P38s in the snow

Assuming we get some snow this year,how well does a P38 really cope on standard tyres? For the last few years my snow mobile was a freelander td4 commercial on all terrains.The only way I can describe how well it coped was epic. Absolutely effortless even on the steepest hills both up and down.I went out of my way to find its limits and failed. I am expecting the rangey to feel heavy and less controllable with the auto box ?

Autobox is OK in the snow - atleast I have found it that way.

The P38 is a little ungainly in the snow with the rear end feeling like a pendulum...but if you are traveling at a speed where this is a problem, then you are travelling to fast in the first place.

The L322 on standard 19's was epic last year, sure-footed, but with her big arse she did feel a tad rear lively in places.

My P38's have always been well behaved, but in Surrey, we rarely get more than 4-6 inches in any case!

Remember regardless of tyres, you cannot change the laws of physics!

Busterthebulldog said:

Assuming we get some snow this year,how well does a P38 really cope on standard tyres? For the last few years my snow mobile was a freelander td4 commercial on all terrains.The only way I can describe how well it coped was epic. Absolutely effortless even on the steepest hills both up and down.I went out of my way to find its limits and failed. I am expecting the rangey to feel heavy and less controllable with the auto box ?

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The Rangie will be fine, you will have to change your driving style from the FL.
It is a lot heavier than the FL, consider putting the box in manual mode for higher gears for steep hill climbs (assuming you can in the P38, maybe only in Low range though)

If you struggle in snow with a P38 you are doing something wrong they are epic.

wammers said:

If you struggle in snow with a P38 you are doing something wrong they are epic.

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Wot he said.

wot he said....
stunning...

Does it perform better in low range in extreme weather then ? I live in the South Wales valleys,lots of hills here. I am also a plumber so getting about in the bad times is essential or kittens may freeze.

I never used Low range in snow.

Mine was a diesel auto,,, hardest thing is stopping, not going..

I have had my P38 for 5 years and in that time i think the heaviest snow fall was in 2010 and i found the P38 to handle very well. It dug itself out of the snow after being parked for a few days on a "hill" and handled the drive around London and the motorway with no problems at all.

2000 Thor (4 wheel TC) + general grabber ATs - I found it to be absolutely unstoppable and sure-footed - tried my best to get stuck in fairly deep snow on silly gradients - it simply coped with no drama.

RR Driver said:

I have had my P38 for 5 years and in that time i think the heaviest snow fall was in 2010 and i found the P38 to handle very well. It dug itself out of the snow after being parked for a few days on a "hill" and handled the drive around London and the motorway with no problems at all.

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arrrhh the snow of 2010 fond memories

They are ####ing ****.

I had to use high second in my 3.9 disco to follow my mates 300tdi 90 in low second,cis I had too much torque to pull up an icy lane from standing.

Same 3.9 on trac grips wouldn't pull a 30 ton artic from standing on the flat on ice.

God forbid your's is a 2.5, it wouldn't pull the top off a rice pudding.

Scrap it now!

Eyup Sausageknocker

not seen you for a bit...

biketeacherdave said:

arrrhh the snow of 2010 fond memories

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Oh yes - I rremember eet well ... :smokin:

Nothing better than going out in my P38 in the snow, it handles great and is a pleasure to drive all year round, when I am not fixing something on it

Just put new tyres on mine ready for the white stuff. 2012 was the only time i had some decent snow play in the P38. 2010 I had the Touareg & that was fecking useless in snow.

Snow is very different to ice but I must say the only time I've been stuffed so far was when I had opposing front and rear corners lifted simultaneously down big holes and with no traction control fitted. It isn't a tracked vehicle but it is very capable in snow and ice.

Lovely videos by the way. Makes you hope for a big dollop of snow to play in!