Economical Tow Vehicle

[841K9]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Would be great if someone has actually experienced a newer diesel in the double digit negatives temps - trust me when its that cold that last thing you want is to have trouble or have to wait even 5 secs to start the car and heater up.

Remote start and Rapid-Heat Supplemental Cab Heater are available on the Ford F series.

Start her from your kitchen. By the time you have your keys and gear, the cab is warmed.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by 841K9

Remote start and Rapid-Heat Supplemental Cab Heater are available on the Ford F series.

Start her from your kitchen. By the time you have your keys and gear, the cab is warmed.

Yup only problem with that is I would never make it up to the mountain with it - trucks are not really the best choose in really bad snow conditions -not even when in 4x. If you take a look at what is in the back of many of the trucks parked at a ski hill you will find that a lot of them have a big enough supply of cement bags to do any job they may have in mind for their home for the next 10 years.

Trust me my little Subaru has passed way to many of them in the ditch on the way to the ski hill in the wee hours of the morning or have had to go around them on a hill for me to ever feel safe about driving one in the snow conditions I often find myself driving in.

Did I mention I *really* luv my Subaru!

[841K9]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Trust me my little Subaru has passed way to many of them in the ditch on the way to the ski hill in the wee hours of the morning or have had to go around them on a hill for me to ever feel safe about driving one in the snow conditions I often find myself driving in.

Did I mention I *really* luv my Subaru!

The key to driving in nasty snow with a truck is tall, skinny tires. "Pizza cutters" do just that- they cut through to the substrate. Many trucks run large, wide floatation tires. They do just that- float.

My buddy has an old Brat that he liked to use on snowmobile trails. He just pulled up to the trail head and swapped to ATV wheels/tires. That little thing is a blast!

Subaru has one problem for me- lack of ground clearance. There are often no roads where I like to go. Tree stumps always manage to find oil pans- like tornadoes always find trailer parks.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by 841K9

Subaru has one problem for me- lack of ground clearance. There are often no roads where I like to go. Tree stumps always manage to find oil pans- like tornadoes always find trailer parks.

I actually have to drive on roads that haven't seen a plow yet and clearance has not as yet been an issue - although the snow has on occasion been deep enough to scraping the under carriage I havent lost any parts or had any damage from it as yet. The new Outbacks actually have more clearance than my 07.

[841K9]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I actually have to drive on roads that haven't seen a plow yet and clearance has not as yet been an issue - although the snow has on occasion been deep enough to scraping the under carriage I havent lost any parts or had any damage from it as yet. The new Outbacks actually have more clearance than my 07.

Occasionally deep enough to scrap the undercarriage?
I thought you were in BC.

[BCDave]

Believe it or not - there are parts of BC that are actually OUTSIDE of the city, and AWAY from the coast, where skiiers find snow that is many, many feet deep, and where roads are not plowed daily

[mcbrew]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Yup only problem with that is I would never make it up to the mountain with it - trucks are not really the best choose in really bad snow conditions -not even when in 4x. If you take a look at what is in the back of many of the trucks parked at a ski hill you will find that a lot of them have a big enough supply of cement bags to do any job they may have in mind for their home for the next 10 years.

Trust me my little Subaru has passed way to many of them in the ditch on the way to the ski hill in the wee hours of the morning or have had to go around them on a hill for me to ever feel safe about driving one in the snow conditions I often find myself driving in.

Did I mention I *really* luv my Subaru!

A lot of people think that 4x4 or AWD makes up for lousy tires. I have seen RWD sedans with snow tires passing 4x4 SUVs that couldn't move. I prefer to have both -- I have a set of snow tires (mounted on their own steel wheels) for my Subaru Outback. I didn't even need to put them on this year, as we didn't get any snow that stuck to the ground. Geez... Two years ago we got 70 inches! My 2011 Outback is pretty much a snow virgin!

I'm glad I've got it, though... I'm moving to a small neighborhood where the roads are not plowed, and the is one pretty decent hill, too. The roads are only 1.5 cars wide, so it'll be nice to be able to move through the snow confidently!

[841K9]

Originally Posted by BCDave

Believe it or not - there are parts of BC that are actually OUTSIDE of the city, and AWAY from the coast, where skiiers find snow that is many, many feet deep, and where roads are not plowed daily

I was thinking just that. Sorry for the poor wording.

[841K9]

Originally Posted by mcbrew

Two years ago we got 70 inches!

I remember walking outside a few years ago and not being able to find my F150 or Chevy dually.

BOTH were covered in a snow drift.

Then the boss called asking when I would be in.....

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by 841K9

Occasionally deep enough to scrap the undercarriage?
I thought you were in BC.

Despite what you may have heard those of us who live in BC dont actually live in igloo's ;-))) Only had one day this winter where snow actually stayed on the road to my home for more than 24 hours and it was about 1" deep & I live of the side of mountain that has a ski hill at the top ...... but yet it was a record year for snow fall on the ski hill.

The Dept of Highways do a pretty good job of keep the roads to the mountains plowed. Its when I need to travel in the real early am and its been snowing hard around the clock that I sometimes need to do my own bit of plowing with the Subaru.......

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by BCDave

Believe it or not - there are parts of BC that are actually OUTSIDE of the city, and AWAY from the coast, where skiiers find snow that is many, many feet deep, and where roads are not plowed daily

Thats true Dave in particular popular back country and cross county ski areas - not so much ski resorts. Although some of those resorts have narrow steep roads for the last 10 miles or so that are not at lot of fun to drive if its snowing hard and the ploys are having trouble keeping up to it. I went to an World Cup race on the BC Alberta border in March this year and the snow banks on the side of the highway where a good 20' high and they were closing the highway daily for avalanche control..... that particular stretch of road is not one you ever want to be on if it decides to start snowing hard or if you get caught on it you really want to be driving a Subaru