Is200 Sport (Snow Button)

[Geonkaz]

Hi just got a is200 sport and could someone tell me if the snow button mode really works in the snow or would l also need snow chains

Thanks

Geonkaz

[JezaLexy99]

Hi just got a is200 sport and could someone tell me if the snow button mode really works in the snow or would l also need snow chains

Thanks

Geonkaz

Rear wheel drives are never any good in snow/ice, and ill be corrected if im wrong, but i think the snow button just alters the gearing ratios, supposedly making it abit easier to set off n keep it going. depends if your actually taking it somewhere in deep snow like the Alps B) or just waiting for a winter like last year. ;)

[The Transporter]

I see that you live in the cold North.... I can reccommend a decent set of Winter tyres and lots of weight in the boot... Sand bags, bricks a couple of dead bodies perhaps. If your area is prone to snow then some decent snow chains for the rear wheels but chains and other stuff like that can only be used on snow/thick ice as if used on tarmac they will wear very quickly indeed... In the Winter the Lex stays on the drive and I use the van which is fitted with Vredestein Comtrac Winters or the Jeep which is a £400 banger so I don't mind too much if someone drives into it..

A rear wheel drive car can be tricky to drive in snow and ice, the snow button causes the auto box to start in second gear and reduces the sensitivity of the throttle.... On the manual version, only one of these cases apply.

[Tango]

Forget the snow button as unless you're totally incompetent it doesn't help, so fit a decent set of winter tyres instead. I have Pirelli Sottozeros on my IS200 Sport and have no problems in winter conditions, even on the steep and often untreated hills where I live in the Cotswolds.

The IS-F remains in the garage if there's any chance of snow or ice, and the IS200 on its winter boots takes precedence when the temperature drops below 7 degrees, regardless of whether there's any snow or ice on the roads.

[djanderso]

I think Lexus decided that rather than fit a blanking plate, it would add a button that's not connected to anything and decided to call it "Snow". That was my memory of the effectiveness of that button in my IS200... and I can confirm that Lexus also fitted both of my GS300's with this blank button too.

I am of course being flippant... Interestingly, last year my GS300 ran better with Falkan tyres than it did the year before on the OEM ones.

[clossie]

For manuals Snow button reduces throttle opening at given pedal travel and dampens the throttle response. It does work, but nothin other than a landie is ever going to be good in snow.

[Talisker]

The Snow button works by reducing the amount the throttle valve opens across the accelerator pedal movement range as oppose to normal driving mode. It's supposed to reduce how easy the wheels spin on low friction surfaces by effectively retarding the throttle.

In reality however, the things that are most likely to keep you moving in snow and ice are : more weight in the boot (last year i loaded my boot with 50KG of free weights, it helped a lot) and turning traction off, because on low friction surfaces it's a real hindrance rather than a help.

I think there's been quite a few threads regarding using Snow mode on the motorway to increase MPG.

Edit : Ah, beat me to an explanation, Clossie.

[The Transporter]

For manuals Snow button reduces throttle opening at given pedal travel and dampens the throttle response. It does work, but nothin other than a landie is ever going to be good in snow.

......Assuming you can get a LardRover to start in the Winter... Plenty of four wheel drives with the wrong tyres on too, they have extra traction to get going but they'll stop as badly as any other car

[djanderso]

A proper SWB defender couldn't even pull my GS up our road a couple of years ago! He gave up and drove off with his tail between his legs!!

[Tango]

A proper SWB defender couldn't even pull my GS up our road a couple of years ago! He gave up and drove off with his tail between his legs!!

...and I drove around a Landrover that was stuck on an icy hill, albeit a Freelander, with the IS200 on winter tyres last year.

[JezaLexy99]

last year i had this Disco... all i saw on the roads was a few other landrovers. i was helping many many people, earnt quite abit of cash too :) sadly i dont see that happening this year.