[GreenMachine]

I'm moving up north and need a new car. It has to have comfortable seats. I tried buying a Subaru Outback but the seats hurt my back. I am looking at a Mazda3. Anyone drive one up there?

thanks,

greenie

[Lilybeans]

Winter or summer driving?

[GreenMachine]

Originally Posted by Lilybeans

Winter or summer driving?

Both. Does that mean I need two cars?

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

Both. Does that mean I need two cars?

Yes, most Vermonters have two cars: A Miata convertible for the summer and a Hummer H3 for the winter. I would suggest getting these.

[vter]

LOL Brattpowered.

A good front wheel drive car or all wheel drive car is what you want. I had a Honda Accord until recently and with a good set of snow tires, it was great. Since it was getting up there in miles I decided to trade it in for a CRV which has a little more clearance.

So....if you're going to live in Burlington or it's burbs, you can get by wtih a good front wheel drive car. If you're out in the country and have a scary driveway (like me), you may want to consider an AWD.

[goatwoodward]

It depends on where you're living. If you're right in town, a regular car will work fine. Go outside town by even a bit and you may wish you had 4 wheel drive... I had rear wheel drive for a while and not only did I skid all over the place, I also had to dig my car out of snowdrifts/ruts on a fairly regular basis.

There's a reason the Subaru is called the "State Car of Vermont" - 4WD & not too expensive. Honda's Element & CRV are catching up though and I hear the Audi Quattro is 4WD as well if you've got some cash to burn...

[vter]

Ya...I see more Audis than I do subarus!

[GypsySoul22]

I see tons of Subarus here.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by vter

Ya...I see more Audis than I do subarus!

Where do you live???? I see fifty times as many subarus as audis.
I'd be willing to bet you that if I walked down to the main street near where I live that I'd see half a dozen subarus drive by in two minutes. I'll even narrow it down to half a dozen green ones. Or half a dozen marroon ones.

[quickdraw]

You can get by with a front wheel drive car with snow tires 99 percent of the time. A lot of people do. But there are going to be times you wished you had all wheel or 4 wheel drive. Every once in a while I'll see people going up a snowy hill practically sideways.

It all depends on your driveway and the terrain of your commute route.

Rear wheel drive in Vermont equals deathwish.