Big 4x4s do have a use after all!

Well, it looks like the value of my Porsche Cayenne S may just have risen from nothing to something!

The heaviest snowfall in the south east for many years has lead to chaos on our roads. Slip-sliding around has been the name of the game, with only 4 wheel drive cars being able to make progress on some of our poorly-gritted roads. So maybe, even if it’s only a few times a year, 4x4s have their place after all?

Driving in snow - don't give up - just be careful!

But 4x4s aren’t immune from the laws of physics. I had to do a 60 mile round-trip last night to deliver some young family members home to their parents after a weekend of running us ragged, and it’s astonishing how many people in 4x4s think they can drive as if there’s no snow on the ground. Yes, you have more grip, and you can make it up slippery slopes where ordinary cars can’t, but you still can’t fly round a bend with impunity. With little or no grip you still come off!

But even being cautious can still mean you come unstuck. I hit a big lump of snow with black ice under it coming up to a junction last night, and if it hadn’t been for a very alert Focus driver we could have had a coming together. So thanks to him. And after 50 or 60 miles in heavy snow, the pitfalls of summer tyres become clear. By the time we got home the tread was so impacted with ice it was like driving on slicks.

But if you’re careful, there is no reason not to get around in this weather. Just clear the snow off your car first, keep in a high gear and brake as little as often. Oh, and look out for 4×4 drivers who think they know better than Newton!

Grace Elizabeth - Welcome to the world!

And a final self-indulgent note: Last night, on a snowy winters eve, a little ray of sunshine entered my life. The birth of my first grandchild. Welcome to the world, Grace Elizabeth. My Dad would have been grinning from ear to ear if he’d managed to hang on long enough. Mother and daughter are doing well. Congratulations, Sara & Rob.

By Cars UK