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YES YES YES! Mrs Kilmer, Have a wonderful Day in whatever you do. You have a wonderful Husband who has helped countless people in there lives through Driving with his knowledge of cars and his way in which he puts people's minds to rest with there problems involving cars and stress. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY FROM AUSTRALIA!!. 😎💐🌼💐💐💐🌼💐💐
A couple of years ago I was driving in the snow. As I came to an intersection, I slowed down hoping I could just ease through the stop sign. Unfortunately, I had to stop as a car was pulling out of the cross street. As I stopped, I was hit by the vehicle behind me that was unable to stop. When we met up outside the cars, he said, “ Sorry, I had it in four wheel drive, but it slid anyway.” I said, “You should have had it in four wheel brake, four wheel drive is for driving, not braking.” I did see the light go on in his mind.😂
@@jayhockley8841 , that will only work if you are going slow enough as to not send the vehicle sliding. Forward momentum of vehicle will make tires lose traction when you downshift if going too fast to begin with. Been there, done that.
@American Happiness , now, go back and read what I typed. Now sit and comprehend what I typed. If you are on the brakes already, no amount of downshifting is going to help the brakes, especially on snow or ice covered surface.
I used to have my own car sales company in snowy Calgary Canada. I drove 2wd vehicles from 1975-2016 usually with winter tires even in mountain driving. I totally agree with what Scotty says. It’s easier to control a front drive vehicle on a snowy or icy road than an AwD. Used to tell people the same thing when I was showing them my used vehicles. You should have seen the confused looks on people’s faces as the big carmakers have convinced most people we need AWD for safety. Ask the Swedes they know it’s not true except if you’re going to drive 700 miles into the wildness or off roads.
Im a Canadian and i have a fwd and it is horrible because most of the time the ice on the road isn’t too bad the snow is the worst, today i got stuck on the way to work in the snow before the top of a hill and all the awd were all passing on by me (Btw i have winter tires on)
I'm an Albertan as well. I've owned 15-20 cars in my life and I prefer front wheel drive especially in winter as well as a manual 5 speed tyranny. I found I never had problems with any transfer case on my manual cars. I have studded winter tires too.4 +4 winter and summer tires and rims. I should be good.
RWD-worst for daily driving, but great for weekends AWD-Great for all terrains, like rain, snow, and dirt FWD-better for budget, can do what AWD can but just not as well. Can be great for tight corners like hairpin turns
Life experience: went to a dealer to test 2 cars, there was a foot of snow on the ground and ice underneath, the RWD had to be pushed off the lot by 3 men as it slipped and slid, the FWD plowed through the snow like it wasn't there.
As Scotty correctly pointed out, a front wheel drive vehicle with snow tires is very effective in winter conditions. Way back in 1968 I was living in Portland Oregon. That winter the whole city closed down because of several weeks of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Because this never happens in Portland they had no snow plows. There was a steep road that led up to the college I was attending w and it froze with a solid inch of ice from top to bottom. The only car I saw that could drive up that hill was a 64 SAAB with front wheel drive equipped with studded snow tires. No problem, it scooted right up. No need for 4wd.
This is very helpful! I was dead set in getting an AWD vehicle but I realize now that I don't need it. I work from home and I drive like an old grandma. In case of heavy snow I can stay home until the roads are cleared. Thanks!
Professor Scotty has the best seminars and the best tuition fees! The information in this video is spot on. Thank you Scotty. Well written and well delivered. Scores an A+ 🎓
I prefer front wheel drive. In Iowa we have winter and I've never been stranded in a snow storm. I've had Chevy v6s /Plymouth 2.2 /2.5 four cylinders never any problems. I just slow down, stay off the brakes as much as possible. I also manually shift the automatic into 1 then bump it to 2nd when it feels ready and just go.
4wd for me. Don’t need it often, but when I have needed it, it was worth the cost (and more). Front wheel drive for the wife and kids. I feel like they’re generally safer
Even when I lived in a snow State, I still only bought rear wheel drive cars, I just like how they feel on the road, and how much easier it is to perform maintenance on them.
The "secret" is the driver knowing the vehicle being driven and how it handles. Better yet, the driver practices car control under adverse situations. All wheel drive is safer if the driver understands that it helps go better but not stop better. Stopping better requires training and better tires. Part time four (as opposed to all) wheel drive vehicle drivers are the ones who we find off the side of the road because they believe that once they switch it on, they are invincible, but forget that the system does not help them stop better. Driver training is more important than vehicle configuration.
Living in Chicago AWD or 4WD is the way to go, for atleast one car if you have multiple. This past winter when it takes the city a week or longer to get to the alleys its the only way to get out. My 2013 Outback has saved me more times than I can count since I bought it new. Slow as molasses usually since they are underpowered but more than makes up for it when I can be on the road in the heavy winter or rain and everybody else is home without worrying about getting stuck. Pulled 2 neighbors out of the alley with it this year as well that had only front wheel drive.
Love my AWD vehicle we have 4 seasons here in Ontario Canada and I always put on my winter tires and let me tell you it does help your driving and steering 100% more for sure. it keeps you in a straight line allot better and quicker when you start slipping!
Hello Scotty, I live in Sweden and have a landrover 4wd. We have snow and alot of dirt roads. I've never gotten stuck, I use all weather tyres. I'm not saying it's the best as during the summer and autumn any car would work but winter time is worth its weight in gold. I don't have to dig it out of the snow and it sticks to the road like glue.
I live in eastern Canada. Since ive had a 2002 rav4. I never want to go back to 2wd. I love my 4wd 6 months a year when i can accelerate faster and dont get stuck in snowstorms. And being a toyota, the 4wd (or pretty much anything) never had any problems. Even after 400 000km
I drove my 05 Elantra with all seasons for many years in the Rockies and Cascades in the winter with never a problem. Can't say the same about the SUVs I constantly saw in the ditch.
Always have been scolded by parents to only get AWD and drive AWD. I live in PA, where we do get really crappy winter and rainy weather, but everyone I know has FWD. This gave me some hope that going to a FWD car won’t be a “death wish”!
I would go as far as saying tire choice is more important than a vehicle being fwd/rwd/awd for everyday driving. Never drove awd but with winter tires I never had any issues with any fwd vs rwd cars Ive owned so I never found myself wanting for it.
@@verynick You can but why? But if you were going to do just a pair they go on the rear. Helps stop the back end from breaking loose during turns or braking maneuvers since those will lock up first from less traction. Basically just do all four and be done with it.
Another fantastic and informative video. Please don't stop doing these. 20 years ago heavy snow in the UK meant I was the only person who could get out of my road and beyond. My part-time AWD performed really well and several 4WD cars later I have been able to complete journeys that other people have had to abandon. In fact, the abandoned cars were the problem. However, 4WD does not make you bulletproof and sometimes "discretion is the greater part of valor".
I am an AWD or a 4WD man. I live in a snowy climate and deliver food/ do snow work. Clearance is better in AWD/4WD helps in deep snowfall. And my AWD suburban has bailed me out a couple of instances where I broke traction.
I have rwd and awd. However, sold awd for fwd. Never thought Texas would get that record snow. Oh the regrets during those 4 days. I don't regret rwd. Love taking those corners in my muscle car.
All my FWD drove better in snow. RWD got me in trouble in the snow. I live in TN now so it doesn’t matter. We have all wheel drive if we turn it on, on our Old 1999 Honda CRV. It helps off road.
Been driving rear wheel drive cars in wisconsin 45 years with zero issues. But I keep newer tires on my cars and trucks and know how to drive correctly and leave lots of room around my car and try to never fully stop in severe snow conditions. If I can find a used sequoia or land cruiser it will be 4wd for some off road trail adventure. For my sports cars I love 2 wheel rear drive as I like how it transmits power.
Just traded a 2021 Mazda CX-30 AWD for the same FWD version. Live in TX so no worries about snow. I found that the FWD seems to “feel” more nimble in daily and even spirited driving. Can’t imagine that it’s a weight difference. Just think the FWD is more nimble due to possible drivetrain loss? (Not a mechanic, just a laymen’s opinion)
So it's better with the FWD CX-30 now? I'm considering buying one and I am conflicted between choosing FWD or AWD. In my area we have bad roads but weather conditions are quite good and snow is almost non existent.
Living in Wyoming all my life I’ve never been without a 4 wheel drive truck and for a passenger car it has to be an all wheel drive. You never know what the weather will throw at you no matter what time of the year.
@@GuerreroDelInfo you got that right! Hunting around Jackson and camping outside Yellowstone got snowed on in July. Snowing right now in the south eastern part of the state.
If you get stuck with front or back wheels in mud but not all 4, AWD is better than front/back wheel drive (assuming that's the wheels that are stuck).
@@analprolapsegaming6030 He was talking about inertia though. He wasn't talking about getting stuck. Front wheel drive isn't going to help if your front wheels are stuck, but if you back wheels are free, then you'll be able to get out.
@@captinbeyond Nobody's arguing that RWD is better than FWD, but the market changed for FWD cars because they're simpler and cheaper to make. You don't need RWD unless you care about performance.
If you know how to PROPERLY drive an AWD, you'll be just fine. I've driven enough FWD and AWD cars in my life (and most of them in fair condition or worse) that you start to get to "know" how a car handles in different conditions, even when it's not mechanically sound. I just leased a 2021 Dodge Challenger and I specifically asked for AWD (they had to special order it for me). Living in Northern Indiana, our weird weather can drop snow at any time, so having AWD for me was a must. I might be losing some gas milage in the deal, but the trade-off of having that extra power in the snow was more important.
@@jayhockley8841 There are certain places near here I wouldn't even attempt it, sure, but for the most part, the main areas around town are plowed low enough it won't be an issue. The main problem is they don't like to use salt here and instead use gravel, which leaves ice patches on the roads even after being plowed. I currently drive an old beater Jeep with a high clearance, but I am finally getting a brand new vehicle and I wanted this sport "new muscle" car as my first.
Rear wheel drive all the way for me. I've grown up driving FWD cars and, yes, they're space efficient and require fewer parts, but the parts they do have are more complex and that's where the cost comes in. RWD cars, too, are better when you run out of talent - you mention FWD understeer, which is difficult and scary to correct, but RWD is prone more to oversteer, which just requires adjustment in steering. I've had a Jaguar S-Type for the best part of a year, and it's by far the best car I've ever had.
I live in NEO and I've owned front wheel, rear wheel, & 4 wheel drive. In my experience I prefer front wheel drive. It is all around better in my opinion.
Jeep had their own nomenclature for ‘Full-Time’ and ‘Part-Time’ 4WD that had me confused for the longest time. In some Jeeps, full time 4WD is like AWD. But Part Time 4WD locked the transfer case so the rear and front axles received the same power.
Thank you for the good explanation. I'll be buying my first car and everyone who i ask if i should buy AWD or FWD say it's better to buy AWD since it's more secure even if it's more expensive, but i think I'll go for FWD since I'll buy top tier winter tiers anyway. Btw i live in Norway so here's a few months with a lot of ice and snow.
I've driven Rwd and Fwd. Never AWD. But I can tell you, more or less, Fwd is easier to work with with city speeds / driving. Skilled drivers of RWD, or a rwd car with good traction control and tires might be able to dart, and throw their cars, but generally that takes a little more practice and expirience than if you have to do something quick in Fwd. That's just my opinion tho, based on my current driving expiriences.
I'm up in Northern Wisconsin and as an "essential" worker, I often find myself required to get somewhere long after the snowplow drivers have gone home... I have an Awd Vibe that I run as my winter "beater" that reliably and effectively gets me where I need to be. I regret that choice at the fuel pump, because it costs me 7 mpg. So, I also have a Fwd Vibe... exact same car without the extra 300 pounds of driveline. So best answer in my book, just own both.
I got an awd car because I live in quebec where the winters are harsh and I do a lot of driving, with premium winter tires, that baby just sticks to the road no matter what
When I retired, I moved from Montana to Thailand--a big change. :-) Buying a vehicle in Thailand, with taxes and duties, if a car isn't made in Thailand the cost to purchase is about double the MSRP. While I would love to have a RWD two-seat coupe, those are not made in Thailand so are ridiculously expensive. My plan for later in the year or for the new model year is a hybrid Toyota Corolla Altis. The Corolla hybrid may be new, but Toyota has been making hybrid Priuses for twenty-some years--the mechanics of the system should be well understood and just a different body style set on top of a well-understood drivetrain. I know there are some concerns when hybrids get to be high mileage vehicles, but going by my yearly mileage over the past five years, and going from a one-car family to a two-car family, it's going to be quite a long time before any new car I buy becomes a high mileage vehicle. :-) So, for me, I think a front-wheel-drive car is the best (most reasonable) car for me to buy now.
You missed on thing about snow driving: 4 wheel drive with a MANUAL. You are actually able to modulate engine power to control the spin of tires without using the brakes and reducing the risks of breaking traction. My old 2006 Jeep TJ manual was a better snow vehicle than my 2014 Rubicon automatic.
Great video, as always. I prefer RWD cars, but I now live in a place with nasty winters, so I’m in an AWD car right now. Thinking about going for a Challenger 5.7 V8 with the manual transmission - am I crazy?!
G'day Scotty! Just one thing that you should have added is that if you live in a climate where there's no snow but rain instead, an under powered AWD will really upset someone in a high powered 2WD when you beat them off the lights. Sure they will pass you at great speed later but boy their really upset by then. Also very good to get off a side street onto a main street in the wet. Oh, I nearly forgot, the car's only as good as the tyres fitted.
I use to have a small 3 cylinder hatchback and drove up the slope over a bump on a snowy day and saw the big SUV stuck, struggling to go over the bump and his wheel just kept turning for minutes as I was driving off. Maybe because my car was small and light weight so I was able to go over the bump easier
I’ve driven FWDs my whole life. I’m looking to drive a RWD soon so I can feel the difference. I’d like to drive an AWD in offroad conditions, but it’s not really a priority.
Even in North Carolina it is hard to find a two wheel drive truck. Because the dealerships make more money for them. I've been to the Ford, GMC, & Chevrolet dealerships here in Wilmington, NC & all the trucks on the lots were 4 wheel drive. I excluded Ram because I had a Ram & it was the biggest pile of crap I owned. The 2 best trucks I've owned were a 2011 Silverado LT with a 5.3L crew cab short bed 2 wheel truck that had only 36,000 miles when I traded it in on a 2016 Siverado LT with a 5.3L engine crew cab short bed with less than 3,000 miles. Then I decided that once in my life I would like to own a truck with a leather interior. So i decided to trade that truck in on a 2017 Silverado LTZ with a 6.2L gasoline engine crew cab short bed. The only problems I've had is at the factory they filled the transmission with the wrong transmission fluid so after about 15,000 miles the transmission was constantly shifting in & out of gears & the Chevrolet dealership didn't know how to patch a tire correctly. Even with the 6.2L engine, driving to PA & back to Wilmington, NC with the engine running in V8 mode 99% of the time I still got about 25 MPG which was a little better then my father's 2018 GMC SLE with the 5.3l engine which ran in V4 mode most of the time.
Scotty you mentioned that front wheel drive with snow tires can do better than AWD. I have driven both in snow and ice and my Wife's AWD Ford Edge is by far more superior to any FWD car I have ever driven in the Missouri Winters. It has never even thought about getting stuck in deep snow, granted I always choose a more agressive tread pattern, so that could be the difference.
When I lived in central NY I had a 1992 Saab 900 with Nokian snow tires for the winter and it far outperformed my parent’s 2007 Subaru Impreza with the 4 season tires it came with. Nobody is charging through 1.5 feet of snow. But when the plow has gone by and there’s hard pack and ice on the ground, snow tires are literally everything. After I moved to NYC for work, I leased a 2017 Hyundai Elantra and took it skiing to Stowe Vermont. It snowed so hard on the drive up that a 7 hour drive took 11. My car was under steering like crazy. But I did pass countless AWD and 4WD that were off in ditches. I think that’s what Scotty meant by false sense of security. They passed me on the road and then I passed them in a fwd tiny car that comes with $30 dollar tires. I got to the Stowe lodge and the valet asked how on earth I made it when they were hearing about the dozens of cars awaiting tow trucks.
@@Deej1188 I think a lot of it is boneheaded drivers. All I know I have had every type of drive systems and AWD & 4WD are far superior in bad conditions than just RWD & FWD.
@@robertalexander2506 But would you choose AWD and the all season tires that came with the car over FWD with dedicated winter tires? I think in terms of safety, you’re much better off with snow tires. Getting stuck sucks. Not being able to stop or steer is much more horrifying.
@@Deej1188 well actually I put a truck tire on my Wifes Edge this time around kinda by mistake and it does quite well. As for the snow tires, I'd say that over 90% of car owners do NOT buy/ put snow tires on in the Winter.
@@Deej1188 as I have said earlier, I have driven every kind of vehicle & I have better control with the AWD in snow while driving. It's not just about getting stuck in deep snow for me, even though my Wife's Edge has never been stuck by either her or myself. I only chose one set of tires out of at least 4 sets that I've chosen for her carin the last 13 years we've been driving it.
To really cover the car-o-sphere, I wish he'd look into official crash tests and give us some reports and thoughts on those cars. Maybe the cars that are dogs for reliability are aces for being safer?
Extra weight is a heavy penalty for 4WD and most AWD systems badly affecting many performance aspects of a car gaining some extra traction in some conditions but this extra weight and extra price at the buy are just not worth it .....unless you must have it due to off road or sand or mud to drive thru so 95% of drivers do not need it...
RWD is better for climbing than FWD, because a large part of the cars weight transfers to the rear wheels. That is also true in case of hard acceleration.
I like rear wheel drive because its better handling and steering and corners good on heavy loads hope my first truck i get is rear wheel drive so i can haul my mororbicycles to a good place to drive mabey thinking about making a offroad motorbicycle to ride in the mudd.
RWD does have the best handling but it has less of an effect on trucks. Plus, if you're going offroading, you'll want the traction more than better handling.
Hey Scotty: I enjoyed your segment on drive systems. In the segment I noticed the terms “snow tires” and “winter tires” being used interchangeably. Lately, tire manufacturers have been distancing themselves from term “snow tires”. They often tout the advantage of winter tires providing superior stopping distance in colder temperatures and not just superior traction in snow. Keep up the good work!
I dont care about traction. I am very cheap! I want my next car to last 25 years with no problems. Does an Awd vehicle need more maintenance with differential fluid and possible repairs to that system than a FWD??
For most people I would say FWD is fine but it did get me into trouble once in heavy rain. Started to hydroplane and when I let off the gas the rear decided it wanted to keep going... Totaled after bouncing off the center divide and getting clipped by a large truck.
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What do you think of the 2022 Subaru BRZ?
What the best car for ride share luxury
YES YES YES! Mrs Kilmer, Have a wonderful Day in whatever you do.
You have a wonderful Husband who has helped countless people in there lives through Driving with his knowledge of cars and his way in which he puts people's minds to rest with there problems involving cars and stress.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY FROM AUSTRALIA!!. 😎💐🌼💐💐💐🌼💐💐
You have to do the worst vehicle to get
Scotty I bought a 95 celica vert gt. You have an st, could you give me tips. I’m from Rhode Island if you are nearby
Happy Mother's Day to Mrs. Kilmer, Scotty!
happy Mother's Day!
@@beammeaboard no its his celica
@@beammeaboard Technically, his mother would also be called Mrs.Kilmer.
@@m1cha3l0 He loves that thing
A couple of years ago I was driving in the snow. As I came to an intersection, I slowed down hoping I could just ease through the stop sign. Unfortunately, I had to stop as a car was pulling out of the cross street. As I stopped, I was hit by the vehicle behind me that was unable to stop. When we met up outside the cars, he said, “ Sorry, I had it in four wheel drive, but it slid anyway.” I said, “You should have had it in four wheel brake, four wheel drive is for driving, not braking.” I did see the light go on in his mind.😂
But if he had a standard trans and knew how to downshift , it will also help you stop faster because you have the motor slowing down all 4 wheels .
@@jayhockley8841 , that will only work if you are going slow enough as to not send the vehicle sliding. Forward momentum of vehicle will make tires lose traction when you downshift if going too fast to begin with. Been there, done that.
did the other car have LSD
@American Happiness , now, go back and read what I typed. Now sit and comprehend what I typed. If you are on the brakes already, no amount of downshifting is going to help the brakes, especially on snow or ice covered surface.
AWD dose not help with breaking.
This is the new Discovery & History channel
But History Channel has aliens.
@@auvomesilampi6325 ancient aliens
I used to have my own car sales company in snowy Calgary Canada. I drove 2wd vehicles from 1975-2016 usually with winter tires even in mountain driving. I totally agree with what Scotty says. It’s easier to control a front drive vehicle on a snowy or icy road than an AwD. Used to tell people the same thing when I was showing them my used vehicles. You should have seen the confused looks on people’s faces as the big carmakers have convinced most people we need AWD for safety. Ask the Swedes they know it’s not true except if you’re going to drive 700 miles into the wildness or off roads.
As a swede, I guess I should agree^^
As a Swede I'm confused what does our nationality have to do with anything
Im a Canadian and i have a fwd and it is horrible because most of the time the ice on the road isn’t too bad the snow is the worst, today i got stuck on the way to work in the snow before the top of a hill and all the awd were all passing on by me
(Btw i have winter tires on)
@@dhdhdhddbdhdhd7300 yeah there's nothing wrong with 2wd but 4WD or AWD is better
I'm an Albertan as well. I've owned 15-20 cars in my life and I prefer front wheel drive especially in winter as well as a manual 5 speed tyranny. I found I never had problems with any transfer case on my
manual cars. I have studded winter tires too.4 +4 winter and summer tires and rims. I should be good.
It’s always a good day when Scotty uploads twice.
RWD-worst for daily driving, but great for weekends
AWD-Great for all terrains, like rain, snow, and dirt
FWD-better for budget, can do what AWD can but just not as well. Can be great for tight corners like hairpin turns
There are about ten people that watch Scotty that don't know this lol
@@oreally8605, I just summed up the video
@@therealsnoop7497 pretty much lol
AWD is best on the regular roads and track as well.
especially if a FWD is a manual car oooof😮💨pulls like a beauty😍
Life experience: went to a dealer to test 2 cars, there was a foot of snow on the ground and ice underneath, the RWD had to be pushed off the lot by 3 men as it slipped and slid, the FWD plowed through the snow like it wasn't there.
Thank you for clearing up the myth of FWD vs AWD. This helped my final decision in buying my vehicle 🥹
I like the awd Camry tho
As Scotty correctly pointed out, a front wheel drive vehicle with snow tires is very effective in winter conditions. Way back in 1968 I was living in Portland Oregon. That winter the whole city closed down because of several weeks of snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Because this never happens in Portland they had no snow plows. There was a steep road that led up to the college I was attending w and it froze with a solid inch of ice from top to bottom. The only car I saw that could drive up that hill was a 64 SAAB with front wheel drive equipped with studded snow tires. No problem, it scooted right up. No need for 4wd.
thats because of the tires, not because of the fwd
Yeah but if it had awd and snow tires it would have done that too only better 😂
This is very helpful! I was dead set in getting an AWD vehicle but I realize now that I don't need it. I work from home and I drive like an old grandma. In case of heavy snow I can stay home until the roads are cleared. Thanks!
What an awesome history video of FWD vs RWD vs AWD.
Professor Scotty has the best seminars and the best tuition fees! The information in this video is spot on. Thank you Scotty. Well written and well delivered. Scores an A+ 🎓
I prefer front wheel drive. In Iowa we have winter and I've never been stranded in a snow storm. I've had Chevy v6s /Plymouth 2.2 /2.5 four cylinders never any problems. I just slow down, stay off the brakes as much as possible. I also manually shift the automatic into 1 then bump it to 2nd when it feels ready and just go.
4wd for me. Don’t need it often, but when I have needed it, it was worth the cost (and more). Front wheel drive for the wife and kids. I feel like they’re generally safer
fwd is also a lot cheaper and easier to do maintenance and repairs for
Best car to buy right now is your 94 Celica
🤣👍
I saw a 91 celica for 6k only 40k miles
😆
@@MrREAPERsz pretty crazy how they’re selling it that cheap!
.....or...well...almost any toyota???
I have owned all configuration. For what I need today. I choose a full-time AWD Daihatsu Terious 1.3 with diff-lock. The 'problem ' is I love it .
Having the right tires make ALL the difference no matter what kind of drivetrain you have.
Tires are very important 100% !! Now drive a RWD with the best tires in snow then do the same with a AWD (Subaru) and then edit that comment.
Greetings from your old state of Texas, Scotty
evening!
Scotty I drained my Power Steering Fluid five times and seems much smoother now. I feel better now. Thank You very much great tip. Lloyd hills
🤔
Even when I lived in a snow State, I still only bought rear wheel drive cars, I just like how they feel on the road, and how much easier it is to perform maintenance on them.
REAR WHEEL DRIVE is the most durable and maintenance free. The stresses on the vehicle are divided equally between the front and back.
No
😂😂😂 all you said is no 😂😂
rwd for my soul, but awd for all year, snow and safety!
1975 pontiac ventura sprint.3 SPEED NO POWER STEERING...LOVED IT!
AWD-Winters(PA), RWD-May-November
The "secret" is the driver knowing the vehicle being driven and how it handles. Better yet, the driver practices car control under adverse situations. All wheel drive is safer if the driver understands that it helps go better but not stop better. Stopping better requires training and better tires. Part time four (as opposed to all) wheel drive vehicle drivers are the ones who we find off the side of the road because they believe that once they switch it on, they are invincible, but forget that the system does not help them stop better. Driver training is more important than vehicle configuration.
Living in Chicago AWD or 4WD is the way to go, for atleast one car if you have multiple. This past winter when it takes the city a week or longer to get to the alleys its the only way to get out. My 2013 Outback has saved me more times than I can count since I bought it new. Slow as molasses usually since they are underpowered but more than makes up for it when I can be on the road in the heavy winter or rain and everybody else is home without worrying about getting stuck. Pulled 2 neighbors out of the alley with it this year as well that had only front wheel drive.
I hear ya. Living in rural eastern Kentucky now, and can't call off for snow. Awd, preferably 4wd necessary
chicago is flat. you dont neeed AWD...
Love my AWD vehicle we have 4 seasons here in Ontario Canada and I always put on my winter tires and let me tell you it does help your driving and steering 100% more for sure. it keeps you in a straight line allot better and quicker when you start slipping!
Scotty is a great teacher... you are very much appreciated sir
If you can legally use studded snow tires on your vehicle , in the winter , they make a lot of difference in both snow and ice .
AWD for me, simply love my A5 Quattro, system. Really good to drive on rainy days.
Scotty is not a fan of Audi.
@@smunilla74 i am, and i bet that scotty would love driving one.
He doesn't like the german engineering.
Hight performance come with hight maintenance, and if you can afford it.
We only live once!
Hello Scotty, I live in Sweden and have a landrover 4wd. We have snow and alot of dirt roads. I've never gotten stuck, I use all weather tyres. I'm not saying it's the best as during the summer and autumn any car would work but winter time is worth its weight in gold. I don't have to dig it out of the snow and it sticks to the road like glue.
I live in eastern Canada. Since ive had a 2002 rav4. I never want to go back to 2wd. I love my 4wd 6 months a year when i can accelerate faster and dont get stuck in snowstorms.
And being a toyota, the 4wd (or pretty much anything) never had any problems. Even after 400 000km
I drove my 05 Elantra with all seasons for many years in the Rockies and Cascades in the winter with never a problem.
Can't say the same about the SUVs I constantly saw in the ditch.
Front w/drive with high quality tires for me.
Drove a 4x4 FJ cruiser for years and now i have an all wheel drive RDX. I’ve never had problems in the snow.
Always have been scolded by parents to only get AWD and drive AWD. I live in PA, where we do get really crappy winter and rainy weather, but everyone I know has FWD. This gave me some hope that going to a FWD car won’t be a “death wish”!
Snow tires completely transform your car in winter, it's pretty amazing.
I would go as far as saying tire choice is more important than a vehicle being fwd/rwd/awd for everyday driving. Never drove awd but with winter tires I never had any issues with any fwd vs rwd cars Ive owned so I never found myself wanting for it.
I put winter tires on my grand marquis makes a big difference. 👍
Can you get away with just putting front winter tires on FWD?
@@verynick You can but why? But if you were going to do just a pair they go on the rear. Helps stop the back end from breaking loose during turns or braking maneuvers since those will lock up first from less traction. Basically just do all four and be done with it.
Another fantastic and informative video. Please don't stop doing these. 20 years ago heavy snow in the UK meant I was the only person who could get out of my road and beyond. My part-time AWD performed really well and several 4WD cars later I have been able to complete journeys that other people have had to abandon. In fact, the abandoned cars were the problem. However, 4WD does not make you bulletproof and sometimes "discretion is the greater part of valor".
I am an AWD or a 4WD man. I live in a snowy climate and deliver food/ do snow work. Clearance is better in AWD/4WD helps in deep snowfall. And my AWD suburban has bailed me out a couple of instances where I broke traction.
I thought we were not supposed to buy cars right now. I love you Scotty!!!!
This is the planning stage and dream mode.
I have rwd and awd. However, sold awd for fwd. Never thought Texas would get that record snow. Oh the regrets during those 4 days. I don't regret rwd. Love taking those corners in my muscle car.
Best car to buy is a 1984 Toyota Corolla. RWD with carburetted 4 cyl engine and hand cranked windows with a manual transmission.
True but very rare to find now.
All my FWD drove better in snow. RWD got me in trouble in the snow. I live in TN now so it doesn’t matter.
We have all wheel drive if we turn it on, on our Old 1999 Honda CRV.
It helps off road.
Been driving rear wheel drive cars in wisconsin 45 years with zero issues. But I keep newer tires on my cars and trucks and know how to drive correctly and leave lots of room around my car and try to never fully stop in severe snow conditions.
If I can find a used sequoia or land cruiser it will be 4wd for some off road trail adventure.
For my sports cars I love 2 wheel rear drive as I like how it transmits power.
Just traded a 2021 Mazda CX-30 AWD for the same FWD version. Live in TX so no worries about snow. I found that the FWD seems to “feel” more nimble in daily and even spirited driving. Can’t imagine that it’s a weight difference. Just think the FWD is more nimble due to possible drivetrain loss? (Not a mechanic, just a laymen’s opinion)
So it's better with the FWD CX-30 now? I'm considering buying one and I am conflicted between choosing FWD or AWD. In my area we have bad roads but weather conditions are quite good and snow is almost non existent.
Living in Wyoming all my life I’ve never been without a 4 wheel drive truck and for a passenger car it has to be an all wheel drive. You never know what the weather will throw at you no matter what time of the year.
You must be near Yellowstone for the weather to be that unpredictable
@@GuerreroDelInfo you got that right! Hunting around Jackson and camping outside Yellowstone got snowed on in July. Snowing right now in the south eastern part of the state.
I have a 2023 Kia Sportage X-Pro AWD, and it’s perfect for my environment and driving style. 👍🏾 Good video.
Scottty's red barn garage with the New Hampshire "Live Free Or Die" state motto on it. Gotta love it.
Everything I’m seeing indicates it’s safer to drive FWD with snow tires than AWD or 4WD with all seasons. Good video
Scotty the grandpa I never had, I love listening to this type of bedtime stories
If you get stuck with front or back wheels in mud but not all 4, AWD is better than front/back wheel drive (assuming that's the wheels that are stuck).
No, you heard Scotty. AWD bad🫵 😡👎 FWD w/ winter tires good ✌️☺️👍
@@analprolapsegaming6030 He was talking about inertia though. He wasn't talking about getting stuck. Front wheel drive isn't going to help if your front wheels are stuck, but if you back wheels are free, then you'll be able to get out.
Front wheel drive mid-sized car for me, live a mile and a half from work and I'm a larger person, I live in Rhode island.
@@captinbeyond Nobody's arguing that RWD is better than FWD, but the market changed for FWD cars because they're simpler and cheaper to make. You don't need RWD unless you care about performance.
If you know how to PROPERLY drive an AWD, you'll be just fine. I've driven enough FWD and AWD cars in my life (and most of them in fair condition or worse) that you start to get to "know" how a car handles in different conditions, even when it's not mechanically sound.
I just leased a 2021 Dodge Challenger and I specifically asked for AWD (they had to special order it for me). Living in Northern Indiana, our weird weather can drop snow at any time, so having AWD for me was a must. I might be losing some gas milage in the deal, but the trade-off of having that extra power in the snow was more important.
I would think driving a Challenger in the snow , with its low gears , and low clearance , would be a pain , Awd or not .
@@jayhockley8841 There are certain places near here I wouldn't even attempt it, sure, but for the most part, the main areas around town are plowed low enough it won't be an issue. The main problem is they don't like to use salt here and instead use gravel, which leaves ice patches on the roads even after being plowed. I currently drive an old beater Jeep with a high clearance, but I am finally getting a brand new vehicle and I wanted this sport "new muscle" car as my first.
Rear wheel drive all the way for me. I've grown up driving FWD cars and, yes, they're space efficient and require fewer parts, but the parts they do have are more complex and that's where the cost comes in. RWD cars, too, are better when you run out of talent - you mention FWD understeer, which is difficult and scary to correct, but RWD is prone more to oversteer, which just requires adjustment in steering. I've had a Jaguar S-Type for the best part of a year, and it's by far the best car I've ever had.
What abt during winters
I live in NEO and I've owned front wheel, rear wheel, & 4 wheel drive. In my experience I prefer front wheel drive. It is all around better in my opinion.
Another excellent fact based presentation, thank you.
Great information to get out there!
I loved my rwd lexus is300 with winter tires during our snowy Canadian winters
Do they sell rwd is' in Canada or did you buy from the states?
@@labornurse Yes of course they do.. they sell them just like in the states.
it amazes me how Scotty is able to post so many videos in so short period of time. I'm quite sure he got a a team of writers and production staff.
He's retired, gotta stay busy.
And a crew of mechanics, too!
Evening Scotty! 🏁
evening!
Afternoon Scotty!!!👍👍👍
Ur #1 fan from Manila
Jeep had their own nomenclature for ‘Full-Time’ and ‘Part-Time’ 4WD that had me confused for the longest time. In some Jeeps, full time 4WD is like AWD. But Part Time 4WD locked the transfer case so the rear and front axles received the same power.
Thank you for the good explanation. I'll be buying my first car and everyone who i ask if i should buy AWD or FWD say it's better to buy AWD since it's more secure even if it's more expensive, but i think I'll go for FWD since I'll buy top tier winter tiers anyway. Btw i live in Norway so here's a few months with a lot of ice and snow.
I've driven Rwd and Fwd. Never AWD. But I can tell you, more or less, Fwd is easier to work with with city speeds / driving. Skilled drivers of RWD, or a rwd car with good traction control and tires might be able to dart, and throw their cars, but generally that takes a little more practice and expirience than if you have to do something quick in Fwd. That's just my opinion tho, based on my current driving expiriences.
I'm up in Northern Wisconsin and as an "essential" worker, I often find myself required to get somewhere long after the snowplow drivers have gone home... I have an Awd Vibe that I run as my winter "beater" that reliably and effectively gets me where I need to be. I regret that choice at the fuel pump, because it costs me 7 mpg. So, I also have a Fwd Vibe... exact same car without the extra 300 pounds of driveline. So best answer in my book, just own both.
I got an awd car because I live in quebec where the winters are harsh and I do a lot of driving, with premium winter tires, that baby just sticks to the road no matter what
Rear wheel drive, no question. I do have a 2002 Honda CRV AWD that I bought just because it had 64k miles as a spare car and I got it cheap.
When I retired, I moved from Montana to Thailand--a big change. :-) Buying a vehicle in Thailand, with taxes and duties, if a car isn't made in Thailand the cost to purchase is about double the MSRP. While I would love to have a RWD two-seat coupe, those are not made in Thailand so are ridiculously expensive. My plan for later in the year or for the new model year is a hybrid Toyota Corolla Altis. The Corolla hybrid may be new, but Toyota has been making hybrid Priuses for twenty-some years--the mechanics of the system should be well understood and just a different body style set on top of a well-understood drivetrain. I know there are some concerns when hybrids get to be high mileage vehicles, but going by my yearly mileage over the past five years, and going from a one-car family to a two-car family, it's going to be quite a long time before any new car I buy becomes a high mileage vehicle. :-) So, for me, I think a front-wheel-drive car is the best (most reasonable) car for me to buy now.
Thanks for the video. It really gave me a lot of information I didn't know.
4wD all day. Especially on my 08 Sport Trac
You missed on thing about snow driving: 4 wheel drive with a MANUAL. You are actually able to modulate engine power to control the spin of tires without using the brakes and reducing the risks of breaking traction. My old 2006 Jeep TJ manual was a better snow vehicle than my 2014 Rubicon automatic.
Great video, as always. I prefer RWD cars, but I now live in a place with nasty winters, so I’m in an AWD car right now. Thinking about going for a Challenger 5.7 V8 with the manual transmission - am I crazy?!
I get bad winters at times too and I have a challenger scat pak. So no you’re not crazy.
Yup!
You are crazy, pick up an ex Police interceptor, 2015 Charger with the V8 AWD, those boats feel great with a manual though so I feel you there
@@benmeyers9325 Actually went for a GR 86 - no clearance, but a good set of tires should make it possible to get around. We’ll see!
G'day Scotty! Just one thing that you should have added is that if you live in a climate where there's no snow but rain instead, an under powered AWD will really upset someone in a high powered 2WD when you beat them off the lights. Sure they will pass you at great speed later but boy their really upset by then.
Also very good to get off a side street onto a main street in the wet.
Oh, I nearly forgot, the car's only as good as the tyres fitted.
Scotty once more, You are a good man.
I use to have a small 3 cylinder hatchback and drove up the slope over a bump on a snowy day and saw the big SUV stuck, struggling to go over the bump and his wheel just kept turning for minutes as I was driving off. Maybe because my car was small and light weight so I was able to go over the bump easier
AWD drivetrains suffer some additional “parasitic” power losses through friction due to the additional differentials.
I’ve driven FWDs my whole life. I’m looking to drive a RWD soon so I can feel the difference. I’d like to drive an AWD in offroad conditions, but it’s not really a priority.
Hope you are having a good day Scotty
so far yes and same to you!
Evening Scotty !!!
evening!
Hey scotty, love the channel! 👍🏻
hello and thank you!
Even in North Carolina it is hard to find a two wheel drive truck. Because the dealerships make more money for them. I've been to the Ford, GMC, & Chevrolet dealerships here in Wilmington, NC & all the trucks on the lots were 4 wheel drive. I excluded Ram because I had a Ram & it was the biggest pile of crap I owned. The 2 best trucks I've owned were a 2011 Silverado LT with a 5.3L crew cab short bed 2 wheel truck that had only 36,000 miles when I traded it in on a 2016 Siverado LT with a 5.3L engine crew cab short bed with less than 3,000 miles. Then I decided that once in my life I would like to own a truck with a leather interior. So i decided to trade that truck in on a 2017 Silverado LTZ with a 6.2L gasoline engine crew cab short bed. The only problems I've had is at the factory they filled the transmission with the wrong transmission fluid so after about 15,000 miles the transmission was constantly shifting in & out of gears & the Chevrolet dealership didn't know how to patch a tire correctly. Even with the 6.2L engine, driving to PA & back to Wilmington, NC with the engine running in V8 mode 99% of the time I still got about 25 MPG which was a little better then my father's 2018 GMC SLE with the 5.3l engine which ran in V4 mode most of the time.
Best car I ever had in snow and ice was RWD 64 VW bug, especially when equipped with snow tires
Very helpful. Thank you from 🇧🇩
Scotty you mentioned that front wheel drive with snow tires can do better than AWD. I have driven both in snow and ice and my Wife's AWD Ford Edge is by far more superior to any FWD car I have ever driven in the Missouri Winters. It has never even thought about getting stuck in deep snow, granted I always choose a more agressive tread pattern, so that could be the difference.
When I lived in central NY I had a 1992 Saab 900 with Nokian snow tires for the winter and it far outperformed my parent’s 2007 Subaru Impreza with the 4 season tires it came with. Nobody is charging through 1.5 feet of snow. But when the plow has gone by and there’s hard pack and ice on the ground, snow tires are literally everything. After I moved to NYC for work, I leased a 2017 Hyundai Elantra and took it skiing to Stowe Vermont. It snowed so hard on the drive up that a 7 hour drive took 11. My car was under steering like crazy. But I did pass countless AWD and 4WD that were off in ditches. I think that’s what Scotty meant by false sense of security. They passed me on the road and then I passed them in a fwd tiny car that comes with $30 dollar tires. I got to the Stowe lodge and the valet asked how on earth I made it when they were hearing about the dozens of cars awaiting tow trucks.
@@Deej1188 I think a lot of it is boneheaded drivers. All I know I have had every type of drive systems and AWD & 4WD are far superior in bad conditions than just RWD & FWD.
@@robertalexander2506 But would you choose AWD and the all season tires that came with the car over FWD with dedicated winter tires? I think in terms of safety, you’re much better off with snow tires. Getting stuck sucks. Not being able to stop or steer is much more horrifying.
@@Deej1188 well actually I put a truck tire on my Wifes Edge this time around kinda by mistake and it does quite well. As for the snow tires, I'd say that over 90% of car owners do NOT buy/ put snow tires on in the Winter.
@@Deej1188 as I have said earlier, I have driven every kind of vehicle & I have better control with the AWD in snow while driving. It's not just about getting stuck in deep snow for me, even though my Wife's Edge has never been stuck by either her or myself. I only chose one set of tires out of at least 4 sets that I've chosen for her carin the last 13 years we've been driving it.
Scotty, it would be nice to do a video on suspensions.
To really cover the car-o-sphere, I wish he'd look into official crash tests and give us some reports and thoughts on those cars. Maybe the cars that are dogs for reliability are aces for being safer?
They're safer cause they spend so much time in the shop, not on the road.
Best ever explanation i ever watched..God job scotty
Extra weight is a heavy penalty for 4WD and most AWD systems badly affecting many performance aspects of a car gaining some extra traction in some conditions but this extra weight and extra price at the buy are just not worth it .....unless you must have it due to off road or sand or mud to drive thru so 95% of drivers do not need it...
After living in northern rural New England for the last 34 years, 4 wheel drive always.
RWD is better for climbing than FWD, because a large part of the cars weight transfers to the rear wheels. That is also true in case of hard acceleration.
I like rear wheel drive because its better handling and steering and corners good on heavy loads hope my first truck i get is rear wheel drive so i can haul my mororbicycles to a good place to drive mabey thinking about making a offroad motorbicycle to ride in the mudd.
RWD does have the best handling but it has less of an effect on trucks. Plus, if you're going offroading, you'll want the traction more than better handling.
Lol the background music is from ARK survival eveolved at 6:13 😂
Hey Scotty: I enjoyed your segment on drive systems. In the segment I noticed the terms “snow tires” and “winter tires” being used interchangeably. Lately, tire manufacturers have been distancing themselves from term “snow tires”. They often tout the advantage of winter tires providing superior stopping distance in colder temperatures and not just superior traction in snow. Keep up the good work!
Evening Scotty! I'm a fan of all wheel drive for the snowy roads of Northeast Ohio.
Gosh!
Another great car video. Already got my 2017 Toyota Highlander XLE from your videos I'm not letting go.!
Toyota👑always, then,now and forever!🙌
This is soooo informative and well done!
I thought for sure you were going to say DeLorean DMC-12.
My wife prefers Scotty's "educational" low key voice to his usual voice. LOL
Me too. He sometimes sounds like a raving lunatic with his arms waving, even if his advice is very sound in most cases.
I dont care about traction. I am very cheap! I want my next car to last 25 years with no problems. Does an Awd vehicle need more maintenance with differential fluid and possible repairs to that system than a FWD??
For most people I would say FWD is fine but it did get me into trouble once in heavy rain. Started to hydroplane and when I let off the gas the rear decided it wanted to keep going... Totaled after bouncing off the center divide and getting clipped by a large truck.