<$50k, what do you get?

[r0tor]

There is a significant difference in fun between driving in the snow for the Hell of it and driving to work and getting there on time

[Eye of the Tiger]

Work can't expect me to be on time in a blizzard. Fuck that noise.

[The Pirate]

Yea...6+ inches of snow when your trying to get to work before the plow trucks have done their job sucks...

Well, unless you have a Jeep Audi and then you just sit back and relax

Fixed for ya. 

[Raza]

There is a significant difference in fun between driving in the snow for the Hell of it and driving to work and getting there on time

I can generally make it, but I say fuck it and work from home.  Considering all the idiots out there in SUVs who think they're invincible, my job just isn't worth my life. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

I can generally make it, but I say fuck it and work from home.  Considering all the idiots out there in SUVs who think they're invincible, my job just isn't worth my life. 

If you get an SUV, you can be invincible, too. Get a Hummer and be the most invincible one.

[280Z Turbo]

If you get an SUV, you can be invincible, too. Get a Hummer and be the most invincible one.

I would recommend investing in a killdozer. Any muffler shop should be able to build one.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I would recommend investing in a killdozer. Any muffler shop should be able to build one.

Most muffler shops can't even weld tubes together properly. A killdozer is a project best undertaken alone. Raza would have done that a long time ago if he wasn't afraid of getting his hands dirty.

[hounddog]

A little bit of snow is fun to drive in.  When it's above the front splitter and you need to get somewhere, it's a bit less fun.

Which is why 4x4 diesel is my choice in new vehicle purchase.

[hounddog]

Work can't expect me to be on time in a blizzard. Fuck that noise.

Snow actually makes very little noise, fwiw. 

[BimmerM3]

Snow actually makes very little noise, fwiw. 

It's just an expression. Like "screw that."

[Madman]

Seven $7,142.85 used cars.  One for each day of the week! 

[Mustangfan2003]

With $50k you can buy 100k Yugos

[565]

Seven $7,142.85 used cars.  One for each day of the week! 

That's my dream,  7 cars, one for each day of the week.  They don't have to be expensive ones, just the ones I've always wanted as a kid.

I'm thinking I already got the MKIIII Supra Turbo, Pathfinder for winter beater and C5 Z06

Then add

FD RX7 (10K)
Evo VIII (13K, with highish miles)
996 Carrera 2 (local one selling for 15k)
Honda S2000 (12k)

And it doesn't matter if the FD spends most of it's time with blown apex seals, and the 996 is leaking through its RMS constantly cause I got 5 other cars as backup.

[Lebowski]

Prob still go with a corvette coupe.

If 4 doors would be preferable prob a 335i

[3.0L V6]

Audi S4 w/no options.

$47,975 - Six speed manual, 333hp supercharged V6 (13 second quarter mile times are quick enough for me), handling worthy of a BMW and all wheel drive helps in the winter as compared to rear-drive competitors (w/snow tires of course). Four doors there if you need to use them, also.

[Lebowski]

So is this thread rhetorical or are you thinking of getting a new car?

[MrH]

So is this thread rhetorical or are you thinking of getting a new car?

A little from column A, a little from column B.

[SJ_GTI]

Audi S4 w/no options.

$47,975 - Six speed manual, 333hp supercharged V6 (13 second quarter mile times are quick enough for me), handling worthy of a BMW and all wheel drive helps in the winter as compared to rear-drive competitors (w/snow tires of course). Four doors there if you need to use them, also.

If I didn't already have an S4, I think the next cars I'd be looking at are the 335i Coupe and Camaro SS.

Re: Driving in the snow...my S4 is a blast in the snow. I have snow tires for winter so not much trouble with grip. Rear-biased AWD adds to the fun! Only thing that worries me about driving in the snow is other people.

[Tave]

I don't think the type of car you seem to be leaning towards will be as good in the snow as your Miata unless you go with something like the S4 or 335xi. The Miata is small, low powered, perfectly balanced, with relatively narrow tires. All that = instant fun in the snow. Don't bet on the larger, more powerful RWD sports cars/sedans behaving the same way. My uncle eventually sold his 996 after he moved to Wyoming because it was nearly impossible to get up his driveway with snow on the ground.

[SJ_GTI]

I don't think the type of car you seem to be leaning towards will be as good in the snow as your Miata unless you go with something like the S4 or 335xi. The Miata is small, low powered, perfectly balanced, with relatively narrow tires. All that = instant fun in the snow. Don't bet on the larger, more powerful RWD sports cars/sedans behaving the same way. My uncle eventually sold his 996 after he moved to Wyoming because it was nearly impossible to get up his driveway with snow on the ground.

Do you guys think skinnier tires are better in the snow??

I have fairly wide winter/snow tires (255) and they seem to be fantastic. Obviously AWD helps, but I can't ever remember feeling that I lacked traction due to the width of the tires? Considering they are winter tires esigned with snow traction in mind...I figured a wider tire would give better traction...?

[SVT666]

When I had my Mustang I had 245s for summer and 215s for winter.  I went to the 215s after using 225s and I did notice an increase in traction despite the tires being exactly the same model.

[hounddog]

It's just an expression. Like "screw that."

Yes, I know. 

[Madman]

Do you guys think skinnier tires are better in the snow??

The WRC seem to think so....

[sportyaccordy]

Do you guys think skinnier tires are better in the snow??

I have fairly wide winter/snow tires (255) and they seem to be fantastic. Obviously AWD helps, but I can't ever remember feeling that I lacked traction due to the width of the tires? Considering they are winter tires esigned with snow traction in mind...I figured a wider tire would give better traction...?

Well, it's more about the weight on the contact patch. Your Audi on a 255 width patch might be like a rally car on a 185 width or w/e that is patch, as far as patch pressure goes. Above a certain weight to tire size ratio the tires become unsafe, but yea generally for snow you want to go with as narrow a tire as possible, to "cut" through the snow rather than sit on top of it.

[sportyaccordy]

Looking back at my choices... mmm 996 Targa really sounds good. Eff the rest though, except maybe the E46 M3. I like the idea of a 128i w/some upgrades too. I/H/E, LSD, M3 brakes & some kind of spring/shock upgrade. Little lightening up, pretty potent car actually.

[Tave]

Do you guys think skinnier tires are better in the snow??

I have fairly wide winter/snow tires (255) and they seem to be fantastic. Obviously AWD helps, but I can't ever remember feeling that I lacked traction due to the width of the tires? Considering they are winter tires esigned with snow traction in mind...I figured a wider tire would give better traction...?

Skinny tires float less than larger tires. They result in the vehicle planting more pounds per square inch on the contact points, which allows it to dig into the snow surface better.

[hounddog]

Well, it's more about the weight on the contact patch. Your Audi on a 255 width patch might be like a rally car on a 185 width or w/e that is patch, as far as patch pressure goes. Above a certain weight to tire size ratio the tires become unsafe, but yea generally for snow you want to go with as narrow a tire as possible, to "cut" through the snow rather than sit on top of it.

Contact patch of factory size tires is generally about the size of a sheet of paper folded in half, or, about 3 inches wide.  Smaller on smaller tires, I believe.

And, yes, thinner tires do better in deep snow.  My understanding of tire physics is that wider tires do better on ice, but, I admit I could be wrong on how I remember that.

[Tave]

Contact patch of factory size tires is generally about the size of a sheet of paper folded in half, or, about 3 inches wide.

Which means that relatively small changes in tire size can have a relatively large effect on total contact area.

[hounddog]

Which means that relatively small changes in tire size can have a relatively large effect on total contact area.

I would say so.

Also, inflation of the tires can change that as well.

[Vinsanity]

eh, why the heck not...

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=293834952
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http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=301079620