slick

most SUV's have the choice of getting 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive, whats the difference? i'm guessing that 4WD is better for off roading, but is there any use for it for regular drivers (drive to school, work, store, etc.) is there any performance differences between the two?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

There is a world of difference. Everyday uses? You bet! Take a look at Subaru and Audi. They both offer full time awd. Great for snow and wet weather performance.

BRIGBOY

........and answer this instead of laughing at you. 4wd is just that, when engaged it causes all 4 wheels to be spinning, not all at once, but if one slips then the other takes over. It has no use on the street unless there is snow or extreme ice. Using it in dry conditions will kill your tires and prolly alot of other parts.
I use it on the beach for 4 wheeling and mud bogging etc, like when I go surfing or partying down the beach where no coppers can find me!! Haha.
If you have the money for the option of 4wd, get it, if you ever plan to go offroading in the woods hunting or on the beach or if you get alot of snow in your area. Its great for snow.

I was just kidding about the laughing at you part, I ask plenty of dumb quetions. Just dont let your next one be "do maximas come in 4wd?". Cause then I'll laugh at you.

TBag

Full time 4WD on SUV's or on any car is superp for slick road conditions. They also handle the road a whole lot better. My future mother in law just prchased a 2001 RAV-4 with fulltime 4WD. For a sport ute, it handles amazingly well. You thinking of purchasing a SUV?
I test drove the Supercharged Frontier... personally I liked it alot.

Tim

ZuMBLe

iTrader: (1)

Definately get AWD if you can get it. And to answer your question. Besides traction. The big difference between AWD and 2WD is driveline loss. Your SUV may have a top speed of 100mph in 2WD mode.. but in AWD mode, your top speed may be 85mph. But ****!! you shouldn't be driving a SUV that fast anyways!!! They shouldn't be allowed to go faster than 60mph! Anyways.. AWD is really good for traction. Get it.

ZuM

slick

now that i know top speed is sacrificed by 4wd, how does 4wd compare to 2wd in a 0-60 run? i mean, i'm not going to be going 90+mph in a SUV, but having a quick 0-60 would be nice.

wdave

Beware the difference between 4WD and ALL WD. All wheel drive (as Audi, Subaru) has a differential between front and rear and can be used at all speeds and in all conditions. It gives great handling under all conditions, the only handicap being a little extra weight. 4WD (most trucks & Utes)uses a transfer case between front and rear and should only be used at slow speeds and in very slippery conditions (or offroad). Used at highway speed on dry roads either the tires or transfer case will ultimately self-destruct.

Dave

ZuMBLe

iTrader: (1)

Nah, AWD won't help you that much 0-60. The 2WD mode may be faster. As long as you don't break traction. 2WD will be faster. Unless your SUV has a manual tranny where you can drop the clutch at a high RPM. There is no use for AWD in a 0-60 race.. At least not in a SUV. They are too heavy. They aren't race cars. The AWD is used to get through rough conditions. Oh! AWD mode kills fuel economy too.

ZuM

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Well in strictly for the suv low only style 4x4, it won't help for 0-60 because it's mainly for low only like the other guy said.

But for full time awd sports cars like the 3000gt VR4, Audi S4/S6, Subuaru Wrx, etc... the AWD gives incredible 0-60 times. In fact that's where they shine. The VR4 guys are beating Supras to 0-60 becuase of their awd launches.

LeoB

My AWD Outback did not handle any better in slick conditions than my Maxima now does. Most snow storms i drive through up here in the great white north, leave me counting SUV's in ditches. they far outnumber regular carsthat are ditched.
AWD does not increase lateral stability, braking, cornering or general overall handling . There were several times in the 3 years that I owned my Outback, in winter, that it started sliding out onto shoulders in curves especially. The culprit is all season radials which are the common factory equipment on SUV's. These of course dont work well in the summer, nor do they perform well in the winter. All seasons are a bad compromise, and sticking them on SUV's severly misleads new AWD owners into thinking they have superior inclement weather handling capabilities. They DONT...their safety is usually reduced. With a good set of snow tires, plus maybe some studs, my Maxima outhandles by a large margin, both my former Outback as well as my 4x4 F150.
Acceleration is only a small part of the game, STAYING on the road under extreme ice and snow conditions is a whole other story, and AWD cant help you an ounce in that regard. Your slick and slippery handling abilities are entirely limited by the type and quality of rubber that hits the road. Whether this is FWD or AWD makes little difference. In fact skid recovery manoevers are way more likely to succeed with a RWD or FWD than an AWD car...better get some good snows and keep the Max..the pleasure quotient will be much higher!!

[Edited by LeoB on 02-21-2001 at 11:11 PM]

ZuMBLe

iTrader: (1)

When people say AWD improves handling. They usually aren't talking lateral grip. They are talking about control of the car. FWD cars tend to understeer. Rear drive cars if pushed hard enough oversteer and spin. AWD is more neutral. You can go into a corner hard and mash the gas and all 4 wheels put down power to help power you through the turn. I've seen it many times on my friend's 2.5RS. My maxima just can't follow the lines he takes around turns. He goes through turns making a semicircle. Where I have to make kind of a "J" type shape. If I tried to follow the semicircle he makes. My car will understeer like crazy and plow. A RWD car with a normal driver won't be able to follow that line either. Basicly, AWD makes the average joe feel like a hero. As for wet traction. A lot of that has to do with the tires yes. But in the snow. AWD definately has an advantage over RWD and FWD. Again, I can't touch my friend's subaru in bad weather. He can just plow through a 8 inches of snow like its nothing. Where the maxima would just get stuck. I know, cuz its happened.

ZuM

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

LeoB. Man I gotta disagree w/ you bro. It's definately those crap tires you had on the Sub. As far as AWD not being better, I wonder why Audi was banned in some forms of racing about 10 years ago. I couldn't be their AWD configuration could it?

Hint. It sure wasn't their overwhelming power!

ZuMBLe

iTrader: (1)

Them AWD cars can take some sick lines! But the original post was about SUVs. AWD or 2WD. No SUV is going to be taking any "sick lines". Hehe..

ZuM