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2 separate issues... Posted by Snowmobile [Email] (#686) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Snowmobile) on Sun, 23 Feb 2014 19:11:03 In Reply to: Re: All vs. Front Wheel Drive, Tom G [Profile/Gallery] , Sun, 23 Feb 2014 12:40:26 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
higher clearance allows you to cross deeper snow (or water) before you bottom out. awd, helps you go forward better when there is reduced traction. awd does nothing when it is time to stop. Being able to go faster in slippery conditions and not stop or handle as well is dangerous. Tires are waaay more important imho than awd.
My experience driving an Outback through a blizzard at night through the rockies, was that it was slightly better going forward than our c900, and confidence inspiring, being brand new with a full tank of gas. Otoh, it did not stop or steer nearly as well in snow.
SAAB really did something right with that c900 as a snow car. With the right tires, it is amazing. Our 1989 with no abs and old hakkas (4) drives circles around our 9-5 in snow + ice with abs, tcs, and new hakkas (R, and about as narrow as I can do on the 9-5). So, I would agree, that if one's experience was 9-5 vs Outback, yeah, the Outback probably is a bit better. But then all those other days of the year when there isn't >6-8" of snow, you're driving a much less enjoyable car imho and wasting gas on awd. Many of our friends went for Foresters, which are 100x worse to drive than an Outback, but do have lots of clearance. Incidentally, the clearance of the 9-5 is about the same as a c900, unless you have an aero.
I guess for Tony, where his wife wants something raised, that probably means he's not looking for a Saab. Something like an outback might be a contender if he can get past the torture seats and other poor ergonomics... and lack of turbo... and crummy asian off the line gearbox if it's not a stick (do they make that in stick anymore?)... Maybe it has improved. Worth a test drive. I wanted to like Suby, and rented many for long haul trips to evaluate, and every one just was awful. Maybe a WRX is better, but it won't haul our family! The 9-5 is rather hard to replace.
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