A GTI frolicking in the snow?

[methylnick]

Hi All,

Winter is upon us and I was wondering whom will be taking their Golf to the snow. Are there pro's and con's to this, can the DSG handle the lack of traction on chains?

After some limited research after last year's attempt to hire chains in Bright (they didn't fit, so the car stayed at the bottom of the mountain) the options seemed limited for me. Talking to the dealer they only recommend winter tyres which won't work with the long drive to the mountain. I did see some special chains that could fit on a GTI but was wondering if anyone knows if they can be hired here in Melbourne or purchased and if they are legit to take to the mountain as there are some regulations with the type of chains allowed on the mountain.

cheers

[neil]

Hmmm.

I don't think I would like hire chains near mine.

Need to get chains manufactured and tested for your make of car so no
damage is caused by the chains hitting the guards.
Where ever you buy them, have them fit the chains for you to prove to you they will not rub.

I have seen to many damaged cars around perisher and all looked like hire chains.

I found the best thing to do was not leave early in the mornings and be the first to the snow fields.
Let others get there and breakup the ice and let them damage their cars.

[Logzy]

Its a problem. I looked into this last year. There were only two suitable options and one of them wasnt vicroads approved.

There was the snow sock and the biathalon(i think) which were a plastic snow chain.
In the end it was all to difficult plus i CBF putting them on so decided to park at the bottom of the mountain and catch the bus up.

[gareth_oau]

I'll be renting a toyota minibus dammitt for my visit to Thredbo!!

you wont recognise me though, i'll be wearing dark glasses (googles?) and a balaclava whenever I'm behind the wheel!!

[methylnick]

Because the clearance between the suspension strut and tyre was so small, the hire chains would have fully ruined the suspension strut and I decided against this and left the car down the bottom of the mountain. Has anyone taken their GTI to the snow? would love to hear how you did it.

[Unbelievable]

If I remember rightly, the TFM says you should not (must not?) put snow chains on the standard 17" wheels that come with the GTI.

Of course you are may decide to ignore TFM - I'm just sayin' ...

[bazzle]

http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n211/boki-san/cabina/?action=view&current=snowshoehare2.flv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL3KZRxkn40

[methylnick]

So there is no one here that has taken their GTI to the snow?

Love those vids Bazzle, they were both R32's I suspect, certainly the marysville hill climb was.

[methylnick]

I have found some potential chains for the GTI

they are called RUD Centrax Snow Chains,

http://www.rud.com/en/produkte/schne...ntrax_pkw.html

does anyone use these on their cars and how do they perform?

cheers

[Dubya]

I have spoken to Roofrack World in Artarmon and they said the Rud Centrax will work. Only issue is they are around $650 a pair. However they do appear to be very quick and easy to fit.

I have suggested to VGA that they should mention in their printed and online literature that snow chains may not be suitable for cars fitted with tyres wider than 205. However VGA believes the onus rests on prospective owners to ask the dealer prior to purchase such pointed questions such as whether the car they are considering can be driven legally on all sealed Australia roads (eg on alpine roads in winter with compatible snow chains on board).

I would have thought it reasonable to presume that snow chains could be fitted to virtually all FWD Australian family cars, let alone one designed in Europe. VGA begs to differ even though prospective owners could easily be alerted by a single sentence in the brochures and online information for affected cars.

As it is, this crucial limitation, of which VGA is well aware, only appears in the owners' handbook.