I drive my Westy daily on snowy, slushy, icy roads here in Jackson, WY.
I have never been stuck (knock on wood), and rarely spin the wheels.  I
put new somewhat aggressive all-season tires on it at the beginning of
the winter.  This is my first winter with the Westy and I thopught I
might need chains, but I've been very pleased with the performance.  I
always thought the weight of the vehicle and the engine in the rear
helps things.  Maybe its just your tires?

- Stephen Jones
'87 Westy
Jackson, WY

sh@interlog.com wrote:
>
> We've only been out in the recently acquired bus (82 Westfalia) a couple of
> times on slippery, snowy roads.  While I knew that any van, and especially
> VW vans, handle more poorly than regular cars, I was surprised at how bad
> it really is.  The slightest glaze on the road, and the van wheels start
> spinning.  It regularily gets stuck simply parked on the snowy street in
> front of the house.  Yesterday, at Albion Hills conservation area, the VW
> was spinning its wheels on several grades that other vehicles had no
> problems with.
>
> Tires (not snow tires) are in reasonable shape.  Is this typical of
> Vanagons?