How do you like the BFG's? I am thinking about going that route with my new 18" wheels. How do they handle on normal dry roads?

 

Maybe you have done something else by now but check out my photos to see fit, the 265/65x18 fits fine except for at about 85% turn on the v10 it will rub the inner fender liner/vent at the front where it vents the intercooler or something up inside there. Sometimes they don't, I'm guessing because it's so close, some get built just snug enough to not rub but a few well placed screws by a vw tech should solve the issue.

The tires are really quite good on so many surfaces, dry highway at high speed was even fine. You know how the roads around here are, you'll hear the pavement before you'll hear the bfg at.

Discount Tire will "safety sipe" them too which ads even better stopping and going traction as I found out last year in our big storm in my lr3 with the same tires. Before the siping I'd slide right to the stop signs....not a good feeling, after siping I had noticeably better control.

My lr3 is much heavier than everyone's Touaregs though, even the V10's, because of all the crap on it. 8000 lbs last trip when I checked it on a truck weigh station! At most, 500lbs were what I had inside including myself. So, that's a lot of inertia on the snow but the siping really did help. I pulled out two heavy duty 4x4 dodge trucks and one little car in one afternoon. Crazy Seattlites not knowing how to drive "in" snow!

 

I left my ESP on all the time last winter. I would imagine that it might be turned off when you are off road, but otherwise leave it on, step on the gas and the Touareg will get through the stuff we had last winter with ease.

BTW I ran last winter on my All Season tires and bombed around like it was nothing. I did buy my wife winter tires for her 07 MDX which struggled on the All Season tires.

 

tires

I'm wondering if my 19" rims with all season tires that came with my lux package will do alright in the snow.. i drive upstate NY a lot and i'm a little worried that the big wheel will not do well in the snow.. any thoughts

 

Start your own thread

 

We run Blizzaks up here or green diamond. I run the former on my D and the Treg. No problems. Guess winter is but around the corner as temps were around -5F. Might have to turn the heating on next... just waiting for the CFO's comments; a gem from last year:

"and I suppose I will have to bring the dogs in to heat the house since the furnace is still off"

siberian

 

Dead Horse

 

I was impressed with my new 255/60/17 BFG All-Terrain T/A KO's.

These are available in 255/60R17? Or is this a typo? I though the closest sizes were 245/70 or 265/70. :?:

 

Go 245/70/17 if that is the tire you want to get for yours. You should be fine with that size and have no issues with the intercooler vents. Unless you want to wait to see what mine look like when I get them mounted first.

 

Hey Yeti, I know you're running 245/70. And that or 245/65 is probably the size AT I'll run when the OE tires wear out. But I'm curious about pazzo's BFGs. I suspect it's a just typo, though.

 

Typo. LOL.

My BFG All-Terrain T/A KO's are 265/65/17.

The OEM Pirelli Scorpion STR's were 255/60/17.

MY BAD.

 

That makes more sense... thanks.

 

My questions to the owners with LOTS of experience driving the Touareg in the snow...

When do you use ESP, and when do you turn it off?

What do you do if you were driving at slower (downtown city) speeds and ESP would not really be a matter of safety?
For example, last year I lived downtown Vancouver and we had a LOT of snow. I could see turning the ESP off to be a better idea in case I had to tactically manoeuvre out of the way of a slow-speed sliding driver. No? Unfortunately my Jetta did not have ESP so I couldn't test.

And, what would you do if you were driving up a very steep icy hill at slow speed? ESP off, I presume?

I leave it on most of the time, I turn it off in deep snow or when I want to "steer" the back end with the throttle.

I'd leave it in for your downtown situation...ESP will help you complete the move

I'd have it off for the hill situation...wheelspin is your friend, ESP on will just have you losing momentum and getting stuck 1/2way up the hill..

 

Nick,
Thanks for the reply

Fortunately, we sold the condo downtown and have bought/moved to Vancouver's North Shore. This will be better for snow because the streets will actually get ploughed


So you turn the ESP off in deep snow...is this due to the slow speed you're most likely travelling at and the need for possible wheel spin?

I went back up to another local ski mtn last night (this one was a little further at 10 mins away), and played around a bit more. There was a LOT of snow, and it was coming down hard.
I turned off the ESP while driving in a very open area, and tried to wipe the Touareg out. It definitely lost control quite nicely. The vehicle drifted strongly to the left. If I was in a real-life uncontrolled situation, I would have ended up in oncoming traffic or a ditch or whatnot.

I switched the ESP back on and things were back under control. I know you can still wipe out with ESP on, but it is much harder. You either have to be completely stupid and deserve it, or you're going too fast for the conditions.

One thing I'm confused about though is what to do when driving on a very icy road and the ESP starts flashing (due to engaging the brakes), but you need to keep up with driving a certain speed. If you turn ESP off, you run the risk of endangering yourself and others - if you leave it on, it messes up your momentum and is hard to accelerate. This is what happened to me yesterday while nearing the top of the parking area where the ski resort is...I started slipping while trying to accelerate, but left the ESP on for safety. Suggestions?

 

Congrats on the move...while downtown is nice I do prefer the North shore..beside it doesn't take you forever to get to the hills!

two suggestions:

1. I don't mean any offense with this suggestion, this is how I learned many years ago:....Drive around in an empty snowy parking lot and get a feel for handling with ESP off...the Touareg (much like any Audi Quattro) is absolutely controllable and amazing in the snow...I can literally power slide the back end of mine for a few hundred feet and slide in beside a parked car..safely and consistently every time. Learn that the back end can be kicked out with the throttle, if you want it to spin out then take your foot of the gas, if you want it to grip then keep your foot steady on the throttle, it'll hook up and go where you point it. Raise your snow driving skills...it certainly isn't the vehicle holding you back.

2. for your uphill scenario, turn ESP off, use tiptronic and select the highest gear it'll allow...don't use heavy throttle at all...very steady throttle at all times. Make sure you build speed at the bottom of the hill and use momentum (instead of heavy throttle) to get you up the hill.

I turn it off in heavy snow as I find ESP just kicks on too much and I lose all momentum, besides I don't mind things getting a bit loose...In heavy snow I turn off ESP at any speed, but heavy snow by definition means I'm likely travelling at 50km/h or less (ie I'm plowing throw 6-12" deep snow)...again the vehicle is very capable with ESP off, and well well beyond most people's skill level.

Remember that ESP only engages the brakes at slow speed, it then retards ignition and cuts power, it will also brake on a single side of the vehicle to help you regain control...

 

Great reply Nick!!

I'm not offended at all by your suggestion. I have never owned an AWD vehicle before and therefore could use all the practice I can get.

After reading what you said about keeping on the throttle while drifting with ESP off, I realize now that is exactly the reason I did NOT wipe out yesterday while drifting in the snow. I said it 'lost control quite nicely', but meant that in relation to ESP on. I kind of felt that even thought I was drifting, the vehicle was not completely doing a 180. Whereas in my FWD and especially RWD experience, I would have been facing backwards in the other lane

What do you do when driving downhill? Do you leave it in Drive and just brake, or do you use tiptronic and downshift as when driving in non-snowy/icy conditions?
Also - ESP on, I presume?

 

Downhill, ESP on and use TIP to do engine braking. It works better that way then trying to use it in D and hitting brakes. I can always tell when I am following a tourist down the mountain here in how super slow they are going and how much they are riding brakes. I have been able to decend the canyon from my ski area with using hardly any brakes at all. We can give you the info, but you honestly have to experience it for yourself so you know what each situation is going to give you.

 

I have always used the engine to brake. Even when I used to drive my Dad's Volvo 12 yrs ago (when I started driving) he taught me to engine brake and never pedal brake unless you had to.

I just figured that a lower gear when driving downhill in icy condition would somehow throw things off!? I remember downshifting once while driving a RWD Volvo in the snow and I ended up backwards in the other lane (learning new things has always been fun)

 

AWD is very different than FWD or RWD..Audi/VW/Porsche AWD is also very different than any other AWD I've ever driven, you get slight oversteer...if you don't panic and keep the throttle on steady (as you did) you'll notice that it just grips and takes off where you pointed it.

Its a completely different driving dynamic and you just need practice to get used to it...once you know how it handles you won't believe how good you can be and just how amazing the handling can be in these vehicles.

For downhill, ESP on, gear down at the top of the hill...very light braking only if required....you basically want to coast down the hill with minimal input.

hope this is helpful...its hard to describe in words and a lot easier to demonstrate live....

 

The Touareg is smooth on downshift and will not do that to you when you shift. I have had mine now for four years and never had it want to kick the rear end out during a down shift. I can get away with very little brake action when driving down the canyon during bad weather. You can always tell who has experience driving in such conditions when you are following them down the canyon.

 

I understand. Easy said easy done

 

As a ski instructor....im on the mountain a bunch. I found it dumb to ever turn off the esp unless I was stuck, which happened on occasion. It is like another set of eyes when your driving, so its nice to have it on...

 

We already have 16" accumulation in the DC area. I have been driving all day on my 19" all seasons tires that came with the car and had no problems. I turn ESP off only when going up icy hills. It was just a blast. Nothing fazed the TReg. It looks like it was made to eat snow for a living. The only abnormal thing I've noticed is the proximity sensors acting up. They were on most of the time when under 10 mph and sometimes only the red lights and none of the yellow lights came on. Puzzled!

 

Ya, my parking sensors act up when it's snowing to. Obviously due to the sensors themselves getting covered with snow and/or ice. Just have to remember to press the Parking sensor button on the dash to disengage.

 

What Parking Sensor button? I don't recall one on the dash. Am I missing something?

 

Or he does not have sensors (like me)? Or do ALL T2's have them?

 

You were probably on ice. As you know, no tires will keep you from sliding on ice. I went out on an empty lot with fresh snow (10-12 inches deep) and no issues. Maintain a safe and constant speed.
Wave if you see me driving by (White TReg with quad exhaust pipes).