Posted: 9/20/2009 8:24:27 AM EDT
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Please recommend a front wheel drive vehicle that handles well in slick conditions (moderate snow/black ice/rain). I'm looking to spend 5k-9k with under 30k miles. I want adequate acceleration (suggest an engine) while maintaining a decent MPG. Reliability is key. So far I've been recommended an Impala or Grand Prix. Any other suggestions? |
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Altimas are great. The 2.4L is reliable as hell, too. Newer ones (with the 2.5L/3.5L) have some issues, but most of the used ones out there should have those taken care of by now. One thing to note - no vehicle out there does well on black ice. Doesn't matter what you're driving, if you hit it too fast, you're screwed. I've seen tracked Bobcats have problems with it. |
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Quoted:
One thing to note - no vehicle out there does well on black ice. Doesn't matter what you're driving, if you hit it too fast, you're screwed. I've seen tracked Bobcats have problems with it. Smaller vehicles that weigh less are a little better. It's easier to push or pull them out of the ditch. 
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Heres one with more miles but the right price, 230 hp, 5.5 seconds to 60. Plus it has limited slip (both front tires will lay rubber) in the winter that translates that both front tires will spin for better traction.
The kicker is being able to beat Mustangs stoplight to stoplight and seeing the drivers face. SRT-4 turbo http://www.lemonfree.com/43074837.html |
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Quoted: Please recommend a front wheel drive vehicle that handles well in slick conditions (moderate snow/black ice/rain). I'm looking to spend 5k-9k with under 30k miles. I want adequate acceleration (suggest an engine) while maintaining a decent MPG. Reliability is key. So far I've been recommended an Impala or Grand Prix. Any other suggestions? Slap a set of snow tires on any car and it will handle snow without drama. |
| My '06 Toyota Matrix does quite well in the snow. I drove a '91 Dodge Grand Caravan for eight years, it did great in the snow, and got decent gas mileage if I kept my foot out of it (3.3L V6). If you want good gas mileage, I'd say to look at a used Japanese make. |
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Quoted:
Please recommend a front wheel drive vehicle that handles well in slick conditions (moderate snow/black ice/rain). I'm looking to spend 5k-9k with under 30k miles. I want adequate acceleration (suggest an engine) while maintaining a decent MPG. Reliability is key. So far I've been recommended an Impala or Grand Prix. Any other suggestions? I assume you mean for winter. Any FWD or AWD with snow tires. You should be able to get a set with rims for less than 1k, the set for my Ford Probe was about 400, including 15" alloy rims. Use the smallest diameter rims you can get. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Please recommend a front wheel drive vehicle that handles well in slick conditions (moderate snow/black ice/rain). I'm looking to spend 5k-9k with under 30k miles. I want adequate acceleration (suggest an engine) while maintaining a decent MPG. Reliability is key. So far I've been recommended an Impala or Grand Prix. Any other suggestions? I assume you mean for winter. Any FWD or AWD with snow tires. You should be able to get a set with rims for less than 1k, the set for my Ford Probe was about 400, including 15" alloy rims. Use the smallest diameter rims you can get. Yes. I live in southern Indiana. Lots of ice and we get our fair share of snow falls (last big one was 18"...no I won't be trying to drive with that.) I've driven a Camaro as my day to day driver for the past 6 years w/o any slide offs...so you could say I know how to handle icy/snow conditions. AWD = higher insurance, better traction, higher MPG correct? Our worst weather is December to February so is AWD really worth the extra cost (this is what swayed me away from a '05/'06 5.7L Cherkee)? I'm single, but after having a 2 door vehicle, I'd enjoy the extra space of a 4 door vehicle. I hope I answered all of you questions. |
Most FWD's will fill your needs as mentioned with good tires. Not to mention that the traction control (computer) involved today helps greatly. I just wanted to add that when shopping for a used FWD car use caution with the miles and condition of vehicle. The CV joints seem to go out on all the FWD's I've owned at around 40K. And I've had a few over the years. Maybe I'm harder on them than most folks but I bet the younger fellas are harder on them than me.
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Late 90s Ford Escort. I bought my 1998 used back in 2004 for about $4k (had about 36,000 miles on it). We had one of the worst snowstorms on record back home (Portland, OR) and that was the best little car you could ask for in the snow. Great car otherwise, too. Most Late-90s Escorts nowadays aren't going to have less than 100,000, but they're still good cars even at 100,000 miles. |
| A 2007 Suzuki SX4 Crossover might be worth looking for - They weren't particularly expensive brand-new, and have hideous resale value. The "Crossover" version is AWD, which should provide excellent traction. Suzuki reliability has been very good in recent years, and has a 100K mile powertrain warranty that is transferable to the second owner when the car is sold as a used vehicle. |