Help me choose my next car

[Out-to-Lunch]

I'm the same, as of last year. We don't get that much snow, but since I live on a mountain I'll take all the help I can get with all of the ups and downs.

I lived in Grenoble, France for a sabbatical for a year, where I rented a house and a car from someone who was on sabbatical in the US. His FWD Peugeot station wagon had balding tires, and we lived up on a small mountain, and it turned out to be the coldest, snowiest, iciest year in recent memory in that area. The trips up and down were downright harrowing, and I couldn't even take action to deal with it as it wasn't my car! (I think if it were now, I would just pony up and buy 'em anyway.)

Anyway, I came home from that trip and promptly bought 8 wheels and 16 tires! First of all, the existing tires were old and flat-spotted from sitting for a year. But more to the point, it solidified my decision to go with snows and summer tires.

 

[RetMD21]

Driving wife to a medical appt earlier this week and the check engine and a couple other warning lights came on in her 2004 Toyota. Her first thought was YIPEE she finally gets a new car. Sadly for her new car dream, can’t kill the old and well-maintained Toyota. I repaired and back on the road.

However she’s looking at new cars since the old Toyota is approaching 200k miles. Leaning towards a Subaru Crosstrek or Legacy. We get icy roads in the winter and occasionally a little snow so whatever we end up with AWD is essential. As long as she’s happy and I can attach a big bike rack to the roof it’s all good.

Our other car is a Subaru Outback. Great car but wife prefers a smaller vehicle.

We are looking at Subarus ourselves. The Outback and Forester have more ground clearance than some of the others. In deep snow that is as important as the awd imo

 

[Koolau]

We are looking at Subarus ourselves. The Outback and Forester have more ground clearance than some of the others. In deep snow that is as important as the awd imo

Yep. The 4WD worked okay until deeper snow began to pack under the car due to clearance. That was actually the limiting factor. YMMV

 

[someguy]

Simple and sweet. I am interested in Awd and self parking, I don’t want an SUV. so far I have found my best option to be a Prius. Self parking is a rare feature. Any good options I have overlooked? I don’t want to spend over 50K. Thanks.

OP -- any update?

 

[AreWeThereYet0]

I purchased a Prius Friday. Thanks to everyone’s comments I am considering snow tires for the winter months to add to the awd.

 

[pb4uski]

Call me crazy, but I have AWD and I swap out good summer tires for good snow tires every year! It may be overkill, but I LIKE IT!

+1 when we stayed in Vermont for winter our Subaru got a set of 4 winter tires and our 4WD pickup had all-terrain tires which are similar to winter tires.

 

[Chuckanut]

I purchased a Prius Friday. Thanks to everyone’s comments I am considering snow tires for the winter months to add to the awd.

Make sure tom clean the traction battery filter every year. And don’t block the vents. Clean filter = cool battery = very long battery life.

 

[Sunset]

...

IMO, half the "SUVs in the ditch" are the result of driver overconfidence from AWD+SUV, not lack of actual capability (eg versus a 2WD vehicle with dedicates snow tires).

One November we were driving back from Canada during an early icy storm, we were literally driving 30 mph on the freeway , and now and then an SUV would zip past us at 40/50mph.
In the 20 miles icy stretch I lost count of all the SUV's that slid off the road on the curves.

They forgot their great AWD's did nothing for stopping or sliding off the road.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I purchased a Prius Friday. Thanks to everyone’s comments I am considering snow tires for the winter months to add to the awd.

I've learned a lot over the years from Priuschat.com. Great forum.

 

[someguy]

I purchased a Prius Friday. Thanks to everyone’s comments I am considering snow tires for the winter months to add to the awd.

Great vehicle. Congrats on the purchase!

 

[mystang52]

Since OP made the decision (congrats, and enjoy!), I don't feel guilty commenting about snow tires. Since we don't have a j*b to go to, anymore, I see no reason for snow tires. DW's sedan is FWD, my SUV AWD. Both do fine in low snow.
Every snow storm, if it starts in the daytime, I drive to my nearby County park to run in the fresh snow. It's downright exhilarating, and I'm close to the only person on the path. Then I drive home (snow on the roads is still low) and we hunker down until the storm ends and the roads are plowed. So, in my case, no need for snow tires.

 

[braumeister]

The most recommended snow tire brand I see routinely is Blizzak. Of course, that may be related to the fact that it also seems to be the most heavily advertised brand.

Personally, I did my own research and decided to get a set of Vredestein Quatrac 5 XL winter tires about two years ago. Far and away the best performing snow tires I've ever had.

If you really plan to drive in snow, what you want to look for is the 3PMSF symbol (3 peak mountain snowflake) that identifies a true winter tire from a merely "all season" tire.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

The most recommended snow tire brand I see routinely is Blizzak. Of course, that may be related to the fact that it also seems to be the most heavily advertised brand.

Personally, I did my own research and decided to get a set of Vredestein Quatrac 5 XL winter tires about two years ago. Far and away the best performing snow tires I've ever had.

If you really plan to drive in snow, what you want to look for is the 3PMSF symbol (3 peak mountain snowflake) that identifies a true winter tire from a merely "all season" tire.

I'm a longtime fan of Nokian. The Finns know snow. Nobody beats them.
That said, a decent brand I've found to be a good performer on the Gen 2 Prius is the General Altimax Arctic. They are rebadged Gislaved Nordfrost tires. They are studdable, but also available without studs if your state prohibits them

 

[travelover]

The most recommended snow tire brand I see routinely is Blizzak. .........

Consumer Reports does winter snow tire testing regularly and tests for different snow / ice conditions, so I find them to be a good resource.

 

[RunningBum]

I went with the Michelin X-Ice. I don't remember what swung me to them, but I considered all the other ones mentioned.

That said, I doubt a dedicated snow tire is needed in Baltimore, if that is the OP's actual location.

 

[OldShooter]

... we hunker down until the storm ends and the roads are plowed. So, in my case, no need for snow tires.

If it works for you, fine. But IMO "snow tires" is not what we are getting these days. What we are getting is "winter tires" with tread designs and rubber compounds optimized for winter driving. The rubber compounds are softer and optimized for low temperatures. Some have sand mixed in with the rubber. They are much better on packed snow and on ice that the old time snowies and much better than "all season" tires as well. The difference is not small.

Here our roads are quickly plowed and kept clear so I don't worry much about having to drive in deep snow, but there are always patches of ice and packed snow to one degree or another. Personally, I wouldn't be without winter tires in the winter.

 

[frank]

Make sure tom clean the traction battery filter every year. And don’t block the vents. Clean filter = cool battery = very long battery life.

I have a prius. is the traction battery filter something new?

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I have a prius. is the traction battery filter something new?

I can't speak for newer models, but my Generation 2 (2004-2009) and the Generation 1 Prius se used to have do not have any filtration for the cooling fan.

 

[travelover]

I can't speak for newer models, but my Generation 2 (2004-2009) and the Generation 1 Prius se used to have do not have any filtration for the cooling fan.

I had an Escape hybrid and it had a filter for the battery fan.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I searched YouTube, and sure enough, the newer Prius has a filter for the battery fan.