Can you get away with driving a front-wheel-drive vehicle in the snowbelt?
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I’m looking at a 2013 front-wheel-drive Toyota RAV-4. The price looks good, but it has been sitting on the lot for months. The dealer tells me that everyone who looks at it takes a pass because it is not all-wheel-drive. What do you think about buying a FWD vehicle living here in the snowbelt?
A. A front-wheel-drive vehicle doesn’t have the same capabilities of an all-wheel-drive vehicle, but with the correct tires can be quite good. If I were going to buy this vehicle and needed to be out in the snow, I would invest in a good set of winter tires and wheels to make the switch-over easier. The winter tires will not just get you moving in the winter, but will help improve traction for vehicle handling and stopping.
John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years’ experience in the automotive business and is an ASE certified master technician. He answers reader’s questions every week. You can tune in to his radio program Saturday morning from 8:30-10 on am950 WROL or www.wrolradio.com. Email your car question to [email protected]. Follow John on Twitter @johnfpaul and friend him on Facebook @mrjohnfpaul.
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