Can I get away with RWD in my specific situation?
Posted by ThaDude915@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 81 comments
TLDR Below
Hey all,
I'm a pretty big car guy and right now have a great two car solution, but unfortunately I'm bEiNg FiNaNciAlLy ReSpONsIbLe and going down to 1 car for a few years to meet some money goals, as well as to open up a garage space for my Gf to move in.
I'm in the Denver metro area, so snow is a factor but honestly we get less than people think and it tends to be plowed / melt quickly. I also work in office but I can call out or WFH on a bad storm, I don't ever *need* to drive. My fun car was a C6 Grandsport, previously I had an LS1 Camaro and I got pretty heavily into sim racing recently so I'm fairly comfortable with RWD dynamics. That being said I've never driven RWD in the snow. I've obviously driven in the snow, but always with AWD or FWD. I've researched RWD in the snow pretty thoroughly, and I'm pretty confident with good snow tires and some weight in the trunk I'd be fine around Denver.
The problem is that 1. Denver's roads are kinda lame, mostly a straight grid pattern (the good stuff is in the mountains) and 2. My Gf wants to try to do 3-4 long weekends in the mountains a year. I'm worried that with RWD I'll be much more limited in the mountains in the winter. I can check the forecast but sometimes in the mountains it rolls in much faster / quicker than expected and i70 can turn into a shitshow fast. We may be able to take her car, she's planning to get an electric SUV when she moves in but electrics have a whole different challenge in the mountains (charging).
So right now my thought process is an AWD sports car is going to be less of a headache in the mountains, and *I'll be able to enjoy it more* as I won't have to avoid sketchy mountain roads for part of the year. But I don't want to regret not getting a more fun, sportier RWD car.
For reference the 3 cars I'm considering are the 8Y RS3, F80 M3 and CT4V Blackwing. Open to other suggestions under $65k. Obviously a 911 would be sick but pretty tough to get a decent AWD one at my budget
Curious for everyone's take on this. Thanks!
TLDR:
I live in Denver. Going to a 1 car solution. Want something sporty I can track occasionally (2-3 times a year), use as a daily and use for mountain trips. I'm concerned about RWD being limited / sketchy in the mountains. I think I'm choosing between enjoying a less engaging AWD car 99% of the time, or a more fun RWD car 70% of the time.
ZaphodG@reddit
I lived in Burlington Vermont and drove a RWD Ford Maverick with summer tires for four years. I had season passes at Stowe. I skied every weekend driving a Ford Mustang with performance tires driving from metro Boston. I’ve worked tons in Denver over the years. It’s flat prairie. I’ve driven crap rental cars in the snow there many times. I once drove a Geo Metro from the airport to Aspen when my flight cancelled for a snowstorm. The pssses on I-70 had a foot of unplowed slop. That’s as close as I’ve ever come to not making it but I got up the hills with my foot on the floor and the car bottoming out
A good winter driver can get around Denver just fine with a RWD performance car. These days, I drive an AWD car with Nokians in the winter because I can afford it. It’s a convenience to not have to shovel and to be able to park wherever you want.
Get winter wheels with best of breed studless friction tires. Tire Rack often has closeout alloy wheels for cheap money and they’ll come with spacers installed with the correct offset. I’m a Nokian guy but every tire company makes studless friction tires. If you drive a lot, you’d be fine with all weather tires in the winter. That’s all weather with the mountain & snowflake emblem, not all season. A soft compound friction tire will wear quickly in Denver because there are so many warm days. Lunch in January, I often wore a down vest and an Oxford shirt with sunglasses. It can be pretty balmy.
Wolf_Ape@reddit
Just make sure you have a good lsd. Without that snow will turn it into a 1wd, and it’ll pick the worst wheel for the situation.
Not sure why you think only boring awd options are available in that price range. Maybe look into the less luxury/economy focused awd designs a bit more.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
It's not that I think the AWD options are boring, I think I'm choosing between great cars. It's more so that AWD tends to not be as "fun" or "drive focused" as RWD with an LSD. I've considered the RS3, M340i, Focus RS / Golf R, very briefly an STI. Anything else you'd recommend?
Wolf_Ape@reddit
I’m still enamored with the evo 8/9. I’d rather restore/build on a decent 2003 with the unlimited aftermarket and tuning support than mess with anything post 2009 honestly. You can actually get a full billet aluminum 4g63t engine block now. That is the pinnacle of aftermarket support. Waste of money, but still impressive.
I’m not much help in that regard. The evo X felt too commuter focused in my opinion. Id go back almost as far for a wrx build too. The newer corrola/yaris options are supposedly better than most late model options, but those 3cyl powertrains are built up to the practical performance limit from the factory, so that feels like a frustrating choice in the long run.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah GR Corolla is kindve out cuz of what you said, very limited ability to mod or make more power. I did consider an Evo, and tbh I’ve always leaned Evo over sti. As much as I love them as a drivers car, I do wonder how much I’ll hate my life commuting at 630 am in -5 degree weather with a shitload of road noise in that interior lol. I think if I had another daily an Evo would be a great option, but for now I am trying to find a “Goldilocks” balance of nice enough as a daily but still fun enough as a sports car. Eventually I’ll get a solid AWD daily again and buy something impractical
11I1I1@reddit
I love that people are like "i live in downtown Columbus OH amd NEED a 4wd Tahoe for the winter and my kid and my small dog."
This guys like "cam i get up Mt. Elbert with RWD and snowies?"
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
LOL, I gotta ask. I want a fun car, but also, I want to not die
SevroAuShitTalker@reddit
Get a WRX
11I1I1@reddit
Oh don't get me wrong. I LOVE it.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Lol, my buddy just did this. Him and his wife had a their first kid, and they have a 15lbs tiny dog. He hit me up like we want an SUV what should we get, I started listing all these 2 row mid size SUVs and he's like no want a 3 row SUV. Brother you have a 2 month old and a Mini Schnauzer, why tf do you need three rows? "We might have a second kid". *Two kids fit in the back of a CX5 or CRV!*
The "I need the largest possible vehicle" thing kills me
SevroAuShitTalker@reddit
I live in Denver- with proper snow/all seasons, you are fine in the city.
Mountains are a different matter
MinimumLab4362@reddit
Yes you would be fine.
What you have to remember is a good chassis is a good chassis.
Everyday Driver has done some snow tire rwd stuff and they are just in Utah. Miata Snow Tires vs awd suv
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah I watched that and it definitely helped. And again, I'm confident I'd be fine around town. I'm a little hesitant about how I'd do in the mountains, but I think the big factor is I've just never done RWD in snow. But hopefully with some good tires, weight in the trunk and watching the forecast I wouldn't have too many sketchy moments
MinimumLab4362@reddit
Personally I think stick and rwd are better in snow. Stick because you can engine brake and start in 2 to avoid spinning.
Rwd bc I’ll take oversteer instead of understeer every day of the week.
Also in ideal setups it works well to go down a tire size for snow tires.
The Topher also did a fun thing and made his brz into a ralley one with a lift kit
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I've heard a few people say that, tbh I've always wondered about the engine braking thing. If I'm in a RWD car in the snow and I downshift for engine braking, wouldn't that make it way more likely for the rear to get squirrely or slide out as those tires apply brakes the fronts aren't applying? Definitely tracking on the skinnier tire thing. I think I watched The Topher drift a blizzard in his E92 M3 and it looked like a blast lol
I wish there was a good way for me to test RWD in the snow and gauge my comfort level, but we got almost no snow this year (ironic considering my post I know)
MinimumLab4362@reddit
I mean the thing is if you are able to test the limit of your car in a parking lot or auto cross or something like that, then put no tire on and the first time you get snow go to a parking lot and find out where you lose control.
Then you know where you’re gonna be I found that good snow tires usually give 85% of what I would get in dry. At least in my MK8 GTI.
An engine breaking is just coasting but slowing down so you’re not affecting traction you’re still rolling you’re just allowing the engine to slow you down. As long as you rev match you won’t notice anything imho. Since you’re not touching the brakes at that point.
Potential_Pie_1610@reddit
Snow tires and bags of sand in the trunk. Absolutely fine in urban CO as well as occasional mountain trips. People are sheep these days.
Longjumping_Cow_5856@reddit
Im not sure I understand why you cant get an AWD car still?
Ive been in Denver many times where the weather just comes out of nowhere with little warning and it can be much worse in the mountains so Im always sure Ive got AWD or better when there aside from summertime really.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I'm not saying I can't, one of those three I listed at the bottom is AWD. It's more that for spirited driving / track driving AWD can be a little more limited or a little less fun than RWD. RWD sports cars have a way higher fun factor. That RS3 has some tricks with it's rear diff to help make it feel a little more RWD, but it's not the same if that makes sense. I'm more trying to gauge how limited I would be in the winter with a RWD car, especially because as you said weather changes quickly here. Denver is so flat and plows quickly that I think I'd be fine like 98% of the time, but the mountains make me a little nervous
PurpleSausage77@reddit
Both my cars are RWD, and with winter tires they are great. One has 50/50 weight distro and an LSD, the other has 40 front / 60 rear due to 1100lbs of battery sitting nicely rearward and low.
I’d love AWD/dual motor but I also love RWD. Lots of experience messing around with RWD pick up trucks and only using 4x4 when things got hairy.
Never doing FWD again.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Is your area pretty flat or do you have a good amount of inclines? That's my one real concern is how limiting it'll be in the Rockies over winter. I can always just stay in town where it's flat, but I'd like to be able to get around the mountains
No-Relationship-2169@reddit
2wd 911 will do better than all your other rwd options. With proper snow tires it’s fine. I drove a c6 in the snow for a bit. I’d considered a bit narrower tires in the rear if they’re 275+.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I've heavily considered 911's but between the cost to get into them and honestly I think I'd have more stress driving it, I probably wont go that route. I'll be worried at every little paint chip or rock, or leaving it in tight parking lots. I'd like to get into one one day, but that market is nuts right now. Even a 996 turbo with a stick is like $60-70k now
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
Holy shit so many of these people are clueless and probably don’t drive in the mountains during winter.
Please do not go out there with a RWD car. I go snowboarding almost every weekend a without fail there is always dumbasses getting stuck and fishtailing with RWD cars.
Subarus and Audi Quattro will be the best and true awd cars. Most other brands aren’t really awd it’s a gimmick. They are FWD with traction assist.
Since you like sports cars I’d look into the WRX or any Audi with Quattro. I used to have SQ5 before my F150 and loved it but dumped it before the expensive Audi maintenance. Don’t listen to the idiots saying a RWD is safe in the mountains, it’s not. FWD with snow tires you can get by just fine. AWD will be much superior and 4WD is king but idk what sports cars have 4WD.
TheRamma@reddit
Lol, don't call people idiots while you're spouting nonsense. Audi nerfed their AWD, it's Haldex FWD-bias now, for most cars. Not sure if Subaru has fallen off.
FWD isn't superior to RWD by any significant margin in the snow. If a vehicle has a ton of weight bias up front, it would be better, but that vehicle would still suck ass because of the potential to overdrive the fronts with steering and turning. On steep ascents, where things usually get hairy, FWD will (all things being equal) be the worst. The more you know and all.
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
I actually didn’t know Audi did that so I’ll take a step back and admit I was wrong on that.
FWD is definitely better than RWD in snow for everyday driving because of weight over the drive wheels and better stability. RWD can have an advantage on steep climbs from a stop but most everyday drivers will have an easier time with FWD. I live in the mountains. You will hardly ever see RWD sports cars around here unless it’s summer.
TheRamma@reddit
"Weight over the drive wheels" assumes a front-weight distribution, which is not universal by any stretch. In a 50:50 car, that disappears. It also assumes flat ground, which again, isn't the case driving in the mountains. I have also lived in the mountains, FWIW. The reason you don't see a ton of RWD sports cars is because the people that have them usually have a beater for bad weather (I do for sure), and because RWD sports cars are increasingly rare.
There's no stability advantage with FWD, in fact, with reasonable skill, it's much better to have the fronts to steer and the rears to skid under power.
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
I can’t really take you seriously anymore after saying most sports cars are not RWD when it’s the exact opposite.
I live in the mountains, I see everyday what people are driving and it’s very well known around here FWD does much better in the snow than RWD. Where I work people will have to trade in their RWD vehicles for awd or fwd because the RWD car is too dangerous. Think what you want, ride what you want idc but don’t tell people RWD is a safe choice in the snowy mountains when it’s really not
TheRamma@reddit
Lol, I didn't say "most sports cars aren't RWD," I said "RWD sports cars are increasingly rare." Google it, fewer and fewer RWD sports cars sold every year for decades. Some of that is AWD, but most is just a decline in smaller cars in favor of big SUVs/trucks.
"It's well known around here FWD does better in the snow...". Lol, "it is known." Yet there's no explanation routed in physics that would explain why. I actually wouldn't say it's the safest choice, and made that clear elsewhere. Doesn't excuse you saying nonsense and showing a complete lack of critical thinking skills.
FWD is only better than RWD in front-heavy cars. It's very silly to negate the impact of vehicle balance, weight, and things like open vs lsd diffs. OP is talking about some cars with some very good eLSDs and traction control software, as well as 50:50 balance. They'll likely do better in the snow than a heavier FWD with an open front diff.
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
No they are not bud you are very confidently wrong around 80- 85% of sports cars are RWD and makes total sense when you think about the “physics” you knob. RWD is still the dominant layout for majority of sports cars “google it”.
Talk to anyone who lives in an actual snowy climate and you will get the same answer. You are clearly talking out of your ass
TheRamma@reddit
Learn to read. It's not about the percentage of sports cars that are RWD, it's about the percentage of the market sports cars make up. Which is declining. It also depends on your definition of sports cars. BMW sells a lot of xDrive M cars, which didn't exist 20 years ago. F90 M5 was the first of those, genius.
Relying on where you live to explain why you can say dumb, untrue shit without being called on it certainly is a strategy. Maybe check for a natural gas leak in your snowy chalet.
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
You are just trying to manipulate the argument now.
I originally said you will not see sports cars out in the mountains because they are predominantly RWD. Go into any city you will still see them everywhere. Now you are trying to say less sports cars are sold so that means less sports cars in the mountains when they were never there because they are terrible in the snow. You are exhausting my man and I’m getting off work so good day.
TheRamma@reddit
Lol, you can't follow very basic lines of logic. I don't think your workplace is going to miss your "contributions" for the rest of the day....
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
Oh man I pushed some buttons lol grow up and if you really want I’m in Colorado looks like you might be to so happy to meet up see how confident you are in person
TheRamma@reddit
Lol, you want to fight strangers on the internet to try and win arguments? FFS, get a grip man.
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
Better than trying to act tough on the internet like you. Saying a lot of fighting words for someone who is scared of a little scrap
TheRamma@reddit
I guess when you can't read, all words look like fighting words.
You're that guy who gets out of his car and tries to fight after he causes an accident, right? Getting a lifted truck, tiny dick energy from these posts.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Ironically my "fuck it we ball" thought was a C8 Corvette. More storage space than a Cayman and all that weight over the rears I think it would actually handle pretty well in the snow (aside from ride height). But I think that's a little too ridiculous of an option
TheRamma@reddit
Yeah, don't look at them in person. They certainly do have a presence. Checked out a 3LT stingray just for fun while shopping, regretted it. Tons of fun.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I sat in one at the dealership, had almost no headroom. I'm not super tall but I have a long torso that makes me sit super tall. Factor in needing to run a helmet for my occasional track or HPDE stuff and I was super disappointed. Honestly had the same problem in the BW with a sunroof, but I think slick top I'll be fine
TheRamma@reddit
Yeah, I'm very long torsoed (6 ft tail, 30.5 inch inseam, big problem for weightlifting and mountain bike fitting), didn't have a helmet issue with a 4BW and no sunroof (cars at V-academy). My 4BW has a sunroof, and it will be tight, but haven't tracked it yet.
Didn't have an issue with the C8 (wasn't a convertible, either).
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I actually brought my helmet to sit in an F82 M4 and the RS3. The RS3 was super tight, I had to angle the seat just right and once I did that I was okay on like 80% of bumps. Big bumps I still hit the ceiling. The M4 I had so much headroom though. I looked like a huge dork but it was a good test. Didnt bring it to the BW, but if I made it work in the RS3 I probably can in the BW as well.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I think the larger Audi's still have RWD biased torsen based AWD systems, but they're also 4000lbs+ luxury gruisers that wouldn't work on track. The RS3 I'm looking at is FWD biased and nose heavy, but has a trick diff in the rear to overdrive the outside rear wheel and "simulate RWD". It's not as good as a real RWD car with an LSD, but it's solid.
_MadSuburbanDad_@reddit
The RS3 rear diff is a version of a twin clutch unit that allows for better power splitting front to rear, and torque vectoring across the axle. The late Focus RS used a similar setup that is an absolute blast in drift mode. The RS3 would be pretty capable in snow, so it’s definitely worth considering…..
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah the RS3 is probably the way I'm gonna go if I decide on AWD. You can get a very lightly used one around 60k. 5 cylinder, 3600lbs, torque vectoring rear diff. I think it drives somewhere between a cracked out hot hatch and a sports car lol. I considered the M340i for awhile, it's just RWD biased AWD which is nice but it's heavy and more comfort focused vs sportiness. There's obviously the new M3 / M4 but those are outside the budget I'd like to stick too, I think they're gonna depreciate because BMW is pumping those things out in Camry-like numbers, and they're kind of everywhere right now
TheRamma@reddit
yeah, the RS3 is probably a better choice for you as a single vehicle, and I say this preferring the 4BW.
_MadSuburbanDad_@reddit
Most Audis outside the S and RS models are not full-time mechanical AWD and are FWD-biased AWD…like most other AWD vehicles.
ComeOnBoys_@reddit
That’s why I made sure to say Audi Quattro you dork
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
I live in the Lake Effect region of Michigan and daily drive a Chevy Caprice PPV year round. It's basically a 4-door 5th Gen Camaro (same platform, drivetrain, most of the suspension, etc).
Honestly? Tires make a world of difference, but it's mostly about driving. I spent this past winter, which was actually surprisingly harsh, plowing the roads with well-worn Goodyear Eagle RS-As and about 120lbs worth of car audio between the rear strut towers. Would I have liked snow tires? Absolutely. But they weren't a dealbreaker.
That being said, 150lbs of weight in the trunk, a well trained right foot, and snow tires should get you where you're going in most RWD applications. The only real limiting factor is ground clearance and getting stuck on top of snow.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah I'm pretty confident I could survive winters in Denver with good snow tires. It's pretty flat here. It's more about if I'm trying to do fun mountain drives or weekend trips to the mountains in the winter, am I gonna get myself in a pickle.
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
I wouldn't head into the mountains in the winter without a truck and proper 4WD, but that's just me. Growing up in The Springs (Fountain, actually), my dad was an avid outdoorsman and hunter. If we were hunting on base or out east, we'd just take his little 2wd Ranger with mud tires and lots of weight in the bed. But if we were gonna head into the mountains, he'd borrow a buddy's F-150 with 4WD, cuz that Ranger would've gotten buried.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah, that's fair. I keep thinking "I can go into the mountains with RWD on nice days", but then if we do a long weekend and a storm roles in that might turn into "we're really stuck in the middle of nowhere"
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
Definitely something to think about. I definitely wouldn't try my Caprice in the mountains in the winter, snow tires or not.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
One advantage of these cars is they have a rear LSD (not sure if the Caprice does?) but yeah, real world experience from someone who lived here and understands both the weather here and RWD snow driving is huge so thank you
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
The Caprice absolutely does, and since my previous car didn't (06 Lincoln Town Car), I won't get another RWD car without it. Even in the dry, the difference is noticeable.
Another tip that most people overlook: put the traction control in Sport Mode if possible. That'll allow the wheels to spin some before the nannies kick in, giving you traction to take off. Then once you're moving, if the rear end wants to get silly without your say-so, traction control kicks in and saves your bacon.
Just be sure to turn traction and stability control off when it's time to leave your mark on a parking lot.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah I've seen that about turning down or turning off traction control. Also, that Caprice sounds sick. I'm kind of a GM fan and I knew about the Chevy SS / Pontiac G8, but I wasn't aware of those lol
Sounds like ultimately it comes down to do I want the freedom to travel the mountains whenever and enjoy some beautiful roads year round (AWD) and the more fun, more pure drivers cars that will limit me a lot more lifestyle wise (RWD). Which I think I kinda knew coming in to this, but its a tough call
Overall-Tailor8949@reddit
4WD > AWD > FWD > RWD as far as winter driving. However, even with AWD/4WD you will get in trouble if you're dumb. Those vehicles won't STOP any faster than their FWD/RWD counterpart will. Good tires are THE most important part of winter driving safety/enjoyment.
All 3 of the cars you mentioned have low ground clearance, even in "flat-land" they'd have trouble with snow let alone in the mountains. Look at one of the smaller SUVs/Crossovers from the car-maker of your choice
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I think I'll look at an SUV in a few years when I'm having kids. Right now is the time to drive something fun. I've been dailying a BMW i4 sedan for a few years and had no issues. Realistically, these cars are still gonna have \~4.5 inches of clearance. If there's 5 inches of snow on the ground not being plowed in Denver the roads are gonna be a shit show anyways. My fun car is a C6 Corvette, that has like 2 inches of clearance from the plastic air dam to the ground. That would be an instant snowplow, but the options I listed are a better balance of "sporty dailys" versus "true sports car" IMO
reidft@reddit
People drove those roads for decades in RWD cars, your tires matter more. The only time RWD is a concern in the snow is if it's a 2wd truck because they have absolutely zero weight over the rear wheels. Just don't be heavy on the gas pedal.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Mostly just concerned about getting caught in a big storm in the mountains on inclines, but I agree I know it's possible around town where it's flat
TheRamma@reddit
Like in Grand Junction, own a CT4V-BW 6MT. It's a great car in a lot of ways (my choice over the M2/M3/RS3). But, it wouldn't be my only car, and I wouldn't drive it in the mountains in remotely sketchy situations. While AWD gets massively overrated in general, stop and go traffic on steep grades can be tough in RWD.
That said, taking any nice car in bad weather in the Rockies is a terrible idea, IMO, because I've seen it become bumper cars way too often.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Hmm yeah, I have kinda thought of that even if I get AWD in something as nice as an RS3 am I really gonna want to take it up i70 through a storm? So that's a good point.
Interesting you went CT4 BW over M3, can I ask why? For me the BW has the better manual, drives a bit more predictably and has a warranty. The M3 (F80, not the new one) is rowdier, has a higher redline and weighs less.
I keep going back and forth between these 3 cars constantly lol. Do you drive your BW in snow at all? Also I could be wrong, only been once but pretty sure Grand Junction you guys are way less flat than we are. Denver is extremely flat as long as you avoid the Rockies.
TheRamma@reddit
Didn't drive the F gen, did check out G M2/M3. I've heard the F is better in some ways, but can't speak to them. Another big difference is magneride, it's significantly better than BMWs M or M-adaptive IMO, particularly the latest gen in the 4BW.
I have driven it in snow on mediocre snow tires, and it's fine. GJ is very flat (similar to Denver) in the Valley, and it did well in a few inches of powder.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Nice, glad to know it did fine in some snow. I'd definitely be more limited with RWD, but I think it's doable. As a 1 car solution though having something AWD is probably the smart option lol, I do hear you on the you wouldn't have the BW be your one and only car. Thanks man
TheRamma@reddit
Yeah, part of the "wouldn't be my only" is that I have two kids and a spouse. The 4BW (or any of the performance cars you've listed) wouldn't be great for family road trips.
My kids do prefer the 4BW to the mom wagon for around town stuff though, they call it "fast car."
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Ah okay, thats fair. It's just me and the gf for now so we don't need a ton of space. So would you run the BW as your only car in Grand Junction without the family obligations? I agree with your kids, I want a fast car
TheRamma@reddit
Yeah, I would. It puts a smile on my face every time I rip it on the canyon roads.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Hell yeah. That's what I needed to hear lol
HengaHox@reddit
Tyres tyres tyres. People drive everything from a toyota yaris, ford ka, to pickups. On maintained roads they all do fine. Offroad is a different matter, but that’s not what tie asking. So yes, RWD is fine. With proper winter tyres
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I know RWD is fine in snow with good tires / weight in the trunk, it's more so should I send it on RWD or get AWD for ease / safety in my specific situation which involves wanting to drive in the rocky mountains. RWD will be fine down in the city
HengaHox@reddit
That’s something no one but you can answer. I like fact that the car moves when it’s a bit slippery. So I pay the extra for AWD.
It’s not necessary, but yolo I guess
whoooocaaarreees@reddit
Semi relevant note:
( emphasis mine )
Plan accordingly when on 70.
You can always rent something for the mountain weekends of its between Sept 1 and June 1 if you go with a RWD option as your daily.
Doesn’t sound like you are going off road / camping / car camping when you are going into the mountains.
If you are planning on skiing 3-4 times a year…etc then my answer might be different.
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
I mean I would like to snowboard, but idk I took last year off so who knows how much I’d actually get up there. Definitely not off-roading, more so exploring mountain towns. That’s kind of the trade off I’m stuck with. AWD gives me the ability to explore the mountains 24/7 365 barring a blizzard, but RWD gives me more fun and a better car on track
bumtrainer69@reddit
Can you: Yes
Is it safer, much easier and better with AWD: Yes, especially for mountain rds.
Tobazz@reddit
Tires matter waaay more than drive wheel. Get a set of Bridgestone blizzacks and you’ll be set. Your only issue will be ground clearance in deeper snow. I delivered pizzas for two years in a z3 during northeast Ohio winters 🤣 it’s doable for sure
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah, definitely doable in Denver proper. The mountains are my main concern. Sudden big storms and a lot of uphill driving lol
Tobazz@reddit
That’s one thing I didn’t think about, was mountain roads. But again I think tires would matter more over having awd. Tire chains too if it’s bad snow
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Yeah lol my Gf wants to get something new when she moves in and I'm trying to push her towards AWD so I can get RWD lol. Then if the weather in the mountains is shit we just take hers. Thanks!
brnrmbo@reddit
People did it just fine in Denver with RWD for many years. Our family car growing up was a Mazda 2wd pickup. It is probably a bad example and I recall being stuck numerous times.
IMO, get the car you want and if you need to go on a weekend mountain adventure in harsh weather, pick up a Turo 4runner (or something like it)
ThaDude915@reddit (OP)
Not a bad idea to just rent something if we have a weekend planned and big storm rolls in. Pretty confident I can do RWD in Denver, but I'd like to also enjoy some mountain roads with my car which I worry I won't be able to do as much in RWD. Might still be worth it though
New-Patient-101@reddit
I didn’t read half that book, but 2wd is fine. As other said good tires play a big role. Having a couple hundred pounds of sand bags to put in the bed will do wonders. If you’re slacking on sandbags, Just shovel your driveway into the bed. That also has the benefit of melting out when the temp warms up and you won’t have to unload.