AWD or FWD car for Indiana??? (Lafayette: buying, costs, commuting)

[Runt52]

Having lived in Wisconsin and Indiana for 55 years, I feel I can add my 2 cents in here as well. Additionally, I spent 35 years in the automobile/truck manufacturing industry. The majority of the posters are correct. FWD will be more than equal to the task of delivering you to work. AWD and 4WD will cost 15 - 25% more in fuel costs plus the $3 to 5k extra for the availability of the option. Not beginning to mention the possibility of added maintenance costs. Many AWD & 4WD drivers tend to be a little more aggressive in the snow than their skills. Just take your time, and be cautious. The thought about a year old model is a good one as well. Perhaps even two years old.
One other word of advice. Do not purchase the first model year of any vehicle. New models tend to have the highest failure rates. Good luck!

[Zig'sbird]

Personally in the Indy area if you actually need 4wd, you can't drive. Sorry.

Up until about 2 years ago I always had a rear wheel drive car. During winter normally you would have maybe a total of 2 weeks where the roads aren't perfectly clear. On those days you just need to slow down and pay attention. Only time I had problems is when they shut down the roads Oh, I might also add that my job at the time was a dispatcher so I had to make it to work. I will say I always laughed when I passed a 4wd that was in the ditch because the driver relied on the 4wd instead of their driving skills.

For your situation, I would just buy a cheap FWD and not sweat it.

[JamesinFW]

Originally Posted by txlonghornguy

I'm sorry but AWD vehicles are simply better! Audi Quattro is UNSTOPPABLE in the snow--so much control, it's amazing...and they're fun to drive.

But they are quite expensive. I'd look at an A4.

Sure, you could get off red lights faster, go through slightly taller snow drifts and have slightly less chance of getting stuck. But common sense says don't go through snow drifts.

I helped push a WRX (full time AWD) out of a snow drift last year. I love that car so it was fun.

FWD is more than adequate for Indiana winters, as long as you're not out before the plows.

[summer22]

FWD is more than adequate for Indiana winters, as long as you're not out before the plows.

That's the thing... the plows don't get out very early in Indiana. If you're needing to commute before the sun comes up, it gets a little hairy. In NW Indiana I was very happy to have a 4WD Explorer, because you just never know, especially on the county roads and sometimes the state highways with the blowing and drifting.

When I was living in Muncie is when I really could have used 4WD. I had a RWD Thunderbird and it was a bad winter my first year there... the T-bird spent a few weeks sitting in the Ball State parking lot under a big snowdrift. Other stories from that winter involved it getting very stuck in a fraternity parking lot at the end of an alley... it took 5 people pushing it to get it out... and another adventure was a nice 360 degree spin in the middle of Riverside Avenue. So... as far as a RWD car in Indiana... I wouldn't do that again.

[ron17571]

FWD is good,the right tires helps a lot,my family is big on awd subarus!when its slippery and people are stuck we keep going,fun to drive around people stuck with their big gas hogging awd trucks.ive noticed more subarus in places like the pacific north west and colorado,must be a reason!oh yeah,slow down!

[GraniteStater]

AWD is wise if you live in the Michiana snowbelt.(South Bend averages over 70 inches of of snow every winter). Otherwise FWD should work fine in most areas of the state.

[goldpolkadots]

We've always had AWD cars. They don't have particularly good traction, for the snow we get up north. But then again, we try and stay in when the weather gets pretty bad.

[GoingMobile]

I currently reside in Chicago and have an AWD wagon. Its great when the weather is truly awful, but then again I run Nokian 4-season tires. The only part of Indiana you NEED AWD is perhaps the region (NW Indiana), and somehow people in Chesterton still seem to get around those six weeks they see serious lake-effect snow.

AWD is completely oversold in the US, especially since most people are running all-season highway tires on their SUVs.

I lived 30 years in central and southern Indiana. You don't need AWD down there. FWD with decent tires is fine.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by goldpolkadots

We've always had AWD cars. They don't have particularly good traction, for the snow we get up north. But then again, we try and stay in when the weather gets pretty bad.

AWD cars should have very good traction in winter with snow tires.

[goldpolkadots]

Originally Posted by Plains10

AWD cars should have very good traction in winter with snow tires.

They do have good traction for the most part, but we live in the country so our roads are never well kept for the snow