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#1
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Go in the snow - an not connected; ESP
Two questions:
1) What are A8's like in the snow? Is there a noticeable advantage with the 4x4 or do the wide tyres make it a handful. 2) What difference does turning off the ESP make and in what situations would you want it off? What does it actually do? |
#2
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I had no issues getting around last year in the Snow we had in Dorset (in the D2 at the time), the 4x4 helped no end and the car got places easily where others were struggling.
I left ESP on and let it do its thing, as you can just mash the pedal into the carpet to get traction and the 4x4 and ESP will sort it out.
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Manny 2004 A4 1.8T Sport Cabriolet, 89K Miles Past 2004 D3 A8 3.7 Quattro, Xenon, Bose, Blinds, Solar Sunroof, TV, ACC, phone and almost every option. 168K miles rising slowly with retrofit AMI and DVB-T in place of Analogue 2003 Volvo S60 D5 SE Manual, 197K miles. 2001 D2 A8 3.7 QS, Bi-Xenon, Bose, Blinds, Electric Everything, retrofitted RNS-D, 191K Miles |
#3
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My A8 was brilliant in the snow. You could just sail past other German cars and even most 4x4s while letting the traction control system do its thing.
Turning ESP off may only help in deep fluffy snow, and if you want to have some fun in an empty car park
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Currently '8-less Previously: - Aqua Blue Pearl D3 S8 - Kamut Beige leather, ACC, B&O, factory RSE, solar sunroof, electric blinds, ski bag, Homelink, comfort headrests. - Aqua Blue D2 S8 - Grey leather/Alcantara - D3 A8 3.0 CVT - D3 3.7 V8 |
#4
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^^ this.
I live/work in the Surrey Hills. My route to work is up a series of narrow, winding, hilly roads - work is a large former farm house in the middle of nowhere. I remember one year (in my old D2) where I was the ONLY member of staff who managed to get in. Driving up the hill near my destination I came across a jumble of BMWs, Mercs and a white van. All of whom were stuck half-way up the hill. I stopped to help a couple of 'em out of the ditch, then got back in the car and continued cruising regally up the hill whilst the rest of 'em struggled back down in barely-controlled slides. I saw the word 'b*st**d on the lips of a guy still struggling with his 7 series.. Now I have the D3, I just leave ESP on and let the car sort it out. Just stay away from deep floods - you only have the ground clearance of a regular car and floods are bad for your 8 mmmmkay?
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Current: 2003 A8 D3 3.7 Quattro Gone but not forgotten: 1996 A8 D2 4.2 Quattro |
#5
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I'd recommend some caution and not getting over-confident.
The quattro system is indeed brilliant at finding traction on snow. However, the brakes are the same useless pile of ABS vibrating rubbish as any other car when you try to stop again, and because you had the grip and traction to getting going faster, you're gonna need even more time to stop! Having said all that, as long as you take care with your braking and steering, then for sure, the quattro A8 will get to places other cars can't. I did take all this account when I bought the M3, but decided in the end that in the 2-3 days a year I might need 4wd I'd either stay at home or hire one |
#6
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And to add to all that - get winter tyres, then you won't even notice the snow.
Lots of narrow roads and hills round me and they work wonders. Mind you, back in the days of skinny tyres I never had problems at all.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.). 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! |
#7
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Sounds good. I only ask we now live on a hill so if/when we get snow I'm looking forward to it.
The question about ESP wasn't connected to the snow question btw. I genuinely want to know what it is/does and what difference does on or off make in regular driving? |
#8
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I think of ESP as some jiggery pokey where the car will attempt to keep its self out of the scenery.
It has access to stuff you don't, like braking one wheel here to ensure traction elsewhere, in order to maintain direction of travel. Having said that, on a track it can be dangerous to have the car trying to interpret your intentions, and getting it wrong. The best place to find out what it does is on snow, with loads of space to slide into
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A journey of a thousand+ (epic) miles, begins with a single step, (to the door of an 8). Lau Tzu |
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