Moving To A Colder Climate? Consider These Car Buying Tips
Posted on: 24 October 2018
If you are moving from a warmer area to a place that has colder winter weather with plenty of snow, you might be considering getting a different vehicle. Some vehicles handle the snow better than others, and there isn't much place for a tiny car or convertible on winter roads. Here's what to look for when you're buying a car that can handle anything winter will throw at you.
1. Traction control
Newer cars offer traction control, which can be a lifesaver on slick roads or roads with slush after an ice or snow storm. Traction control is what helps you not to slide on the road as you accelerate so that you can maintain control of the car. If you ever need to drive with your own maneuvering, you can turn off the traction control.
2. All-wheel drive
All-wheel drive is very helpful in the winter months. Most cars are front wheel drive, which means the back tires simply follow the front tires, which bear the load of moving the car forward. In all wheel drive, all the wheels can turn independently. When you're on a slick road, this gives you better traction. You also have an easier time avoiding getting stuck, because if your front end is entrenched in the snow bank or spinning on an icy patch, your rear wheels can still push the car forward. There is less room for error when all four tires assist in driving the car.
3. Increased carriage height
Some cars ride low to the ground. This can make you feel like you're more connected to the road, but in the winter, a low car height can be challenging. If you have to drive through snow, you don't want to scrape your undercarriage on piled up snow and ice in places like parking lots. When you're higher up off the road, you can move more easily through snowy conditions.
4. Larger tires
Larger tires that are wider can give you better traction because you have a greater amount of surface area connected to the road. Some smaller cars have smaller tires, and these tires can get clogged with ice in the rims or build up snow in the wheel wells. Larger tires have larger wells, so the snow can spin off more easily instead of caking up in the well or forming ice in the tire that throws off your alignment.
For more information, contact a dealership about a Subaru Crosstrek for sale or another car that offers good cold weather features.
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