lease is almost up, whats next?

[lionbacker54]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

There is nothing wrong with RWD cars in the snow! Do people truly believe we used nothing but sleds and 4x4s until the 80s when FWD and AWD became a thing? RWD is every bit as easy to drive in the snow as FWD. It is just different not worse.

the driving is not the problem. i got snow tires on my brz, and it drives just fine in snow and ice.

the problem is ground clearance. when there is deep snow, and your tires are riding into the ruts, the front bumper acts like a snow plow and scrapes all the snow and ice in front of it. that is why i use a winter beater

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by lionbacker54

the driving is not the problem. i got snow tires on my brz, and it drives just fine in snow and ice.

the problem is ground clearance. when there is deep snow, and your tires are riding into the ruts, the front bumper acts like a snow plow and scrapes all the snow and ice in front of it. that is why i use a winter beater

Ha ha ha ! You're telling me! Lowered 1 1/2 inches. Yep, she plows snow great and I never had an issue even when some AWDs were struggling. I drive almost 4000 miles a month so need the reliability and peace of mind of a new car. I also will trade every 4 years and get rock bottom price due to mileage anyway so trying to save it by having a beater just doesn't work for me. Besides I would only get to drive it about half the year and that would make me sad.

[Big D Design]

I will agree that RWD can be driven in the snow without much problem. A nice set of snow tires can make things doable.


I just moved 5 years ago from the Northeast to Florida, so I know how to drive in the snow. I'm 58 now (old jokes are coming) and have driven in many a blizzard. I lived at the Coast most of my adult life and I lived on a barrier island. It was 1100ft from the ocean to the bay. So when it snowed the winds would whip sometimes with 40mph sustained winds. Snow drifts were aplenty and when the giant snow removal trucks would come by and clear out the main roads, there would be giant mounds of snow you would have to crash thru on the side streets to get anywhere. Yes that was me heading into a 2ft wall of snow at 20mph and blowing thru the stop sign. If you didn't have a raised truck, you couldn't get around town during a blizzard. This is a small town, so my chances of getting hit are very slim blowing thru a stop sign in a major blizzard or just when the snow stopped falling. These mounds of snow on the side streets were just insane to blow thru. I have been known to be insane as well. Did I mention that I had Dunlop extreme performance tires on the car most of the time in winter? But I had a '92 Maxima with limited-slip differential FWD MT.




So here's where I make my point about where FWD limited-slip is just better. Too bad car companies didn't put out more cars that way. I wasn't saying RWD is not impossible. When plowing thru snow with FWD like I have on my Maxima the power wheels are the closest to the snow bank when busting thru it. This gives it an advantage of pulling the rest of the car with it. I apologize to anyone that I hurt their feelings. I keep forgetting that my car had the limited-slip advantage when discussing the FWD to RWD debate. I bought that Maxima way back in '91 when they came out. It was my second one with that body style. Had the '89 too when that body style came out. It was called the "4 Door Sports Car". When they revised the car for '92, it really was the "4 Door Sports Car". To this day it is one of my best cars to drive at high speeds. I can't sell the thing. It goes thru pouring rain at 100mph like you were doing 50mph (yes that was in Mexico).


The engineer in me comes out sometimes. If you have read this far... thanks. I hope Spring comes for all up North, so you can drive like the car should be driven (like you stole it).

[Big D Design]

@Tcoat. You are amazing for doing the FRS in winter up there. That is so cool. You only live once, you might as well have no regrets. I can't believe you lowered the car. Wow, you are one snow plow with the FRS design of the front. Props.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Big D Design

I will agree that RWD can be driven in the snow without much problem. A nice set of snow tires can make things doable.


I just moved 5 years ago from the Northeast to Florida, so I know how to drive in the snow. I'm 58 now (old jokes are coming) and have driven in many a blizzard. I lived at the Coast most of my adult life and I lived on a barrier island. It was 1100ft from the ocean to the bay. So when it snowed the winds would whip sometimes with 40mph sustained winds. Snow drifts were aplenty and when the giant snow removal trucks would come by and clear out the main roads, there would be giant mounds of snow you would have to crash thru on the side streets to get anywhere. Yes that was me heading into a 2ft wall of snow at 20mph and blowing thru the stop sign. If you didn't have a raised truck, you couldn't get around town during a blizzard. This is a small town, so my chances of getting hit are very slim blowing thru a stop sign in a major blizzard or just when the snow stopped falling. These mounds of snow on the side streets were just insane to blow thru. I have been known to be insane as well. Did I mention that I had Dunlop extreme performance tires on the car most of the time in winter? But I had a '92 Maxima with limited-slip differential FWD MT.




So here's where I make my point about where FWD limited-slip is just better. Too bad car companies didn't put out more cars that way. I wasn't saying RWD is not impossible. When plowing thru snow with FWD like I have on my Maxima the power wheels are the closest to the snow bank when busting thru it. This gives it an advantage of pulling the rest of the car with it. I apologize to anyone that I hurt their feelings. I keep forgetting that my car had the limited-slip advantage when discussing the FWD to RWD debate. I bought that Maxima way back in '91 when they came out. It was my second one with that body style. Had the '89 too when that body style came out. It was called the "4 Door Sports Car". When they revised the car for '92, it really was the "4 Door Sports Car". To this day it is one of my best cars to drive at high speeds. I can't sell the thing. It goes thru pouring rain at 100mph like you were doing 50mph (yes that was in Mexico).


The engineer in me comes out sometimes. If you have read this far... thanks. I hope Spring comes for all up North, so you can drive like the car should be driven (like you stole it).

Ha Ha Ha! I am only a couple of years off you and agree with what you have said. My argument is that RWD in general is no harder to drive in the snow but once you get talking about specific cars that can change. The police don't pack up their RWD Crown Vics (those that remain) every time is snows and RWD pickups can be the go to vehicle for some people in the winter.
Take a FWD car and give it the weight, balance, clearance height and over steer of an 86 and its going to be far worse in the snow then your Maxima. Then there is the whole tire thing since so many try to get away with the wrong tires and then blame the car when they have issues (see that on here all the time). I love the looks I get when I am in my low, light and flashy sports coupe and drive by some guy in an AWD car with "all season" tires that is stuck in the snow.
I guess my point is that it is the overall vehicle characteristics that make them good or bad in the snow not just what wheels propel them.


Oh, and about 70% of the people on here are engineers or techs of some kind so it leads to some interesting debates!

[kiichiro]

Originally Posted by shishand

those are cheap, and kind of a downgrade. fwd 1.6l? i'd keep the frs. I also agree on the lease.



no thanks mate. cheap toys :p i'd keep my frs. s2000 is way too impractical. im looking for an upgrade

selling your s2000?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by kiichiro

selling your s2000?

[lionbacker54]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Ha ha ha ! You're telling me! Lowered 1 1/2 inches. Yep, she plows snow great and I never had an issue even when some AWDs were struggling. I drive almost 4000 miles a month so need the reliability and peace of mind of a new car. I also will trade every 4 years and get rock bottom price due to mileage anyway so trying to save it by having a beater just doesn't work for me. Besides I would only get to drive it about half the year and that would make me sad.

wow, 4000 miles a month is intense. as is the picture you posted. i think what you do makes a lot of sense. if you are selling a car with over 150,000 miles, it won't make much difference if the front bumper is scratched up a bit

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by lionbacker54

wow, 4000 miles a month is intense. as is the picture you posted. i think what you do makes a lot of sense. if you are selling a car with over 150,000 miles, it won't make much difference if the front bumper is scratched up a bit

It is always a blast when I go to trade in a car and the sales person asks year? Ok, writes it down. Model? Ok, writes it down. Mileage? What, puts down pen and stares at me!

[Strife26]

Originally Posted by shishand

I know most of you guys financed this car, but to those that leased or those that are planning to change their cars soon, what's next ?
I been looking at the M235, Genesis 3.8 ( i know i know..), some lexus (not sure about the model), evo, sti (no more hatch though )..
anyways, im stuck in between.

currently i have the white frs in auto, sadly yes AT, but the next car is definitely MT, and its also one of the reasons im not really considering buying this car at the end of my lease. by the end of my lease, there will be about 15-16k left.

i thought about just getting another frs in mt, but i think i want something different now, perhaps with a little more comfort but still sporty. a tad bid of luxury wouldnt be bad either (leather seats etc.. ), nothing major. any thoughts? im going to 21 when lease is over, going into my 3rd year of college as well.


i should mention, price point for the lease should be well under $500, including tax. im open to buying a car as well

When does the awd focus release? It sounds like it deserves consideration