Topic: The New Car Saga (and general auto chat) (Read 158923 times)

catscratch · « **Reply #520 on:** December 26, 2012, 10:10:09 PM »

I've never had any issues driving FWD on low-profile tires with 260+hp on the front wheels in bad weather, but the car does have a LSD on the front. On the other hand, RWD in the bad weather, not so much. AWD certainly helps, but make sure that you actually need it or you'll be paying the price in weight and mileage.

Also, do any real offroading and you quickly realize why body-on-frame SUVs exist. There's no substitute for low range. Without it, you're screwed. All of that hill descent control nonsense sounds great on paper, but go down even a 20% slope for 5 minutes with hill descent control and your brakes are so heat-warped you have to replace them.

Of course, if you don't have to do any real offroading, then an SUV is a bit of a waste - though there's definitely something to be said for a high seating position and the general feeling of lots of mass being hurled about very quickly.

Mileage is less of an issue than people make it out to be - with modern cylinder deactivation systems even giant tanks can average 20+ mpg.

I'd second a Legacy or Impreza, pretty much all the car you need. If you want a bit more style, the 328i station wagon is very nice, and definitely better than the X3, unless you want that turbo six. You can get AWD in it, I think it's called xDrive or some other silly BMW corporate jargon.

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #521 on:** December 26, 2012, 11:06:54 PM »

Try managing a 100hp FWD car w/ unequal length driveshafts aquaplaning at 65mph. Not fun.

Need AWD? Hell, a light first rain on well oiled and rubbered roads is enough to warrant AWD IME. I did take my MR2 out the last decent rain just for 'training' though. That was a really slick day, first thing I saw was a six car pile up on the onramp.

AWD Hybrids w/ regenerative braking will handle hill decent and improve mileage for future off roading chores brilliantly. People have no idea how much money you save on brake jobs w/ a hybrid. It's not just gas people. Talk about brake jobs every 150k miles rather than every 50k. How much gas money does that translate into?!

burnspbesq · « **Reply #522 on:** December 27, 2012, 12:01:01 AM »

Quote from: Analixus on December 26, 2012, 11:06:54 PM

Hell, a light first rain on well oiled and rubbered roads is enough to warrant AWD IME.

If you grew up in New Jersey and went to undergrad in upstate New York, as I did, it was a real revelation to move to SoCal and realize that there are millions of people who have no earthly clue how to drive in even mildly adverse conditions. I'd like to send them all to Syracuse in February and see how many survive.

The road conditions aren't the problem. The idiots are the problem.

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #523 on:** December 27, 2012, 06:12:35 AM »

There is a lot of truth to that...to a point. However, So Cal's climate is much more temperate and moves tons more volume of automobiles. This combination equals more crap on the road between natural cleansings. Once the rains come, our road surfaces will be more slippery on the first rain. As bad as most So Cal drivers are in the rain, overall they are far better than any other state I've seen when it's dry. Our senior citizens run circles around most other states' inept sissies. IME, the east coast is mostly bark rather than bite. Honk! Honk!

Then you have most of Europe w/ no passing on the right?! Whatever, eat a d**k you weak a** Socialists. (I mean that in the nicest way possible

). Have a Heineken.

DaveBSC · « **Reply #524 on:** December 27, 2012, 08:56:53 AM »

Some magazine put a bunch of AWD sedans on an ice rink, and the Audi Quattro took the prize. The tires weren't matched so it wasn't a perfect test, but still interesting. Same with that video of an old Allroad snow hill climbing vs. a bunch of SUVs, none of which could make it even half way up.

Full time Torsen AWD > "Slip and grip" ESP based systems. The weight and mileage penalty is also pretty minor at this point, and IMO worth the trade off.

What's interesting is how many more cars are going AWD at this point. It wasn't that long ago that if you wanted an AWD luxury car you pretty much had to buy an Audi. Now BMW and Mercedes can match them with xDrive and 4Matic cars model for model. The upcoming E63 AMG is also going exclusively AWD for the first time ever.

shipsupt · « **Reply #525 on:** December 27, 2012, 11:37:53 AM »

Its sad that there is so much truth to this.

Growing up in the north east no one I knew had AWD anything unless they had a plow slapped on the front and were making some money with it. You drove whatever shitty rusted out two wheel drive car or truck you had in the summer as you did in 2 feet of snow in the winter, and you didn't get stuck.

I think the big difference is that on the island I grew up on the highest speed limit was 45 mph and that road was two lanes. In other words, you weren't trying the handle any of these old crappy cars at high speeds. California is a completely different world where 80 mph in the rain is common place and for my own safety I'm glad that soccer moms and teen agers have all the modern electronics and traction control possible working to keep them from plowing into me.

Quote from: burnspbesq on December 27, 2012, 12:01:01 AM

Quote from: Analixus on December 26, 2012, 11:06:54 PM
Hell, a light first rain on well oiled and rubbered roads is enough to warrant AWD IME.

If you grew up in New Jersey and went to undergrad in upstate New York, as I did, it was a real revelation to move to SoCal and realize that there are millions of people who have no earthly clue how to drive in even mildly adverse conditions. I'd like to send them all to Syracuse in February and see how many survive.

The road conditions aren't the problem. The idiots are the problem.

DaveBSC · « **Reply #526 on:** December 27, 2012, 01:31:08 PM »

Quote from: Analixus on December 27, 2012, 06:12:35 AM

Then you have most of Europe w/ no passing on the right?! Whatever, eat a d**k you weak a** Socialists. (I mean that in the nicest way possible ). Have a Heineken.

I'd trade our ability to pass on the right for German roads, German drivers, and German speed limits in a heart beat.

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #527 on:** December 28, 2012, 02:35:13 AM »

Only passing on the left would be like only being able to turn left. Our roads will never be smooth, forget about it. The fix has been in a long time.

DaveBSC · « **Reply #528 on:** December 28, 2012, 08:56:02 AM »

I know they won't be, that would require infrastructure spending. *Government* infrastructure spending. OOOooooOOOOO scary. I was just talking hypothetically. My car can go 155mph, I would like to be able to drive 155mph without a second thought about the Polizei chasing me down and tossing me in jail.

(And yes, I know that many parts of the Autobahn are speed restricted, and they also enforce certain limits on de-restricted zones depending on conditions).

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #529 on:** December 28, 2012, 07:36:23 PM »

Quote from: DaveBSC on December 28, 2012, 08:56:02 AM

I know they won't be, that would require infrastructure spending. *Government* infrastructure spending. OOOooooOOOOO scary. I was just talking hypothetically.

They already have massive govt. spending. What we already have is what you get for it. It's the lack of competition and innovation from the private sector that govt. cronies stifle w/ their kickbacks and 'deals'. Think competition. Now that is scary!! Here's an example:

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2012/10/texas-opens-high-speed-toll-road.html

You should drive in LA sometime and see how much they spend on infrastructure. What a joke. That fucker Villaragosa and his pothole pledge, what a bunch of BS. I've had two bent rims just from driving in LA. Spend spend spend!! More money on roads = worse roads. More money on teachers = worse education. Hooray for the liberal utopia of California!! California sun shining on a glossy turd managed by a bunch of shitheads. No offense Jason.

Author Topic: The New Car Saga (and general auto chat) (Read 158923 times)

catscratch

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

Anaxilus.

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

burnspbesq

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

Anaxilus.

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

DaveBSC

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

shipsupt

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

DaveBSC

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

Anaxilus.

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

DaveBSC

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

Anaxilus.

Re: Thinking about a new car, need some help.

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Author Topic: The New Car Saga (and general auto chat) (Read 158923 times)