Now that 200,000+ Americans sold their "clunker" suvs

[toesuf94]

How many of you predict mass carnage on the highways this winter now that a lot of people left their SUV's and pick-ups with the crusher in exchange for lighter, front-wheel drive compacts that don't fare as well on snowy and ice covered highways?

Also, how many of you predict that a lot of the buyers of the very same compacts will be buying a new truck this winter?

[balthazar]

Now sure of the quantity, but I would think a great portion of truck drivers are fairly competant in the snow, so if they indeed went to a FWD econobox, they may not be happy with the traction, but they shouldn't be running up telephone poles to a huge extent. I drove a RWD truck for 13-some years- never a problem.

On the Right Coast, it's been miserably wet this summer- if this continues into the winter, yes; a LOT of ex-truckers are going to get back into trucks, IMO.

Meanwhile, I'll be plowing in one of my buddy's 28 plow trucks and raking in the cashmoney.

[FAPTurbo]

I predict fewer, because every time I've been to Saskatchewan, it's always the people in SUV's and trucks who slide into the ditches because they think their 4WD systems will still let them go super fast on an slick icy road.

[Drew Dowdell]

The vehicles I usually see spun off the side of the road in a bad storm are Lincoln Navigators and BMW X5s

[A Horse With No Name]

The vehicles I usually see spun off the side of the road in a bad storm are Lincoln Navigators and BMW X5s

Exactly. You guys know mypassion for salvage yards. I see lots of rolled SUV's.

Something like a Suburu AWD would be much better, much more fuel efficient, and just a better driving experience IMHO.

Chris

[pow]

The best-selling C4C vehicle, according to Edmunds, is an SUV with stability control - the Ford Escape.

Edited September 11, 2009 by pow

[the_yellow_dart]

Escapes are old enough to qualify??

[pow]

Escapes are old enough to qualify??

No, the Escape is the most purchased new vehicle under C4C.

[the_yellow_dart]

Oops. DUH. Misread it, sorry.

[toesuf94]

Here in Iowa my experiences seem to differ from those around the country...I see a lot more FWD cars lining the ditches of the highways - I guess that was what brought out my thought process. I guess for all of your sakes, I am glad to see it is a geographically isolated issue.

[siegen]

I don't think it has so much to do with the vehicle as it does the driver.

[A Horse With No Name]

This suggestion would probably drive teh ricer civic nuts, but we need a drivers ed system that is more like that of finland than that of the US.

In a lot of places in europe there is a lot of real drivers education going on, in terms of how to actually drive a car.

Chris

[Paolino]

I'm hoping that since they realize they don't have their "4 wheel drive" anymore, they'll actually NOT drive 80 during a nor'easter. I can't stand people who use the rationale that their 4WD/AWD vehicle means hey won't skid around.

And as mentioned earlier, the majority of cars I see on the side of the road in accidents during inclement weather are SUVs.

[Paolino]

This suggestion would probably drive teh ricer civic nuts, but we need a drivers ed system that is more like that of finland than that of the US.

In a lot of places in europe there is a lot of real drivers education going on, in terms of how to actually drive a car.

Chris

In Italy you actually have to know basic car maintenance in order to get a license. I had to teach my friend Stacy how to add windshield washer fluid when she was 19.

[mustang84]

I'll be doing just the opposite. This winter I'll be doing it with a RWD daily driver for the first time, so it'll be interesting to see how that goes. I have driven RWD in the snow before, but it was a 5,000 lb E-350 loaded up with another 2,000 lbs of meat. From what I've heard, RWD may be easier to kick out the back end if you're driving too fast for conditions, but from personal experience with FWD you lose nearly all steering ability when you lose traction.

Edited September 12, 2009 by mustang84

[ocnblu]

Agreed about the orientation idiosyncrasies, mustang. I am for the time being (not unhappily so far) in a FWD small car for the winter. But I prefer the ability to steer with the throttle as you can do in a RWD vehicle over a complete loss of steering and therefore directional control you get when trying to negotiate a turn that requires use of throttle in snow in a FWD vehicle.

[A Horse With No Name]

In Italy you actually have to know basic car maintenance in order to get a license. I had to teach my friend Stacy how to add windshield washer fluid when she was 19.

Not blowing smoke your way but...the Italians really do almost everything better than we 'mericans IMHO.

Maybe not really, but I am impressed with the way they do a lot of things.

[A Horse With No Name]

I'll be doing just the opposite. This winter I'll be doing it with a RWD daily driver for the first time, so it'll be interesting to see how that goes. I have driven RWD in the snow before, but it was a 5,000 lb E-350 loaded up with another 2,000 lbs of meat. From what I've heard, RWD may be easier to kick out the back end if you're driving too fast for conditions, but from personal experience with FWD you lose nearly all steering ability when you lose traction.

Ding, ding, ding...We have a winner. Which is why FWD cars get "in trouble" if you get them off of a racing line sometimes.

In an Autocross or a Road racing situation, getting a car out of where the other cars have been will put you "in the marbles" (fine layer of gravel/dirt on the racing surface) and you can loose traction and control. I've told this story before, but it happened to the guy I used to crew for, Rolland Hahn. He was driving a Pace car (of all things) at Mid Ohio. NAPA happened to be sponswering the races then, and he was told that he would be giving the grandchildren (ages 11 and 12) of the NAPA vice president an "E-Ticket Ride" in the Prelude pace car before the race.

He managed to get out of the racing line and spin the car, fortunately into the grass and into the tire wall with almost no damage to car or kiddos. But his pride took a big hurt.

I would much rather try to recover a RWD car than an FWD car when it starts to spin. I've been stupid enough to loose control in both, alas.

Chris

[caddycruiser]

I'll be doing just the opposite. This winter I'll be doing it with a RWD daily driver for the first time, so it'll be interesting to see how that goes. I have driven RWD in the snow before, but it was a 5,000 lb E-350 loaded up with another 2,000 lbs of meat. From what I've heard, RWD may be easier to kick out the back end if you're driving too fast for conditions, but from personal experience with FWD you lose nearly all steering ability when you lose traction.

No problem...

Heck, I've had my G8 with the 19" summer Bridgestones out in snow, slush, and solid ice for a few days this past March...no problem. I wouldn't recommend snowy mountain driving with my configuration, but flat & straight around here I was fine, especially with ESP and near 50/50 weight distribution. Like with my Fleetwood, as well, before, I'll take a RWD car that by nature handles 10x better than a front heavy FWD'r that can "dig" through better any day in the elements. As much better as it handles on a sunny day and is easier to control, the same holds true in snow/ice aside from basic traction to get going at times.

[mustang84]

No problem...

Heck, I've had my G8 with the 19" summer Bridgestones out in snow, slush, and solid ice for a few days this past March...no problem. I wouldn't recommend snowy mountain driving with my configuration, but flat & straight around here I was fine, especially with ESP and near 50/50 weight distribution. Like with my Fleetwood, as well, before, I'll take a RWD car that by nature handles 10x better than a front heavy FWD'r that can "dig" through better any day in the elements. As much better as it handles on a sunny day and is easier to control, the same holds true in snow/ice aside from basic traction to get going at times.

I'm debating whether to get some Blizzak's for the LS this winter. Right now it's riding on Continental all-season tires. Are winter tires really necessary if you take it slow?

[daves87rs]

I'm debating whether to get some Blizzak's for the LS this winter. Right now it's riding on Continental all-season tires. Are winter tires really necessary if you take it slow?

I would. I've been hearing about that " bad" winter coming....

I would actually like to try some...