Continued good luck. The car I should have never sold.
Posted on 11/11/2015 8:02:43 PM PST by newb2012
What make and model would a freeper choose for an all wheel drive vehicle, with good fuel efficiency. Thanks in advance for your input and time.
I own two KIA Sorentos.
Need more data. The only answer I can give is “it depends.” Last year we had a historically bad winter in the Boston area. Over 100 inches of snow fell in less than 2 months. We have 3 young kids and a large dog so we need a bigger vehicle. Cannot sing the praises of our all-wheel drive Toyota Sienna minivan enough. Awesome in the snow. Very heavy and safe vehicle. Not the greatest gas mileage though. Maybe 18 mpg tops.
My friend just got a Subura Legacy. 36 MPG on highway. She says it drives solid
Get a pickup. Either a Siverado, or F150. Plenty of room. Few mechanical issues. And...it’s a truck.
The sporty sedans likely come with summer performance tires which are only good for wet and dry pavement. After some tire wear, they are only good for dry pavement. All seasons do make a difference, but are only recommended for a few inches of snow.
Believe it or not that’s what the wife looked for first was safety ratings, it was supposed to be mostly hers but it turned into our family car.
I really don’t care about the Volvo “liberal” image, I think it’s an amazing vehicle, has that solid feel almost like you have to really try to lose control of it.
With the comfort stuff I guess it’s like any other car with the small complaints. A cigarette lighter plug broke out and the console is creaky plastic but that’s stuff I can live with.
I bought a Nissan Rogue last year. I am very happy with it overall, very peppy acceleration, I get about 26 MPG and that is mostly city or country roads, I get closer to 30 MPG highway and it handles well, roomy, good cargo space, probably more than I need, however it is not truly fulltime AWD. It has an Automatic AWD system.
Here is something I found on a car forum that gives a pretty good explanation:
Automatic AWD system is the newest kid on the block. PR agency generated names like "Real Time 4WD", "intelligent AWD" or "active AWD" are hiding the fact that automatic AWD is essentially a sophisticated 2WD system. Automatic asymmetric AWD would be the best term for them.
Here is how they work: Under normal conditions one axle gets 100% of the torque - meaning you are driving in 2WD. During traction loss at the driven axle (could be front or rear) a fully automatic system (hydraulic, mechanical or electronic) makes some of the torque to the axle with traction available. This means you have to lose traction in 2WD on your driven axle first and then the other axle will be added and try to keep the car moving and stable. Once the primary driven axle regains traction and both axles rotate at the same speed again, the system reverts back to 2WD. So, for a moment you had AWD. Automatic asymmetric AWD is much less capable in off-road settings than full time AWD systems and inferior to full time 4WD. However, automatic asymmetrical AWD is becoming more and more sophisticated and offers pretty much everything consumers expect for everyday (pavement) driving.
The plus side of this is that most of the time when you are driving, the Rogue is in 2WD mode and that results in better gas mileage. The downside is you have to depend on the automatic AWD system to "sense" when it needs to go into AWD mode. There is an override AWD button so you can manually put it into AWD mode, but I've found it shuts off especially a low speed or when the system "senses" AWD is no longer needed. Last winter, travelling on some hilly and snow covered country roads, the AWD override kept shutting off - very frustrating and I had to put it into low gear to get enough engine torque especially going downhill on snowy or icy hills, and it is really the only thing I don't like about my Rogue.
FWIW I have owned 4 Subaru's - a 1984 Legacy manual transmission station wagon that I owned for 12 years, put 200k miles on it without any problems and only routine maintenance and replacing the clutch at 70k, and then "sold" it to my nephew for $1 who put on another 30k on it until he sold it for $500 - the only thing wrong with it aside from the interior being very worn and a few minor rust spots, was a wheel bearing that was going bad and CV joint but otherwise, the engine and transmission was still sound.
I will also say that my 12 year old Subaru wagon got me and me and my dad back and forth to the hospital during the blizzard of '96 when my mom was in ICU at Johns Hopkins and my husband volunteered and used it to shuttle doctors and nurses back and forth to the hospital. "Ethel" as I'd named her, by then wasn't much to look at but she was a beast in the snow. My husband said he got through some nearly impassable streets and snow drifts, passing some 4WD trucks and full size SUV's that had gotten stuck. We also would buy several 50 pound bags of cat litter or sand and put in the back of the wagon for some extra weight and that also was handy if needed for some extra traction if stuck on ice. FWIW I've seen way too many people driving big SUV's or big 4WD pickup trucks think that they are invincible and drive in bad weather conditions just as they would on dry pavement - AWD, 4WD, 2WD, etc., it often comes down to the skill of the driver.
I next owned a Forrester (great crossover), then a Legacy sedan with all the bells and whistles and then a Tribecca full size SUV (which sadly Subaru discontinued).
AWD Rundown: The Top All-Wheel-Drive Systems
#1 - Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive has always been synonymous with Subaru. Unlike many setups that are adapted from 2-wheel drive, Subaru's symmetrical system starts out and remains in this format, intended to provide power continuously to each wheel in all conditions. True to its name, symmetrical AWD is exactly that: symmetrical. This unique hardware balance gives Subaru vehicles greater on- and off-road stability due to the setup's even weight distribution. The main advantages of this system are balance, control and traction, making it a favorite in cold-weather climates.
I like my Rogue but I think that when it is time for my next car, I'll probably get another Subaru.
And FWIW, I am not a lesbian, or a vegetarian or a liberal, but I do play golf. : )
VW, audi and porche diesel system should be avoided until the repairs are invented, and its looking like it ain’t gonna happen. I fact I’d avoid them all together now that it turns out they were adding diesel to the oil to increase there MPG in gas engines as well
Subaru Outback,
Used it in Copper Harbor, Michigan on ice and snow in February.
On sand in Texas,
on back woods dirt roads in Yellowstone.
It is great.
I have the manual transmission so I can tow it behind my RV, but the automatic is just as good.
Studded tires are legal in PA?
This de-contenting is still a sore point with the 5th generation redesign. Not sure how much I benefit from it day to day with my 07, as the boat ramp is the only place I really use 4WD.
As someone who has two all wheel drive vehicles (2011 Nissan Murano/2016 Audi S5) and a 4x4 pickup (2004 Titan) I’m inclined to disagree. Although I have not had the Audi out in snow yet (and probably wont as it’s a cabrio), the Murano is much more convenient for day to day commuting in northern NJ winters than my pickup. No switching in and out of 4H when you’re going from 10 to 50 on snow blown highways. Traction is just there when you need it.
Don’t get me wrong, in really deep snow or the possibility of mud (off-road) having a truck with four wheel drive and locking dif is preferable. Just not my choice for every day bad weather commuting which is how I spend most of my time driving.
I will confess that the truck is more inline with my testosterone level and when you’re in a full size pickup people generally get out of your way and don’t’ ride your a$$.
I learned that one the hard way. Moved here from Massachusetts last year and then purchased two new cars. And I thought Massachusetts excise tax was bad!
I did get AWD on both cars as I live in remote area of Fairfield County where there are a lot of narrow roads with lots of hills. The Nissan Murano is the one I drive. No complaints. Last year was one of the snowiest winters ever and I have had a problem getting around. It's the other drivers I have to worry about.
I love my Subie but they made me sign a paper declaring I was a lesbian before they let me buy it.The Mrs. and I used to joke about that.
Fact is, the Forester is cheap, does GREAT in snow, and has been solidly reliable for over a decade for us. Funny so many other companies making forester look alikes, huh?
Thanks for the chuckle, Bill..
Maybe I'm just lucky with cars or the research I've done has paid off. Of all the cars I have owned, I haven't had a problem that would have been covered by a warranty that I couldn't have fixed easily.
Continued good luck. The car I should have never sold.
Nice! Looks like a 1970. Almost bought my brother’s 1973 911 last year but my wife was not going to go for that.
Everything for a Porsche is expensive... unless your other car is a Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini... I can dream.
Subaru...? What is that?
Where I live I replace what I want...and then when I want.
Where in the heck do you live ?
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