CO Car Recommendations

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rockchalker
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CO Car Recommendations

Post by rockchalker »

I know this has probably been discussed multiple times but would like folks thoughts again. We will be relocating from a very warm, non-snow state, to Woodland Park the end of this year. In anticipation of the move, I bought a 4-wheel drive Tacoma about 2 years ago. My wife has a Buick Enclave which we will replace, but with what is the question. We want something large enough to carry 5 or more plus something that will maneuver well though the snow. Friends in WP have a Honda Pilot and are very pleased with it. Other recommendations?

Rockchalker (soon to be Colorado Resident!!!)
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SkaredShtles
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by SkaredShtles »

Snow tires. Snow tires on any vehicle in Colorado will pretty much get you through 99% of "winter" driving. The other 1% you won't want to be on the roads anyways...
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Mtnman200
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by Mtnman200 »

All-wheel drive is nice to have in the snow, which I believe is available on the Pilot.
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Nfs_127
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by Nfs_127 »

Toyota 4-Runners are really nice and are pretty roomy.
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twhalm
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by twhalm »

Sounds like you have all of your bases covered with that Tacoma and some good tires. ;)


Mine is great and can get me to all but one trailhead (looking at you lake Como road).
J_landry
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by J_landry »

Just mention at the Colorado border that you're moving in and the state patrol will give you the mandatory 1995-2005 Subaru model of your choosing.

I'm kidding of course. I drove a 2002 front wheel drive VW Passat for 8 years through all this weather people seem to think we have and never had a problem. Granted, Woodland Park gets much more snow than my home of Colorado Springs in a typical year, but 9 out of 10 times it will have all melted by 10 AM the next morning.

If you're dead set on getting something 4WD/AWD then Honda Pilots, Ford Escapes, Mazda CX-9s and other smaller SUVs work great. The aforementioned Subarus are pretty well the official vehicle of Colorado considering how many of them are in the state and they're all AWD, but don't expect them to reach some of the rougher trailheads as they don't have the greatest clearance in the world (presuming that that is one of your factors in this decision).
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jrbren_vt
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by jrbren_vt »

SkaredShtles wrote:Snow tires. Snow tires on any vehicle in Colorado will pretty much get you through 99% of "winter" driving. The other 1% you won't want to be on the roads anyways...
+1

The Buick is fine unless you just want to replace it anyway. But it depends on what you want to do with the vehicle. Do you want to be frequently accessing 4WD trail heads, then you want some thing with high clearance and 4WD/AWD. You already have the Tacoma for that. In New England, most of the vehicles in the ditch during and after storms needing a tow seem to be AWD/4WD vehicles, they tend to give drivers a false sense of invincibility. I have had Subaru's for many years (I have always lived in snow states), and I am sold on them for me, the AWD does buy you a little. Congrats on the move to your new home !
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curt86iroc
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by curt86iroc »

my wife and i have all of the bases covered:

-my daily driver is a fwd vw sportwagen that gets steelies and snow tires in the winter. does fine 99% of the year.
-my wife drives an awd honda cr-v. much better gas mileage than a comparable subaru due to the bias awd system..also a little more hp and room
-our adventure mobile is a nissan xterra. lifted, locked and on AT tires (if the other 2 vehicles can't make it due to road conditions, this will)

the reality is, if you are a good driver and have good tires, you will be fine. our xterra only comes out only in the worst possible snow storms or really bad THs that require true 4wd access (cr-v can get up normal 4wd roads just fine).
funkymonkey1111
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by funkymonkey1111 »

I have an Outback XT and a Legacy GT, and they are both great, but I've recently ridden in a CX-9, and man, that is a nice vehicle. No, it's not a truck or 4 runner, but if you're looking for a nice ride that's a hair bigger than an Outback, give it a look
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Traveler
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Re: CO Car Recommendations

Post by Traveler »

Nfs_127 wrote:Toyota 4-Runners are really nice and are pretty roomy.
+1
You can't go wrong with a 4Runner
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