Front wheel drive vehicles for driving in western mountain states

[Fatcamp]

No, not all snow tires are studded.

When I was about 20 and living at 9,000 ft in Colorado I spent an entire winter driving a rear wheel drive SUV with only 2wd and just run of the mill all terrain tires. It sucked but miraculously I never actually got stuck. It can be done but.... Is a 4wd vehicle with decent clearance not an option for you?

I remember years ago being the last guy to leave a job site after some heavy snowfall during the work day. Long day of work, sun going down, strong wind and coooold. 2wd F150 with good tires that got around pretty good. Not that day of course. As I shoveled the drifts away I vowed to buy a 4wd vehicle and never look back. Point being, it worked great until it didn't, and then it sucked at the worst possible time.

 

[def90]

A solid set of snow tires does wonders. All of the people you see stuck on I70 during a snow event have regular old street tires and they are usually well worn at that. Some people around here get studded tires but I'm not convinced they do any better than a good set of snow tires.

 

[PSplay]

Tires are clearly important; however, don't neglect ground clearance. Otherwise, your vehicle will become the plow.

 

[5MilesBack]

It's hard to have a lot of fun in the snow with a FWD vehicle. I've taught all my daughters snow handling with rear wheel drive and manual transmissions in empty parking lots. You gotta know how your vehicle is going to respond in snow and ice, and how to correct and minimize that. You should do the same with FWD and even 4WD, but the fun factor is cut way down with those.

 

[BBob]

Thank you for this feedback. The consensus seems to be tires make all the difference. Next questions are out of ignorance. Snow tires- are all snow tires studded? Would you use studs in the front and rear? What are some good snow tire make and models for front wheel drive vehicles? Thanks!

Studs are more ice specific and in general snowy conditions you probably don't need them. I didn't know anyone in Quebec that used studs and they got by in some/most icy conditions. Keep in mind lots of places in the NE (including CA) do not allow chains or cables at all on the roads and during specific winter months snow tires are mandated. Studded tires are allowed there but you cannot use them year round like you could un-studded snow tires.

Studded Winter Tires or Non-Studded Winter Tires? / Nokian Tires

Should you buy studded or non-studded tires? Here’s a list of factors to consider when deciding which type of winter tires are safest for your driving needs.

www.nokiantires.com

 

[darcytribe]

Thanks again for this additional feedback and info! I am generally a cheapskate and am always looking for ways to reduce costs. 4x4 and awd vehicles come at a hefty premium over fwd vehicles, generally. If I can make the cheaper vehicle work for my needs 95% of the time with the right tires on there, I'll probably choose that option. Yes, for the remaining 5% of the time I'll be inconvenienced but I can probably live with that for the cost savings. Anyway, this was a valuable discussion to me and will help me with decisions, thank you!