Best Car for mountains? (Missoula, Bozeman: cul-de-sac, to buy, camping) - Montana (MT) - City-Data Forum

KBS2006 · 08-09-2006, 07:45 AM

I currently drive a Ford Minivan in the boring midwest state of Illinois... state of high taxes, corrupt local governments, and terrible traffic. I am looking to move to either Montana or Idaho and was thinking of what the perfect vehicle for me would be. I would like a smaller car, better on gas but still the capability to carry tools, camping equipment, etc. Probably a hatch back with 35 mpg would do fine.

Last time out to Montana, I heard everyone likes to drive Subaru with 4 wheel drive. I did think that odd, like it was a rite of passage to living in a mountain state where you need economy and 4-wheel drive.

So what do ya all think?

cleosmom · 08-09-2006, 09:01 AM

I was going to suggest a Subaru, basically as you want decent gas mileage and room to carry tools and what not.

Myself, I prefer a front wheel drive and we have two both are Toyotas and they get us about Idaho just fine.

If you go with four wheel drive, just bear in mind that ice is ice no matter what wheel drive you have.

MidniteBreeze · 08-09-2006, 11:24 AM

I would recommend a car-based, "crossover" SUV (i.e., Chevy Equinox, Toyota RAV 4, the new Jeep Compass). They have the room you need for your gear, but with available AWD (and sometimes even "real" 4WD) you have better traction than a front wheel drive car and better gas mileage than a traditional SUV. Plus they just look cooler than a minivan or a station wagon

wurd4wurd · 08-09-2006, 09:51 PM

and we have a large family with a pretty wide range of mostly 4-wheel drive vehicles. I drive a Chevy Avalanche, but we also have 2 Jeeps (Cherokee) and 1 Rav 4 (all rigs are 4x4) and manage to get around just fine no matter what the weather dishes out. But - my 23-year-old daughter has a 4-cyl Subaru Outback Sedan and she can go anywhere (8 inches of ground clearance!) and maintain traction and control of her vehicle - plus she gets 24+ mpg! I vote Subaru (all of them are AWD) and I am a GM gal all the way!

MTer · 08-11-2006, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBS2006

I currently drive a Ford Minivan in the boring midwest state of Illinois... state of high taxes, corrupt local governments, and terrible traffic. I am looking to move to either Montana or Idaho and was thinking of what the perfect vehicle for me would be. I would like a smaller car, better on gas but still the capability to carry tools, camping equipment, etc. Probably a hatch back with 35 mpg would do fine.

Last time out to Montana, I heard everyone likes to drive Subaru with 4 wheel drive. I did think that odd, like it was a rite of passage to living in a mountain state where you need economy and 4-wheel drive.

So what do ya all think?

It TOTALLY depends on what sort of driving you'll be doing. If you live in a town, work the same area, and don't plan to drive out into the mountains, any vehicle will do you fine. If you plan to drive into the mountains on the dirt, sometimes muddy (in spring), sometimes snowpacked (in winter) roads, you'll want a 4WD with high clearance.

Since you mentioned carrying camping equipment, you probably are going to want to get into the national forests, so you'll probably want 4WD (or AWD) at least.

By the way, in cities such as Bozeman tons of people drive Suburus. Those of us in rural areas and in the mountains tend to drive 4WD pick-ups. Not because we like low gas mileage but because they're the only vehicle that will allow us up our snow-covered rocky (yes, not dirt or gravel, but rocky) roads that aren't plowed in winter (i.e., chains are also required at times).

1957hillbilly · 08-14-2006, 06:28 PM

Up in Seeley Lake, (4,000 ft), the Subaru clearance is sometimes too low. Other posters mentioned rock roads. True. You may also have to get out of your 500 foot long driveway with a foot or more of fresh snow and friends that have Subaru's complain aobut getting stuck. Totally agree that if you live in the city, Like Missoula, drive what you want.

True Vision Comm · 08-14-2006, 08:23 PM

What about in the Town of Columbus, Montana? I drive a Ford Windstar, will that be of any good.

MTer · 08-15-2006, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by True Vision Comm

What about in the Town of Columbus, Montana? I drive a Ford Windstar, will that be of any good.

Obviously some people in states with snowy winters drive regular 2WD vehicles, while others drive 4WD. People staying in cities and waiting for roads to be plowed with generally be fine with 2WD unless they need to go out before roads are plowed. Others who live in more rural areas, as well as those who enjoy recreating in the mountains, prefer 4WD for both safety and access purposes.

So no one can answer your question except yourself.

ColdCanadian · 08-17-2006, 03:14 PM

I drive a Grand Caravan with front wheel drive. It was reasonable most of the time during winter, but I found it's main downfall were it's all-season tires. Pretty much all "all-season" means is it's good with rain on the road, and probably just "okay" in snow, mud, dirt, gravel etc.

I bought myself some cheap snowtires from a regional hardware and automotive chain (Canadian Tire) and was very impressed. This was actually the store's brand of tire. The rubber in the tire is so soft, it's even still quite flexible at 0 F. (-18 C) Each tread block is spaced almost 1/4" apart from the other blocks, and each block has 4 or more lateral deep cuts, to let excess water bleed away which also makes the tread blocks even easier to flex.

I've put about 10,000 miles on them and they still look almost new. Most of the time when ther was snow on the ground, my minivan felt like it was only rain-slicked. Also I remember a day where everyone with all-seasons took at least 15 seconds to accelerate to 15 mph and I could easily do it in 4-5 seconds. If I wanted I could drive around them like they were parked cars. And I also remember days with 1 foot of snow where everyone with all-seasons would get stuck on our cul-de-sac. Our snow tires only squirmed and grunted a little but we could still easily get going in any direction, any time at will. One time we had 15" of snow and that burried part of our front bumper. No one else could move but with a little skill I was able to start up, bust through it and actually have decent control.

I'm so happy with our winter tires. They aren't even the fancy kind "ice tires" which are pretty much the same kind of tire with bits of coarse material molded into the tread.

I don't know how they would be offroad, but my minivan has a minimum of about 7.5 inches in the front and 5.5" in the rear. If you want to do this you probably want to buy another set of wheels so you only have to mount them once and that way you can change them yourself whenever you want. Hope that helps.

amarieda · 08-17-2006, 03:39 PM

Unless you're planning on driving on rough backroads a lot, the thing that will make the biggest difference is a good set of snow tires in the winter - if your car isn't AWD or 4WD, you may even want to get studded tires. Bozeman, at least, apparently doesn't believe in plowing more than once a week in the winter, so it may be days before the roads are cleared and they can turn to ice really quickly. Just remeber that 4WD is not the same thing as invincibility !

It does seem like everyone drives a Subaru, but hey - AWD, good mileage, and room for the kids, camping stuff, and the dog (and everybody seems to have a dog, too). I've personally been thinking about a Ford Escape hybrid 4WD - all the storage and ground clearance of an SUV, but the mileage of a car. I feel a bit vulnerable driving my little Focus up the mountain to go camping