Honda Car Forum

I've followed a lot of the discussion about the likely re-make of the 2005
RL, with some debate going on about whether it will be FWD, AWD, or RWD.
Critics point to the fact that driving enthusiasts want RWD, and cite the
fact that Cadillac and others have gone back to that platform.

All fine and good, but for those of us in the snowbelt, this just doesn't
make sense. Unless today's RWD cars with traction control are better than
the one I traded in a week ago (1998 Jaguar XJ8), you still need snow tires
and even then it's an iffy proposition.

Thoughts?

buy an SUV.
should have 3 cars:
-family sedan/commuter car
-sports coupe/convertible
-4wd SUV

you don't wear brown sandals with your black winter suit
just a thought.



"shs" <shs111@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1JydnQpcLZOXXmuiRVn-tA@comcast.com...
> I've followed a lot of the discussion about the likely re-make of the 2005
> RL, with some debate going on about whether it will be FWD, AWD, or RWD.
> Critics point to the fact that driving enthusiasts want RWD, and cite the
> fact that Cadillac and others have gone back to that platform.
>
> All fine and good, but for those of us in the snowbelt, this just doesn't
> make sense. Unless today's RWD cars with traction control are better than
> the one I traded in a week ago (1998 Jaguar XJ8), you still need snow
tires
> and even then it's an iffy proposition.
>
> Thoughts?
>
>

"tomk" wrote:
> buy an SUV.
> should have 3 cars:
> -family sedan/commuter car
> -sports coupe/convertible
> -4wd SUV
>
> you don't wear brown sandals with your black winter suit
> just a thought.

Such a wonderful idea. I have many pairs of shoes, so why not buy
several dozen cars? Perhaps 5 or 6 Porsches, one for each of my many
moods, color-coordinated for the occasion? Another three or four SUVs,
one for serious off-roading, one for light duty, one for ... wait ... hmmmm.

I just realized. Shoes cost, what, maybe $50-200? Cars cost, tens of
thousands
of dollars. Perhaps suggesting someone buy several cars is ... stupid.
Maybe you are blessed with the financial wherewithal to purchase multiple
cars,
but most folks can't blithely buy three vehicles.

For the original poster, I'd suggest taking a wait and see attitude about
the newer
cars with traction control, and possibly stick with FWD if your area's
climate
dictates that measure of safety. As far as "SUVs are safer in the snow", I
don't buy
that lne of reasoning. Yesterday, my family and I travelled up a mountain
road
("closed for winter / travel at your own risk") in a FWD sedan, no problem.
We did notice the SUV driver stuck along the side of the paved road we
eventually
intercepted. SUVs are still subject to the laws of physics.

Good luck.

Mary H

sorry, i didn't realize all the acura owners were so poverty stricken.

i was just demonstrating the correlation between reality and sensibilty.
my example being: it may foolish to own only a RWD luxury sedan
in the winter when you can have a separate vehicle for each purpose.
each of the 3 vehicles i described can be had for the cost of an XJ8.

(btw, you obviously missed the analogous meaning i was making. it
wasn't an issue of fashion or vanity, it was about sensibility.
"you don't wear brown sandals(drive your sporty RWD) with your
black winter suit(when it calls for a safe AWD)")

if your concerned about the difference between AWD(not read SUV)
and FWD w/TC drive a TL and an A4 quattro then come back to comment



"Mary Hardin" <autoeng2@newschool.org> wrote in message
news:UXJJb.2586$mT5.1654@newssvr16.news.prodigy.co m...
> "tomk" wrote:
> > buy an SUV.
> > should have 3 cars:
> > -family sedan/commuter car
> > -sports coupe/convertible
> > -4wd SUV
> >
> > you don't wear brown sandals with your black winter suit
> > just a thought.
>
> Such a wonderful idea. I have many pairs of shoes, so why not buy
> several dozen cars? Perhaps 5 or 6 Porsches, one for each of my many
> moods, color-coordinated for the occasion? Another three or four SUVs,
> one for serious off-roading, one for light duty, one for ... wait ...
hmmmm.
>
> I just realized. Shoes cost, what, maybe $50-200? Cars cost, tens of
> thousands
> of dollars. Perhaps suggesting someone buy several cars is ... stupid.
> Maybe you are blessed with the financial wherewithal to purchase multiple
> cars,
> but most folks can't blithely buy three vehicles.
>
> For the original poster, I'd suggest taking a wait and see attitude about
> the newer
> cars with traction control, and possibly stick with FWD if your area's
> climate
> dictates that measure of safety. As far as "SUVs are safer in the snow",
I
> don't buy
> that lne of reasoning. Yesterday, my family and I travelled up a mountain
> road
> ("closed for winter / travel at your own risk") in a FWD sedan, no
problem.
> We did notice the SUV driver stuck along the side of the paved road we
> eventually
> intercepted. SUVs are still subject to the laws of physics.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Mary H
>
>

On Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:26:28 -0500, "shs" <shs111@comcast.net> wrote:
>I've followed a lot of the discussion about the likely re-make of the 2005
>RL, with some debate going on about whether it will be FWD, AWD, or RWD.
>Critics point to the fact that driving enthusiasts want RWD, and cite the
>fact that Cadillac and others have gone back to that platform.
>
>All fine and good, but for those of us in the snowbelt, this just doesn't
>make sense. Unless today's RWD cars with traction control are better than
>the one I traded in a week ago (1998 Jaguar XJ8), you still need snow tires
>and even then it's an iffy proposition.
>
>Thoughts?

My Integra is useless in real snow without snow tires, and the only
thing that would make me happier about it would be RWD.

I must agree with Dean, I owned an Integra (before it got stolen) and I
drive a RSX now, before that an Escort.
But my first car was a Mazda 626 RWD, and in my experience, RWD is better in
any weather.
Having RWD even if you loose traction on the drive wheels, you still have
your steering and you can get control of the car back, providing you are not
flying down the road and you know all that other stuff. But with FWD, once
you loose traction of the front wheels, you have lost everything, and it is
very hard to get it back.

Anyway, that's my humble opinion, if it counts for anything, I for one would
prefer a RWD over FWD any day, and I am from Toronto

Tony


"Dean For America, 2004" <info@deanforamerica.com> wrote in message
news:5o3d10t3nqpqn87r8g5fam2mgkkdpdp19p@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:26:28 -0500, "shs" <shs111@comcast.net> wrote:
> >I've followed a lot of the discussion about the likely re-make of the
2005
> >RL, with some debate going on about whether it will be FWD, AWD, or RWD.
> >Critics point to the fact that driving enthusiasts want RWD, and cite the
> >fact that Cadillac and others have gone back to that platform.
> >
> >All fine and good, but for those of us in the snowbelt, this just doesn't
> >make sense. Unless today's RWD cars with traction control are better
than
> >the one I traded in a week ago (1998 Jaguar XJ8), you still need snow
tires
> >and even then it's an iffy proposition.
> >
> >Thoughts?
>
> My Integra is useless in real snow without snow tires, and the only
> thing that would make me happier about it would be RWD.
>
>

In article <dUbVb.26890$bp1.886681@news20.bellglobal.com>, Tony
<nospam@spam.com> wrote:


> Anyway, that's my humble opinion, if it counts for anything, I for one would
> prefer a RWD over FWD any day, and I am from Toronto
>
> Tony
>
>


Rear wheel with posi yes... I would agree. I think RW with one drive
wheel can be the curse of death though. I think a RWD Integra with
posi would be a fabulous car... why not make it AWD?



Just a silly thought.

Andrew.

>
>> Anyway, that's my humble opinion, if it counts for anything, I for one would
>> prefer a RWD over FWD any day, and I am from Toronto
>>
>> Tony
>
>Rear wheel with posi yes... I would agree. I think RW with one drive
>wheel can be the curse of death though. I think a RWD Integra with
>posi would be a fabulous car... why not make it AWD?
>
>


Have to agree....I have an A4 Quattro.....unbelieveable on the road.
Just wish the long-term quality was that of the Japanese cars. Our
Camry just surpassed 299,500 miles!!

However, with the new G35X and GS300 AWD vehicles, the Japanese have
definitely taken an interest in AWD. We will see if Acura responds.


-
--
Curtis Newton
cnewton@remove-me.akaMail.com
http://surf.to/cnewton
<delete remove-me. to respond to email>
ICQ: 4899169

In article <11ld20d14nuuti169cj6lg15lsh5c6ge33@4ax.com>, Curtis Newton
<cnewton@remove-me.akamail.com> wrote:


>
> Have to agree....I have an A4 Quattro.....unbelieveable on the road.
> Just wish the long-term quality was that of the Japanese cars. Our
> Camry just surpassed 299,500 miles!!
>
> However, with the new G35X and GS300 AWD vehicles, the Japanese have
> definitely taken an interest in AWD. We will see if Acura responds.
>


We were just looking at an A4 Quattro for the better half... Her 240sx
is starting to show it's age a little and she's on the road all the
time for work. Glad you are enjoying to German engineering...




Andrew.