OK, brain fried. AWD help

Long story short.

I have an 02 Dakota 4x4 with 84k. In excellent condition worth $7700 kbb. Has a bent front frame crossmember which is putting the front alignment out of whack. Can't find a shop that isn't 3 months delayed.

I'm thinking about trading it for something like a $6000 non-gas-hog AWD vehicle because I have some travelling planned over Xmas. It doesn't have to be AWD, but I've just never really owned one and wondered if the additional maintenance was worth it

The truck drives so-so, but its toed out bad and the steering wheel is 45 degrees off. Makes for sketchy wet handling.

I'm going to throw out some CL suggestions and see what you think. Please also drop hints and suggestions of your own.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4229575780.html
04 330xi with 166k and 6 speed. But will it nickel and dime me to death? I am sans garage so I don't need a lemon.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4141366625.html
Here's a Jag X which I thought might be OK since it was in the Ford years, but the engine was replaced at 40k? Hmmmm.

http://youngstown.craigslist.org/bar/4192442498.html
86 Cutlass 442. Not awd, but soooo much want.

Those are just what I found under AWD from $5000-6500 on CL. I don't need that much flash, but I am 40, I'm splitting from my wife, and anything to compensate for my incredibly small hootus is good. That's a joke. But seriously. Ford Escape? Not a chick magnet. 330xi? Pu$$y patrol.

Thoughts to speed up my learning curve so I can get this handled before the holiday?

You can't adjust the toe ?

iceracer wrote: You can't adjust the toe ?

Yes, but the whole crossmember, LCAs, steering rack are out of position. The steering rack is tweaked back and up so far that the U-joint in the steering shaft is binding. The geometry is whacked. I could try to set toe and see what happens, but I don't have high hopes.

The 330 seems like a bad idea if you don't want to be paying for repairs. I imagine the Jaguars motor could have been replaced under warranty. Can you wait a little longer or go a little farther for a car?

I know you want something AWD, but in that price range you can probably find a much nicer, lower mileage FWD car

edit: I've found a ton of imprezas and outbacks in that range during my personal searching.

You could probably get a pretty nice Subaru with 3 pedals and a turbo for $6,000.

'03 81K Astro Van $6500

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4227827618.html

'05 Aztec 136K $4800

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/ctd/4231793570.html

'03 Astro Van 105K $4500

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4215548334.html

totes mcgotes hon wrote: Can you wait a little longer or go a little farther for a car?

I can go slightly farther, but can't really wait any longer. Things are progressing very quickly and its only a couple weeks until I am making a trip.

I know you want something AWD, but in that price range you can probably find a much nicer, lower mileage FWD car

you are right. That thought makes me throw up in my mouth a little, but you are right. What do you have in mind that is actually decent, respectable, and would get me laid?

I've found a ton of imprezas and outbacks in that range during my personal searching.

Don't they have head gasket issues? And maybe something about valve guides? I wouldn't mind a turbo impreza, but I heard that most of them after about 2000 were trouble.

fasted58 wrote: '03 81K Astro Van $6500 http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4227827618.html '05 Aztec 136K $4800 http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/ctd/4231793570.html '03 Astro Van 105K $4500 http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4215548334.html

Good ideas, but I went back and edited my original post and added this:

I don't need that much flash, but I am 40, I'm splitting from my wife, and anything to compensate for my incredibly small hootus is good. That's a joke. But seriously. Ford Escape? Not a chick magnet. 330xi? Pu$$y patrol.

If I can look at a car and maintain wood, its good. If I'm with a girl in the back of my Aztek and I keep going limp because I am ashamed of my own ugly embarrasing vehicle, not good.

By the way... I am appreciating the suggestions, I'm just being particularly flippant today.

Why the desire for AWD?

In my opinion (which may only be worth exactly what your paying to hear it ), AWD is unnecessary unless your planning to spend a lot of time driving through serious snow and ice. An FWD with good snow tires will out drive an AWD on all-seasons. And a RWD on snow tires is more fun._

3 series xi's in that price range are gonna be 140K+ mileage if that's ok.

'03 325xi 137K $4700

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4160834536.html

For a little more, '01 325xi 74K $8500

http://morgantown.craigslist.org/cto/4230195490.html

In reply to curtis73:

The problem is finding a turbo impreza that hasn't been boy-racered to death with questionable mods.

The ej205, ej255, and less so the ej257 have a somewhat common problem with oil leaking from the drain back path. It is sealed by the head gasket but it doesn't affect the seal around the combustion chamber. So unless a (usually) small oil leak just really really bothers you it's not worth worrying about. And yes cracks around the valve seat are very common but I have seen so many on good running engines that I don't think it is a problem on these engines that is going to have any big downside.

Acura TSX with a 6spd?

totes mcgotes hon wrote:

I know you want something AWD, but in that price range you can probably find a much nicer, lower mileage FWD car

you are right. That thought makes me throw up in my mouth a little, but you are right. What do you have in mind that is actually decent, respectable, and would get me laid?

I'm trying really hard, but I got nothing. There's lots of cars that won't hurt your chances at all, but that's about the best I can do.

edit: If they are in the price range than I'd have to agree with this.

dj06482 wrote: Acura TSX with a 6spd?

The 330ix is an interesting lad. It has a planetary transfer case (by New Process!) that drives one end off the the sun gear and the other end off of the ring gear. Result is about 2/3rd of the torque goes rear and 1/3rd goes to the front. They drive almost exactly like rear-drivers.

I forget if the Jag setup has a center diff or if it has an electronic clutch pack in the rear. I did an engine in one after the timing chains jumped and the owner opted to replace it. That was fun because I like complicated jobs like that. It was more time trying to pull the engine off of the trans than it was to drop and install the drivetrain/subframe. Little things like how the rear catalyst is installed and how it's in the way of everything, but everything is in the way of removing it to begin with.

My winter experiences suggest that FWD is better on snowy roads than AWD.

HappyAndy wrote: Why the desire for AWD?

If I stay here, I have a horrific gravel driveway (400' up a steep hill) and Pittsburgh winters. Not a requirement by any means... I did the last two winters in my 2wd E350 van, but there were dozens of days when I had to just let it sit at the bottom of the hill and walk to the house. My wife has an xB with Michelin studless winter tires and its nearly impossible for her to get up the driveway. It sometimes takes us 6 or 7 tries to get it up the drive. One of the problems is that there is a spring under the driveway, so its nearly always icy. Its always shaded so its one of the last parts to melt, and even if I plow it, I can't get much snow off without pushing half of my gravel into the yard. Unfortunately it sucks, but the truth is, its almost worth it to have AWD or 4WD just because of the driveway. I grew up around here and I never had 4WD. If it was that bad I just didn't go out. I usually advise people against what I'm doing, but seriously... the driveway alone is almost worth having AWD.

If I don't stay here, there is a good chance I'll be moving to Eastern Ontario, where some type of AWD would be appreciated. Again, not required, but helpful.

Knurled wrote: My winter experiences suggest that FWD is better on snowy roads than AWD.

Most of my experience is FWD, RWD, or a 4x4 truck. I have very little experience with AWD. I agree that 4x4 sucks on the road. Its pointless except to get traction offroad or to get moving in snow. In my opinion, if the snow is so deep that you need 4x4 to KEEP moving, you should have stayed home and watched TV. The only reason I currently have a 4x4 truck is because it was from a friend and the price was right. I didn't buy a 4x4, it just happened to have it.

I just personally detest FWD in every way possible. I keep trying to see its merits but I just hate it. I've owned dozens, driven hundreds. I agree that FWD is better in the snow if you lose traction in a straight line. RWD gets a little fishy if you add too much power, but I hate the feeling of not having steering with FWD if the front loses traction.

Maybe its just because I'm so used to RWD in my driving experience. I should get past it, but I just don't like FWD.

Maybe I'll stick with RWD and just put some snows on it. Plenty of cheap RWD stuff to pick from.

sounds like my driveway (minus the spring) … AWD is a god send if you have that AND hilly terrain …

I got by for 20+ yrs with FWD and snow tires, but the Suby (with snow tires) was WAY MO BETTER …

as old as my Suby was ('95) it didn't get all that great a gas milage (22 in the winter and 24 in the summer) .. but the newer ones seem to be rated a lot higher (30+ on the highway)

and you don't have to have a turbo model, unless this is going to be your "fun/play car" .. if it's your " I can get there regardless of the weather car", then no NEED for the turbo

curtis73 wrote: RWD gets a little fishy if you add too much power, but I hate the feeling of not having steering with FWD if the front loses traction.

My experience is the opposite. In a RWD, when you lose traction, you lose vehicle stability. In a FWD, when you lose traction, you just turn the steering wheel to rudder yourself where you want to go.

I suppose it depends on if you value steering input or if you value the car being pointed in the right direction. Personally I think it's safer to be able to rudder the wheels instead of pitching the car around. Easier to correct quickly.

Note that I was taught that you will lose traction, so just get used to the idea and drive with that in mind.

Honestly, given your preferences, I'd just put some GOOD snows on whatever RWD vehicle you like. This setup describes 75% of all the German cars in the snowy, mountainous town in Germany I lived in. Most of the rest were FWD with snows, almost no one had AWD/4WD.

In the US the opposite seems to be true, every mom north of Tallahassee has to have AWD "for the snow," but next to nobody buys snow tires.

ShadowSix wrote: In the US the opposite seems to be true, every mom north of Tallahassee has to have AWD "for the snow," but next to nobody buys snow tires.

Amen to that.

Having grown up partially in Ontario, I think there were fewer 4WD/AWD vehicles up there than there were in PA. That used to be driven in part by the economy in Eastern ONT when I was younger, but it was very common to see RWD with knobbies. If it got really bad, they put on chains.

That 442 is a beautiful cruiser, but taking it out in the winter salt would be crime.

I'd just buy a quick $1500 beater of some kind, throw on some snows and and call it good for a few months. Once everything is sorted out, you can take your time to fix the truck/ buy something else/ and then sell the beater.

Twin Cam Saturns run forever, just add more oil. Plastic body=no visible rust holes. I know, FWD....

Yeah, the problem is really that the best AWD option is far and away Subaru, but those are not the kind of cars women think are cool. I'd bet a nice RWD BMW with an LSD and some good snows will get you up that driveway better than the Scion. Part of the problem with the Scion is that the weight transfers the wrong what when going up a hill (ie, to the back wheels) and the other issue is that I'm sure it has a wide-open diff, a problem you can avoid with a BMW I imagine.

ShadowSix wrote: Honestly, given your preferences, I'd just put some GOOD snows on whatever RWD vehicle you like. This setup describes 75% of all the German cars in the snowy, mountainous town in Germany I lived in. Most of the rest were FWD with snows, almost no one had AWD/4WD. In the US the opposite seems to be true, every mom north of Tallahassee has to have AWD "for the snow," but next to nobody buys snow tires.

This is the right answer IMHO

How about a Saabaru? (Saab 9-2X) It is hard to find but if you can get one, it is essentially an Impreza which is a little more attractive and grown up. Comes both with and without a turbo...