Good in snow and good fuel economy? (2011, traction control, gaskets)
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trying to find that perfect balance between fuel economy and performance in winter weather.
I live in the Chicago area and drive around 600 miles over the course of the week for my job.
Any suggestions on a happy medium?
Two different cars.
With 600 miles per week in deductible mileage expense...
you can afford it.
If you're in flat territory, just about anything would be all right, as long as you have good tires and common sense. 4x4 is useful in the hills, although I get by with my light-weight, front wheel drive Saturn just fine, and I live in Maine.
As the title says, I am on the search for a vehicle and trying to find that perfect balance between fuel economy and performance in winter weather. I live in the Chicago area and drive around 600 miles over the course of the week for my job. My job is in sales and my territory covers parts of 3 counties. My Ford Mustang is terrible for this, bad on gas mileage and bad in snow. I'm looking to make a decision before winter begins.
The area I travel in is primarily flat, but there are some roads with numerous curves and when snow does occur it blows and drifts all over in the country. I know Chicago doesn't get massive amounts of snow, but when we do get it, it often lingers around for quite a while. I would like some peace of mind, given that I spend upwards of 12 hours of the work week in my car. At the same time, fuel economy is a high priority too. My Mustang eats gas, so in reality, just about anything would be an improvement.
Any suggestions on a happy medium?
There is a reason that cold, snowy Minnesota is full of Subarus.
Ford Taurus. It does well in the snow and gets 18/27. They also fall right into your price range for the most part and you don't need to bother with AWD for these.
Subaru, Audi, and Volvo would be considerations for a good vehicle in terms of snow performance and economy. Tires are the key, but there are times when the AWD systems are more sure-footed in winter driving. Audi is going to have higher maintenance costs than Subaru or Volvo, but if buying used, I would look to CPO at the dealer to get a longer warranty period.
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As the title says, I am on the search for a vehicle and trying to find that perfect balance between fuel economy and performance in winter weather. I live in the Chicago area and drive around 600 miles over the course of the week for my job. My job is in sales and my territory covers parts of 3 counties. My Ford Mustang is terrible for this, bad on gas mileage and bad in snow. I'm looking to make a decision before winter begins.
One warning. No matter what vehicle you choose, you will see a major decline in mileage due to the snow and the gasoline formulation used in the winter months in Chicago. I took my car to my mechanic as I was concerned about it. He said that several people were experiencing the same decline.
As for handling in snow, tires are very critical.
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