Deja Vu: Light duty truck for winter / haulin

I know of a good deal on a 1994 Nissan in Michigan. Contact me if you want more info. Braden

RossD wrote:

junkbuggie wrote: 4x4 is for mud or sand anything else and your just wasting gas.

You dont drive 4-5 months with snow on the ground do you? -Ross from Wisconsin

4x4 is for mud or sand anything else and your just wasting gas.

-junkbuggie from Wisconsin

P.S. my 2wd 4cyl ranger with snow tires can get further on a snow drifted road than just about any 4x4.

I've owned a Nissan hardbody and driven both Rangers and S-10s.

IMHO, the Nissan is not only a great little pickup, it is also spunky and fun to drive.

The Ranger and the S-10, IMHO, not so much... .

That being said, I am the type of person that would never own another 2x4 pickup unless I had another 4x4, which are ususally never as much fun to drive.

2x4 are fun or 4x4 are fun?

Also for those of you who live in places that average around 70 inches of snowfall a year, how do you feel about driving a 2x4 pickup in 12 inches of fresh snow?

Both can be fun.

If you want to fish tail and drift when it's slick both can do it in 2wd.

The advantage of 4wd is that when you have too much fun playing in 2wd and end up stuck, you can shift into 4wd and get yourself out rather than needing to call for help.

The 4x2 doesn't give you that option.

Joe

If you are talking about 12" of snow on an unplowed road with 2wd, then I would recommend having a set of good snow tires and chains in case you get in trouble.

I have had many 2wd pick ups over the years and a good set of snow tires will let you get around easily while the guys with 4x4 are having to use 4wd to get moving. The drag of the driveline on 4wd will cause you to spin sooner in 2wd than a rear drive will spin when it gets slippery.

Once the snow builds up and you are pushing the front tires through deep snow the 4wd has the advantage.

Both can get the job done, just 2wd requires more attention to plan ahead for uphill traffic stops and other drivers causing traffic to stop on hills and really slick areas.

Joe

Taiden wrote: Also for those of you who live in places that average around 70 inches of snowfall a year, how do you feel about driving a 2x4 pickup in 12 inches of fresh snow?

I grew up in PA and ONT. My winter car? a 96 Impala SS with 275mm summer-only rubber. My other winter car? a 78 chevy pickup 2wd without posi.

If the roads are so bad that you actually need 4x4, nothing is open anyway. Stay home, build a fire. I grew up in a house that had three 4x4s, and its mostly useless on the road. The only thing its really good for is to get moving.

It does come in VERY handy, but for me personally, its not a requirement in snow. Here's my take on it... the once or twice that I would actually need it in the winter isn't necessarily worth the fuel use, tire wear, and slightly increased maintenance of 4x4 the other 364 days a year.

Having said that, I now live in TX and have a 4x4

I have breaking news for the 2x4 disciples--you can put snow tires on a 4x4 too.

I grew up in the mountains in BFE Idaho, driving a rwd car with snow tires in the winter. While I generally got where I needed to go if the road was plowed, an awd or 4x4 with snow tires is a HUGE improvement. That is why I have a set of snow tires for both my WRX and my 4x4 Tundra... .

curtis73 hit the nail on the head. if you don't do any thing dumb you don't need 4x4, so all you do is spend extra gas for nothing. however Dav is also right. I have had a AWD subaru on snow tires it was something like a bad ass.