4WD Advise Requested

apphd

San, as I said in my post I got mine early spring 07 so I have not had much of a chance to test it in snow. I expect to do that some time soon but that will not help you with the $$ time line you are trying to beat. What I can say is I have needed to "plow" through deep snow with other vehicles, some 4WD some not. You will always have the advantage with 4WD. But there will always be limitations to what you can do with anything you drive. Ice, deep snow, deep water etc. I also can say I would not hesitate to try driving through 10" of snow with my RAV. Just not sure how far I would get yet. Ground clearance is more important when off roading to go over hard objects that can damage things down under. IMHO. I have had to deal with driving in crap during the winter my whole life and you develop skills with experience. Those "skills" will have much to do with any vehicles snow ability. The only problem with driving in snow significantly deeper than ground clearance, is when you start packing the snow under you to the point that you end up with your tires off the ground to a point they can no longer dig through the snow for traction. This will depend on many things weight, type of snow, tires, etc. So there is no one answer. When things get to a point that I do not think my vehicle, and my skills can get me there safely, I just stay put. Since your options there are limited, maybe you can find some type of emergency/first responder people in your area and get some info on what they drive. I was picking on you about everything shutting down in your area with a couple inches of snow, but I am not joking when I say probably your biggest concern when you have to roll under those circumstances will be the others on the road with out enough winter skills, bad tires and the lack of enough sense to drive differently than they would on a sunny summer day.

Serendipity

I think you would be okay with the 4Runner.

MillerLiteScott

I got stuck once driving down a street that had not been driven on but we had 27" of snow. I had to back up through my own tracks. Stock 4X4 F150.
A vehicle will plow through deeper snow than the clearence and your tires also ride on top of several inches of snow.

Poee7R

I would say keep the car you have now and look for a late 90's used jeep cherokee classic 4wd and throw some agressive knobbed tires on it.

I used to live in western NC in the smokey mountains, i had a 5 series bmw back then that was absolutely horrible in the snow (RWD). So one day after being snowed in and having to call into work i went out and bought myself a jeep cherokee classic 4wd, with the 4.0 liter 6 cylinder. Well long story short, I went to the local tire place, bought the nastiest looking knobbiest tires they had and never got stuck ever again in countless snow storms etc. When the big full size trucks (F150, 1500's etc) were spinning tires and watching the rear end slide infront of them I just drove by with the biggest **** eating grin that i could muster.

Best of all is i believe I payed around 4k for the jeep so i wasnt worried if i decided to play around and beat it up a little bit.

And keep in mind, whatever you buy probably wont have tires made for snow so that will be a cost factor also. Tall and skinny is the name of that game.


Dave

Sansui

apphd wrote: »

San, as I said in my post I got mine early spring 07 so I have not had much of a chance to test it in snow. I expect to do that some time soon but that will not help you with the $$ time line you are trying to beat.
(etc.)
I say probably your biggest concern when you have to roll under those circumstances will be the others on the road with out enough winter skills, bad tires and the lack of enough sense to drive differently than they would on a sunny summer day.

Thank you for the info and your thoughts. They are appreciated! I've lived here for 30 years and the most snow we've gotten at one time is 12". More of the bigger ones have been 8" to 10" so that's why I asked about the 10" snows. Usually it's 3" to 6" or 7" so I'm trying to make sure that I can deal with those amounts "easily". (Idiots on the road = understood.) I've never taken my Cavalier out in a 3" or more snow due to it's ground clearance.

Sansui

appadv wrote: »

I think you would be okay with the 4Runner.

I've tried to find a second choice and for what I'm looking for and what the SR5 or SR5 Sport has to offer, there isn't one.

I've talked to three people in parking lots that were leaving or getting into theirs and none of them can come up with a bad thing to say about theirs. I value their "reviews" as much if not more than the "professional" ones.

Most of the "internet gripes" have to do with the gas mileage. I'm not too concerned about that. My `99 Cavalier has only 36,000+ miles on it right now...

The last few days of December and the first week of January a friend of mine in Florida is coming in to visit his family. Just before I met him years ago he was a new car salesman and met me at a local dealer when I bought my Cavalier. What I didn't know until a few days ago is that he was a Toyota new car salesman. He's offered again to go to a local dealer with me to make sure I don't "get taken for a ride". So everything is in place for me to get what I want and at a good deal except for the money...

Sansui

MillerLiteScott wrote: »

I got stuck once driving down a street that had not been driven on but we had 27" of snow. I had to back up through my own tracks. Stock 4X4 F150.

Didn't realize you're only 25 min. from me (near Archbishop Curley High). Was that when we had those three 12" snows within a five day period? I remember a military Hummer got stuck in the intersection next to my house. They called another one to get it on the roll again...

A vehicle will plow through deeper snow than the clearence and your tires also ride on top of several inches of snow.

Understood. I figured it would handle plowing through an inch or two of fresh falling snow without too much trouble.

Sansui

Poee7R wrote: »

I would say keep the car you have now and look for a late 90's used jeep cherokee classic 4wd and throw some agressive knobbed tires on it.
(etc.)
Best of all is i believe I payed around 4k for the jeep so i wasnt worried if i decided to play around and beat it up a little bit.

And keep in mind, whatever you buy probably wont have tires made for snow so that will be a cost factor also. Tall and skinny is the name of that game.

Dave

I'm giving my Cavalier to my son for X-mas. It's only got 36,000+ miles on it and is in perfect condition. I'm need a good all around vehicle so the more aggressive tires would be kind of out of the question for the driving I do. I appreciate your advise though!