Best Vehicle for More Rural Living? (Knoxville, Crossville: insurance, house, transfer)

[Pocketplayer]

Trying to get things together for a move to eastern TN. I'm looking at a smaller home, 5 acres, lots of trees and quiet about 15 miles from a major city like Crossville.

I have a '97 BMW 328is...smaller sports car. With weather conditions as they might be, will there be any problems with this car?

What would be an ideal car/truck?

Living in So Cal, it's all desert here which means no salt wounds, harsh weather conditions if your car is garaged.

[knoxgarden]

BMWs are very popular here. Interstates are posted at 70 except in cities and there are lots of twisty two lanes that are fun in a sports car. I always enjoyed those in my Saab.
There's a huge BMW dealership in Knoxville and several in Nashville. You'll also find independent shops for repairs.
The low ground clearance is the problem. Ground effects get torn up very easily as soon as you leave the interstate and main highways.
You don't get much salt on the roads here. I grew up in Southern Cal and you actually got more corrosion from the sea air and the smog than you'll see here.
For a truck or SUV, look for a 4-wheel drive for rain and rough roads, 6 cylinder or larger to get up and down the hills and steep grades easily. I really appreciate the vinyl/plastic cladding on the lower part of my Ford Escape. You get a lot of gravel roads and parking lots here and those can really tear up the paint.
Escapes/Tributes are good. You see a lot in Knoxville. I'm very fond of mine.
Ford F-150s are common. Nissan Xterras with their higher ground clearance are very popular here.
Insurance will be much cheaper here. You can probably afford to keep the car for good weather and get a truck, new or used, for hauling stuff around. That's what most people do.

[jkmewright]

We don't really have "weather conditions" here I've driven an SUV for 5 years now and I only had to lock in my hubs once and that was at a 4X4 event. You might get a bit of snow on occasion though. Most of us SUV drivers don't wheel or even get muddy, it's not for driving purposes you could say lol A front wheel drive car is probably all you're gonna need unless you are going to live down a washed out dirt road in the sticks. If it will make you feel better a pick up will fit right in plus you can haul your dawgs too!

[Pocketplayer]

Thank you...exactly what I was wanting.

The low ground clearance is the problem. Ground effects get torn up very easily as soon as you leave the interstate and main highways

This was my main concern. Driving a sports car w/low clearance in Big Bear (mountain resort area in CA) is fine 80% of the time. In heavy rain, it can be an issue.

I was thinking about a small truck--light, unlike so many on the road today. I am into Moderator cut: cutdog rescue and this might be a better fit.

Where in So Cal did you live Knox? Love to pick yur noggin' about the transition you experienced, even if it was early on for you.

[knoxgarden]

I grew up in Westchester, by LAX. Went to college in Claremont for a couple of years, then transferred to Washington, D.C. where I stayed and worked.
My parents also had a house in Desert Hot Springs and retired there.
I still have friends and relatives I visit, but it's harder and harder to leave Knoxville. It's just a nicer way to live here. You don't have the crowds, the clogged interstates, the people killing themselves with work, the rude kids, the gangs, the violence.
My mother was born and raised in Crossville so I had some Southern raisin' and it wasn't too big a transition when I moved here.
You see very few small trucks here or elsewhere in the South. Southerners who want a truck buy a TRUCK.
There are a lot of dog rescues around and you'll find plenty of like-minded folks. Tennessee is a very animal-friendly state. We have dog and cat rescues plus horse rescues, elephant rescues and tiger and big cat rescues.

[RS-1080]

Best Vehicle for More Rural Living?


In rural area's, you can drive anything you want to.There is no testing or inspections on cars or trucks.If it smokes a half mile behind you, no problem. If it has two fours on a tunnel ram, no problem unless buying gas is a problem

Though we have a newer Chevy truck and 2000 Cougar, we still have the old 75 chevy 1 ton dually, and the 79 Camaro along with a few more old ones.None are rusty after their life time outside.Salt is seldom on the roads out here, maybe a few times on the main hwy once in a blue moon.Heres a pict off the front deck. I had to take it fast as 6 hours later the snow was gone.

[Suzanne1945]

The winter scene is absolutely goregous!! Thanks for sharing.

[RS-1080]

Late Feb early March right before spring. It's still just a little green here in winter, I need to get a pict of the hills now that trees are full.Miles of backroads are somewhat narrow, you have to back up to find a spot to let the other car pass by ( it's fun when two trucks meet pulling horse trailers lol ).When it snows, no doubt the one driving uphill is the one who'll hit reverse lol. This is not a drive way, it is a 16 mile loop

[Pocketplayer]

WOW...those pics transported me to another world. THANKS!

Would LOVE to get more pics...post more!!!

CA has such unbelievable emission standards...I was cracking up with the above info about car smoking 1/2 mile. Hopefully, we'll avoid that.

I am going to ' realtor dot com ' to check out Alexandria for fun.