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I live in Eldorado and I have a 4WD Jeep. I wouldn't have anything BUT a 4WD for the conditions out here in the winter.
Hey all.... interesting about the Snow and Mud. I have a Pontiac Solstice Convertible roadster with low mileage as living here in Wisconsin, I find that driving this beauty in deep snow is NOT a good idea, although I have not tried it. anyone out there who has a sportscar - automatic - and is low to the ground as mine is.... and as I'm planning on living only 7 miles away from Plaza and close, as I understand it, to large retail stores, including Whole Foods for groceries, .... so my thoughts are that I stay in my condo until worse is over (snow melted down) and not attempt (nor would I unless I had a jeep or other 4-Wheel Dr.) MUD or offroad ventures with my sportscar.
So what i'm asking here.... how well do you think I will be surviving Santa Fe, NM livng in a large condo unit in a commercially zoned area? Me was thinking they keep the main roads, which would be by me, cleared the best considering all the traffic headed down to the Plaza for work. Whaddya think? Surely would appreciate your opinions. Using my sportscar regularly... or for most of the year... would be such a treat and one of the reasons for me choosing the Southwest.
Along with my 2005 Honda Civic, I dragged an old 1991 Mitsubishi Turbo Eclipse out west.
While it is a (clunky) 5 speed manual, it also has all the ground clearance of a large snake.
My wife HATES getting in and out of that car!?
It's VERY HIGH mileage, so it only out on 'Special Occasions',.....like yesterday's National Donut Day!
I see quite a number of sports cars around Santa Fe, so unless we get the RARE heavy snowfall, I doubt you will have a problem?
Hey all.... interesting about the Snow and Mud. I have a Pontiac Solstice Convertible roadster with low mileage as living here in Wisconsin, I find that driving this beauty in deep snow is NOT a good idea, although I have not tried it. anyone out there who has a sportscar - automatic - and is low to the ground as mine is.... and as I'm planning on living only 7 miles away from Plaza and close, as I understand it, to large retail stores, including Whole Foods for groceries, .... so my thoughts are that I stay in my condo until worse is over (snow melted down) and not attempt (nor would I unless I had a jeep or other 4-Wheel Dr.) MUD or offroad ventures with my sportscar.
So what i'm asking here.... how well do you think I will be surviving Santa Fe, NM livng in a large condo unit in a commercially zoned area? Me was thinking they keep the main roads, which would be by me, cleared the best considering all the traffic headed down to the Plaza for work. Whaddya think? Surely would appreciate your opinions. Using my sportscar regularly... or for most of the year... would be such a treat and one of the reasons for me choosing the Southwest.
I live 8 miles from downtown (SW quandrant) and don't need or have 4WD. It's rare to even need to shovel. 4WD and high clearance are more reliable if you live on dirt roads or for exploring NM but it's not necessary living in town. I had a sedan FWD when I lived in Eldorado and never got stuck but would have been better with 4WD going up one hill near my house when it was muddy. A friend has a RAV4 AWD and 4WD and she says the AWD does better than the 4WD--she loves her car--she needs it where she lives in the East Mountains.
We are looking to live a very peaceful and spiritual life in nature near Santa Fe and have been told that it is essential for us to have an all wheel drive vehicle to get around in the mud and snow. Is it necessary to have such a vehicle or is a small car like our VW Gulf good enough to get around?
Everyone I've ever talked to, including car salesmen, say FWD is enough. I've never had a problem. Besides, the winters are a lot milder than they used to be just 10 years ago, so there's rarely enough snow to worry about. Mud? Nah. Lots of people here have Toyota Priuses, and do just fine.
I keep hearing mixed messages about auto essentials in Santa Fe. Of course it would be ideal to have an AWD or 4WD vehicle. Unfortunately, I do not have the ability to purchase a new car right now, probably like many other folks out there. I currently drive a great, reliable sedan from 1998 with only 50k miles. It was my friend's grandmother's car--she took it for an oil change every 200 miles up until her passing. Everything works great, it has been recently serviced, new tires, new brakes, etc. I can't imagine every person in SF has an AWD vehicle; in fact, I'm sure the number is closer to 20% or so, probably even less.
I'm just planning on using my car to get around SF and northern NM. No off-road mud treks or whatever I'm supposed to call it...although that does sound fun. I'm sure I'll make a few friends and if we want to go on a backpacking/climbing trip, someone will have access to an AWD car, but is it tough to get up to the end of, say, 475 (Hyde Park Road) if you don't have an AWD/4WD? How does my lack of an AWD vehicle affect my ability to access natural points of interest in NM? I understand that in snow and mud it is obviously much more difficult to maneuver, but I am coming from Chicago so I do know how to get around in snow in my car. I also know that the roads are not plowed like they are in Chicago, but I'm planning on living in SF proper, a couple miles away from the plaza. It is not likely I will be in the mountains/hills. Any feedback? Particularly from those SF residents who do not have an AWD vehicle? Thanks!
I'm sure I'll make a few friends and if we want to go on a backpacking/climbing trip, someone will have access to an AWD car, but is it tough to get up to the end of, say, 475 (Hyde Park Road) if you don't have an AWD/4WD? How does my lack of an AWD vehicle affect my ability to access natural points of interest in NM?
Highway 475 ends at Ski Santa Fe... It is asphalt two lane road all the way up. Have driven up there with 4 adults and two children in a 1998 Ford Minivan... That is what we have been using in New Mexico since 1999 (Or a Chevy Malibu or Hyundai Sonata). We don't drive in the snow or blizzards. I figure if I have to have a 4WD, I don't need to go. There is a lot to see in New Mexico in a standard vehicle.
I suffered through this winter with a 2WD 1994 Ranger Splash. I am dreading next winter already. Santa Fe does not have a worthwhile snow-removal service. If I have to use my Ranger next winter, I'm going to get snow tires and weights for the back.
After getting stuck in a friend's uphill driveway I now keep chains in my car (no 4WD.) Santa Fe roads are usually ice after it snows just a little--snow removal method=sun. Sometimes a spot has that red stuff on it but it's very hit or miss. I've been told that 4WD doesn't matter on ice.
I wish when I had bought my car I had gotten 4WD not for in Santa Fe but because of the dirt roads going to hiking trails. I didn't know I'd be moving back here at the time. Would not like to be driving back from Diablo Canyon when it rains and I don't go there if the roads look like they could be muddy. Otherwise it's rare if I feel like I need it.
I suffered through this winter with a 2WD 1994 Ranger Splash. I am dreading next winter already. Santa Fe does not have a worthwhile snow-removal service. If I have to use my Ranger next winter, I'm going to get snow tires and weights for the back.
We have plastic 5 gal containers that we filled with gravel in the back of our pick-up.
We do have 4 wheel drive, but our cabin is off-grid. We just run all season radials, tho.
Thanks for all the thorough responses. Hopefully I will meet a few people who have 4WD or AWD vehicles so we can go on some adventures. Looks like I'll be walking around SFe once the snow comes!
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