I suppose if you live out in the country, and there are very few other drivers around who can potentially run into you...

Here in the city, I would NEVER chance it.

 

Okay this is coming in from left base! My 23 year old single daughter had a new Hyundi GT V-6 sports coupe, because it was the slick, affordable rice car to have. Well it rode like a brick wagon, had crap tires and was always in the shop getting something repaired that quit working. The leather seats were wearing out at 15K miles etc. So being from a Ford family, daughter looked at the Fusion S. She bought (with her own money) one with an I-4 5-speed auto in dark metallic blue. Has light gray heated leather buckets, console shift, 6-disc CD player, 17" alloy wheels and low profile Mich. tires. She got this ride for under 18K and just loves it! Did the tinted windows and getting 30 plus MPG! She cruises the strip at night and gets a lot of thumbs up from the rice crowd! I drove it on the highway and it has plenty of zip for an I-4. Plus she got this car last February and it blasts right through the snow as well! So here it is. Fusion's a quality built, affordable ride, its smart and sporty looking, its an all weather ride and made by our FoMoCo. Shes now proud to pull up to Pop's GT/CS Stang in the driveway and we wash our Fords together on Saturdays. Quality time!! I'd like to have one of these Fusions too, but already have a 4X4 truck for the winters here. And the wife really wouldn't understand.

 

now thats what im talking about. i love the ford family of fine cars!!!! the fusion is an amazing ride and i would love to own one. maybe that will be my ride when i pay off the stang and start modding the crap out of it

 

Just because you don't have enough common sense to be able to handle a rear wheel drive v8 vehicle with traction control, don't just assume everyone is as clueless and afraid as you are. I've driven v8 powered (i.e. high torque) rwd vehicles all my life in the snow and it's not rocket science. But I guess for some people it might as well be!
I never said "skill" -- YOU said that. And its not luck either. It's driving with common sense and adjusting your driving for the conditions, and outfitting the vehicle for the conditions. Simple.

Oh noes! It's snowing! Stay off the roads! It's too scary!!!!
How does anyone avoid careening idiots in any weather condition on the road? Just because it's a V8 car doesn't make it impossible. Outfitted with modern studless winter tires this car is very controllable and does well in the snow. I know because I experienced it. I use the same type of winter tire on my 2wd F150 pickup and have never had traction problems with it either. Last winter I'd pass front wheel drive cars with all season radials spinning in place at intersections in my Mustang.

Knock yourself out quivering in fear when the roads turn white and feeling everyone should too, because you know best. These cars were made to be driven, not sit in the garage.

 

I never really looked at the Fusion. It's longer than the Civic and Mazda3, heavier, gets slightly less gas mileage than the Mazda3, and has a slightly worse weight to power ratio than the Mazda3 and Focus ST (Which both have the same 2.3L DOHC I4). Also, the Fusion doesn't have a cabin air filter, Xenon HIDs, or a Homelink option which the Mazda3 does have. I looked at a lot of the other small cars and think the Mazda3 has a chock full of features. The only drawbacks are (IMHO) the lack of a LSD and it needs more power.

 

All true GT. But look again. JD Power rated Ford Fusion #1 in "Most appealing midsize car" i.e. 2006 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study (APEAL) - the measure of owner delight with the design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles. Add to that performance that CARandDRIVER.com (December 2005) singled out as "the feel of Euro muscle instead of mass-market mush". Plus NHTSA rated, five star front and side crash protection (6-airbags), optional V-6, AWD and sport appearance package. Its all about impressing yourself, not the others with the purchase value and function for the money. Hope you find what you need with your final choice on a second driving car. Lastly my Stang too, is just to wonderful a ride, to have to subject it to the ravages of the winter, salt, flying gravel and the idiots out there, over driving their winter abilities. Good Luck!

 

So after implying you were a skilled winter driver, now you're suggesting you're not. Either you are or you aren't. You should make up your mind.

229 famous last words. I'll look forward to seeing the accident pictures after that other idiot - whose actions you couldn't control - slammed into you because he wasn't as talented a winter driver as yourself.

On the other hand, if you live in Stickville, perhaps that's not an issue for you. I, on the other hand, live in a major metropolitan center, where you have to watch out for idiot drivers at the best of times. High HP + RWD + snow + high traffic density + thousands of unskilled drivers on the roads around you = park the Stang as far as I'm concerned.

And that's not even getting into the issue of all the corrosive salt on the roads. Now if you have no other choice for transporation, then you do what you gotta do. But if one can find another way to preserve their nice Stang, why not?

It's called common sense. I'll explain it to you sometime.

 

CalStang: Without a doubt, the Fusion is a big step in the right direction for Ford. I just wish they configured the Fusion better. Yes, it has optional AWD and an optional V6. However, you can't get the AWD with the V6 and a manual transmission with HIDs, factory optioned Homelink, foglights, a sunroof, and a cabin air filter. You can get the AWD V6 with an automatic, or a FWD I4 with the manual. None of the trims have optional factory HIDs. Now if Ford actually put all that together with the 263 hp 3.5L V6, they'd have a VERY impressive WRX-competitor with a Cadillac CTS-like front end.

 

No wonder you don't drive in the winter; you have trouble with even the simplest things, like reading what I posted:

Gee, thanks for the thoughtful, kind words.
And since when can anyone control another "idiotic" driver's actions? I can't do it in the winter or summer! I must have broken the antenna on my tinfoil hat! Might as well stay off the roads all year long. Fear the idiots!

I wish I lived in "Stickville". Idiots are on the roads in all seasons of the year. At least in winter there might be one less because you're afraid to drive in the snow --err, I mean, you're "in your right mind"!

No salt on the roads where I live. I bought my Mustang to drive and I drive it and enjoy it as much as I can, because that's what they were built for. Of course I'm careful with it, as I am with any vehicle I own , but then also I pay a ton of money for auto insurance just for those incidents that are out of my control.

Work on reading comprehension and overcoming your fear of driving RWD, high-torque vehicles in the winter then get back to me!

 

It's alrite. Honda needs to dump the old simple 2-step VVT and go with a more modern continuously variable system. Its the only version of the new civic that is remotely acceptable looking IMO. Dash is strange to look at. If you're a Honda fan already, you'll like it, but the standard Mazda 3 is a better car. The 'speed 3 is only a few dollars more for a LOT more car, and the WRX is right in reach too. It's so off my radar I really don't have too many thoughts on the Civic in the first place though, it gives me exactly 0 feelings either way. low 20's id look at Miata, 3, WRX, and not even bother stopping at a Honda dealer.

I don't worry about snow working at a dealer, there is always a used Land Rover or something laying around in inventory....

 

I don't know how it handles snow, but I personally like the GTI is the small, sporty car category. I can't stand the styling of the civic si. No matter how well the car performs, its light years behind in looks. Just like the SRT4, a monster of a car for the price, but it's just a really fast neon. I love the GTI, and I almost purchased one instead of a Mustang. I love small cars that handle really well and I think the GTI fits the bill. I didn't like the new body style at first, but it has really grown on me. Ultimately, get what fits your budget and taste. Good luck!

 

Reading comprehension? I believe that would fall under the category of pot calling the kettle black, except that in this case, the kettle isn't even black to begin with - so that means you're in error...yet again. Can ya comprehend that?

It must be annoying being wrong just about all the time. But hey, like I always say, everybody needs a skill.

Is this seriously your response? Because idiots are on the road all year 'round, so what difference does it make?

Or am I once again "misunderestimating" what you said?

I may have been too gracious in calling you "skilled." Your illogical and cavalier attitude towards this last point would suggest to me that when it comes to winter driving you're part of the problem...not part of the solution.

 

Whenever you reply to any of my posts, you take one statement out of a paragraph and reply to it, ignoring any and all supporting statements and delete them from the quote. You then pretend that the supporting statements don't exist, no matter how many times I requote them or provide links to them.

Here, let me simulate your reading technique on the next part of your quote :

There! You just admitted being wrong all the time. What? You mean there was more to what you posted than just that? Nope, I don't see it! It doesn't exist! All you said was that you were being wrong all the time! Don't try and get out it!

Whee! This is fun! Maybe I'll use your reading technique for everything!
If an idiot is going run into you, it doesn't matter what season of the year it is, the idiot is going to run into you. No one can control that. But I'm not going let the fear of idiots get in the way of my driving during winter, spring, summer, fall, Columbus Day, Kwanzaa, etc. I'm going to prepare my car for the condtions and drive appropriately for the conditions.
No you're just refusing to see anything but how you view the world, which of course you think is the universal truth.
How am I part of the problem? Just because I don't have a fear of winter driving like you do?

I have caused ZERO accidents and have been involved in ZERO accidents driving in winter conditions with my "scary" high torque RWD V8 powered cars and trucks in my entire life because

• I adjust my driving for the road conditions and
• outfit my vehicles with the proper equipment for the condtions

Those two simple ideas I thought even you could understand.

But if the "solution" to winter driving for you is quivering in fear when the roads get snowy and then feeling all smug and superior in your "wisdom", then by all means carry on!

 

You guys need to take this to another thread and stop hijacking this thread...

 

You're quite right, of course.

I really need to stop feeding the trolls.

 

I'm not a mod, but I play one in real life.

 

Yeah, quit stuffing your face! You need to lose some weight!

 

Alright, in what is likely to prove a feeble attempt to bring this thread back to course I'll say two things.

VW GTI or Volvo C30

Thank you, thank you very much.

 

Already stated my personal affection for the GTI. I just looked up the Volvo though and it looks like a great little car, but is it coming to the US?

 

I think it's already here.