OT--good cars for snow driving? advice
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| Thu, 01-19-2006 - 5:15pm |
Hi everyone! I currently live in NE PA where the winters can get pretty nasty, and since it's starting to come up on time for me to look for a new vehicle I wanted to get opinions. I do not trust my skills very much with driving in the snow (I'm only 22, haven't had that much experience yet!) So I want to get a used vehicle that is good in the snow so that I don't have to rely on fancy driving skills as much. I currently drive a 1999 neon, and with studded snow tires all the way around the car is a dream in the snow. I feel very safe in my car and have only slid once or twice in the 4 winters I have been driving it. I know it's a low priced car...but somehow it performs like a tank in the snow once I get the studded tires on it. I've seen it go right by jeeps that were in the ditch.
Thing is, the car is getting old. Not too old mind you, actually I can probably drive it for another year or two, maybe more, but since I'm coming up on the end of my loan I'm starting to think about saving for a down payment on my next vehicle. I want to drive miss neon as long as possible, I don't expect to make anything on it to sell it so I figured I"d drive her until she started giving me problems. So far, so good. But anyway, if I'm going to start saving for another vehicle I don't really know what I'm saving for and am just starting to think about it.
Can anyone recommend a reliable long lasting vehicle that is good in the snow? Preferably something not too expensive to find used. I want to find something relatively new and lower miles. I was thinking perhaps a Honda Civic, I really love those cars and hondas are known to run forever, but I just don't know much about them when it comes to snow driving. I intend to continue to buy studded snow tires all the way around for whatever vehicle I get, but does anyone know about how civics handle in the snow? Or does anyone have a recommendation as to what vehicle to consider?
Right now I'm thinking, Honda Civic (depending on snow performance), VW Jetta or Passat (You can get Passat's with 4wd but problem is when something breaks it's more expensive cuz they are foreign cars. last forever though.) or a hyundai suv of some form, which I hate to do because they don't hold their value at all.
Any other models you might suggest? Just want to know what I might be saving for. LOL. I realize it's far off but I am a plan ahead kind of person. Heck I'm already saving for my wedding and i"m not even engaged yet...I like to be prepared.

I personally would look for a used Subaru. All of them come with AWD and do great in the snow/ice. My DH had one (until we had child #3 and three car seats wouldn't fit) but anyway, it got fairly good gas mileage, was easy (cheap) to maintain and worked like a dream in the snow and ice we had last year.
Just my two cents.
Kellie
HTH, Dawn
I'm in Northern IL, and I loved my Nissan Sentra. It was a little tank in the snow. It would be similar in size to your Neon. They last forver (like Hondas), and they are usually a little cheaper. We got rid of it only because I was pregnant with twins, and we wanted something a little bigger. I now drive a Saturn VUE, which is also decent in the snow, but I think the Nissan was better. I miss it, but I would never be able to fit the stuff that goes along with twins in a little Sentra! :)
-Sarah
Sarah
Mom to Gina & Tony
Having grown up in an area where the annual snowfall accumulation was a whopping 14 feet on average, I can tell you all about driving on snow! LOL.
I can tell you that technique will go a lot farther than the type of vehicle. I've driven my friend's old beater with BALD tires on snow and made it past trucks and SUV's stuck in the ditch. I've driven my parents old Hyundai uphill on a sheet of ice with no problem. I've been able to stop on ice without the help of ABS brakes.
But, if you really want something that will handle well in the snow without a lot of snow-driving experience, and that won't break the bank, then just stick with a regular old front-wheel drive, 4-cylinder economy sedan, like your Neon. Stay away from anything more powerful (6-cylinder and up) since more power will make it more difficult for the car to get traction on ice; and stay away from anything with rear-wheel drive because it will be more difficult to get the car uphill in ice. No need to go for a 4WD SUV or anything fancy. The best car will be something similar to what you have right now. My mother drove an old Austin Mini in the 60s and she said it was the best thing ever in the snow.
And some tips for anyone out there who HATES to drive on snow (I've seen people do this stuff countless times, so you are out there!):
- when going uphill, if you get stuck and start spinning out, drop into low or 1st gear (even on an automatic) and then VERY gently press on the gas. DO NOT put more pressure, even once you start moving. That's the mistake people make - they start moving and think they can give it more gas. NOT the case. If it takes you 5 minutes to get up a 15-second hill, so be it. Keep an even, steady pressure.
- NEVER hit the brake when you hit an icy patch during a turn. This will lock your tires and you will continue to slide. Inertia will carry you in a forward motion, even if you are trying to turn. If you let your tires roll, you will regain enough traction to allow the vehicle to continue its turn.
- when approaching a red light or stop sign, again, DO NOT slam on the brakes. Same concept as above, if you find yourself sliding, PUMP the brake, do not hold it. The ABS system on newer vehicles will do this for you - you will feel the brake pedal kicking back against your foot - do not be alarmed, this is normal. If you have ABS, DO NOT PUMP. The ABS will do the work for you.
- take it easy. If you drive 80 miles an hour on a stretch of road in summer, you can not do the same in the winter! Use common sense.
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