QLeo
Established Member
- Joined
- May 17, 2023
- Messages
- 269
- Reaction score
- 404
- Points
- 128
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
- Driving
- MG4 SE LR
Well, that was an interesting morning. TL;DR - I'm glad we got the all-season tyres we did late last year.
There didn't seem to be much snow this morning, but I had to take a parcel the 6 miles to the post office. There are several steep sections in the hills along the single-track road around these parts, but I didn't expect any issues. I got up the first one nae bother, and settled in. But then, a mile or so from a steeper one, someone coming along the other way stopped me and said he'd failed to get up the hill, Cnoc a' Bhainne. I said I'd give it a try.
(I have some dashcam footage of this, but can't see a way to upload it - sorry
EDIT: Sorted - see links ar end)
This hill starts and ends with 90 degree bends, and typically requires about 35-40% power to keep moving. Goth Leo moved a little - I can't say twitched or snaked - but soon got himself sorted and although at the very beginning I could feel a loss of grip, at no point did I feel anywhere near a break point or in any danger. At the top 90 degree bend, Leo behaved impeccably, turning confidently. There is then a steep slalom of a section, before going down the other side, Srón. Here, ABS gets tested, but apart from an initial hesitance, I felt really certain he would, indeed, stop.
When I got into the village, folk I spoke to said the journey was carnage slightly earlier, with vans off the road etc. (I then realised I had forgotten to bring the parcel with me, proving they'll sell MG4s to world-class idiots, so be careful out there.)
On the way back, on the first part of Srón, I saw a light truck coming back towards me down the hill, but without reverse lights on. He managed to stop, and I managed to get past. Again, this hill needs a lot of power to get up, but again, the car was sure footed. I did have a friendly tussle with some sheep on the road, who planned to stop me at the steepest section, but gave in at the last minute.
Coming down the other side, at Cnoc a' Bhainne, there was a car at the bottom. I stopped to see if they needed assistance but she was OK, though shaken as she couldn't get her car up the hill at all. Someone was coming to collect her.
So all in all, while Goth Leo is no Panda 4x4, the car from which we came, I was very happy that he is remarkably capable in conditions that leave many other cars struggling. BUT... I would not have liked to have tried that with the factory summer tyres. Nothing against them, but not for conditions like today.
If I'm missing something about uploading video, do let me know.
EDIT: Now uploaded to youtube.
Link 1 -
Link 2 -
There didn't seem to be much snow this morning, but I had to take a parcel the 6 miles to the post office. There are several steep sections in the hills along the single-track road around these parts, but I didn't expect any issues. I got up the first one nae bother, and settled in. But then, a mile or so from a steeper one, someone coming along the other way stopped me and said he'd failed to get up the hill, Cnoc a' Bhainne. I said I'd give it a try.
(I have some dashcam footage of this, but can't see a way to upload it - sorry
EDIT: Sorted - see links ar end)
This hill starts and ends with 90 degree bends, and typically requires about 35-40% power to keep moving. Goth Leo moved a little - I can't say twitched or snaked - but soon got himself sorted and although at the very beginning I could feel a loss of grip, at no point did I feel anywhere near a break point or in any danger. At the top 90 degree bend, Leo behaved impeccably, turning confidently. There is then a steep slalom of a section, before going down the other side, Srón. Here, ABS gets tested, but apart from an initial hesitance, I felt really certain he would, indeed, stop.
When I got into the village, folk I spoke to said the journey was carnage slightly earlier, with vans off the road etc. (I then realised I had forgotten to bring the parcel with me, proving they'll sell MG4s to world-class idiots, so be careful out there.)
On the way back, on the first part of Srón, I saw a light truck coming back towards me down the hill, but without reverse lights on. He managed to stop, and I managed to get past. Again, this hill needs a lot of power to get up, but again, the car was sure footed. I did have a friendly tussle with some sheep on the road, who planned to stop me at the steepest section, but gave in at the last minute.
Coming down the other side, at Cnoc a' Bhainne, there was a car at the bottom. I stopped to see if they needed assistance but she was OK, though shaken as she couldn't get her car up the hill at all. Someone was coming to collect her.
So all in all, while Goth Leo is no Panda 4x4, the car from which we came, I was very happy that he is remarkably capable in conditions that leave many other cars struggling. BUT... I would not have liked to have tried that with the factory summer tyres. Nothing against them, but not for conditions like today.
If I'm missing something about uploading video, do let me know.
EDIT: Now uploaded to youtube.
Link 1 -
Link 2 -
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