have square edges, but they are V speed rated extra load with a 111 weight load rating and work great in all conditions.

Fantastic tires...!

http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11955&group=2.01&name=Nokian+WRG2+SUV

How would you say they compare with the stock Contis for non-winter driving on paved roads and dirt? (e.g., road noise, mileage, grip, etc.)

In other words, is there such a thing as a one-size-fits all tire that I can use all year, or do I need to get special snow tires for snow? My issue is that I live in Los Angeles, but we make about 5-10 trips up to go skiing in the Sierra Nevadas, which can get a ton of snow. Hasn't been an issue yet this year, because there's been so little snow. Also, I have good chains for the really bad situations