Weather woes

[djape1977]

nuts.
i drive only RWD cars and snow tyres from november till march are a must. never had problems with hills. no need for AWD. btw, snow tyres are mandatory by law on all vehicles in EU from october till april.
if your wife is really that afraid of snow, get her a Lada Niva!!! there's much more of those in US and Canada than you might think. that thing can't be stopped by mud or snow les than 2ft deep and it gets at least twice MPG compared to explorer. only downside to Niva is that people over 300pounds might find it a bit of a tight squeeze

[jseabolt]

nuts.
i drive only RWD cars and snow tyres from november till march are a must. never had problems with hills. no need for AWD. btw, snow tyres are mandatory by law on all vehicles in EU from october till april.
if your wife is really that afraid of snow, get her a Lada Niva!!! there's much more of those in US and Canada than you might think. that thing can't be stopped by mud or snow les than 2ft deep and it gets at least twice MPG compared to explorer. only downside to Niva is that people over 300pounds might find it a bit of a tight squeeze

There aren't many Nivas in the US that I know of because Ladas were never sold in this country and getting a car registered that is not on the "list" is a problem. A friend of mine who lives up in Seattle who is originally from Russia somehow smuggled in a Niva from Canada. And there are a few in up state New York. Almost all near the Canadian border. I think some people just get the Canadian seller to drive the car across the border then the new American owner swaps the ID plates and emblems from a Fiat then registers the car as a Fiat. Of course this is not legal...

Val transplanted a 2 liter Bosch fuel injected engine from a Fiat Spider. It looked really nice. He ended up selling it on Ebay. He also imported some bits and pieces from a Lada Vaz to make his 124 sedan look like a real Lada.

This makes the 5th time I've tried replying to this post. I keep having problems trying to type within the window. So I'm typing this within an email then cut and pasting it on the message board just in case it tells me I need to log in. It's taking way too long to copy all of these photos then have to do it all over again.

So here are some direct links to my AWD vehicles.

This is my 1996 Ford Explorer XLT. It has all wheel drive and with semi off road tires will go anywhere. My 1994 Jeep Wrangler had four wheel drive and would spin out in slush. Oddly enough the Wrangler I had used the 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine they had been making since the early 70s and averages about the same as the 5 liter V8 which was based on an even older engine design from 1962. The Wrangler got a consistent 15 US mpg or used 16 liters per 100 km. My V8 5 liter Explorer gets an average of 19.6 liters per 100 KM to 12.4 liters per 100 KM.

http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd148/turbofiat/Explorer/


And my Subaru Legacy Ute:


http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd148/turbofiat/Subaru/

[106usj]

jseabolt is right.
 I have worked in the USA a lot and he is right the US goverment are very strict on what they allow to import car wise and if they do import, the car manufacturer has to comply with their strict rules or it does not get imported Period.......

[106usj]

jseabolt.
We have the worst snow in the UK up here in Scotland EVERY winter we do not use snow chains in fact i dont know any shop that sells them and cant remember the last time i saw a set on a car.
We up here are just used to snow conditions and drive according to conditions.
 We expect snow in the winter and dont make a huge fuss on the BBC news when we get snow unlike some parts of the uk   . Who go on and on about it.
If you want a good 4wd just buy a Land Rover County or Defender or if you can afford a Range Rover as they will out perform any 4wd on the market even the Lada Niva Hilux etc

[eugene]

Sorry 106 and to correct you,the Lada Niva will leave the Range Rover trying to play catch up off road anytime .Eugene

[simon131]

106,

My County (apparently) was one of the worst hit by snow in southern England this Christmas, and I'll be honest, it's not the people who live here that go on and on about it, it's the media - especially the BBC

I think what caught most of us out down here was the amount that fell in such a short period, and that the Highways and local Authorities were so completely unprepared for it Even our main roads went 'ungritted'.

Simon

[paulcas]

I think what caught most of us out down here was the amount that fell in such a short period, and that the Highways and local Authorities were so completely unprepared for it Even our main roads went 'ungritted'.

Simon
[/quote]

Simon,
no salt on the roads for 131 owners is a good thing isn't it? 

[alan.acs]

Lada Niva watch top gear ,land-rover to the rescue.

[106usj]

Eugene.
 Im sorry but the Land Rover (Defender )will leave the Niva for dust when it comes to off road.
You could be right about the Range Rover.
 I am 100%  positive that the Land Rover (Defender) LWB or SWB will out perorm the Niva in EVERY aspect off road and in snow and thats a cert there is no doubt.

[eugene]

Totally disagree with you,because i took my Niva up a snow covered road where a Defender,Pajero&a Jeep Cherokee failed.What a laugh i had at the so called Yupee vehicles.I will take anyone on with my Niva off road.
As regards to Clarkson and his side kick Morans,i would'nt give them a wheel barrow to drive .Eugene

[106usj]

Now now Eugene.
I agree the Range Rover is a yupee wagon but the (Defender) cerainly is not 99% of them in Scotland and England are used either on farms or for off road use.
and they will leave the Niva standing and thats saying something as i know the Niva is good off road.

[MF 131]

In New Zealand snow is not a problem.Sand on the beaches are and you will find  most 4x4s will cope,its the drivers who don't  know how to use  the vehicle .Ladas on the beaches here in real soft sand will leave most modern 4x4s for dead only if its used as it should be. TOO much power can cause you to get in the shit. Gary