Whether to Drive or not to Drive in Bad Weather

Note: there are low end vehicles mentioned in this article, such as Subaru, Ford and Chevy, which can be purchased for around $25,000 or so; however, there are also high end vehicles mentioned in this article, such as Porsche and Mercedes, which can hit the $250,000 + mark.... Point being, you don't have to spend $100,000 in order to have a great handling car....

Caviat: Vehicles such as the Audi A8, MBZ S-Class and BMW 7-Series usually come standard with exceptional tires; however, less expensive automobiles do not always come standard with nice tires, because they are not considered plush vehicles. Always opt for the biggest tires you can get, even if it'll cost you a bit more, it's money well spent. Furthermore, never - never - never drive in bad weather with old worn out tires! I'll take a small Kia with brand new tires over an Audi A8 with old worn tires (40-50k miles...) any day of the week....

Whether to drive or not to drive in Bad Weather - the topic of bad weather is close to most driver’s heart. People worry, they plan, avoid and will even reschedule appointments and/or errands and the likes when they find out that a bad storm is said to be approaching their city or town. Some people will prepare and thoroughly inspect their vehicles when winter approaches to make sure they are “kosher” for the stormy days ahead....

We all should worry about being in a possible accident during a bad winter storm, for God only knows what the future holds for any of us. Nevertheless, there are many driver friendly vehicles that can take bad weather and usually hold their own with very little to no problem.

There are different types of bad weather. 1. Rain, which is the most typical of all bad weather scenarios. 2. Snow, which is typical in Northern USA states, Canada and Northern Europe. 3. Last but not least, windy conditions. I’ll discuss different types of vehicles in this article, because not all cars are good for everything (e.g., a car that handles great in rainy conditions many not handle great in the snow or mountains, and vice verse....); however, I’ll mostly be discussing vehicles which handle great in the rain.

The list of cars I’ve compiled are common and known by most people. That said, I’ll try and include vehicles in the list that aren’t too expensive and can get the job done without putting you in the poor house....

Subaru
You just can’t beat this little car in value.... Long gone are the days when if you wanted to purchase a 4-wheel drive vehicle you had to walk into an Audi dealership and pay big bucks for one. Nowadays, many car companies offer 4-wheel drive automobiles at reasonable prices. The Subaru has always offered above par 4-wheel drive vehicles at competitive prices. A few years ago, some Subaru dealerships would have specials on the Impreza for under $20,000.00 and that’s not bad. And what do you get? You get an great performing vehicle that can tackle some pretty awful weather conditions, while at the same time not causing terrible weather conditions in your pocket.

Porsche
This use to be a very impractical vehicle, because you couldn’t take it on long trips or do much else with it. However, handling wise, few if any can stand next to it. So what did Porsche do - what would any car company with such a great vehicle do? They created a Porsche Sedan (Panamera) and a Porsche SUV (Cayenne). Now you can own a great looking, comfortable and great performing - actually awesome performing vehicle if you have the $80-$100,000 it costs to own one of their low end models....

BMW
This is another awesome vehicle. Not as exuberant or expensive as the Porsche, yet by far no Subaru either. However, if you’re looking at the 6 or 7 series, at that point you’ll be hitting Porsche territory in terms of capital, even if they are gorgeous vehicles. The 3-series is the most affordable, yet known for superb handling. Europeans make exceptional handling vehicles, even if they do weigh a bit heavy on your pocket book. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a car that can handle in rainy and windy conditions, then look no further than this one.

Audi
Some car aficionados and connoisseurs have called the Audi “greatest car ever built...” Wow, that’s pushing it a bit. However, they were strictly referring to the A8, which for all intense and purposes costs close to the $120,000 mark. Nonetheless, there are Audi’s which are reasonably priced, such as the A3 (you can get some A3 for under $30,000) and a few others and they all offer exceptional handling with great 4-wheel drive systems - rain - wind - snow, you name it!...

Mercedes Benz
Another vehicle which needs little to no introduction. However and all said, some car buffs have said that the Benz does not quite measure up to the BMW or Audi in terms of performance and handling. Nevertheless, it is an exceptional vehicle which handles great under pressure....

Volkswagen
Ever wonder why VW’s look so good nowadays? Easily answered question: they own Audi and most of Porsche.... Picture Kathy Bates, if she could, having general plastic surgery and replacing her head and body with Angelina Jolie’s or Jessica Alba’s ------------------ditto! VW takes their cues from both Audi and Porsche, hence the reason they look so good. ...all said..., they are an exceptional car company - competitively price and hard to beat in terms of value.

Land Rover
Great SUV, especially for the mountains and snow, be it they are a bit pricey.

Volvo
Great handling vehicles, especially for mountains and snow.

Ford Trucks
Exceptional for mountains and snow (4-wheel drive)

Chevrolet Trucks
Exceptional for mountains and snow (4-wheel drive)