Stuck in snow, downhill? [video]

[duncan]

Can anyone tell what's going on here? It almost looks like a XC70 is stuck in the snow, trying to go down a fairly steep hill. If you look closely, it only seems to get free when the guy at the back gives it a push.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upQ5LZpQmKU

In another video by the same user the car seems to be stuck again on flat ground in the snow.

Super crappy tires? Or crappy AWD? haha

[wgriswold]

In both cases it appears that the car might be high centered. In really deep snow it is easy to become stuck as the tires sink into the snow and the center of the car gets stuck. If that is not the case the big variable is the tires. In any event I would not expect my XC70 to plow through such deep snow. Of course I have a 4x4 suburban for those times and I don't test the XC in such conditions.

[duncan]

Hmm interesting. Yeah I suppose you are probably right.

But to me it really does not look very deep - mostly hard packed. I would hope to be able to handle those conditions with little fuss. Although it does look very slippery, which hopefully indicates that it's just a lousy tire issue.

[viggen]

is it just me or do the rear tires look like theyre not spinning at all?

[Lincoln]

is it just me or do the rear tires look like theyre not spinning at all?

In that video they didn't appear to be but in another one by the same guy they clearly are. I gotta think he has some pretty inappropriate tires on.

[uscgc70]

I am going to go with the wrong tires. in the second video the tires in view were spinning, but the car wasn't moving and they weren't moving any snow. your car, like you, must have the right shoes for the terrain.

[PaperToast]

+1 on bad tires. i dont see how gravity didnt help in the down hill.
watched the other vid too. they must have bald tires to have all 4 tires spinning like that on level ground

throw some studded snows on and it should climb up the hill.

[beavenx5]

Clearly the wrong tires for the conditions. The snow looked very wet and hard packed. The tires did spin but did not move any snow like if they were spinning on ice. With the proper snow tires the car would have done much better.

You can't insist enough on having the right winter tires for the winter. All season tires are not made for snow... This is why, after many years of discussion, snow tires are finally mandatary in Quebec sarting December 15, 2008. I hope our streets will be safer next winter... I was told that winter tire sales in Montreal are up 300% this year so far compared to last year, and the winter has not even started yet
About 30% of people driving in Montreal (less outside of the city) did not have winter tires in winter I got rear ended twice in the last 4 years because of $%*#(&@! that could not stop at a red light with their all season tires in January. With our no-fault insurance and a few hundred dollars of damages each time, it was not worth filing an insurance claim

[goldxc70]

Clearly the wrong tires for the conditions. (snip to) the proper snow tires (and) snow tires are finally mandatary in Quebec (and) winter tire (and) did not have winter tires in winter

The correct terminology is WINTER tires. These are designed for low temperature use and not just snow. Look for the severe weather symbol on real WINTER tires.

[beavenx5]

Sorry about this. You are right, the proper term is winter tire. I was translating litterally from French. In French we say "pneus à neige" i.e.:snow tire. I do this kind of mistake from time to time.