I think some people are missing my point. I didn't put her down or say she was stupid. Just pointing out that she went into the car buying process with no knowledge of what car she was walking out with.

A whole lot of car buyers (for the last 20 years) have been driving FWD cars and are used to the safety net it provides. When they get in a RWD car and it's wet or snow on the ground they don't know what to do.

She had a hard time driving it in the snow and I informed her about the possibility of getting winter tires.

I wonder if she related to the salesman what she wanted (if she was looking for FWD) and it was dismissed or if she didn't say either way.

I'm not putting down the RX-8 and don't think it's a chick car, I would take it over most FWD cars in the segment.

Now she is thinking about keeping her Eclipse that needs work so she will have a back-up car for the winter. She's thinking about having two cars because she got a RWD car and was not prepared for having a RWD car in the snow.

I like to have several cars at a time so I can drive different cars for different needs. My good friend has both a SLK350 and a A6 he drives the A6 in the snow, except one time he drove the SLK and we got an unexpected snow storm and he slid into a ditch and had to wait 2+ hrs for a tow.

 

No offense, but your friend needs to learn how to drive (assuming he had all seasons on, and not summer tires). AWD should be a luxury, not a necessity when it snows. I got my GS 400 through the (admittedly mild) winter without any trouble at all. I even had to drive my Corvette with 285/35/ZR 19 summer tires through the snow with some light accumulation and it was not a problem. If you drive sensibly, you won't crash into a ditch regardless of how much snow there is. At the most you might get stuck if your tires aren't appropriate for the conditions but nobody should be blaming RWD for an accident

 

You know what's funny? I saw an RX-8 driven by a girl yesterday, but I don't think it's a chick car. Today I saw two RX-8, one red and one gray (what a coincidence), and both are driven by men.

 

A8 is available in FWD and multitronic in other countries, combines with a 3.2L V6.

 

Why is it the salesman's fault for selling your friend a RWD car? If he told him the RX8 is a FWD car then that sure is a problem, but did he do that?

Just because the salesperson didn't mention every single detail to the customer doesn't mean he's preying on them.

 

Funny, I've never seen a woman driving one. I've seen dozens and they all had men behind the wheel.

Yes they do. But seriously, imagine the world without cars.
(We'd still be stuck in the 1800's).

EVERYONE should know the drivetrain of their car. It's dangerous not to.
Of course a person driving a RWD car in snow will quickly find out that it's RWD when they start spinning in circles down the highway, lol.

 

Ah but not in Amerikkka. The only country that counds.

Yes I'm being serious, small engines are fake.

Manowar said it right -- Death to false metal!

 

Um, what??

 

*Counts,
But I guess we can't spell either

 

I wasn't really talking about spelling but rather what seemed to be implied.

 

If it is a "chick" car, then WHY does Car and Driver think so highly of it, except maybe for its lack of low-end torque ...and especially for its outstanding handling? I can asssure you....Patrick Bedard, Csaba Csede, and John Phillips, unless they wear wigs and falsies off-duty, are NOT chicks...they are some of the most respected male auto writers in the buisness, and Brock Yates, though I thought him a moron, was, automotively, the ultimate Anti-Chick.

Just one more reason why automotive 'Image", as I've said so many times, is nonsense. We hear the same nonsense about the Miata and and VW Beetles and convertibles being "chick" cars, yet one of our most respected CL male moderators.......bitkahuna......just bought a Miata, and LOVES it.

 

do you *really* want the salesman to give you information? O.o

Hell i was told the evo MR 6-speed had more hp then a regular....lol

 

You are correct that, driven VERY carefully, and with decent winter tires, (and I know from experience), that RWD can sometimes go in slippery conditions, but it is not an ideal setup, it can be very tricky at times, it is just asking for trouble, and IMO, anyone who NEEDS to drive regularly on slippery roads should NOT buy a RWD-only vehicle, even with ABS and electronic traction/stability systems.
I, myself, am a convert to Subaru's flat-engine AWD systems....on slippery roads, there is NOTHING like it. I'm hooked.

 

I believe my friend with the SLK350 has summer tires on them, more reason to keep a sharp eye on the weather forcast. I convert my S2000 to winter tires but still don't prefer to drive in a bad storm.

 

The S2000 is a poor vehicle in snow for more reasons than just the RWD setup. The light weight, darty steering, and short gearing all work against traction and stability (though, of course, you can start off in 2nd or 3rd gear if you want) .....and the very low ground clearance prevents the car from going through snow any more than a couple of inches deep, even if you DO have traction.