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Plenty of people in my neck of the swamp either drive on unpaved sand roads into the national forest or do a little bit of mud bogging. And 4WD/AWD with proper tires actually is pretty nice in 2 inches of rain in an hour sorts of thunderstorms we get all the time down here.
We swapped the sensible but boring compact car for the one I'd wanted for years in 2007 and I've still got my dream car and have no regrets. I would say this isn't necessarily a great time of year for buying unless you can find a 2015 model year on the back of thel ot that the dealership wants to get rid of badly. Too many people with tax refund checks in hand toddling around the lot looking to not make as good of a deal as they could. Maybe tell yourself to wait until August/September when the new model year stuff starts to come out and if you're still pining away, then try for the deal on a 2016.
Engaging 4x4 in rain sounds like a good way to break your car.
Plenty of people in my neck of the swamp either drive on unpaved sand roads into the national forest or do a little bit of mud bogging. And 4WD/AWD with proper tires actually is pretty nice in 2 inches of rain in an hour sorts of thunderstorms we get all the time down here.
We swapped the sensible but boring compact car for the one I'd wanted for years in 2007 and I've still got my dream car and have no regrets. I would say this isn't necessarily a great time of year for buying unless you can find a 2015 model year on the back of thel ot that the dealership wants to get rid of badly. Too many people with tax refund checks in hand toddling around the lot looking to not make as good of a deal as they could. Maybe tell yourself to wait until August/September when the new model year stuff starts to come out and if you're still pining away, then try for the deal on a 2016.
AWD is fine for rain slicked streets. Part time 4WD, like on a Jeep Wrangler, is not. You'll have major tire and drive train wear in no time.
Engaging 4x4 in rain sounds like a good way to break your car.
When the rain comes down hard, like it can/does in FL, there is no problem with engaging 4 wheel drive on the slick pavement. In fact, it's actually better to use it now and then then let it sit.
I have a part time 4x4 RAM and have used 4x4 plenty on the street and I have oversized tires. Not a problem. When it starts snowing where I'm at, I engage 4 wheel drive. I'm not one to wait till I need it and then have it be too late, I engage it before hand so it is useful. Our streets get plowed and there will be some dry sections. 4x4, no problem. Ocean City, MD to Newark, NJ in 4x4, no problem! Charlottsville, VA to Ocean City, MD during a snow storm, no problem. A couple times I have put it in 4high getting to one of my hunting spots. Hard sandy/dirt roads where 4x4 is not needed but since I got it, I'll use it, just in case. Both times drove on the dry highway up to 60/65 and didn't know until I maneuvered to back into my driveway. Straight on the highway was un-noticeable but that push/pull in a tight turn will help you remember. So, though I don't recommend driving on dry pavement with a standard 4x4 as you can screw things up, rain slicked roads (especially in the amounts FL gets) can be fine!
And for those who claim that the front end isn't meant for driving any distances, over the years I had my lifted bronco I put over 10,000 miles on that truck in frt wheel drive as I didn't always have the money to get a new rear drive shaft every time I broke a u-joint and sent it flying!
And this thought just crossed my mind today as we got some unexpected snow fall before turning to rain. I see obvious 4x4's where just the rear tires are spinning and the bed swings out in a turn. Why don't they just engage 4 wheel drive? They got it! The streets are slushy/snowy and slick in a lot of spots! Why wait till you need it and it's too late instead of just going ahead and using it! Off the side of the road with the rear tires burried in mud up to the axle is not the time to engage 4 wheel drive!
When the rain comes down hard, like it can/does in FL, there is no problem with engaging 4 wheel drive on the slick pavement. In fact, it's actually better to use it now and then then let it sit.
I have a part time 4x4 RAM and have use 4x4 plenty on the street and I have oversized tires. Not a problem. When it starts snowing, where I'm at, I engage 4 wheel drive. I'm not one to wait till I need it and then have it be too late, I engage it before hand so it is useful. Our streets get plowed and there will be some dry sections. 4x4, no problem. Ocean City, MD to Newark, NJ in 4x4, no problem! Charlottsville, VA to Ocean City, MD during a snow storm, no problem. A couple times I have put it in 4high getting to one of my hunting spots. sandy/dirt roads, not 4x4 not needed but since I got it, lets use uit, just in case. Both times drove on the dry highway up to 60/65 and didn't know until I maneuvered to back into my driveway. Straight on the highway is un-noticeable but that push/pull in a tight turn will help you remember. So, though I don't recommend driving on dry pavement with a standard 4x4, rain slicked roads (especially in the amounts FL gets) can be fine!
And for those who claim that the front end isn't meant for driving any distances, over the years I had my lifted bronco I put over 10,000 miles on that truck in frt wheel drive as I didn't always have the money to get a new rear drive shaft every time I broke a u-joint and sent it flying!
When wheels are not slipping 4x4 is putting excessive wear on the transfer case. Snow covered roads allows wheels to slip and protects the transfer case, rain covered roads do not and is a recipe for premature wear and failure of the associated parts. Some easy googling would confirm this.
As AWD has an open center differential is is not a problem. A locked center differential will be damaged.
At my first job after college my cubemate and I both realized we'd need cars as our Chicago firm had suburban clients. I went to some shady used car dealer and bought an older (but not really cool) Thunderbird with a V8 for like $2400 and put it on credit card. She had recently got an unexpected inheritance of like $20K and bought a really cool Firebird (last year they made them) that was brand new and souped up for like $30K. She asked if I was worried about it breaking. I said if it did I'd just buy another pile of junk. She sadly ended up crashing her car (it really was sweet and she was cool so no envy) about a year later and the only thing she had left was her payments.
When mine finally broke down I'd had enough time on it to buy a new car. So at the age of 23 I did just that. Suddenly I had to care about where I parked, and what was done in the car. It was a fun car, but the reality was that it was cool to me, but nobody else really got all that excited over it. I decided the thrill of a new car was overblown.
When I moved to CA, one of my friends said I absolutely needed to get a new car given the location. My car was old by that point, but I didn't see it that way. So I went to buy a convertible at the depth of the recession and sprung for a fast imported hardtop convertible. I just wanted a convertible, and was actually out to get a Solstice, but was amazed at this being cheaper and even moreso from the comments I'd get from it. It felt very strange having people drool over this car, when it actually cost less than my last one.
Later on I acquired a work SUV that was no longer needed for almost nothing. Now I drive that to work. When the next recession hits, I'll look to replace the convertible with something fun and a bit newer...but not new.
Buying new is nice, but only if you can afford it. If you're looking for something to turn heads, there was a lot to choose from in the last recession as even wealthier people needed to raise/live in their current garage spots and getting some guy's 3rd favorite weekend toy at a firesale price is a pretty good feeling...and generally has few miles on it.
I'd keep the old car for now and save up cash for the next one. Wait for the right time. Recessions are great times to buy secondhand luxuries....if you have cash.
You only live once!
If you can afford it, buy it. Don't spend your life feeling guilty for rewarding yourself for all your hard work.
BINGO! I love new cars. If I won the Powerball or Mega Millions, I'd buy at least one new every year. Not super fancy just a new one. When I was poor and struggling I drove my vehicles until they started dying by inches from "old car disease" ... this week one part, next week another part, two weeks later still another part. Now I don't have to. My 2012 Subaru Forester is going out the door early in 2017 ... for another Forester.
My husband bought a company car....he really wasn't happy with anything he looked at. His boss was pressuring him a little. Finally he chose a big ol' Dodge sedan (remember the K cars?) and almost immediately hated it. He was used to driving a VW Rabbit, and here he was in this big, lumbering, wallowing Dodge.
After living with it a couple of years, he traded it for a truck and was MUCH happier.
I don't even drive that much, but for the time I do spend in a car, I want to enjoy driving.
I say if you don't like the car - paid for or not, get one you DO like. Life's too short to hate your drive.
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