Best picks for 4wd?

[Idratherbeflying]

Originally Posted by VX Fuego

haha, those trucks are BEASTS! I've had about 5 of them and they're huge (which I love) but they're the LAST thing I would think you could save gas in. But, I'd certainly love to have one with a turbo diesel if I could get 20+mpg out of it.

If you had a turbo on one 20+ should not be hard to do i averaged 22.25 without a turbo. But when you have to go on long trips occasoinally thats still gets expensive, but if you just need a four wheel drive for when theres snow and to play offroad you cant beat em!

[UltArc]

http://www.subaru.com.au/car-advice/...owing-capacity

2013 Subaru Impreza vs. 2013 Subaru Forester vs. 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

I read the thread, but a little distracted, did anyone mention a price range? Or boat weight? I am pretty infatuated with the STi, and even the five speed base Impreza. I definitely believe any vehicle with a trailer hitch may be better than always having a truck/four/all wheel drive.

[ksa8907]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the awd vibe/matrix.

[elhigh]

How often do you tow that boat? If you're shifting it around a lot, I'm inclined to say to look for the smallest vehicle you can find with a Cummins 4BT aboard. The 4BT responds really, really well to aftermarket mods for both power and economy. Whatever truck is wearing that mill is going to be an aero mess, so you'll have lots and lots of opportunity for big, easy improvements early on to get the aero under control.

If you don't tow the boat but twice a year - in at the beginning and out at the end of the season - then skip buying and rent a truck just for the purpose. Then go get a nice used Malibu or something similarly economical and a small trailer for your material handling needs.

+1 on the 4wd ≠ snow mobility. Driver competence has way more effect on getting around in bad conditions than the vehicle; greater vehicle capability usually just means a more heroic vehicle removal effort when the driver gets it sideways and into the weeds.

[Mad Adder]

Boat is around 600 lbs and still needs work.
Schools closed today for weather.
Really starting to think a Civic with snow chains for really bad or just 4 good snows for winter.
I have a Volvo 740 turbo that gets about 20, so buying something else that gets 20 is stupid.

I would really like to get a civic first then a 4wd to use for towing

[elhigh]

Honda CR-V's lowest tow rating is 1500lbs in the US (higher in some international jurisdictions), and makes decent fuel economy when not towing.

Lots of cars with even better fuel mileage ratings will tow a boat that light. Add in limited-slip differential and/or AWD, you've got a good all-weather ride that can shoulder a load when needed.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by Ryland

Other thing to think about is just a 2 wheel drive vehicle with good snow tires, part of snow tire design is wet traction, something you need to pull a boat out and at that point you could get away with pretty much any decent car that had a solid enough body to put a trailer hitch on.
Either way, good snow tires on a 2 wheel drive car can be better then a 4 wheel drive vehicle, besides many 4 wheel drive vehicles are not designed to drive over 55mph in 4 wheel drive.

Or if it's only a few times a year that you use the boat, rent or borrow a vehicle, that is what I've done with my boat.

Tires.

The #1 factor for snow driving is tires. Not FWD/RWD/AWD.

A 2wd with winter tires will go anywhere you need and will go more places and brake and handle better than an AWD with summer tires.

To illustrate this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfuE00qdhLA

This one confirms your comment about winter tires improving wet traction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elP_34ltdWI

[UltArc]

A 600lb boat? I would then advise a 2011+ Mustang lol (1000lb rating)

For something that light, I would get whatever you want. Other than an Insight and maybe a Metro, most four cylinder's should not have an issue with that.

Tires sound like the way to go. Did we get a price range on the vehicle? The Vibe/Matrix would still be a good choice, too.

[baldlobo]

Not too sure about everyone else here; but those summer tires don't look like all-seasons, which most north americans should have on their vehicals

those summer tires look like high performance tires.

when is all-wheel drive actually all-wheel drive?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by elhigh

If you're shifting it around a lot, I'm inclined to say to look for the smallest vehicle you can find with a Cummins 4BT aboard. The 4BT responds really, really well to aftermarket mods for both power and economy. Whatever truck is wearing that mill is going to be an aero mess, so you'll have lots and lots of opportunity for big, easy improvements early on to get the aero under control.

That's one of my favorite engines