Ski car or ski truck?

Speaking of being cold in a crash - I always wanted to die in a pinto crash, that way my family wouldn’t have to pay for the cremation

Milo Maltbie wrote

x10003q wrote

These bugs handled the snow great...

When I was in engineering school I used to drive Taconic Parkway to Stowe every weekend. We started counting the cars that were off the road in bad weather, and almost all of them were VWs, station wagons and Oldsmobile Toronados (which were the only FWD cars back then). "Everyone knew" that VWs, station wagons and Toronados were good in the snow. It was true all those cars didn't get stuck as easily as my 1958 Biscayne, but once they got moving they were all hard to control for different reasons. The problem with VWs was that they ran low pressure front tires that would easily lose traction, which led to lose of steering. Plus you were freezing cold even before you crashed off the road.

mm

Lots of oversteer would spin them.

One of my housemates in Truckee had a bug. My recall is that it was great in the snow but yes, hard to keep warm in it. It was also the only car I ever drove that had a centrifugal clutch, which was kind of neat. I think it was a four speed.

These bugs handled the snow great but there was a serious lack of heat for the cabin and the defroster.


I ran a propane heater in my '68 bus for this very reason. Never had any issues such as the gasoline fired heaters which would set those vehicles ablaze. Agree....froze my ass off most the time while driving my heater box generated bug heat and the defroster most often sucked. Inhaled plenty of exhaust and CO over the years I tooled around in these things.

For me its a 2019 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab w/ 4wd. Has enough room for four big folk, skis and crap in the tonneau covered bed. With snow tires (non-studded) it goes in snow, and stops too.

Actually the test of a good snow car for us is not where I ski, but where we live. Which is at the bottom of a steeeeeep one lane town road with two hairpin curves on the steepest part. I don't know exactly how steep it is, but front wheel drive vehicles can spin a bit going up at the first curve. When its dry!

Our other cars are:
2008 Solara with 4 snow tires. A fantastic handling car, as long as snow doesn't come over hood!
2008 Cobalt, for kid at college in  Virginia. Front wheel drive with M&S rated all seasons. It's tolerable.
All wheel drive 2021 Suzuki SX4 w/ 4 studded snows. Probably the most underrated awd car ever made. Locking diff too.

Dougski wrote

All wheel drive 2021 Suzuki SX4 w/ 4 studded snows. Probably the most underrated awd car ever made. Locking diff too.

 Do you mean 2011?  I almost bought one of those but I thought it was too small to be useful.

TheGreatAbyss wrote

Dougski wrote

All wheel drive 2021 Suzuki SX4 w/ 4 studded snows. Probably the most underrated awd car ever made. Locking diff too.

 Do you mean 2011?  I almost bought one of those but I thought it was too small to be useful.

LOL --- I was going to say it's underrated because it was never made

The suzuki samuri was bangin!

      Do you mean 2011?  I almost bought one of those but I thought it was too small to be useful.

Yep I meant 2011!

No, its a highly useful little thing. Suzie, as its called by my kids, has a luggage rack for a ski box on top and lots of room in the back. Its a perfect little ski car for two adults + two kids. Its the hatchback version.The drive system is switchable from front wheel drive to all wheel drive to four wheel drive locked (and really locked) when you get stuck. Which doesn't happen often. The locked feature won't work over 40 MPH, it goes into all wheel drive. It's not the fastest car with its 2.0 liter engine and CV "6 speed" transmission, but it drives with go-cart like stability. My kid took a drivering course a few years ago and it was beating the mustang and charger and a supposed sports car thru the obstacle course.

In fact, I am looking to replace ours it was hit in an accident.... and the prices have gone UP since we bought ours 4 years ago. Demand for little four wheel drive cars in NYS is high.

Oh man - you're giving me life regrets, brand new that thing wasn't much more expensive then the used Ford Escape I ended up buying 2011 that gave me nothing but trouble.  

How is servicing it and finding parts?  That was my Dad's concern.

Parts and service is easy. It's an easy car to work on and Suzuki is in business all over the world, so it's a total non issue.

I will never buy Ford again. Been let down too often.

Here's an unusual one - Toyota Prius with Michelin X-Ice tires and a Yakima Rocket Box on top for the gear. Been through a few fairly intense storms and it does ok for a little FWD car.  However, will be eager to get something else in about a year.  Used to be a chevy full size truck guy (with a cap in the winter) but haven't had one in a few years.  Maybe a Rav4 or Subie next?

Most likely that set-up is good in the snow. In no way do you have enough power to spin and when you get stuck 4 dudes can pick it up and move it.

LOL, accurate.

campgottagopee wrote

when you get stuck 4 dudes can pick it up and move it.

.... An often overlooked advantage. I’m going to take this opportunity for a callback to my very special, entirely serious blog post on the subject. Make sure you click on the word “boom” for an extra special treat.
https://nyskiblog.com/kia-rio-ski-vehicle-perfection/

BOOM indeed!  #nailedit

LMAO

My big ass needs full-size

Trial by fire for Rheinhardt on Saturday 18 January.  Snowing from Dover NJ all the way to North River.  The real test was driving up Thirteenth Lake, unplowed, unsanded, and uphill.  We had to work for it but we made it.  

Peter I lost my phone, and that cool shot of your car coming over the horizon!

Harvey wrote

Peter I lost my phone, and that cool shot of your car coming over the horizon!

This is a drag.  The photo can be repeated, but the inconvenience of losing a phone.  I don't know what I'd do.