Discussion
With the right tyres (Winter tyres or proper off-road tyres) a part time 4 wheel drive vehicle is likely to be just as effective for road use, as a full time 4x4...or one that is manually selectable. A 4x4 on Summer tyres, is likely to be less useful than a front wheel drive car on Winter tyres, in my experience.
My Toyota 4Runner runs in rear wheel drive until you lock the transfer case into 4wd...and the same goes for my wife's Shogun. You have to try really hard to get a 4Runner stuck if it's fitted with Mud Terrain tyres.
Our 4x4 Panda on Winter tyres copes really well, selecting it's own rear drive system as needed, it just won't pull a horse trailer out of a muddy field!
My Toyota 4Runner runs in rear wheel drive until you lock the transfer case into 4wd...and the same goes for my wife's Shogun. You have to try really hard to get a 4Runner stuck if it's fitted with Mud Terrain tyres.
Our 4x4 Panda on Winter tyres copes really well, selecting it's own rear drive system as needed, it just won't pull a horse trailer out of a muddy field!
If you just need to drive on winter roads, I'd put winter tyres on your current car.
If you need to deal with more serious stuff like getting across farmland etc, a "proper" 4x4 is the way I'd go - but bear in mind, driving on icy roads, stuff like Jimnys with live axles and short wheelbases aren't necessarily that user friendly.
If you need to deal with more serious stuff like getting across farmland etc, a "proper" 4x4 is the way I'd go - but bear in mind, driving on icy roads, stuff like Jimnys with live axles and short wheelbases aren't necessarily that user friendly.
ZX10R NIN said:
Why not just put some winter tyres on your current car.
Because it seems a good excuse to get a cheap little 4wd which will be more economical and better in the snow than the current bus. Tbh, by the time a set of part worns has set you back £200-300, then spending 1k< on something fun and practical isnt such a big step.
Condi said:
Because it seems a good excuse to get a cheap little 4wd which will be more economical and better in the snow than the current bus.
Tbh, by the time a set of part worns has set you back £200-300, then spending 1k< on something fun and practical isnt such a big step.
A brand new set of Bridgestone A005's for my car will be costing me under 400 quid in a few weeks time. That's 600 less than a £1,000 shed before you've insured, taxed and fixed what ever is about to fall off it. Tbh, by the time a set of part worns has set you back £200-300, then spending 1k< on something fun and practical isnt such a big step.
Willy Nilly said:
A brand new set of Bridgestone A005's for my car will be costing me under 400 quid in a few weeks time. That's 600 less than a £1,000 shed before you've insured, taxed and fixed what ever is about to fall off it.
But which is more fun?? 
A small, disposable car to not care about and enjoy in the snow....
Or your P+J albeit on snow tyres, but which you have to worry about all the other drivers and you cant really push it too far for fear of ending up in a ditch?
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