Good winter car?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
I went with a '00 Buick Lesabre. It was cheap. It gets about 30 mpg highway. The 3.8 is pretty reliable.
And most of all, I don't car if it gets salt on it. It looks pretty good condition, but it is just a beater.
Good luck with your choice.
And most of all, I don't car if it gets salt on it. It looks pretty good condition, but it is just a beater.
Good luck with your choice.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 284
Likes: 4
From: New Hope Pennsylvania
I was looking at wrx wagons, kind of forgot about subaru there. Looked into it, GM doesn't really make any cars that are AWD 
oh well gotta start saving up for this car now. Thanks for the help guys!
oh well gotta start saving up for this car now. Thanks for the help guys!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
If you want a car that has good handling but high maintenance costs and will have plenty of issues, go German.
If you want great snow traction and reliability, go Subaru.
If you want great handling and good traction, as well as reliability, go Mazda.
....the same as above with good, but not great handling, go Honda or Toyota.
If you want excellent gas mileage and reliability, but not great handling, go Prius.
If you want great snow traction and reliability, go Subaru.
If you want great handling and good traction, as well as reliability, go Mazda.
....the same as above with good, but not great handling, go Honda or Toyota.
If you want excellent gas mileage and reliability, but not great handling, go Prius.
Administrator
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Consider getting a Chevy Sonic. I have a '12 LTZ model and it has a lot of nice features plus it has been very reliable in the two years I have owned it. Gets around well in the snow and gets 32+ mpg out on the highway.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,364
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From: Bedford MA
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
how bad are parts? lot of those german cars have outrageous prices on wear and tear gear. evap sensor $300, timing belt $200, just nutty money
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,943
Likes: 4
From: Lawrenceburg KY
If you just take stuff to the dealer then it's insanely expensive for sure, but if you don't mind getting your hands dirty they really aren't worse than a Corvette.
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 343
From: Shell Point (Crawfordville) Florida
My favorite winter car for driving around in deep snow and slush etc. was an original H1 Hummer - American made and GM, with the 454 gas engine, or you could get a diesel.
Great car but the gas mileage sucked.
Great car but the gas mileage sucked.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,499
Likes: 312
From: Scottsdale AZ
Thinking in the sub $10 grand range - - $5-7 gets tougher . .
Jeep anything . . .Cherokee, Grand Cherokee . . . even a traditional one kike a Wrangler . . here's one you can make money with: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4274009836.html
Those vehicles are probably pricey this time of year - - absent that - - Honda Accord - - any year - front wheel drive, low cost of acquisition, low maintenance . . .
Just my .02-
Jeep anything . . .Cherokee, Grand Cherokee . . . even a traditional one kike a Wrangler . . here's one you can make money with: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4274009836.html
Those vehicles are probably pricey this time of year - - absent that - - Honda Accord - - any year - front wheel drive, low cost of acquisition, low maintenance . . .
Just my .02-
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,818
Likes: 181
From: Pueblo, CO
Right now my c5 is my only car, so I need to get a winter car. Can't drive it in snow and don't want to drive it in the rain really. So I'm looking to keep it GM. I don't like SUV's so they are out of question. Don't want anything new, but I still want my car to look nice. Anybody have a good recommendation I can look into?
These include the Chevy Lumina/Monte Carlo, Pontiac Bonneville/Grand Prix, Buick Century/Regal, Oldsmobile Intrgue.
Very reliable and cheap to own/operate.
I've owned a 1999 Lumina LTZ which my wife drove until getting rear-ended. It was replaced with a 2001 Buick Regal LS. One of my daughters drives a 1999 Pontiac Bonneville.
Last edited by DanSavage; Jan 7, 2014 at 07:37 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 15
From: Richardson TX
I'm planning on selling my gas-guzzling jeep and buying a Jaguar X-type fairly soon to be my bad-weather car. Most people don't know that most of them are AWD.
They weren't terribly popular in the states, which means you can get them pretty cheap. You can get the earlier models in good shape for $5,000 easily.
They aren't the most handsome car IMO, but they're not bad, and the interiors on these cars are actually really really nice. Seats 5, good trunk space, decent acceleration, AWD, and 20-28 mpg depending on engine/driving habits. Its not strictly American, but it uses FORD parts, and I don't have many qualms with buying cars assembled in England.
They weren't terribly popular in the states, which means you can get them pretty cheap. You can get the earlier models in good shape for $5,000 easily.
They aren't the most handsome car IMO, but they're not bad, and the interiors on these cars are actually really really nice. Seats 5, good trunk space, decent acceleration, AWD, and 20-28 mpg depending on engine/driving habits. Its not strictly American, but it uses FORD parts, and I don't have many qualms with buying cars assembled in England.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
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From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 796
From: Fort Myers Beach Florida
Regardless of your budget, no one wants to maintain an Audi $$$$. Avoid them at all costs. I agree with the GM 3.8 liter suggestions since they perform well, last forever and get good mileage in big cars. For pure winter driving it's difficult to beat a Subaru if you don't mind driving a ricer.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
very good choice
a wrx wagon is an ideal second car. tons of cargo space, and, with real snow tires, will get high centered before you run out of traction. it's very possible to drive 50mph on snowy roads and have fairly good control with the right tire
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,186
Likes: 18
From: Scottsdale Az