Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I would think the chevy suburban would be better in the winter conditions. My family had a 15 passenger van, and we live in PA, and we never had any problems with any of the winter weather, but thats probably because my parents are afraid of driving in the snow. haha I think the Chevy's wheelbase would be shorter and be a little more stable than the van. But, that's just my opinion.
The vans will most likely be RWD, and I wouldn't suggest a newbie winter driver to start out in a large RWD vehicle. If it must be a Suburban, find one with a working 4WD and make sure you've got good mud and snow rated tires on it.
The only suggestions I really have is to drive slow in bad weather and slower in general over winter. It will especially take alot longer to brake in snow and ice. Even if there is no snow or ice on the ground, it will be slipperier than Hawaiian roads due to the cold surface and salt residue.
[quote] If it must be a Suburban, find one with a working 4WD and make sure you've got good mud and snow rated tires on it.[quote]
Well I was thinking a Suburban because we need something that will seat 9 or 8 when DH is at work. Some Suburbans have the middle console that flips up in the front creating a bench seat. I am open to suggestions of other vehicles though......as long as they seat 9 and up
15 person passenger vans are about the most dangerous vehicles to drive - they are just poor handling vehicles that you should avoid being in if you can. That said, go with the Suburban.
More than anything, including fwd, rwd, or awd, having snow tires in winter will keep you safe - it doesn't matter what wheels drive the vehicle if they don't have traction.
I too would suggest a Suburban 4x4 it is more stable in the snow/ice.
I would also suggest in the 1st snow find a large empty parking lot and see how it handles do a few panic stops to get the feel of the Sub. and what the ABS brakes do when activated. Also as others have said good snow rated tires, there are a few online tire stores(the tire rack) that have ratings on differant tires for snow/wet/dry/mud etc. to compare
Owning several Suburbans and living in snowy areas (Northern Maine and West Michigan) I also have to give the Suburban the nod. I have driven the full sized vans as well in winter and while they are not that bad, they are no where close to as good as a 4X4 Suburban. You do need good tires in it though. Tires on the Suburban makes a huge difference. I will say that for winter driving, stay away from the Michelin all-season tires on the Suburban. They work GREAT for 3 seasons, but are horrible in snow and slippery conditions. The combination of heavy vehicle weight, hard rubber compound and the way the Suburbans are weighted, it makes for a bad mix in winter when the Michelin's are used.
Finding a 9 seat Suburban can be a chore though, the majority of them are 8 seat. A 15 passenger van works quite well if you have very good tires on it and take your time. The best I have seen for a compromise vehicle and the one I am going to trade the Family Suburban in on is the 12 seat version. AS for handling they are not that bad if you drive them like what they are; a large, tall, heavy truck. Corner like you are in a sedan and you have problems, go way too fast for conditions and get a bit sideways and you are in trouble. I have put tens of thousands of miles on full sized vans both empty and loaded to the hilt without one minutes problem. Best snow rig I ever drove was my full sized Ford 4X4 conversion van. That thing would go anyplace and through any amount of snow I was able to find. I was living in Caribou, Maine at the time so I was able to find plenty of snow.
The 2 biggest factors in driving on snow are:
1) The driver. Number one top of the list! A good driver can drive just about anything in bad conditions and come through without incident, a bad driver can drive the best vehicle in good conditions and have problems. Know you limits, and don't push them too hard. Practice in empty parking lots (without pole mounted lights), and just use your head. Slow down! 4X4 helps you get going, it offers very little help in stopping.
2) Tires. If you are going to be driving in lots of snow, get dedicated snow tires. Test after test prove they are way better than all-season tires when it comes to snow. If not much snow, get the best all-season you can afford. Make sure whatever tire you have, they are properly inflated and in good condition.
4x4 Suburban is the best option if you wish to stick with a GM SUV, the Ford 4x4 Excursion (7200 lb. vehicle!) we had was literally unstoppable in winter conditions... RWD drive vehicles... any of them are not an easy machine to drive in the snow and trust me, here in Rochester the snow conditions are like no other and my winter car is a RWD Caprice 9C1!
Please note though... in a 4x4 vehicle the 4x4 must be engaged, your daily driving should be done in 4x2, engage the 4x4 when the weather is torrential or when you are stuck. In an AWD, all wheels are under load. AWD vehicles are for less powerful applications. The only drawback to GM 4x4's (except in 3500's) is that they use a CV system in the front rather than a solid axle... gives better ride and handling but you lose that precious weight you want in the snow!
You probably won't find much winter weather in Oregon, other than lots of rain elevan months a year. Depends on where your moving, some area have snow, most of Oregon doesn't, other than maybe once a year for a couple of hours...
Mountain areas do...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Mahalo
