I was thinking the other day how driving the miata around here in the winter will probably suck, and if I could get a good car for the winter what I could get.

Only rules are it must be relatively new and not a shitbox, not be an SUV or truck, and something you think would be ideal for driving in the wintry conditions around here.

this is all hypothetical btw, its not like I'm looking for ideas on what to go buy, it just made me think of a decent TWW garage debate topic.

and go!

8/2/2007 11:35:39 AM

8/2/2007 12:25:08 PM

you could just buy a truck like a real man, but its not like it ever snows here anyway for christ's sake

8/2/2007 12:27:10 PM

subaru

8/2/2007 12:33:01 PM

You know compared to any of these cars a truck won't drive nearly as well in mild to moderate snow.

8/2/2007 12:33:06 PM

^ bull fuckin shit

8/2/2007 12:48:05 PM

oh snap.

we have a challenge

8/2/2007 1:08:27 PM

i hate driving in the snow with trucks, I like my 97 Honda accord fwd that thing is the best. Subaru outback is my vote.

8/2/2007 1:15:55 PM

a RWD truck is about as bad as it gets in the snow...


but, winter? what winter?

8/2/2007 1:20:59 PM

Redneck have truck!

Redneck drive in snow!

[Edited on August 2, 2007 at 1:33 PM. Reason : *]

8/2/2007 1:32:53 PM

Quote :

"a RWD truck with a shitty driver is about as bad as it gets in the snow..."

i have never had the need to even use the 4wd on my truck in the snow or ice, if you are used to driving a car, then you will be used to a car in the snow, i however have always driven trucks, and can handle them extremly well on road ( as Jeepman, and southern4x4 can testify to me drifting them on off ramps) and off road, and being able to brake check someone while smoothly sliding the back end into their lane


it's all about throttle control, and a deft touch on the steering in the snow, people who drive little compact cars have trouble driving a high powered rwd, period



[Edited on August 2, 2007 at 1:42 PM. Reason : blah]

8/2/2007 1:41:24 PM

From personal experience, I'd say a small SUV w/all time 4WD would be the easiest to drive in the snow. My favorite snow car thus far was my 85' Cherokee w/selec-trac. It was light, way underpowered, and had an all time 4WD option.

I know this doesn't fit the criteria of the OP, but thought I'd share.

I'd choose the Cherokee over the suby because:

1. they're $500 and it doesn’t matter if you ditch it
2. you have some ground clearance if the snow is high enough. (sometimes when the heavier snow is plowed, if you don't have some clearance then it makes it hard to pull into parking lots and such)
3. I've heard some of the newer subys had an issue with snow packing in on the fender wells and causing problems (source: car talk radio from a year ago)
4. I prefer jeeps in general though this isn't a valid point, it is merely a personal preference


P.S.- experiance came from living in the mountains 30 min north of Asheville for all of my driving life
where is actually snows

8/2/2007 1:56:46 PM

I like the Volvo's interior.


69 I will laugh when you roll your truck you fucking dumb ass.

[Edited on August 2, 2007 at 2:28 PM. Reason : interior]

8/2/2007 2:10:53 PM

^ not gonna happen, only 16 yo girls and people like you do that stuff



you gotta know the limits of the suspension travel and when one side bottoms, you have to give it enough power to slide the back end without losing control until it unloads

8/2/2007 2:41:21 PM

Not really, all it takes is a unevenly paved surface, like Hillsborough St exit off the outer beltline. Keep it up tough guy, you will roll it. Then they'll have to get the hydraulic tools out to cut out your fat ass.

8/2/2007 3:52:26 PM

i know that when i drive in snow i like as little weight over my drive wheels as possible!!!

8/2/2007 4:44:01 PM

evo?

8/2/2007 4:59:03 PM

I was really happy driving my outback through the little bit of snow Raleigh had for the past few years.

8/2/2007 5:06:11 PM

WRX

8/2/2007 6:44:48 PM

I dont know how anyone in their right mind would suggest a RWD vehicle when asked which car would be good for nothing but snow conditions.

How the fuck?



Ask me what would make a good track car ?

Honda Civic

[Edited on August 2, 2007 at 6:50 PM. Reason : .]

8/2/2007 6:49:59 PM

rwd ftw!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2f9cgm6Kok

i delivered pizza all over north raleigh that night. it was during the wild ice thing that shut down raleigh a couple of years ago.

8/2/2007 6:54:31 PM

subie hands down

8/2/2007 8:22:35 PM

definitely. trucks/suv's are just as good in a straight line, but a subaru (and any awd car for that matter) generally will stomp all over one in turns/handling.

8/2/2007 8:31:35 PM

who doesn't want a car with a acd switch for snow, Tarmac and gravel....evo wagon ftw

8/2/2007 11:10:38 PM

i wonder how my Evo would do in snow with pure summer tires (like those Azenis)?

I mean, like, substantial snow, and in mountainous terrain (like driving from my house up to Mount Baker, or to Stephens' Pass, or up to Whistler, BC)...


I might sell it before winter, anyway. Gotta see if baby's mama is gonna stop fucking me out of unneeded child support money (should finally know something for sure in the next few weeks).

8/3/2007 12:58:34 AM

F7 Fire cat FTW

8/3/2007 1:12:44 AM

^^ probably pretty shitty because you wont be able to keep what little tread you have clear

8/3/2007 1:22:14 AM

What do you think about the Volvo V50 AWD?

8/3/2007 7:53:04 AM

Quote :

"i wonder how my Evo would do in snow with pure summer tires (like those Azenis)?"

poorly

8/3/2007 8:17:49 AM

azenis + snow = stuck.

ask me how i know...

8/3/2007 11:04:41 AM

plus lots of boost doesn't make it any easier. i had to disable the wastegate on my dsm to get any amount of traction with my dsm in the snow. it was running A LOT more boost than stock though...

8/3/2007 11:31:34 AM

i've never had problems with traction in the snow, could be cause i'm running these:





try fittin those on a scooby doo

8/3/2007 11:36:31 AM

A front wheel drive oldsmobile or lumina with some m/s tires on it can be suprisingly capable in snow.

8/3/2007 3:01:12 PM

^^^ and i'm sure still less than even a stock Evo. mine doesn't really spool until about 3500ish...definitely not before 3000. i don't think that would be too big of a deal, really.

^^^^ see, i know the Azenis would be terrible for snow, but with AWD and LSD's front and rear, you still don't think it would be a decent snow driver?

8/5/2007 5:22:29 PM

most of the typical garage crew knows about as much about snow driving as i do about being a nascar driver.

the number 1 thing about snow driving is not being afraid of it but still respect it all these southern retards think a truck can drive on the snow just as good as it can on asphalt but when they go into a slide they shit themselves and stomp the stop pedal and doh... now they can't steer.

all of those wagons have some sort of traction control and torque manipulation that most trucks still don't have.

8/5/2007 5:38:02 PM

yeah, driving on snow isn't rocket surgery. i remember in my YJ with 31" ATs and open rear diff, I rarely had any use for 4x4 in the snow. i can't imagine that an AWD car with LSD in front AND rear wouldn't be well above average in the snow, slush, or even ice, even with summer tires.

8/5/2007 5:51:33 PM

before it starts to get waaaay off topic, lets remember what winter driving is around here. Rarely are you going to be driving through tons of snow, hence the lack of including trucks (no need for ground clearance) I'm more concerned with dealing with the ice and slippery slushy shit we get.

8/5/2007 8:16:00 PM

subaru awd

8/5/2007 10:38:28 PM

^^ yeah, i'm talking about driving in WA and British Columbia (and in mountainous areas)...need quite a bit more capability than you will.

in fact, if i were you, i just wouldn't worry about it at all. i'd just stay home or bum a ride on the maybe 2 days per year it snows (if the miata won't hack it).

8/5/2007 11:24:33 PM

Quote :

"see, i know the Azenis would be terrible for snow, but with AWD and LSD's front and rear, you still don't think it would be a decent snow driver?"

well... mine were bald also..

8/6/2007 12:34:26 AM

well, what kind of car were they on?

8/6/2007 12:44:21 AM

^^^ I'm not really THAT worried about it, before the miata I had a 240 and I managed ok. Of course I cared a lot less about that car, whereas this one I would hate to fuck up. I wouldn't be able to afford a second car anyway, but I thought the discussion would be interesting.

8/6/2007 3:54:34 AM