New car buying/selling advise needed

[Jackie]

Thanks, Jeff. We'll consider all options. Tonight Britton said we're going to get through this first winter with what we have... Wish us luck if it's a snowy winter!

MEN!

I think they change their mind more often than women change their shoes! I need to get out and buy a couple of small shovels (collapsible) so there is one in each vehicle. I used to have one for the Jeep, but have no idea what happened to it........ (I think it was HIS-doing)! He probably threw it out thinking it was a "toy shovel" for our daughter that she never uses!

[Jim]

So, will we be hearing you driving down the road with your studded tires in May, June and July?

edit:

Speaking of shovels: While a nice large "hold a lot of snow" shovel may be nice, I well love my small Army shovel because it can be turned 90-degrees to the handle. Its small width, and the 90 degree capability, make a GREAT shovel to pull snow out from under a stuck vehicle. FWIW.

Like this, without the pick:

[xaza]

Hey Jackie if I am not mistaken we are a four wheeling group based on location. Doesn't that make us neighbors. You can call anytime and I will find a way to help you out.

[Jackie]

Hopefully I won't need help (much). I grew up in MN and learned how to drive there. But MN is flat. If I got stuck (especially over by the university), I would just crack open the window and dangle a couple bucks out. It got the message across and I always got a tug! The hills here may pose more of a challenge. We'll see!

[glacierpaul]

I think you'll find a lot of "no helpers" in Evergreen Jackie. Get some tire cables for the van as a just in case too. You already have a plow blade, you can easily fab it to work on the Jeep, and not affect wheeling. X2 on the trusty Army shovel, got a couple of those myself that actually saw combat action Thanks grandpa's!

[Brad]

Chris previously posted:

[Backcountryislife]

I live in Dumont, up a small road (I live off the creek that comes out of bill moore) I work in Breck... driving 100 miles a day.

There has yet to be ONE day that I have not been able to get to & from work because I'm in a 2wd car.

TIRES... that's the whole game, simple as that.

I've got a 04 Jetta, and a 14 Hundai Accent 5 door (and the Heep, and a Cummins that don't get driven to work, Heep is a toy, Cummins is a work machine for carrying sleds & wood)... very happy with both, and I'd despise either in the winter without good tires. I've owned 7 subarus, I'll never own one again, I've done more motor swaps in subies than all my other cars, sleds, bikes, trucks... combined. Good cars, but not what I call reliable in my word (needing to drive at high altitude for many miles a day)

Unless you're up some crazy privately maintained road... I fail to see the need for the added cost & decreased MPG of 4x4.

[Jackie]

Thanks for that, Kaleb. I'm going to let Britton's decision stick. We'll keep both vehicles for the winter and see how it goes. I wouldn't have been so concerned except for the fact that Britton travels for a living and needs reliable transportation to/from the airport on a regular basis so he often takes the Jeep on snowy days. (It would cost a fortune to take cab). I have been working from home for the past 12 years and only needed to worry about making it 1/2 mile to the elementary school and the grocery store during the winter. Worst-case scenario, I could have gotten to her on foot. All plowed roads after you dig out. NO big deal at all.

I'm getting laid off at the end of October and don't have a new job lined up yet. Not sure how far I will have to drive for work and I still have to make sure I can get back home for our daughter at the end of the school day (or extended after-school care).

We'll see how it goes, I guess... No friends up here yet to ask to be a standby for giving her a ride home... (she will be 10 in November and she is SO smart, that I would feel fairly comfortable giving her a key to the house and letting her be alone for a short while. She is looking forward to it - ME - not-so much!

[gm4x4lover]

You need to get yourself a pair of snow socks.