Good car/SUV for getting to the mountain

[Sheena]

So it was bound to happen sooner or later. I am starting to think about buying a car. I have survived this long without owning a car, mainly because I had been living in the city and relying on public transportation and taxis to get myself around. Now that I am in suburbia and am forced to drive everywhere, we thought it would be a good time to get a second car for me to drive.

Anyone have any cars that they absolutely love that are good at driving in the snow and through the mountains?

Thanks!

 

[Gloria]

Subarus are always good. Better on gas mileage than an SUV too. Depending on your budget alot of people like the Volvo station wagon. We don't have a dealr here and you have to drive elsewhere to get them fixed, so not for me, but if you have a dealer or at least mechanic close by, I would check them out also.

 

[Pequenita]

I second the Subaru. If the Outbacks are outside of your price range, I would recommend an Impreza wagon-like one. The all-wheel drive means that the gas mileage isn't the best, but it is better than an SUV as Gloria says.

 

[abc]

Second the Subaru (I mean, "third" ), provided you can come up with the cash.

As a car (with 4wd) goes, its functionality tops. Everything you ever NEED and none of the fluff you don't want.

Unfortunately, the price doesn't reflect the second part. It's expensive for what it has/does.

 

[ski diva]

And I third the Subaru. In Vermont, they're everywhere. I have the Outback, and it's a great car. Had to get new tires, though. The ones that came on it were awful.

 

[Gloria]

mileage

We should all post our mileage here in case Sheena is considerring used. Mine 01 - 178,000. Tires, brakes, trans repair, timing belt. In need of new muffler currently. I told my husband the other dya that I would rather keep it for another 50k than take on a car payment.

 

[Jilly]

For the past 10 years I've had a Jimmy or Blazer with 4 wheel drive. They don't make them anymore, so I had to choose something else when my lease expired. I haven't driven it too much in the winter yet but I like my Equinox. It's AWD and the mileage is getting better as it breaks in. Oh, and the Thule doesn't fit on the rack either. Need to get a new one that is shorter and has the slant back on it so I can open the back door.

 

[ISki]

Now that I am in suburbia and am forced to drive everywhere, we thought it would be a good time to get a second car for me to drive.

Anyone have any cars that they absolutely love that are good at driving in the snow and through the mountains?

I am in suburbia, too. Here you see a ton of Honda CRVs. They are everywhere. I drive one and really like it.

I had a Subaru wagon, the Legacy, but I like the Honda CRV better.

 

[Kiragirl]

My priority for a car has always been "will my skis fit?" and good tires. I have a Hyundai Tiberon and it does fine. Drove out of Killington in a spring blizzard, no problem if you take it easy and pump the brakes (yes, I have no ABS). I learned how to drive in snow many moons ago.

 

[Sheena]

So far it looks like the Subaru is a winning choice!

It is one of my options, the cars I am considering are:

1) Subaru Outback
2) Jeep Liberty or Jeep Patriot
3) Suzuki XL7
4) Toyota RAV4

We have been leaning towards the Subaru, but are going to try all 4 to see which "feels" best, as they all seem relatively similar.

I have wanted a Hyundai Tiberon for a long time, just because I like the way they look. But not sure if it would be practical for long trips or even trips to our local hill and even monthly trips to SLC from Logan, UT.

 

[cyn]

We also have a Subaru - our third. Ours is a Forester - with manual transmission. We have taken it everywhere in all conditions and the performance (and gas mileage) are great.
Another thing we like about this car: a top safety rating, and it has a lower profile, so there's less risk of rollovers.

 

[Kiragirl]

I'm not an expert on it, but Jeeps are probably the most gas-guzzlingest of the ones I seen mentioned.

 

[Gloria]

check the interior space

I have a friend with a liberty and she has been very dissapointed. For the size of it's exterior appearance, she has a really tough time with the actual space of the car inside. "It's just not layed out very well" Be sure and check those small SUV's for rollover ratings, alot of them tip over if you hit anything bigger than a pebble. I would agree that you can get alot of places just as well with front wheel drive, I used to take my front wheel drive skiing more than my 4wd when I had the choice.

 

[sibhusky]

If I had the money for a new car, I'd probably get the Subaru Outback and I live in Montana, so we have winter. What I have is an Audi Avant, which is a manualy AWD and is wonderful....except for the number of repairs. It has 127,000 miles and I just hope it keeps going. The last Audi was wonderful, but this one has not been. Don't get me wrong, if I was going over a snowy pass, there is NO other car I'd want to be in. I have studded Nokian Hakkapellita 2 (sp?) tires all around and the car handles it all. Of course, I've never believed (like some SUV owners I've seen) that features can overcome the basic laws of physics.

 

[Pequenita]

Oh, I should probably add that my Subaru spent its first year in New England. It was pretty snowy that year, and I spent a lot of time going into the White Mtns. The car handled it well. Some fishtailing around a few turns in my neighborhood, but that was probably just me going too fast. My outback sedan is a solid vehicle. Everything else seems like a tin can to me, now.

The paint comes off easily if you graze concrete pylons in a parking garage. Not that I know that from firsthand knowledge....

 

[Little Lightning]

I vote for the CRV 05 or later. There are some safety features (stability control, side & head protection airbags and abs) on the 05 that were not on standard on earlier versions.

The inside is amazingly roomy, it fits our 2 bikes, standing up, without taking the front wheels off. We still have room for luggage, camping equipment, etc.

Kathi

 

[tcarey]

Subie hands down!

T

 

[ski now work later]

Subarus are very popular here in Western MA and Vermont (my ex-husband has driven one for years). When I started skiing, I traded in my Toyota Sienna minivan and bought a Toyota Highlander. AWD and handles super well. I bought a Thule box for up top and can fit several pair of skis and a board or two in it. It's considered to be a small SUV, though the newer ones are a bit larger and also are available as a hybrid (with a higher price tag).

 

[tradygirl]

You may want to consider a Honda Element. We bought one last summer and it has been the most usable car I've ever had. It's excellent in the snow (it has on-demand AWD) and if you put snow tires on it, it would be unstoppable. Last year, it hauled me up to Alta week after week with no snow tires and I never felt like I didn't have enough control. The ground clearance is about the same as a Subaru Outback. There's tons of leg room and head room and the second row of seats is "stadium style" so it's great for your passengers. With a rocket box on top and a bike rack on the back, this car has been perfect for everything from skiing to biking to climbing to camping. It is the best car for road trips!

They look funny, but go test drive one before you write it off. And in terms of quality....hey, it's a honda!!

 

[abc]

Of course, I've never believed (like some SUV owners I've seen) that features can overcome the basic laws of physics.

The laws of physics dictates the higher the viehcle, the more likelihood of rollover!

That's why the Subie is such a darling of the ski crowd. It's LOW.

It also makes it easier for us shorties to put skis on the roof.

After a storm, you'll often see scores of SUV's on the roadside in the ditch. How many of them are Subarus and Audi's? Not many. Why? SUV's are heavier so it take longer to stop. Laws of physics again. That makes the difference between the AWD cars able to drive back on the lane after a minor skid, or the SUV's ended up in the ditch!