Looking for new car around $45K. Any ideas?

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: Strk
Nope. I drive an old Pontiac in the snow and do quite fine. In terms of driving in the snow, it comes to things like tires, 4wd/awd, traction control, stability control, abs and, most importantly, that lump of meat behind the wheel.

Anyways, as I said earlier and others have said, the Magnum or 300c. I don't think you can touch the performance for the money with either car.

Someone mentioned Subarus. I got to drive a regular Outback for a few days (non-turbo) and it was pretty nice. The storage is decent, but it still a fairly small car overall, so it might not be the amount of storage you want.

I don't know about your part of the country, but when I had a car, I would get stuck backing out of my driveway. Car sitting there in 2 feet of snow, spinning it's wheels. I just put that thing back in drive and back into the garage, it wasn't going anywhere.

With my SUV, I have never even come close to getting stuck. IN FACT, I often go out of my way to drive through areas that haven't been plowed yet, JUST to drive through the snow.

My SUV plows through it like it was nothing.

 

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
let me remind you again: your infiniti is just a pathfinder with leather trim. it has rear drum brakes.

not that the pathfinder is a bad car.

Just to remind YOU again, the advantage of the Infiniti is about looks and comfort, which in that aspect, it is much much different from the Pathfinder, especially on interior (on the later QX4s).

 

[tontod]

I have an Audi A4 quattro, and it handles great in the snow.

 

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: tontod
I have an Audi A4 quattro, and it handles great in the snow.

A lot of snow? What about 2 feet of snow? I can drive off road, in the snow with my SUV.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: sniperruff
let me remind you again: your infiniti is just a pathfinder with leather trim. it has rear drum brakes.

not that the pathfinder is a bad car.

Just to remind YOU again, the advantage of the Infiniti is about looks and comfort, which in that aspect, it is much much different from the Pathfinder, especially on interior (on the later QX4s).

i'm sure the godly looks and comfort of your rebadged nissan pathfinder will allow you to "drive like there's no snow" because its looks and comfort will definitely help.

yeah. rear drum brakes.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: tontod
I have an Audi A4 quattro, and it handles great in the snow.

A lot of snow? What about 2 feet of snow? I can drive off road, in the snow with my SUV.

Hmmm.... what is it that thing that Audi became really famous for?

And yes, Massachusetts gets a lot of snow.

 

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
i'm sure the godly looks and comfort of your rebadged nissan pathfinder will allow you to "drive like there's no snow" because its looks and comfort will definitely help.

yeah. rear drum brakes.

People who shout "rebadge" only do so because they usually drive the inferior version of a certain car.

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
I do, and you're dead wrong. An SUV is certainly superior to any car in the snow, but saying that you can drive like there's no snow is just ignorant.
The people who do that are the ones who have appointments with body shops after the snow is gone.

You still have to drive carefully. 4WD goes better, stops better, and basically does everything better in any kind of inclement weather, but having 4WD doesn't allow you to just flip the switch and carry on like it's sunny out.

You might not drive like there's no snow, but I sure do.

Perhaps the 4WD system in my Infiniti is superior to the ones you've experienced.

It isn't that simple. There's about 20 kinds of snow conditions, about 10 of them will put your Infinity in the ditch just as fast as any other light weight wheeled vehicle, if you don't respect conditions.

Also, 4wd doesn't help you stop nearly as much as it helps you go, so lots of people get into accidents driving their 4wds too fast and then not being able to stop.

 

[Fenixgoon]

just as a note, the magnum SRT-8 and 300 SRT-8 are both RWD. the version w/ 5.7 (300C and magnum RT?) can have AWD though

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: sniperruff
i'm sure the godly looks and comfort of your rebadged nissan pathfinder will allow you to "drive like there's no snow" because its looks and comfort will definitely help.

yeah. rear drum brakes.

People who shout "rebadge" only do so because they usually drive the inferior version of a certain car.

yeah of course. it has nothing to do with the cars sharing the same exact chassis, same body panels, same engine, same interior layout, and the same set of front disc, rear drum brakes.

nissan sold many pathfinders over the years. i surely hope not every one of their owners drive like JLGatsby.

nissan

infiniti

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: Tom
Unless you want an SUV, how about a Dodge Magnum SRT-8 ?

Same engine as the Jeep, but more car-like.

And has quite a bit of cargo room.

ugliest cars alive.

they look like hurses (SP?)

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: SampSon

SUVs do handle nearly infinitily better in the snow. You can get out of nearly any snowy situation in the snow.

And bash SUVs because they handle well in snow? You know what's worst? The idiots in their compact cars who drive 10mph in the snow because their traction sucks.

In most cases, driving an SUV in the snow is almost like there is no snow in the first place. Plows right through it like it's nothing.

Do you have an SUV and drive it in the snow?

I live up north in the most heavily snow ridden area. SUVs may plow through snow, but they can't stop as effectively as a lighterweight car.
Any 4wd or AWD car/truck will be superior to a fwd/rwd vehicle in the snow, but I've owned fwd/rwd cars for years driving in feet of snow and they work just fine.

Now I own a subaru, and it is by far the best car for snow I've ever driven. The only problem with SUVs and their snow capabilities is the false sense of security people get while driving them. They think they can just do 10mph over the speed limit in any weather conditions because they have 4wd/awd, but they never consider the fact that they have to stop 5000lbs of moving mass.

In my opinion the best snow cars available are awd cars/wagons.

Don't try to tell JLGatsby about how ANY subaru will own the sh!t out of his amazing infinity in the snow... let him find out the hard way.

People who need to be told more than once about how awesome subaru's are in the snow are morons and deserve to die in their amazing "off-roaders"

<<< former subaru owner

 

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
Don't try to tell JLGatsby about how ANY subaru will own the sh!t out of his amazing infinity in the snow... let him find out the hard way.

I GUARANTEE my QX4 is superior in the snow than any late model Subaru.

What about the deep pot hole under the snow in the road, Subaru hits that and the front of the car is pounding that pavement.

QX4 = vastly superior.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
Don't try to tell JLGatsby about how ANY subaru will own the sh!t out of his amazing infinity in the snow... let him find out the hard way.

People who need to be told more than once about how awesome subaru's are in the snow are morons and deserve to die in their amazing "off-roaders"

<<< former subaru owner

but his nissan has leather-trimmed interior and fake wood trim. doesn't that make it better in the snow?

 

[Azelrok]

Volvo XC90 with 4.4 liter v8

Landrover LR3

Both will hold their value

 

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
but his nissan has leather-trimmed interior and fake wood trim. doesn't that make it better in the snow?

*Buzz* wrong. The wood on the Infiniti is real. In fact, the wood colors are also unique to Infiniti. They're very exotic looking.

The older QX4s (pre 2001) had fake wood, but not mine and not the newer ones.

And the leather is butter soft.

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: EatSpam
SUVs are for soccer moms to haul their spoiled brat kids to the mall. Why do you need one?

Ever heard of something called "snow"?

Ever hear of something called "front wheel drive"? Very easy to drive in the snow.

 

[JLGatsby]

Originally posted by: EatSpam
Ever hear of something called "front wheel drive"? Very easy to drive in the snow.

Front wheel drive doesn't cut it kid. I know, I've had both front and rear wheel drive cars, along with SUVs. Cars in general are a nightmere in the snow.

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: JLGatsby

Originally posted by: EatSpam
Ever hear of something called "front wheel drive"? Very easy to drive in the snow.

Front wheel drive doesn't cut it kid. I know, I've had both front and rear wheel drive cars, along with SUVs. Cars in general are a nightmere in the snow.

Funny how people used to get around just fine before luxury SUVs were available. My folks lived in northern Minesota in the late '70s and had sh!tty RWD Chevy Novas. They managed to get around just fine in the winter. And it snows in Minnesota.

But how they managed without leather, fake wood trim, rear drum brakes, and the pure awesome power and status of owning an SUV, I'll never know.

 

[CraigRT]

Dude, anything SRT-8 is pure hotness in my books. Just make sure it has that badge on the back and buy any of them!

I am a 300C guy myself. I'd take that car over just about anything else. I heart the 300C.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
Dude, anything SRT-8 is pure hotness in my books. Just make sure it has that badge on the back and buy any of them!

I am a 300C guy myself. I'd take that car over just about anything else. I heart the 300C.

300 SRT-8 is my realistic dream car

 

[imported_Mike]

E39 M5 FTW

 

[LtPage1]

Originally posted by: Phlargo
Audi A6 Avant would be a great choice too if you're looking for something more fun.

:thumbsup:

 

[vtohthree]

VW Toureg(rebadged porsche cayenne..or other way around, depends how you see it) or Mazda CX-7(AWD turbo, 6speed automatic, in an SUV for around 30k, one of the new best bang buck's on the block)

 

[SALvation]

Infiniti FX35 nicely loaded. Drives like a sports car and can handle the snow with no problems.

<-- Michigan FX owner.