Good inexpensive foul-weather cars.
09-30-05, 08:23 AM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Good inexpensive foul-weather cars.
Well, it's that time of year again...with summer behind us now, the snow season looms not too far ahead. It usually starts right about now...late September / early October.....in the Northern Rockies and the MN / ND area and gradually spreads south and east as the fall season progresses, reaching my Mid-Atlantic area by late December or early January. Some of you (as always) may be interested in purchasing a good, well-built, reliable, high-mileage (by AWD standards), inexpensive snow-capable vehicle without breaking your hard-earned bank account. You may want ( or need ) one yourself or have sons and daughters going to school in foul weather areas. Or maybe ( like many people today ) you're grown weary of full-sized, truck-based SUV's with their bulk, stiff rides and clumsy handling and are tired of the expense of feeding Big Bertha at $3-4 a gallon. If so...this thread is for you. 
1. Subaru Impreza 2.5 SportWagon.
http://www.subaru.com/shop/overview....5I_SPORT_WAGON
With Subaru as the long acknowledged leader in AWD design and capability in the under-$30,000 class, the Impreza Sportwagon offers proven reliability and AWD at an excellent starting price of $18,295. It does not have quite as much ground clearance as some other Subarus but should handle most reasonable snowstorms. I recommend the SportWagon rather than the 4-door sedan because of the extra room in back to carry things....yes, even snow-related things like snowshoes, foldable skis, snow shovels, etc......
This year's (2006) Impreza carries the Alfa-Romeo-style grille introduced last spring on the Tribeca. To be honest, I am not a fan of that styling but Subaru marketers have decided it will be the shape of all their future products.....so I guess whether you like it or not is a matter of personal taste and if you can live with it.
If more ground clearance is needed than what the basic Impreza offers, for a slightly higher but still bargain price, ( roughly $19,500) check out the Impreza-based Outback Sport. Subaru has dragged its feet about getting the updated 2006 Outback and Outback Sport data on its website so I have not posted it. The Outback Sport offers the same body style and room as the regular Impreza SportWagon but with more standard equipment, different wheels, tires, suspension, graphics, and a noticeably stiffer ride....make sure the ride isn't too stiff for you.
2. Subaru Forester X ( $21,295)
http://www.subaru.com/shop/overview....STER&trim=25_X
Perhaps the Impreza or Outback Sport just isn't quite big or roomy enough, or you can't stand the grille, or for whatever reason want or need something with a little more ground clearance or ride height. Take a look at the Impreza-based entry-level Forester X, which is built off of the Impreza platform and drivetrain.....a superb value at just over 21K to start. The Forester offers better reliability in Consumer Reports' database than any other Subaru product. It has a high roof for headroom, rear doors that close with a solid, precision sound, simple and well-designed dash and instrumentation, and a low center-of-gravity for good handling despite the tall ride height. The Forester rides a little more stiffly than the standard Impreza but not quite as stiff as the Outback Sport.
As a good snow machine, I recommend the entry-level Forester X rather than the more expensive upmarket models for two reasons. First, of course, is price. Second, the Forester X in most cases gives you just what you need for snow driving without a lot of expensive frills like sunroofs, leather, etc...... And the one-piece styled steel wheels on the Forester X, compared to the alloys on upmarket Foresters, are much better-suited for slogging through winter-treated roads where sand, gravel, abrasives, small pebbles, etc...kicked up by other cars can do a number on nice alloys. If for any reason they do get unsightly, rust, or have to be replaced, of course, they also are much less expensive to replace than the alloys too.
3. Hyundai Tuscon GL AWD
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/tucson/trim/gl.asp
I covered the Tuscon throughly in a review earlier,
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ai+tucson+2005
so I won't go into every little detail here, but the AWD Tuscon GL is also a good inexpensive all-weather machine and unlike Subaru, offers Hyundai's superb 10 year / 100,000 mile drivetrain and 5 year / 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty....standard. This is important when you consider the fact that Hyundai's AWD system in the Tuscon and Santa Fe ( like that of most AWD manufacturers ) is more complex than Subaru's because it involves side-to-side-mount engines in front instead of Subaru's "boxer" fours and sixes with the output shaft coming straight out the back of the engine to the transmission / final drive and front differential. So systems like the Hyundai's, which require more bevel gearing, do offer a little more potential for breakdown, but Hyundai has shown an impressive ability lately to produce well-made vehicles...they don't offer that long warranty for nothing.
The AWD is offered with either the four-cylinder 5-speed manual or the V6 (2.7L) automatic. The V6 is rather small and economical (like the Subarus, around 165-175 HP and mileage around 20 to the low 20's or so with AWD ).
The AWD is not offered with the 4-cylinder automatic because Hyundai wisely considers that that combination would be underpowered and too sluggish, especially fully loaded.
I was quite impressed with the Tuscon when I test-drove it but I did find it a little tippy in corners....not dangerously so. Otherwise I would rate it about even with the Subarus above in dollar value.
4. Kia Sportage AWD
http://www.kia.com/sportage/index.php
As the Sportage and Tuscon are built on the same platform and drivetrain and have the same warranty, the Tuscon comments above generally apply except that the Sportage has somewhat different styling in the front and rear ends and a slightly stiffer suspension which means a little less body roll in the turns.
5. Suzuki Aerio Sedan / SX AWD
http://www.suzukiauto.com/sr_06/aeri...nd_pricing.php
The rather quirky Aerio sedan and SX hatchback offer a truly miserly way to get a brand-new and reasonably well-built AWD snow vehicle for chump change. This is the new car that Old Scrooge would buy for the winter. The 4-door sedan starts around $16,000 and the SX hatchback around $17,000. They are rather tall and narrow, without much ground clearance, so even with the advantages of AWD they are not particularly well-suited for really deep snowstorms, although they should handle reasonable ones without any trouble. The interior and dash styling is rather unusual and takes some getting used to, although last year Suzuki did replace the odd, triangular-shaped digital speedometer with a much more conventional one. And the rather quirky exterior styling remains.
The Aerio has not sold in large enough numbers to really have established a consistant repair record and reliability record in Consumer Reports' database, but other Suzuki-designed products have generally been average or slightly better-than-average in this area. Suzuki, for the most part, has stopped selling their own designs in the American marketplace and is relying more and more on rebadged Korean Daewoo designs for their pasenger-car line, but the Aerio is a genuine Suzuki design and is probably the cheapest new AWD vehicle available.
6. Toyota Matrix AWD
http://www.toyota.com/matrix/models.html
This, of course, is the inexpensive AWD machine that many of you Toyota / Lexus people here in the CL forums, out of brand loyalty if for no other reason, would probably end up looking at first. And, of course, with Toyota quality and engineering, there is little to argue with in that area despite the fact that unlike Subaru, Toyota AWD designs have sideways-mounted engines and more complexity in the front-end gearing and AWD hardware.
The AWD Matrix is basically a Corolla with a different body, plenty of room in back to carry things, and, of course, the AWD hardware. There are some restrictions, however, to keep in mind should you consider one. First, the low, Suzuki Aerio-style ground clearance limits capability in deeper storms......although, again, moderate snowstorms should not be any problem. Second, the AWD system, already adding weight and drag, is available only with the low-power 126 HP Four and automatic. Third, the low power level with the AWD system will realistically limit what you can load up the car with and still be able to get it rolling.
If the low ground clearance is an issue, and you want to stay in the Toyota AWD family, much higher ground clearance can be found in the taller and more expensive RAV4, but IMO that vehicle is slightly outside the size and price class we are dealing with here. So is the Honda CRV.
7. Pontiac Vibe AWD
http://www.pontiac.com/vibe/specs_viewall.jsp
The AWD Vibe, unlike much of the other junk that Pontiac sells, is a high-quality Toyota design and basically a twin of the AWD Matrix. It is built off the same platform and body style and is a virtual twin.....and like the Matrix, it starts at a good price....$20,665. Most of the Matrix comments above apply except that the Vibe only offers GM's 3-year / 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty instead of Toyota's 5 /60 drivetrain and 3 / 36 bumper-to-bumper.
So...there you have it........my recommended inexpensive all-weather machines for the 2005-2006 winter. This way you will be ready when that snowstorm threatens and you get yourself prepared for it......and then watch the storm turn away at the last moment and hit somewhere ELSE.
1. Subaru Impreza 2.5 SportWagon.
http://www.subaru.com/shop/overview....5I_SPORT_WAGON
With Subaru as the long acknowledged leader in AWD design and capability in the under-$30,000 class, the Impreza Sportwagon offers proven reliability and AWD at an excellent starting price of $18,295. It does not have quite as much ground clearance as some other Subarus but should handle most reasonable snowstorms. I recommend the SportWagon rather than the 4-door sedan because of the extra room in back to carry things....yes, even snow-related things like snowshoes, foldable skis, snow shovels, etc......
This year's (2006) Impreza carries the Alfa-Romeo-style grille introduced last spring on the Tribeca. To be honest, I am not a fan of that styling but Subaru marketers have decided it will be the shape of all their future products.....so I guess whether you like it or not is a matter of personal taste and if you can live with it.
If more ground clearance is needed than what the basic Impreza offers, for a slightly higher but still bargain price, ( roughly $19,500) check out the Impreza-based Outback Sport. Subaru has dragged its feet about getting the updated 2006 Outback and Outback Sport data on its website so I have not posted it. The Outback Sport offers the same body style and room as the regular Impreza SportWagon but with more standard equipment, different wheels, tires, suspension, graphics, and a noticeably stiffer ride....make sure the ride isn't too stiff for you.
2. Subaru Forester X ( $21,295)
http://www.subaru.com/shop/overview....STER&trim=25_X
Perhaps the Impreza or Outback Sport just isn't quite big or roomy enough, or you can't stand the grille, or for whatever reason want or need something with a little more ground clearance or ride height. Take a look at the Impreza-based entry-level Forester X, which is built off of the Impreza platform and drivetrain.....a superb value at just over 21K to start. The Forester offers better reliability in Consumer Reports' database than any other Subaru product. It has a high roof for headroom, rear doors that close with a solid, precision sound, simple and well-designed dash and instrumentation, and a low center-of-gravity for good handling despite the tall ride height. The Forester rides a little more stiffly than the standard Impreza but not quite as stiff as the Outback Sport.
As a good snow machine, I recommend the entry-level Forester X rather than the more expensive upmarket models for two reasons. First, of course, is price. Second, the Forester X in most cases gives you just what you need for snow driving without a lot of expensive frills like sunroofs, leather, etc...... And the one-piece styled steel wheels on the Forester X, compared to the alloys on upmarket Foresters, are much better-suited for slogging through winter-treated roads where sand, gravel, abrasives, small pebbles, etc...kicked up by other cars can do a number on nice alloys. If for any reason they do get unsightly, rust, or have to be replaced, of course, they also are much less expensive to replace than the alloys too.
3. Hyundai Tuscon GL AWD
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/tucson/trim/gl.asp
I covered the Tuscon throughly in a review earlier,
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ai+tucson+2005
so I won't go into every little detail here, but the AWD Tuscon GL is also a good inexpensive all-weather machine and unlike Subaru, offers Hyundai's superb 10 year / 100,000 mile drivetrain and 5 year / 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty....standard. This is important when you consider the fact that Hyundai's AWD system in the Tuscon and Santa Fe ( like that of most AWD manufacturers ) is more complex than Subaru's because it involves side-to-side-mount engines in front instead of Subaru's "boxer" fours and sixes with the output shaft coming straight out the back of the engine to the transmission / final drive and front differential. So systems like the Hyundai's, which require more bevel gearing, do offer a little more potential for breakdown, but Hyundai has shown an impressive ability lately to produce well-made vehicles...they don't offer that long warranty for nothing.
The AWD is offered with either the four-cylinder 5-speed manual or the V6 (2.7L) automatic. The V6 is rather small and economical (like the Subarus, around 165-175 HP and mileage around 20 to the low 20's or so with AWD ).
The AWD is not offered with the 4-cylinder automatic because Hyundai wisely considers that that combination would be underpowered and too sluggish, especially fully loaded.
I was quite impressed with the Tuscon when I test-drove it but I did find it a little tippy in corners....not dangerously so. Otherwise I would rate it about even with the Subarus above in dollar value.
4. Kia Sportage AWD
http://www.kia.com/sportage/index.php
As the Sportage and Tuscon are built on the same platform and drivetrain and have the same warranty, the Tuscon comments above generally apply except that the Sportage has somewhat different styling in the front and rear ends and a slightly stiffer suspension which means a little less body roll in the turns.
5. Suzuki Aerio Sedan / SX AWD
http://www.suzukiauto.com/sr_06/aeri...nd_pricing.php
The rather quirky Aerio sedan and SX hatchback offer a truly miserly way to get a brand-new and reasonably well-built AWD snow vehicle for chump change. This is the new car that Old Scrooge would buy for the winter. The 4-door sedan starts around $16,000 and the SX hatchback around $17,000. They are rather tall and narrow, without much ground clearance, so even with the advantages of AWD they are not particularly well-suited for really deep snowstorms, although they should handle reasonable ones without any trouble. The interior and dash styling is rather unusual and takes some getting used to, although last year Suzuki did replace the odd, triangular-shaped digital speedometer with a much more conventional one. And the rather quirky exterior styling remains.
The Aerio has not sold in large enough numbers to really have established a consistant repair record and reliability record in Consumer Reports' database, but other Suzuki-designed products have generally been average or slightly better-than-average in this area. Suzuki, for the most part, has stopped selling their own designs in the American marketplace and is relying more and more on rebadged Korean Daewoo designs for their pasenger-car line, but the Aerio is a genuine Suzuki design and is probably the cheapest new AWD vehicle available.
6. Toyota Matrix AWD
http://www.toyota.com/matrix/models.html
This, of course, is the inexpensive AWD machine that many of you Toyota / Lexus people here in the CL forums, out of brand loyalty if for no other reason, would probably end up looking at first. And, of course, with Toyota quality and engineering, there is little to argue with in that area despite the fact that unlike Subaru, Toyota AWD designs have sideways-mounted engines and more complexity in the front-end gearing and AWD hardware.
The AWD Matrix is basically a Corolla with a different body, plenty of room in back to carry things, and, of course, the AWD hardware. There are some restrictions, however, to keep in mind should you consider one. First, the low, Suzuki Aerio-style ground clearance limits capability in deeper storms......although, again, moderate snowstorms should not be any problem. Second, the AWD system, already adding weight and drag, is available only with the low-power 126 HP Four and automatic. Third, the low power level with the AWD system will realistically limit what you can load up the car with and still be able to get it rolling.
If the low ground clearance is an issue, and you want to stay in the Toyota AWD family, much higher ground clearance can be found in the taller and more expensive RAV4, but IMO that vehicle is slightly outside the size and price class we are dealing with here. So is the Honda CRV.
7. Pontiac Vibe AWD
http://www.pontiac.com/vibe/specs_viewall.jsp
The AWD Vibe, unlike much of the other junk that Pontiac sells, is a high-quality Toyota design and basically a twin of the AWD Matrix. It is built off the same platform and body style and is a virtual twin.....and like the Matrix, it starts at a good price....$20,665. Most of the Matrix comments above apply except that the Vibe only offers GM's 3-year / 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty instead of Toyota's 5 /60 drivetrain and 3 / 36 bumper-to-bumper.
So...there you have it........my recommended inexpensive all-weather machines for the 2005-2006 winter. This way you will be ready when that snowstorm threatens and you get yourself prepared for it......and then watch the storm turn away at the last moment and hit somewhere ELSE.
Last edited by mmarshall; 09-30-05 at 03:22 PM.
09-30-05, 11:32 AM
#2
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wow thanks mmarshall! excellent write up!
But it's probably a lot more useful for those of you who live in cold weather than me.
If i want a winter beater, i would go with a tacoma tho.
But it's probably a lot more useful for those of you who live in cold weather than me.
If i want a winter beater, i would go with a tacoma tho.
09-30-05, 11:35 AM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by DC52E55
wow thanks mmarshall! excellent write up!
But it's probably a lot more useful for those of you who live in cold weather than me.
If i want a winter beater, i would go with a tacoma tho.
But it's probably a lot more useful for those of you who live in cold weather than me.
If i want a winter beater, i would go with a tacoma tho.
09-30-05, 12:01 PM
#4
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Hey mmarshall,
Again, thanks for the GREAT write up!
Could you clarify the Toyota/Vibe "AWD" systems?
When the Matrix first came out, I remember reading Toyota put a "V-Flex" system in. Meaning it is FWD, then when slippage occurs power is sent to the rear wheels as well. I don't remember it being a true AWD system.
I agree with the Tuscon, I test drove it when it first came out and just going over some bumpy roads and railroad tracks, I found it very tipsy. Hopefully Hyundai will over side impact airbags for the 2006 model in Canada.
Again, thanks for the GREAT write up!
Could you clarify the Toyota/Vibe "AWD" systems?
When the Matrix first came out, I remember reading Toyota put a "V-Flex" system in. Meaning it is FWD, then when slippage occurs power is sent to the rear wheels as well. I don't remember it being a true AWD system.
I agree with the Tuscon, I test drove it when it first came out and just going over some bumpy roads and railroad tracks, I found it very tipsy. Hopefully Hyundai will over side impact airbags for the 2006 model in Canada.
09-30-05, 01:28 PM
#5
Well, don't know what type of AWD system is int he Pontiac Vibe, but it is pretty damn good. I colleague has had one for a year and does a daily NJ --> NY commute across the GWB every morning. For everyday city snow rain driving, it is a great little car. We also took it skiing up at lake placid for a week and it handled the snowly country roads quite well. I assume the Matrix is the same. If I had a lot of driving to do in the winter with decent snow, I would definitely look at these cars.
09-30-05, 01:49 PM
#6
Super Moderator
mmarshall,
Good picks. Will back you up on the Matrix. I have a friend with one and we went up to the track in a caravan, but on the way back we had some bad rain and I had trouble taking the turns like that Matrix (he was hauling).
Too bad they don't offer the high-powered Matrix version down here.
Good picks. Will back you up on the Matrix. I have a friend with one and we went up to the track in a caravan, but on the way back we had some bad rain and I had trouble taking the turns like that Matrix (he was hauling).
Too bad they don't offer the high-powered Matrix version down here.
09-30-05, 03:42 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by bizzy928
Hey mmarshall,
Again, thanks for the GREAT write up!
Could you clarify the Toyota/Vibe "AWD" systems?
When the Matrix first came out, I remember reading Toyota put a "V-Flex" system in. Meaning it is FWD, then when slippage occurs power is sent to the rear wheels as well. I don't remember it being a true AWD system.
I agree with the Tuscon, I test drove it when it first came out and just going over some bumpy roads and railroad tracks, I found it very tipsy. Hopefully Hyundai will over side impact airbags for the 2006 model in Canada.
Again, thanks for the GREAT write up!
Could you clarify the Toyota/Vibe "AWD" systems?
When the Matrix first came out, I remember reading Toyota put a "V-Flex" system in. Meaning it is FWD, then when slippage occurs power is sent to the rear wheels as well. I don't remember it being a true AWD system.
I agree with the Tuscon, I test drove it when it first came out and just going over some bumpy roads and railroad tracks, I found it very tipsy. Hopefully Hyundai will over side impact airbags for the 2006 model in Canada.
The AWD design used in the Matrix and Vibe is similiar to most of the other non-Subaru ones I mentioned above...a sideways-mounted engine up front, bevel gearing to re-route the power flow straight back, a center differential to allow all four wheels to rotate at independent speeds on dry pavement without tire scrub and drivetrain damage, primary torque flow to the front wheels, a split flow in torque front-rear when wheel sensors and the differentials detect slip, and re-routing most of the torque back to the 2 primary wheels when normal traction is restored. This is the basic AWD system used in most pasenger cars and small SUV's with transverse engines.
The "true" AWD systems you mention split torque front / rear 100% of the time. They generally have a viscous center-differential that constantly tries to even out any differences in wheel rotation speeds front-rear ( obviously not side-to-side, as then the car would not be able to turn a corner properly ) Perhaps the best example of this viscous C/D system is the Subaru uses with its non-STi manual-transmission cars......automatic cars get another AWD systems depending on the engine.
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09-30-05, 03:49 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Lexmex
mmarshall,
Good picks. Will back you up on the Matrix. I have a friend with one and we went up to the track in a caravan, but on the way back we had some bad rain and I had trouble taking the turns like that Matrix (he was hauling).
Too bad they don't offer the high-powered Matrix version down here.
Good picks. Will back you up on the Matrix. I have a friend with one and we went up to the track in a caravan, but on the way back we had some bad rain and I had trouble taking the turns like that Matrix (he was hauling).
Too bad they don't offer the high-powered Matrix version down here.
Yes, AWD ( with suitable tires ) does offer more sure-footedness in wet and snow conditions, but it still isn't magic. It will help you get moving more efficiently on slippery surfaces, and it increases cornering capablities, but it cannot overrule the laws of physics....you still have to drive with some common sense. It may or may not you stop quicker, depending on the weight-distribution of the AWD system and how much forward weight transfer you have in the vehicle while stopping.
10-01-05, 06:53 AM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Koma
I'll still be slipping and sliding around Boston in the SC. 
10-01-05, 07:25 AM
#11
Out of Warranty
Great advice, mmarshall! 
I learned early on about the advantages of AWD/4WD in snow. Taking a job in an Amarillo regional TV station after leaving the service in ’71, my assigned company car was a Maverick (ugh!). Our circuit-riding microwave maintenance truck, a 4X4 Chevy pickup turned out to achieve such miserable mileage it could not make the midnight to 5am maintenance run up and down the line to Altus OK and back – and there were no fuel stops on the backroads. I was relieved of the Maverick and was handed the keys to the truck. Gee thanks, guys.
Then it snowed. Suddenly I was the most popular guy in the office. Our newsmodels were getting their sleek, sexy Mustang, Camaro and Javelin news units stuck in snowbanks, driven into icy ditches, or buried in parking lots – and all had radio communication . . . with me. When it snowed, I was Mr. Plow.
My production assistant had burned the high-floatation Goodyears off the rims performing 4-wheel brake-torqued burnouts in front of his high school that summer. Yes, like our news units, my truck had the BIG motor, LOUD exhausts, HUGE station logos painted down the side, a forest of radio antennas, and enough rotating beacons to outfit a Tijuana taxi. It was a rolling billboard – and an embarrassment for me to drive, but evidently quite impressive to the mouth-breathers on the curb at the local high school.
Bottom line, by the time the snows came that first winter, the company had replaced those big Goodyears with fine nine-dollar tires that would have been more at home on a Schwinn. Off I went into the storm armed with a good tow chain, a working knowledge of applying power to the ground, gained in the Everglades (untested in snow), and a total of about six square inches of contact patch.
Incredibly, 4WD even with tiny tires works wonders. I dragged those sexy news units out of snow, deep ditches, and even extracted one or two from misguided off-road adventures – without even breaking a sweat. I learned that getting power to everything on the ground is the key. Yes, good snow tires are infinitely better than the skinny bargain brand, but being able to rotate them has a quality all its own. I’ve had an AWD or 4WD in my stable for that reason ever since.
I learned early on about the advantages of AWD/4WD in snow. Taking a job in an Amarillo regional TV station after leaving the service in ’71, my assigned company car was a Maverick (ugh!). Our circuit-riding microwave maintenance truck, a 4X4 Chevy pickup turned out to achieve such miserable mileage it could not make the midnight to 5am maintenance run up and down the line to Altus OK and back – and there were no fuel stops on the backroads. I was relieved of the Maverick and was handed the keys to the truck. Gee thanks, guys.Then it snowed. Suddenly I was the most popular guy in the office. Our newsmodels were getting their sleek, sexy Mustang, Camaro and Javelin news units stuck in snowbanks, driven into icy ditches, or buried in parking lots – and all had radio communication . . . with me. When it snowed, I was Mr. Plow.
My production assistant had burned the high-floatation Goodyears off the rims performing 4-wheel brake-torqued burnouts in front of his high school that summer. Yes, like our news units, my truck had the BIG motor, LOUD exhausts, HUGE station logos painted down the side, a forest of radio antennas, and enough rotating beacons to outfit a Tijuana taxi. It was a rolling billboard – and an embarrassment for me to drive, but evidently quite impressive to the mouth-breathers on the curb at the local high school.
Bottom line, by the time the snows came that first winter, the company had replaced those big Goodyears with fine nine-dollar tires that would have been more at home on a Schwinn. Off I went into the storm armed with a good tow chain, a working knowledge of applying power to the ground, gained in the Everglades (untested in snow), and a total of about six square inches of contact patch.
Incredibly, 4WD even with tiny tires works wonders. I dragged those sexy news units out of snow, deep ditches, and even extracted one or two from misguided off-road adventures – without even breaking a sweat. I learned that getting power to everything on the ground is the key. Yes, good snow tires are infinitely better than the skinny bargain brand, but being able to rotate them has a quality all its own. I’ve had an AWD or 4WD in my stable for that reason ever since.
Last edited by Lil4X; 10-01-05 at 08:03 AM.
10-01-05, 07:57 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks, Lil. Most of the time, during average winters, snow in Texas is not much of an issue unless you are the Northern Panhandle up around Amarillo or Lubbock with the cold Great Plains climate or in the high elevations west of the Pecos. Occasionally, though, during or after a Blue Norther cold outbreak, you can get snow and ice farther south and east.....I spent a year in Austin some time ago and we had one nasty ice storm with glaze.
10-01-05, 08:10 AM
#13
Originally Posted by mmarshall
Try Bridgestone Blizzaks....if you can find them in your size. They are a good winter tire with a good reputation, and in conjunction with ABS, TC, transmission snow mode, and VSC, should help minimize the tendency of your rear-drive SC to act like a hockey puck.
Trac Control still sometimes throws my wheels around a bit. ABS is definetly a winner. I have snow tires, but I just got some new all weathers. So I don't really feel like unmounting the tires for snow ones. My car sits at my parents' house so I don't really drive it too often.
10-01-05, 01:50 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Lexusfreak
I'd personally stick with a Subaru........best AWD systems of that entire list hands down!
I recently bought a new Outback myself.