On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:28:41 -0600, HerHusband
wrote:
Hi Pete,
you're not reading what I said. There are plenty of cars
capable of handling on-road snow just fine.
I'm reading you fine, but I have no interest in buying a new vehicle right
now. We're quite happy with our cars. 350+ days a year the roads are clear
and completely passable. The remaining two weeks aren't enough to make AWD
a significant factor for choosing a car. And even during a snow storm, it's
not an issue once we get down off our hill.
We're VW folks. I've been driving a 1976 Rabbit for the last 18 years, and
had a few Rabbits before that. My wife drives a 1986 Jetta, and has had a
few VW's in the past too. With a good set of all-season tires, we
generally have no problem coming or going. There's just a couple of steep
spots in our driveway that are problematic, and when the snow gets deeper
than the underside of the car it's not so easy going. 
We can go anywhere we want to if we chain up, but I'd rather not chain up
just to drive 150 feet out to the road.
Anthony
Sorry to drop in on this thread rather late. We live in Iowa. This
has been one of the worst winters we have had in many years. We have
an eight horse Ahrens (or however you spell it) two stage snow blower
that will handle just about anything except very wet snow. That plugs
the shoot and we have to take it out of gear, wait until we are
absolutely sure the auger and all other moving part have come to a
complete stop. Then we dig it out of the shoot with a small round
point shovel we have. We back up a ways and put it back in gear. If we
are lucky we will be able to move along quite awhile, but not always.
We live on a four lane main street and our driveway gets filled a
number of times before they are done. I don't cuss at them because I
ran one of those plows for 34 years, but I don't have to like it.
This winter some of our snows have been in excess of 6" with drifting,
while others have only been 1"-3" of the fluffy stuff that is hardly
worth using the machine on. Unfortunately I strained my back on the
very first snow and the doctor told my wife she has to do the
shoveling and learn to use the snow blower. Actually, she's pretty
darned good at it.
She has been asking me if we can look at one of the light weight
electric snow blowers that she could use on the lighter snows by next
fall before the first snows come in December. I have to confess that I
have thought about that for a number of years, but just have never
followed through with it. Our driveway is over 90' from the street to
the garage and then there is a turn around area behind the house and
of course the rather large dog run that we try to keep clean so it's
easier to pick up their droppings.
We have two lawn mowers; one is a rechargeable electric and the other
is a corded electric and we love them both. No gas, no oil, no spark
plug. Just sharpen the blade once or twice a year.
Our neighbor has a light weight gas Toro snow blower and they have a
gravel driveway. She has it adjusted up just enough that it doesn't
throw gravel at her hour or ours.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
I would like to have a 4-wheel ATV with a plow on it, but just cannot
justify the cost of even a used one. Besides I am not the type to take
one mud running or any of that other stuff the young pups around here
do with theirs.
Take care and be well.
--
Grandpa Chuck
-τΏτ-
~
Please grant me:
the serenity to accept the people I cannot change
the courage to change the one that I can
the wisdom to know that it is me