winter car ideas | FerrariChat

winter car ideas

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by 95spiderman, Jul 21, 2009.

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  1. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    Nov 1, 2003
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    im going to need a winter car to use when weather is too much for the gt3. in past i used my kids s4 and eos but they wont be avail this winter. long island suburban driving about 10 miles/day. maybe up to 5" snow on plowed roads.

    would like something sporty with auto trans and awd. originally thinking of mitsu evo x which has all of above but might not be satisfied with performance and end up modding it. now thinking of going whole hog with gtr thats probably more performance than my 'summer' gt3. how do those cars do in winter with appropriate tires? whats the buying $ difference between them?

    anyother ideas?
     
  2. Liquid Assets

    Liquid Assets Formula Junior

    Jul 6, 2009
    391
    Cloud 9
    i was in your position not too long ago... i ended up going with a bentley gt. They are not that expensive anymore!
     
  3. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #3 agup48, Jul 28, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2009
    Subaru Legacy GT (Any Subaru for that matter)
    Volvo S40, S80
    Audi Quattro models/Audi TT
    BMW 3 or 5 Xi
    A cheap alternative: Suzuki SX4 (I don't think it's a great AWD option though)
    Mercedes 4Matics/C-Class, E-Class Sedan and Wagon, and S-Class

    I don't think any of these are sporty though :D :D
    Looking at your cars, if your A8L is Quattro, you might want to stick with that.
     
  4. tundraphile

    tundraphile F1 Veteran

    May 16, 2007
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    Missouri
    My Mercedes M-class is by far the best car I have ever had in weather.
     
  5. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
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    #5 Mule, Jul 28, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2009
    Very simliar list of what we looked at (but not Mercedes). The Acura TL is AWD this year, too.
     
  6. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    d'oh. That's what I forgot. I was thinking of it though :D What'd you end up with?
     
  7. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

    Oct 8, 2007
    1,773
    Indianapolis
    Just find what you like in even a FWD car and slap a set of Blizzaks on it. Even my daughters Miata was awsome in the snow with those tires.

    I used to ice race in a "rubber to ice" (no studs) series and we plowed thru evil amounts of snow on frozen lakes with a good set of Blizzaks, they are amazing... You don't need to have the numb four wheel drive kind of a car to get where you need to go in the snow, just get the right tires... Get a set of winter wheels with Blizzaks mounted on them from the Tire Rack, they come pre-balanced, are cheap and work great....
     
  8. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

    Feb 18, 2007
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    Mazda Miata. I drove the extra long ways this winter through snow and ice just because it was so much fun.
     
  9. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

    Oct 8, 2007
    1,773
    Indianapolis
    My daughter had a set of summer tires on her car and I ordered a set of winter wheels and tires from the Tire Rack and had them under the Christmas tree. She lived about 10 minutes away on a normal day. On Christmas morning that year we had our first big snow and it took her nearly an hour to get to my place.

    She was so excited when she saw what was under the tree... I put the tires on right then and went up our street that was covered in 3 inches of hard packed snow/ice. I was grabbing gears like I was on pavement...

    Driving in really messy weather with the Blizzaks on the car she would pull up beside front drivers and the would look at here like she was crazy. Then she would pull them off the line and be gone.... She said that when she was pulling away from them the look on their faces was priceless, they couldn't belive a rear driver could do that...
     
  10. yoda

    yoda F1 Rookie

    Sep 27, 2004
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    Audi RS6 would be my choice.
     
  11. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
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    We got an '08 TL type-S, front wheel drive, since it looks better than the new ones. We may trade for a 2010 TL 6-speed stick AWD when they come out.
     
  12. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Older ones definitely look better that the new bucktooth grill ones. Even the RDX and the MDX are getting their fronts redone.
     
  13. drf3576

    drf3576 Karting

    Dec 25, 2006
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    Terre Haute, IN
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    Dane Frauenholz
    ANY SUBARU."with a period"
     
  14. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Legacy GT - more fun than a barrel of monkeys or a VW Beetle doing donuts in an icy parking lot!
     
  15. absent

    absent F1 Veteran
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    Bentley GT Speed for me.
    Comfy,fast (600hp),unstoppable by any snow since it's AWD and with winter tires always swapped in late Fall.
     
  16. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    95Spiderman, what's your budget, if any :D
     
  17. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    thanks for advice but i changed my mind from sporty awd addition to gt3 to replacing the audi A8L.

    considering panamera, cl 550, s550, 740il. i like that the panamera is unique and will probably drive well but its ugly and over priced. the cl550 is pretty but also over priced and not as practical with only 2 doors. can it seat 5? other sedans are little boring. i dont love the bentley and out of budget if new and dont think i want used.

    other ideas? thanks
     
  18. lambo472

    lambo472 Formula 3

    May 27, 2009
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    have you considered the Maserati Quattroporte?
     
  19. Oceanic815

    Oceanic815 Formula 3

    Apr 30, 2008
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    They probably thought she was crazy driving like that in lousy weather.

    Subarus are very very very popular in the PNW due to snow and ice which is around in varying degrees from September to May.
     
  20. dreams_and_aspirations

    Jul 15, 2006
    63
    Vail, CO
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    Scott
    The GTR is great in snow. I've taken a friends up Battle Mountain in a very, very bad storm last winter and never had a issue beyond the front end being low and plowing, but it has nearly unlimited grunt to push through.

    The S8 is very popular out here, though I've never driven one. I haven't seen one on the side of the road if nothing else.

    The EVO X can be made very quick with just a handful of mods. I've heard arguments from both sides of the camp on how well the paddle transmission can take extra power, but the overwhelming opinion seems to be that it wont last all that long with a extra 100bhp or so. I've driven a GSR (manual box) with about 380 hp and Tein coil overs, it was damn quick.

    A number of Flying Spurs are up here in the winter, I'd recon you'd be fine with it, but the own and operate price maybe a issue.

    I have a S550 4matic right now and it takes to snow just fine, and handles better then a machine it's size has any right to. Eclectics have been finicky on mine, but I know plenty of folks that haven't had there's miss a beat.

    Good luck!
     
  21. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    i love the maser gs but not so much the qp. anyway want awd.
     
  22. lambo472

    lambo472 Formula 3

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    Bentley Flying Spur has AWD i believe..
     
  23. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    yes it does but too $ and looks like a lincoln town car to me
     
  24. Roell

    Roell Karting

    Oct 31, 2005
    57
    Milwaukee
    Funny, I was have been thinking about this for a few weeks.
    I bought a new set of blizzaks for my cts-v last winter and I felt I was defying death everyday. I kept on putting more and more weight in the back and it would always spin in first and second, no matter how I feathered the clutch. I had pretty high hopes for the blizzaks but they did not meet my expectations. Probably not the fault of the tires, but I had visions of plowing through 5" of snow no problem.

    I am going to sell the blizzaks in the fall and the cts-v in getting garaged, so I bought a Range Rover last week. Got a good deal on an 06, so I think I got this winter covered. The regular model, 305 hp, may not be as sporty as you were wanting, but the supercharged version, 400 hp, may work well. FWIW, If I wouldn't have gotten the Range Rover, I would probably have gotten a new Pathfinder.

    I have also had a e320 4matic and it was really great in the snow. Going forward, I will never again drive a two-wheeld drive car for Wisconsin winters.
     
  25. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Some might be repeats from earlier posts:
    Infiniti G37x (AWD version)/M35x
    Chrysler 300C
    Lexus IS/GS/LS
    Cadillac CTS/STS
    Lincoln MKS
    Mercedes S-class
    Audi R8/Used Gallardo

    Hope something might help :)
     

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