Originally posted by KleinMp99
Ahh yes, you are correct. But Michigan is a whole state, unlike montreal which is a city...right? I could live down south....where they dont get hardly any snow, or I could live up north....where we get a ton more than you do. Well I happen to live up north where this year we got just over 300 inches of snow.....I read up a little and it says we get 170 annually, and you get 92 annually. If i'm not mistaken.....170 is a bigger number than 92.
This is a fair argument, however, we do trek out of the city to a cottage about 80km from the city. Like I said previously, the minivan (some of which now come in 4x4) has never gotten stuck and it is two wheel drive.
I bet if you talked to people who frequently drive in the winter, they would say that 4 wheel drive would be a good thing to have....maybe not a need but a good thing to have. My mom drives a front wheel drive can and dosent have any problems, my dad drives a 4 wheel drive truck and uses it often in the winter. I do hate people who drive SUV's just to show them off or to be cool and dont ever use them for what their meant for, and yes, it is a waste.
I am not disputing that 4 wheel drive is a good thing to have in the winter, it can help get out of some situations. But having a greater ground clearance will accomplish the same thing almost all the time. (just most 4x4 cars/trucks have a high ground clearance). Also these days, more and more cars have a 4 wheel drive system. My argument is mainly against SUVs per say. Is 4 wheel drive useful in snow? Definitly Yes! Does it have to be on a 2.5 ton truck? Absolutely not. I would be willing to bet that a 330ix or a Subaru Legacy (not outback) will perform just as well as virtually all the SUVs in snow. Add in a little ground clearance (take a Subaru Outback or Volvo V70XC) and I would be willing to bet that they perform better due to their lower wieght and lower center of gravity.