Narrowing new car search: Which 4WD to look at?

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Lucky

Lifer
Nov 26, 2000
13,126
1
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New used car, rather. Looking for something in the near future that is 3-5 model years old, depending on price. Can afford upto about $13K. Need AWD or 4WD for these terrible roads in michigan. Car based or mini-SUV, needs to be decent with mileage (20-25+). No gas guzzlers as 90% of my driving will be for work and I get a crappy mileage allowance (25c/mile).

Add to my list/comment on what I have. :) I wont go with kia or suzuki, so dont even bother suggesting them. ;)

Honda CRV (Pros: Nice utility, good looks, honda reliability Cons: Weak power, loud)
Any of the sedan subarus (too much $$$?)
was there a 4WD Mitsu Eclipse?


:D
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
honestly, you dont need 4wd. At most you need AWD, and even that is stretching it. Having 4wd will just get you into trouble.
 
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bolido2000

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
3,720
1
0
Originally posted by: Lucky
New used car, rather. Looking for something in the near future that is 3-5 model years old, depending on price. Can afford upto about $13K. Need AWD or 4WD for these terrible roads in michigan. Car based or mini-SUV, needs to be decent with mileage (20-25+). No gas guzzlers as 90% of my driving will be for work and I get a crappy mileage allowance (25c/mile).

Add to my list/comment on what I have. :) I wont go with kia or suzuki, so dont even bother suggesting them. ;)

Honda CRV (Pros: Nice utility, good looks, honda reliability Cons: Weak power, loud)
Any of the sedan subarus (too much $$$?)
was there a 4WD Mitsu Eclipse?


:D
Click to expand...


Yeah the old Eclipse GSX, Turbo AWD. I think the Subaru Forester is a good buy, or the Impreza.
 
L

Lucky

Lifer
Nov 26, 2000
13,126
1
0
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
honestly, you dont need 4wd. At most you need AWD, and even that is stretching it. Having 4wd will just get you into trouble.
Click to expand...




hah, that's what I thought until I got here and realized this town has like 3 salt trucks for 30,000 people. My civic just isn't cutting it. If I was only driving recreationally and to/from work, I wouldn't include AWD as a neccesity, but driving 50-100 miles a day on roads that are rarely salted or plowed, I concluded I do need it. I dont need off roading capability, just more control and stability.
 
Zebo

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Do you have the cash? If so I'd go to a small lot or if you know someone with a dealers licence then go with then on saturday to the dealers auction. It's really incredible how cheap you can get a vechile there. 1/2 price for a new vechile with less than 5K miles is not unusual. Usually you can talk the small lot guy to take you for around $500....

If not I'd get a 78-86 model V-8 4x4 chevy or ford which is cheap and trivial to fix since parts are everywhere.
 
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Beau

Lifer
Jun 25, 2001
17,730
0
76
www.beauscott.com
Originally posted by: brxndxn
AWD and 4WD.. If you have four wheels and AWD, don't you have 4WD?
Click to expand...

no.

In 4wd systems, the torque/power is divied up between the wheels equally

In AWD systems, more power is sent to the rear wheels, and less to the front.

Edit: Read here
 
T

tm37

Lifer
Jan 24, 2001
12,436
1
0
Originally posted by: Carbonyl
Do you have the cash? If so I'd go to a small lot or if you know someone with a dealers licence then go with then on saturday to the dealers auction. It's really incredible how cheap you can get a vechile there. 1/2 price for a new vechile with less than 5K miles is not unusual. Usually you can talk the small lot guy to take you for around $500....

If not I'd get a 78-86 model V-8 4x4 chevy or ford which is cheap and trivial to fix since parts are everywhere.
Click to expand...

And you will get 8-13MPG;)
 
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bolido2000

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
3,720
1
0
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: brxndxn
AWD and 4WD.. If you have four wheels and AWD, don't you have 4WD?
Click to expand...

no.

In 4wd systems, the torque/power is divied up between the wheels equally

In AWD systems, more power is sent to the rear wheels, and less to the front.

Edit: Read here
Click to expand...

4WD = AWD
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: brxndxn
AWD and 4WD.. If you have four wheels and AWD, don't you have 4WD?
Click to expand...

no.

In 4wd systems, the torque/power is divied up between the wheels equally

In AWD systems, more power is sent to the rear wheels, and less to the front.

Edit: Read here
Click to expand...

4WD = AWD
Click to expand...

wrong. The most notable difference between 4WD and AWD is the fact that in AWD, the transfer case has a viscous coupling(normally) and does not have a 4LO for extra torque. Some rare 4wd systems(NP249, NP247) have a viscous coupling but also have 4LO, making it full time 4 wheel drive.
 
B

bolido2000

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
3,720
1
0
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: brxndxn
AWD and 4WD.. If you have four wheels and AWD, don't you have 4WD?
Click to expand...

no.

In 4wd systems, the torque/power is divied up between the wheels equally

In AWD systems, more power is sent to the rear wheels, and less to the front.

Edit: Read here
Click to expand...

4WD = AWD
Click to expand...

Did you even read the link?
Click to expand...

Yeah I read the link. However, I have read from other magazines/websites that they are basically the same thing and the notation is independent of the availability of a lower range.
 
Evadman

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
5
81
Yeah I read the link. However, I have read from other magazines/websites that they are basically the same thing and the notation is independent of the availability of a lower range.
Click to expand...

Those places are incorrect. there are fundemental differences between AWD and 4WD.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: brxndxn
AWD and 4WD.. If you have four wheels and AWD, don't you have 4WD?
Click to expand...

no.

In 4wd systems, the torque/power is divied up between the wheels equally

In AWD systems, more power is sent to the rear wheels, and less to the front.

Edit: Read here
Click to expand...

4WD = AWD
Click to expand...

Did you even read the link?
Click to expand...

Yeah I read the link. However, I have read from other magazines/websites that they are basically the same thing and the notation is independent of the availability of a lower range.
Click to expand...

the magazine you read was wrong. 4wd allows the transfer case to lock, like a differential, meaning 50% of the torque goes in front and in back. AWD has variable torque, with most in front, usually. The torque is only rerouted to the rear wheels when there is a loss of traction sensed.
 
B

Beau

Lifer
Jun 25, 2001
17,730
0
76
www.beauscott.com
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: brxndxn
AWD and 4WD.. If you have four wheels and AWD, don't you have 4WD?
Click to expand...

no.

In 4wd systems, the torque/power is divied up between the wheels equally

In AWD systems, more power is sent to the rear wheels, and less to the front.

Edit: Read here
Click to expand...

4WD = AWD
Click to expand...

Did you even read the link?
Click to expand...

Yeah I read the link. However, I have read from other magazines/websites that they are basically the same thing and the notation is independent of the availability of a lower range.
Click to expand...

the magazine you read was wrong. 4wd allows the transfer case to lock, like a differential, meaning 50% of the torque goes in front and in back. AWD has variable torque, with most in front, usually. The torque is only rerouted to the rear wheels when there is a loss of traction sensed.
Click to expand...

I thought it was just the opposite, most goes to rear, some goes to front.
 
Zebo

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
AWD the front typically receives 30-40% of the available TQ while the rear gets the rest.

4WD is 50-50.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Originally posted by: Beau
Originally posted by: brxndxn
AWD and 4WD.. If you have four wheels and AWD, don't you have 4WD?
Click to expand...

no.

In 4wd systems, the torque/power is divied up between the wheels equally

In AWD systems, more power is sent to the rear wheels, and less to the front.

Edit: Read here
Click to expand...

4WD = AWD
Click to expand...

Did you even read the link?
Click to expand...

Yeah I read the link. However, I have read from other magazines/websites that they are basically the same thing and the notation is independent of the availability of a lower range.
Click to expand...

the magazine you read was wrong. 4wd allows the transfer case to lock, like a differential, meaning 50% of the torque goes in front and in back. AWD has variable torque, with most in front, usually. The torque is only rerouted to the rear wheels when there is a loss of traction sensed.
Click to expand...

I thought it was just the opposite, most goes to rear, some goes to front.
Click to expand...

it depends on the company who made it, but normally its more towards front because people tend to prefer understeer to oversteer.
 
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