I need to start thinking about my next vehicle, any thoughts

[TAB]

just something to think about if you get a AWD car/suv.

when it comes to tires, you must always buy 4.  You can't buy 2 for example nor can you just buy 1 if you get a flat that can not be repaired.

while not a big deal, it is something you need to keep in mind about awd.  It could mean a nail could be a $1000 fix.  no tire company will give you 4 new tires , even with road hazard, they will only replace the damaged tire.


oh yeah with subaru were 1st imported they had to be dumbed in teh SF bay as they were so unsafe.   the ship could not take them back lol.( no bull shit, it really did happen) 

If you can keep your right foot out of it, you can get good milage with just about any car.  most people can't ( cough my wife cough, ok well I did get her a car that its very hard to do that in lol.) 

[saltydogbk]

I drove a Toyota 4 wheel drive of some kind for over 20 years.  Last one was a POS.  I now drive a 08 Wrangler X (2 door).  Most fun I've had on 4 wheels.  Mileage sucks , but I am helping to increase the world's temperature.

[Mericet]

I would also suggest the Outback.

[Big Frank]

My next ride is going to be a Tahoe. I'm just waiting for something to go wrong with my 11 year old Silverado so I have a reason to get rid of it.

[ccd]

Subaru's do have a great reputation, every one I have known that had one abused the hell out them for 10 years or so.
I believe Ford owns the company so that should make Tim happy too  

Toyota is the company that owns a part of Subaru. To the OP, in all honesty in your situation, I would just lease a vehicle. There is a major chance of petrol prices continuing to climb for the next two years. The new Ecoboost V6 in the new Ford PU is supposed to be a very good engine.  IIRC Dodge and GM are actually now developing diesels for their respective 1/2 ton PU/big SUVs. If the US for example decides to switch over to CNG for vehicles, because of oil prices/devaluing of the dollar) your son would be better off having you wait. One of the only good things about Fiat running Dodge is that they are  worldwide leaders in CNG engines for vehicles. I love Jeep Wranglers but I would not buy one until they either come with the new Pentastar V6 or one of Fiat's diesels.

[Sponsor]

[bafsu92]

just something to think about if you get a AWD car/suv.

when it comes to tires, you must always buy 4.  You can't buy 2 for example nor can you just buy 1 if you get a flat that can not be repaired.

while not a big deal, it is something you need to keep in mind about awd.  It could mean a nail could be a $1000 fix.  no tire company will give you 4 new tires , even with road hazard, they will only replace the damaged tire.

Explain this for me, maybe I'm not reading it correctly. Out of all the vehicles I've ever owned only one hasn't been a 4WD and I don't understand what you're saying here. I've replaced a single tire plenty of time and pairs even more frequently and never had an issue or was told I couldn't/shouldn't do this. Depending on wear I've had to replace pairs when in a car tire I may have been able to get by with a single tire but as a general rule if I need to replace a tire that is 50% or less I will replace both on that axle. My current vehicle is full time AWD with 4WD hi/low on the fly. If I replace pairs I put the new pair on the front axle and the older pair on the rear since the front wears much faster. I've never had an issue doing this. I also had to replace a single tire when the other 3 were at around 70-75% tread and had no issues with that either.

[Timothy]

I too was going to challenge TAB on the tire issue.  Having changed and sold tires all through high school, I've probably changed about 20K tires over those years, I might actually know a bit about this issue.

Personally, I've never had a flat that didn't occur in my driveway, lucky me.  I could fix it with a plug and move on.  If the flat hasn't been driven on, it should be fine unless the sidewall is compromised, then I would replace it or have it adjusted.

When I need tires, I won't replace less than two and I too put the new rubber on the drive axle and for me, that's the front with my sedan and the rear with my truck.  I've never owned a 4WD and even though I've always lived in the North or Northeast, I've never needed one.  The philosophy remains the same.  If I have need to replace a single tire, I will do so but shortly after, I might replace the sister to maintain symmetry.  That tire will then become the spare or a loose spare in the garage.

It has little to do with anything other than traction and even tire wear.  It's a sales/marketing gimmick when you hear these old wives tales about replacing all four.

Arguing with TAB is a hobby but it will drive you crazy!

Some AWD systems may suggest that all four tires be replaced but the tread depth of 13/32 to a worn tread of 5/32 is a change in circumference that isn't that significant.  I could be wrong.....

[TAB]

here is the deal with AWD.  when you have 1 wheel that is spining at a diffrent rate then all the others, it can and will wear out parts in the AWD system.  It can also mess with some of the traction control systems in AWD( subbys and GM systems the most)  remember small changes in hieght, can make huge diffrence in thier circumference

Lets just say your tires are 24" tall and have 1/8" of wear.  that 1/8" is really  1/4"

so a new tire will be 24 1/4" tall. 

now your old tires have a circumfrence of  ~75.36"  the new tire has is ~  76.15 for a diffrence of .79"

now that does not sound like much, but there are 63360 inchs per mile.  now divide that by your circufrences.

for every mile you travel your old tires will be rotating 840.76 times.  the new tire will be rotating  832.04

but your awd is having to slip 8 rotations per mile.

There is not a car manufactor that makes a AWD that does not recomend you replace all the tires at once, large tire vendors also have policys about it as they don't want the liabilty if it does F up your AWD.



you are free to do what you like.

4wd systems are diffrent as they the spilt the power between 2 axles, awd spilt the power between all 4 wheels.

[david86440]

here is the deal with AWD.  when you have 1 wheel that is spining at a diffrent rate then all the others, it can and will wear out parts in the AWD system.  It can also mess with some of the traction control systems in AWD( subbys and GM systems the most)  remember small changes in hieght, can make huge diffrence in thier circumference

Lets just say your tires are 24" tall and have 1/8" of wear.  that 1/8" is really  1/4"

so a new tire will be 24 1/4" tall. 

now your old tires have a circumfrence of  ~75.36"  the new tire has is ~  76.15 for a diffrence of .79"

now that does not sound like much, but there are 63360 inchs per mile.  now divide that by your circufrences.

for every mile you travel your old tires will be rotating 840.76 times.  the new tire will be rotating  832.04

but your awd is having to slip 8 rotations per mile.

 ilt the power between 2 axles, awd spilt the power between all 4 wheels.

A difference in air pressure between tires can throw you off more than that and tires do not all build pressure at the same rate when driving.

[Herknav]

If you like the Silverado, get another one.  Having said that, I know several Outback owners who LOVE their cars. 

Whatever you do, do NOT put the Chevy Colorado on your list.  It's like a Dodge Neon with an ornamental bed.