TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:03 am

Just got a vanagon this summer as a daily driver. After a good rust-proofing and winter tires (just got them on), i would like to know how does a vanagon handle in winter (factory lowered wolfsburg van) on road and highway? And issues if there are any for cold starts.

Thanks

Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:13 am

It's FUN!!!!!

Mine have always started.
You have to wait a little bit for heat/defrost....
It's nice to be able to stand in front of the car and scrape the windshield.
Since the weight is nearly 50/50, 3-400# of weight in the back always helps.

It's a one wheel drive vehicle, it isn't awesome. It's marginaly better than my wife's FWD honda on all season tires, but it can handle a little deeper snow because of the ground clearance.

Funagon1, circa 1993

Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:24 am

With proper snow tires they do fine.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:25 am

You will have to use a lighter oil. 20W50 doesn't do too well in the cold. Also, Montreal uses a ton of road salt. Rustproofed or not, make sure that you keep the salt washed off.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:34 am

what weight oil would you recommend then for winter driving?

Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:36 am

brianmohr wrote: what weight oil would you recommend then for winter driving?
Check in the Bentley or the user's manual, they each have a chart for recommended oil weights based on temperature.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:00 am

Cold.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:01 am

Drives great here.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:25 am

greenwesty73 wrote: Just got a vanagon this summer as a daily driver. After a good rust-proofing and winter tires (just got them on), i would like to know how does a vanagon handle in winter (factory lowered wolfsburg van) on road and highway? And issues if there are any for cold starts.

Thanks

This gets discussed on here pretty often. The other posts on here pretty much sum it up: winter tires and a little extra weight in the rear make a Vanagon into a decent winter runner. Manual trans vans do better. They are easier to get started, and it's possible to shift into a higher gear early to limit the torque to the wheels and minimize wheelspin. Just don't expect it to be like a bug or an early bus. The weight distribution isn't the same.

David

Fri Nov 14, 2008 12:49 pm

And how about 5w40synth grade oil? too thick or OK?

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:05 pm

I asked this question recently also. Here's that thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=323146

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:05 pm

The only thing to be aware of is the front end tends to "push" in turns because of the lower weight in front, especially in slippery conditions. Otherwise they are great. Todd.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:15 pm

greenwesty73 wrote: And how about 5w40synth grade oil? too thick or OK?

That should be fine. My personal opinion though, I stay away from oil with too wide of a range. During our wintery months at 9,500 feet in the Colorado Rockies, I've used 10W-30 for the last 20 years with no problems.

What temperature range do you see during the winter months?

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:16 pm

tschroeder0 wrote: The only thing to be aware of is the front end tends to "push" in turns because of the lower weight in front, especially in slippery conditions. Otherwise they are great. Todd.

A quick tug on the parking brake will fix that :lol:

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:30 pm

Good snowtires make all the difference. I highly recommend Nokian Hakkapilettas. Not all-weather tires, but real "severe service" dedicated snow tires. I used the Hakka CS's last year at high elevation in deep snow and they were great.

Also, no matter how good your tires are, you might want to get comfortable with a rear wheel drive car if you aren't already used to the way it drives. Specifically, if you give it too much gas the back end can break loose and try to come around. You can control this tendency by countersteering. You can not control it by slamming on the brakes! So my second recommendation (after the tires) is to drive to an empty parking lot after a good snowfall and practice getting the van to slide a little and bringing it back under control with steering.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:38 pm

jackbombay wrote: tschroeder0 wrote: The only thing to be aware of is the front end tends to "push" in turns because of the lower weight in front, especially in slippery conditions. Otherwise they are great. Todd.

A quick tug on the parking brake will fix that :lol:

.........or a little right foot. :wink:

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:41 pm

or you put your studded snows on the front only...then you can have your foot in it and steer too!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Fri Nov 14, 2008 2:15 pm

brianmohr wrote: what weight oil would you recommend then for winter driving?

From The Bentley:

Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:32 pm

McVanagon wrote: jackbombay wrote: tschroeder0 wrote: The only thing to be aware of is the front end tends to "push" in turns because of the lower weight in front, especially in slippery conditions. Otherwise they are great. Todd.

A quick tug on the parking brake will fix that :lol:

.........or a little right foot. :wink:

I find that if the front is already pushing out, more gas won't really get the back end out, if you dump the clutch with a bunch of revs you can make it happen, but by that time the turn you were trying to make has probably passed you by.

Now a quick flick of the steering wheel accompanied by a good dose of loud pedal as you enter the turn is certainly god for a smile.

This is in my subdivision 8)

During the trip up to the ski hill from my house I bet I drift for an combined total of an 1/8 mile when the conditions are right LOL

Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:47 pm

Most of the vans I know in my area run 5W-30 for the Winter, but then it can hit -40F here. Extra weight over or better yet just in front of the rear wheels will help. So will good snow tires, I highly recommend Nokians. I have been driving in Alaska since getting my license in the late 70's and Nokians are the best snow tire I have driven on, even though both our vans and the wifes Passat are AWD we use them. Vanagons take a while in the cold to get the interior up to bearable, especially if it is below zero. They also fog up on the inside, I am still trying to cure this with mine. I run all Winter with cardboard blocking the airflow to the radiator, and have even modified the front heater to draw air from inside and block off the outside intake.