*NEW* What do you drive?

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

For 4WD check out the Toyota FJ Cruiser, or the 4runner if you need to carry cargo. The only Jeep I would look at would be the Rubicon Unlimited, but generally any Wrangler blows away a Hummer H2 or H3. The commercial Hummers really aren't the greatest off-roaders.

For AWD (snow and rain, soft-road), Subaru is the standard by which all others are measured. Toyota has good ones in their Highlander and Rav4. Volvo XC70 is also nice, but why not just get the original, the Subaru?

If I were buying a 4wd truck in the near future, I would get something cheap and used to last a year or two until the really nice, efficient diesel engines start hitting the states.

Originally Posted by astcell

I had the Honda CRV, Element and Ridgeline. They were all fine. Right now I have a Land Cruiser for work. Biggest issue is snow, 2nd is safety.

I've driven two Toyotas, a GMC, a Subaru and a Jeep Cherokee regularly in the snow. As much as two feet deep, no kidding. The best 4WD in the world by far for snow has been the Jeep

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

Poor man's Hummer? Funny.

In other words, the list of why the FJ is superior to the H3 includes price, among many other features.

And just a tad less pretentious (run and hide at this point...)
Just my opinion!!!!

[Rawhyde]

My car is in my avatar! '05 Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works engine, suspension, and brake upgrades. Quick as lightning and a tremendous amount of fun! I also have a 1995 B4C Camaro (10K miles, never seen rain), a 1994 Impala SS, and a few project cars.

Thinking about getting a PT Cruiser 5 speed for a beater commuter car (125 miles per day, and it has lifetime powertrain warranty), and thinking about the new BMW 135i coupe (6 speed, cause I hate automatics too) when it finds its way to America as my next real car.

Rawhyde

[dwaine99]

GMC Envoy... 4 wd for winter.... 20 mpg....

[996]

911 Turbo but soon to be changing for a GT2.... I think....

I have just bought an e30 M3 project/track car also.

the misses has a Clio Trophy which she uses on track and I sometimes borrow that too.

[CEG]

Merc SLK280 and the missus an SLK200 (yes, I work for Merc !) and we have no kids

[smokerider]

My H2 is a kawasaki

[fitter_happier]

Mercedes 380SE daily driver
Mercedes E320 once in a while on dry sunny days

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by mailman

I've driven two Toyotas, a GMC, a Subaru and a Jeep Cherokee regularly in the snow. As much as two feet deep, no kidding. The best 4WD in the world by far for snow has been the Jeep

At 9 or so inches it's all about ground clearance. Jeeps have great clearance, and they are the best 4wheelers in the world. But I feel no AWD is equal to the Subaru when it comes to staying under control on moderately snowy roads. The system is just superior at transferring power to the wheels that can use it.

Slap snow tires on any front wheel drive and you will get where you need to go unless there is a serious blizzard with drifting snow.

The best snow and ice car I ever had was my 1980 Civic hatchback.

[Alcan]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

Slap snow tires on any front wheel drive and you will get where you need to go unless there is a serious blizzard with drifting snow.

Ed, I hope you're advising to put snow tires on all 4 wheels, not just the front.

[Jedi]

The Jedi speeder I use is cleverly hidden beneath the bodywork of a VW Golf GTI.

[mlb]

06' Pathfinder.

[Lisa]

Mike! We drive the same car! Tell me, do you have any electrical issues with yours? I've got a poltergeist living in mine that turns on the VDC and SLIP dashboard lights, and rolls the windows down and adjusts the outside mirrors when the car is turned off and locked. Weird, huh? Mine is an '07 but I've heard about the '06's having similar issues.

[Mike734]

One of these.

[mlb]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Mike! We drive the same car! Tell me, do you have any electrical issues with yours? I've got a poltergeist living in mine that turns on the VDC and SLIP dashboard lights, and rolls the windows down and adjusts the outside mirrors when the car is turned off and locked. Weird, huh? Mine is an '07 but I've heard about the '06's having similar issues.

What did the dealer say about these issues?! I haven't had a problem with mine, 12k miles in about 12 months... Are you sure your not hitting the transmitter when it is in your purse? Some cars have a feature to be able to roll down the windows by holding the unlock/lock buttons.


Sorry i'm not much help. I'd take it straight to the dealer

[frostie]

Originally Posted by Mike734

One of these.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

At 9 or so inches it's all about ground clearance. Jeeps have great clearance, and they are the best 4wheelers in the world. But I feel no AWD is equal to the Subaru when it comes to staying under control on moderately snowy roads. The system is just superior at transferring power to the wheels that can use it.

Slap snow tires on any front wheel drive and you will get where you need to go unless there is a serious blizzard with drifting snow.

The best snow and ice car I ever had was my 1980 Civic hatchback.

I was speaking in general all around conditions. The Toyotas were great as was the GMC and Subaru. But from my experience, the Jeep wins for everyday snowy conditions.

I've also put snow tires (4) on all off my wife's cars and she hasn't had and problems getting where she had to go either.

[Andad]

All these toys for the boys.

[newsub]

Here's my baby

[Lisa]

Mike, I've taken the Pathfinder in twice and they're mystified. Went to the Nissan help forums and other owners have mentioned similar issues, but at this point Nissan hasn't issued a service bulletin that would fix things.

[jhowton]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

Slap snow tires on any front wheel drive and you will get where you need to go unless there is a serious blizzard with drifting snow.

My Snow Tire Rant:

I''ll take this a step further and say, put snow tires on any car and you'll get where you need to go better than any vehicle on All season or Summer tires (and that includes cars with AWD).

For the last 4 years I drove a BMW M5 (400HP V8, RWD) through Chicago winters without coming close to getting stuck. I live in a rural area that doesn't salt the roads and routinely passed SUVs stuck in ditches while I plowed snow with my front bumper. The appropriate tires for the driving conditions are far more important than which wheels are providing the motive force. Remember, the drive wheels only get you moving, it's your tires that need to find traction with the road surface to allow you to turn and stop and to do that well in snow, you need snow tires.

End of Rant.

OK, I feel better now - Thanks.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Rawhyde

My car is in my avatar! '05 Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works engine, suspension, and brake upgrades. Quick as lightning and a tremendous amount of fun! I also have a 1995 B4C Camaro (10K miles, never seen rain), a 1994 Impala SS, and a few project cars.

Thinking about getting a PT Cruiser 5 speed for a beater commuter car (125 miles per day, and it has lifetime powertrain warranty), and thinking about the new BMW 135i coupe (6 speed, cause I hate automatics too) when it finds its way to America as my next real car.

Rawhyde

Love that Mini Craig. Surprisingly roomy, quick, lots of airbags, and a decent price.
dP

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by Alcan

Ed, I hope you're advising to put snow tires on all 4 wheels, not just the front.

Of course.

[mic6]

my lifted jeep

[frostie]

Nice jeep Mic6

[mailman]

Originally Posted by jhowton

My Snow Tire Rant:

I''ll take this a step further and say, put snow tires on any car and you'll get where you need to go better than any vehicle on All season or Summer tires (and that includes cars with AWD).

For the last 4 years I drove a BMW M5 (400HP V8, RWD) through Chicago winters without coming close to getting stuck. I live in a rural area that doesn't salt the roads and routinely passed SUVs stuck in ditches while I plowed snow with my front bumper. The appropriate tires for the driving conditions are far more important than which wheels are providing the motive force. Remember, the drive wheels only get you moving, it's your tires that need to find traction with the road surface to allow you to turn and stop and to do that well in snow, you need snow tires.

End of Rant.

OK, I feel better now - Thanks.

I agree. I even put them on my 4WD pick up truck

[Incurable]

Nothing exotic but.. it has it's own strengths. Highly modified yielding 165hp, 300 ft/lbs torque and 50+ MPG freeway. New turbo running @ 25psi, tuning, MAP sensor and various other bits are on-deck and should get me up to about 180hp, 340 ft/lbs... Funnest car I've ever owned. It's all about torque...



P.S. Oh yeah... Diesel baby, TDI's rock!

[jhowton]

Originally Posted by Incurable

It's all about torque...

Agreed, nice car those things move out at highway speeds...

[lardog]

[MassiveAttack]

2007 Tundra Crewmax 5.7 V8 SR5 Speedway Blue with Custom Alloys, shes thick but its all in the right places.