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I Need an All Wheel Drive - What Would You Recommend?
For the last several years I have been driving a Honda Accord. Its been a good car except for the fact that the transmission went out on it at 60k miles. On Monday night I was driving home from Westminster and hit a horrible storm. Although the Honda is front wheel drive the weather I encounter on I-80 and hwy 40 (that’s the road from I-80 that heads into Heber) between December and March seem to be more than a front wheel drive can handle. I need a change.
I’ve been looking at a couple of options. I used to think of myself as a truck guy but as I get older I’ve gravitated more towards cars. If I were going to buy a truck I’d pick up a Tundra. My wife drives a Toyota Sienna XLE Limited with AWD. Its a great snow car. You can’t go wrong with a Toyota.
Last Saturday night I test drove an Audi S4. Holy crap that car can move and the AWD is very appealing. The S4 may be a little excessive so I think I see myself also fitting very nicely in an A4. I’ve heard good and bad things about Audi since I started looking at them. What are your thoughts? Other options I am looking at include the Subaru Outback, Infiniti G35x and BMW 330xi.
Bottom line is that I need to dump the Honda and go for an upgrade. What would you pick and why? What would you not pick and why?
Thanks in advance for your input. Â
G35 has some serious umph.
the S4 has some serious umph because it has a v8.
you could always go for the new S6, which has a Lamborghini v10 in it.
Of course, the BMW is a BMW. It’s a sales tool in an of itself.
Left by Russell Page on 12/01/2006The S6 is a serious machine. Way out of my price range. I loved the S4. Still a little excessive. BMW’s are nice but I’m not impressed with what they are for what they cost. I like the G35.
Left by Chris Knudsen on 12/01/2006As an Audi owner I can say that they drive great, but you’ll pay through the nose for repairs, and oh the repairs you’ll have to do. If you get an Audi that’s used make sure it’s thoroughly checked out by an independent source before you buy it, and make sure you sell it before it gets to 80K miles. Mine started falling apart at 100K and during the past 18 months I’ve spent about $5K repairing it. And that’s just the things I had to fix to keep it on the road. I’ve still got a list of 20 things I would like to get fixed (cruise control, AC, drive side rear window, rusted rear view mirrors, blown speaker, cassette stuck in cassette player, etc.) but which I don’t feel like paying for.
Left by Joshua Steimle on 12/01/2006I can’t say enough nice things about my Subaru Outback. In the five years that my wife and I have had our LLBean edition we’ve crossed Wyoming several times in winter months for family activities (we’re both from the upper Great Plains). It’s never once let us down - even when we’re on roads that have left other lesser vehicles lining the ice-edged ditches.
At the time the only way you could get the 6-cylinder engine was to get the LLBean Edition (it also comes with leather, heated seats, etc). I wouldn’t recommend the smaller 4-cylinder. I do believe that one can get the 6-cylinder in the regular model now, however.
The Forrester also has AWD and is supposed to have faired very well in the government crash test ratings.
Left by Matthew Reinbold on 12/01/2006Josh:
What year is Audi? Thanks for the input.
Left by Chris Knudsen on 12/01/2006Matt, thanks for the comments. I think I may give Subaru a more serious look. I had a bad experience with one I owned about 12 years ago but I many need to take a closer look at the new ones.
Left by Chris Knudsen on 12/01/2006Cammon and I love our Outback we’ve had it now for a year so I feel very comfortable going into this winter. We went through some extensive research and I agree with Matthew with the government crash testing as well. Good luck in the search!
Left by Lorri Randle on 12/01/2006I actually get to drive an Aston Martin Vanquish from Draper to Logan tomorrow. No joke. I’ll make sure and take some video.
Left by Russell Page on 12/02/2006