What compels a person to get "4 wheel drive"?

[Tamara]

Been there, done that (been stuck), don't want to be there again?

Perhaps.

As I read the "wake up call" articles about Atlanta and Birmingham, there is a consistent note about so many of trapped not having 4 wheel drive cars..................not that 4 wheel drive alone would have work there.

But I think it takes more than just being stuck. For one thing, having the cash certainly helps. But more than that, one needs to reach a point in their life when it falls into place.

In college, for bonfire, I spent enough time slipping and sliding and slinging on logging roads in a little Opel, but I never really got stuck. Rather got good, well I thought so, of knowing which way to turn the wheel and to be able to keep going. Now, in high school, my car was the family's Volarie station wagon and once I went from an ice free road to an ice covered road at 55 or so.....and ended up in a ditch. A rancher with a pick up truck got me out.

So what was the first car I bought? A Cutlass. I was young and wanted a sports car, sportish car, and wasn't thinking 4 wheel then. Then the Cutlass got totaled, I went with a Corsica for a decade, and when it came time to change that, my mindset had shifted to a SUV.

I had had enough adventures where I realized I needed an SUV, been stuck behind flooded parking lots, and the 4 wheel as in all wheel for the Subaru fell in place. Then a year or two ago, I needed a pickup truck, and the 4 wheel drive fell in place.

At this point in my life, being in Texas, not having some kind of 4 wheel drive is not a thing for me.

But I think it is because of live and learn situations that we get such things. I store my spare kitty litter sacks in the car because they can be used as a source of emergency traction. Eventually, I "plan" to get winches put on both (which may work in ice situations if you can attach them to something) but that's a plan that has come back on the table not for the pulling out of a ditch but maybe to use for barn raising.

Maybe....................and I really dread the day when I have to change a tire on my F-250 monster.

[Officer of Engineers]

Posi-track is more important than 4WD. 4WD is just a gas burner as far as I'm concerned.

[Doktor]

Erm... without good tires all those fancy gadget are wort nothing.

[Bigfella]

In Australia you an usually assume that someone buying a 4WD won't actually drive it over territory that really needs one more often than once every few years. I grew up in a rural area where 4WDs were rare, even on farms. It was only when I moved to a big city that I saw them everywhere.

I always thought it somehow appropriate that Nissan's 4WD 'Pajero' translates in some Spanish speaking countries as 'wanker'. ;)

[Tamara]

In Australia you an usually assume that someone buying a 4WD won't actually drive it over territory that really needs one more often than once every few years. I grew up in a rural area where 4WDs were rare, even on farms. It was only when I moved to a big city that I saw them everywhere.

I always thought it somehow appropriate that Nissan's 4WD 'Pajero' translates in some Spanish speaking countries as 'wanker'. ;)

Comme ce, comme ca.

Last year at festival, they had a new parking lot filled with wood chips and a sign that said "4 wheel drive only". The guide took one look at my Forester and waved me right on in. So while I may not search out areas for my Forester to use its AWD, I do run into situations from time to time.

So far, though, I haven't used the 4WD on the truck or, for that matter, probably not much of its full lift capability. But I do operate in enough off road situations so I'm sure there will come a time when it is needed.

[Albany Rifles]

4WD lets you get stuck in deeper snow.

[Doktor]

Mitsubishi.

From what i understand Pajero means small willie ;)

[tuna]

I'm cheap as they come. My last car was a 93 Camry that I bought for $500 and ran for 6 years. Got rid of it when the tranny went prior to a deployment (kicking myself for it now).

Came back from the deployment with some cash on hand, and put a down payment on Dodge 1500 quad cab, with 4 x 4.

What a mistake. Haven't needed the 4WD for anything that my Camry wouldn't have handled better. Repairs up the wazoo and the thing still won't pass inspection. Gonna dump it soon, and when I come back from my next deployment, I was going to get a Subaru for the AWD, then I thought, why? I'm leaning toward a Honday Odyssey like my wife has.

Not as cool as the Ram by any means, but I think the Subaru and Honda beat the Ram in reliablity and practicality all week long.

[Tamara]

I'm cheap as they come. My last car was a 93 Camry that I bought for $500 and ran for 6 years. Got rid of it when the tranny went prior to a deployment (kicking myself for it now).

Came back from the deployment with some cash on hand, and put a down payment on Dodge 1500 quad cab, with 4 x 4.

What a mistake. Haven't needed the 4WD for anything that my Camry wouldn't have handled better. Repairs up the wazoo and the thing still won't pass inspection. Gonna dump it soon, and when I come back from my next deployment, I was going to get a Subaru for the AWD, then I thought, why? I'm leaning toward a Honday Odyssey like my wife has.

Not as cool as the Ram by any means, but I think the Subaru and Honda beat the Ram in reliablity and practicality all week long.

I wouldn't argue that much. I use the Forester for most things.....except for the things it can't do, then I use the -250.

[Stitch]

4WD lets you get stuck in deeper snow.

Exactly.

I was always taught "2WD in, 4WD out"; if you use 4WD to go in, you usually go too far. If you're at the point where you NEED 4WD, you've probably gone too far already.

[Officer of Engineers]

In Australia you an usually assume that someone buying a 4WD won't actually drive it over territory that really needs one more often than once every few years. I grew up in a rural area where 4WDs were rare, even on farms. It was only when I moved to a big city that I saw them everywhere.

Same here. I buy my trucks off of farmers who went for newer models. None of them are 4WD but all have posi-track.

[YellowFever]

I need my 4WD to run away from deranged people with Hockey sticks.

[Dreadnought]

Living where it snows I would never have a two wheel drive truck again.

My new one (GMC) is not only 4wd but also has a true posi rear at all times. Ergo, both spin together not intermittenly like many claim to have posi rears or limited slip. Another reason why I bought the truck I have.

My old truck Chevy (4x4) monster

4wd is also great for getting out of a jam if you drop a drive shaft and need to get out of where you are quickly. All you have to do is remove the drive shaft that has slipped out of the differential, throw it in the back, lock up in four drive and drive away on the front differential. Yes, you will lose some fluid but better then to be stuck someplace you really dont want to be. Keep an eye on the fluid until you get where your going.

Been there, done that and will NEVER own another truck that is not 4wd.;)

Funny thing was the idiots standing on the street corner laughing at this problem figuring my truck was going to be free parts until i returned with a tow truck were not laughing when I pulled away no more then five minutes later under its own power.

Damaged yes, readily repairable, but saved myself the tow truck bill and my truck being ransacked while I was seeking a tow truck to get home.

I left them a puddle of transfer case fluid as a consellation prize.

Bought a new GMC 4x4 and never looked back.

[SteveDaPirate]

In my experience the most important thing when driving in snow and ice is to have a vehicle that has weight over the drive wheels. This can be a car with the engine over the drive wheels, or a truck with plenty of sand bags in the back. Bring along some kitty litter and a good dirt shovel that is strong enough to cut through snow melt that has refrozen and you should be good to go.

Soapbox time
If you are going up a hill, get a running start and do not stop until you are at the top. If you try to take that sharp turn doing 20 mph the way you normally do, you are going to have a bad time. Please don't be the guy that assumes that since his 4x4 can accelerate better from a stop than the folks on either side of him, he must be able to stop faster as well. You look pretty stupid when your $50,000 beast goes sliding through an intersection and down an embankment because you assumed your 4 wheel drive gives you extra braking power on ice. :slap:

[zraver]

I drive a 4x4. A 1999 Chevy Suburban K1500 with a 6" lift on Khumo Road Venture AT. I also carry a 12" tow chain, 25' recovery strap rated at 30,000lbs, a tow rope, chain saw, food, water, first responder bag, utility shut off tool, handy rescue tool, automotive tools, jacks, 2x 5gl fuel cans, 100w siren, amber strobes (for storm chasing) red strobe light bar (for emergency response), CB radio, triple trunked digital scanner, Public safety radio (when I am in the truck), dash cam, radar detector, change of clothes, wet weather gear, 2x tent, 72" pinch bar, 48" super heavy duty bolt cutters, jumper cables,fire extinguisher, air pump, blankets, mobile weather station, portable halogen spot light, android phone, Verizon jet pack mobile wireless router, 2x petzel rescue helmets, multiple pair of gloves including extrication gloves, snow chains, 4ton come alone, 48" rescue jack, c-collars, 40lbs of kitty litter and a car seat.... Plus I am pretty sure I am adding a 12,000lb winch and remote rooftop light as part of my tax refund Christmas in March.

When bad weather hits I am often out in it (or I transfer my recovery and responder gear to the Rescue Squads suburban) rescuing people. 4WD sittng modestly high on good tires with the right gear handled by someone who knows how to drive in the slick stuff can make all the difference in the world.

Steve, you' be surprised how many times I've been to an accident scene on icy roads where the curve sloped to the inside and people went TOO slow and slid down the incline and into the ditch. Its not just too fast, but too slow that will bite people.