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

Nope just where you come off as a condescending tool as usual. Nothing new.

he does have a point though. if it's awd w/snowies vs 2wd w/snowies the awd vehicle will have an advantage in traction over the 2wd vehicle. that's not to say both can't get the job done, but the awd vehicle will be able to create more traction than just 2wd. where the awd advantage really comes into play is acceleration from a stop or going uphill. as the effective cog shifts rearward the rear wheels will assist in traction vs the the 2wd (which typically happens to be fwd) where the front wheels will lose traction and not be made up elsewhere.

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.

Something that I would recommend to everyone is to get access to the TrueDelta site. This is the most accurate car reliability site out there. The admin uses proper statistical data gathering and reporting methods, so biases are eliminated. To access the site stats, you can get a free membership just by agreeing to report your car's repairs once per 3 months. Easy to do, less than 5 minutes each time. (self interest, the more people that join, the better the stats!)

http://www.truedelta.com/join

The Merc may not be the best fit for other reasons, but check out the reliability and repair stats:

Not enough data on a 98 E class for true statistical analysis, but the 99 looks pretty good for reliability, and repairs on the 98 are actually not to bad on the wallet, IMO. Note - US dollars.

the 98 E class is generally ok, except for rust on the sills and fenders. Much more reliable than the newer generation (post 2003 i think). Basically the w210 merc is an upgrade of the legendary tank of a car called the w124. With proper maintenance these cars can go for years and 300.000 kms is no problem at all. the 320 inline 6 engine is reliable if a little thirsty. This is still somewhat of an analogue car which can be repaired without the need for an ODB cable.

I was wary of high milage cars when buying a year ago, but I can now say that these cars (not all of them of course) are built for the mileage.

As far as subarus go, the forester is a lot softer than the legacy or the impreza. With all those cars, usually the rubber bushings in the suspension stabilisers are to blame for that. Also, the forester is known for sagging rear suspension, which puts the car a little of-balance. That said, my neighbour has a 1st ten forester with over 1 MILLION km on it; he has had it since new, did all the proper maintenance, and prefers it to the last ten model, which he also owns. It is the 2.0 N/A manual. He tells me it has never left him stranded.

Lol car threads.

he does have a point though. if it's awd w/snowies vs 2wd w/snowies the awd vehicle will have an advantage in traction over the 2wd vehicle. that's not to say both can't get the job done, but the awd vehicle will be able to create more traction than just 2wd. where the awd advantage really comes into play is acceleration from a stop or going uphill. as the effective cog shifts rearward the rear wheels will assist in traction vs the the 2wd (which typically happens to be fwd) where the front wheels will lose traction and not be made up elsewhere.

Its ok Splinks,he just gets sad anytime Im not super serious in threads he posts in.

Those Suzuki vitaras like Loopie bought and the long wheelbase trackers are damn near indestructable.

But its clear morgan wants a scooby.

What he really needs is a scooby powered syncrovan.

my 2002 forester has done me great in the kootenays for booting around town and the occasional run up an fsr. i bought at 160k to now 265k. made sure it had timing belt/head gasket done from previous owner, since then it has been standard maintenance (which adds up), plus fixing leaky seals underneath. i average about 10L/100km overall, so nothing great really?

i don't find mine an exciting vehicle to drive, but gets me places. i'd rather drive my toyota sienna awd. old subarus are almost like old toyota trucks around here, people want crazy money for these used heaps.

But its clear morgan wants a scooby.

Mmmmmm … scooby snacks.

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.

I have an awd Element 5sp. Agree with what shirk says. It isn't satisfying to drive in the snow like a proper system would be. But it isn't going to get stuck very easily: fwd with rwd booster when needed works OK.

We have had 2 and like the utility of them. Noisy and resonant on the highway though.

Those Suzuki vitaras like Loopie bought and the long wheelbase trackers are damn near indestructable.

The newer 4-dr Tracker/Vitara is a decent vehicle. Probably doesn't have much carrying capacity, but his dog likely weighs under 35lbs. I seem to recall a 2L 4cyc, proper 4x4.

But,

Buy a Taco or Suby wagon. Those things are like Kootenay Camo you see so many of them up there.

Two cars - Impreza and a beater old Bronco or other such true solid 4x4 for bashing through the backroads of the kootenays.

The Kootenay Foresters are probably just loose from all the pounding they take on the back roads of the province… The places I've seen people take them is crazy.

Pathfinder. My 93 gets 11L/100km on the highway, in the mountains. You can sleep in it comfortably. Lots of manual trannies out there. Scoop up a nice one for under 5G and you have some money left over to make it ultra reliable for years ( ball joints, tires, brakes). Engine will last 400,000km ++

What he really needs is a scooby powered syncrovan.

these sound super rad. i.e. this:

packing this (sti engine):

I'll throw in my two cents.

It has already been said and understood, but don't go JDM. Friend had a RHD Pajero (diesel 4x4 SUV), loaded awesome, low kilometers everything was amazing, got it for $12k. We all were "jealous" for the first year. Then the motor had trouble, etc, etc… Suddenly he is selling the $12k SUV with a $6k motor rebuild and $3k in other stuff and he was only able to get $6k for it….

My pick:
2002 Pathfinder 4x4 with Manual