NBR Decide My Life: AWD Wagon (update: 100% more wagon in my life)

Also. MB E320 with all wheel drive and super low Km

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/4341691142.html

Haters can say what they will about Mercedes being luxury, but that 4matic AWD system is the real deal, about the best you can get in an adaptive AWD system.

I've been driving the Coq, the connector to Kelowna and the little twisty road to Big White in blizzard and near-blizzard conditions, I've never driven anything that feels so solid and in control in the shittiest conditions. A few times, then there was no traffic, I actually tried to put the car into a skid and it was hard to break traction. The slightest slip and the electronics would respond almost instantly. Kind of frustrating - can't even do a decent doughnut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjMdUHDI6UY

We have an '04 Rav4 manual with 220,000kms. It is bomb proof, no major repairs since 2009 and IMHO a better AWD/4WD system then the CR-V.

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/ctd/4324320979.html

Haters can say what they will about Mercedes being luxury, but that 4matic AWD system is the real deal, about the best you can get in an adaptive AWD system.

I've been driving the Coq, the connector to Kelowna and the little twisty road to Big White in blizzard and near-blizzard conditions, I've never driven anything that feels so solid and in control in the shittiest conditions. A few times, then there was no traffic, I actually tried to put the car into a skid and it was hard to break traction. The slightest slip and the electronics would respond almost instantly. Kind of frustrating - can't even do a decent doughnut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjMdUHDI6UY

No more funner switch to turn off the nanny control electronics?

Our Jeep Patriot has a really good awd system and the electronic traction control does good work.

I've hit slush on the Sea to Sky and had the electronics kick in to keep it all in control. You know when it's actually doing something as the little slippery road light on the dash comes on and you can hear and feel the abs pulse.

It has a nanny switch so you can turn it all off for parking lot hooligan sessions.

Should be:banned:
Totally contra-indicated in a left hand drive world.

Agreed.

I owned an Element with AWD (an auto). It was good in the snow, but it was a reactionary system. Stand on the gas get the fronts spinning then it would transfer power to the rear.

On a steep slow moving hill (like a driveway) it doesn't just crawl up the same way a 50/50 system does. It might have gotten up a few more things than my old Jetta with aggressive snow tires, but it wasn't night and day difference.

Must have been operator error. My 2wd went everywhere…although I did have good snowtires

No more funner switch to turn off the nanny control electronics?

Oh, fo sho, but my best chances for that kind of test were in some pretty horrible conditions in the middle of nowhere. With wife aboard. Didn't really want to chance ditching and spending the night there.

Brian, your comments about Honda's RealTime system make sense. I think for the sake of the driveway in the Kootenays, it would fare just fine – but as an all wheel drive system it's definitely not as sophisticated as Subaru or Audi.

I'm wary of high mile luxury cars. The Saabs, Audis, Volvos, MBs, they're all dirt cheap because of high maintenance costs. There's no other reason you can buy a 100K MB wagon for the same price as a 200K CR-V. I got boned on this a decade ago and relative parts prices haven't changed. (KenN, the Jetta is a fine car, but not awd.)

It was mentioned to me that Foresters feel "looser" than the Impreza and possibly the Legacy. Anyone have experience with the Legacy? This one would fit the bill, not too high of mileage:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/bnc/cto/4305659597.html

i have found the AWD system used in the CRV is not as good as the one found in subarus. The subarus have seemed to always have AWD traction on hand, while the CRV seemed to be always waiting for the front wheels to spin out before the rear engages.
I also drive a RHD vehicle and like it, however i seldom drive in Vancouver traffic.

I had the Element with the same Honda AWD. Kinda stunk as an AWD but I never got stuck in snow driving to and from Whistler all winter for four years. Same experience, front wheels spin then bang bang bang as the rear kicks in. The seats were bad for my back as well. I would have pretty bad hamstring pain from a low back issue by the time I hit Squamish. It might have been related to the standard transmission ans shifting. Anyway I now own a plush car with auto and paddle shifters and my back is fine.

I will also say that I've driven my family's Foresters (all manual transmissions) and they are glued to the ground no matter what the road conditions. It's nearly impossible to get one of those things sideways. There's a reason they're so ubiquitous up there.

I gotta rep the Subaru WRX wagon. AWD, 5spd manual, hard to kill. Rock solid at 100km/h [or more :D] on snow, gravel, mud - so much fun. Also, you can't see the outside when you're driving it. The trouble will be finding a decent one under $10k.

I'm gonna have to recommend Subaru too. I just bought my first Subaru (Forester) a year ago and love it. Handles a little less carlike than the other Subaru wagons but has more space and a higher ride height.
By what your saying I think that WRX/Outback/Legacy 5 speed wagons would be a great choice.
Awesome in snow and handle pretty well. Very reliable if you buy the right one.
If your looking for simplicity I would probably recommend the non turbo models. They are better on gas but the trade off is less power.
Do your research and make sure the head gasket has been replaced if it falls within the years when they had some issues with them.

The touch/feel/noise of a 100k+ mileage Subaru is always going to suck. It is sort of there thing. We had a 02 Impreza that was amazing in snow/ice/winter but rattled and felt cheap. Got a golf now and all is good but it isn't as great in the snow as the Subie. The Sub was a pig on fuel relative to its size as well. Everything is a trade off as I am sure your finding out as well.

I would pass on the AWD knowing the wood truck is there to either pull you out or shuttle to the road if it comes down to that. Aggressive snow tires, FWD and better mileage for the win.

Thanks for confirming that feeling. I guess the Kootenay folk are either used to the looseness or just deal with it knowing they've got a capable, reliable vehicle. Subaru may be the only car where head gaskets are a maintenance item. C'est la vie.

I do think the cargo space of the Legacy/Outback is more suited to my needs than the Impreza, which is still a pretty small car even in wagon form.

As I said above, I'm willing to extend the budget for the right car. Would it be worth my while to look for a car with 100K vs. 150K?

Lol Ford escape. Maybe if you have a vaginal and the personality of a sheet of drywall