#Help me pick cars

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

dense thistle
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Hello! So I know nothing about cars. I know that I need a new one, and want to ask people's opinions on types of vehicles they think I should look into. I care less about specific models as that depends on whats for sale near me, and more about types of car.

So, my problem:
I currently have a nissan micra, a tiny thing. Maybe 4 inches of clearance above the ground, and small tires. For the last 1.5 years I have lived in the country and not in the city I grew up in. It was great in the city. I am in Canada and it's winter. I have slid off the road twice now, thanks to last night. I refuse to use this car for any longer than I have to, half an inch of snow sends it flying, even with winter tires.

my question:
What sort of vehicles are good in winter? I want something that can handle driving through an inch or two of snow. Maybe an SUV? Pickup truck seems a bit excessive since I dont need the storage space, but they seem indestructible but also nearly the price of a house.

Are Jeeps good for winter? I know they're off-roaders, but probably way too expensive. Friend of mine has a Bronco but again, thats like 2 mortgages.

Do older smaller pickups have ABS systems? Cause I think I slid last night because mine stopped working recently. My mom has a GMC Sierra and its massive overkill but it seems to drive well. Would a smaller 2 seater pickup handle snow similarly?

As you can tell, I really dont know what I want. I spent about 9k CAD on the Micra back in 2020. I have good savings but I want to keep as much as possible to eventually move out from my parents. So a 140k truck is totally out of reach. I want to try and avoid buying new which is why specific models arent super helpful but if I have no choice, there is a Ford dealership in the nearest settlement.

Thanks! XD

eternal parrot
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First off. When it comes to staying on the road. Tires and how you drive are the biggest factors.
Second my second car was a Jeep and i genuinely hate driving any other formfactor of vehicle.
Jeeps are great little vehicles like I had a liberty I loved it was a tank. But I do not recommend them if you are not cognitive of your own driving.

Trust me a Jeep will tell you you’re driving like an asshole.

Also four wheel drive is great.

SUVs are good all arounders don’t pull an American and buy a truck if yiu ain’t gunna haul

soft egret
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My first suggestion would be to visit a reputable used car dealership (I would avoid anyplace that is a buy here pay here or someone selling their car from their driveway) you will get an idea of what is available and what they are going for so you know what to budget for. Since you are in the country and in Canada, I'd avoid anything rear wheel drive

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If you see something you like, do your research, are there or have there been any recalls or known issues that may be a concern. Get an idea of gas mileage and basic upkeep/consumables (are the tires specialty or common, how much do they cost, how bad are oil changes or a burn out head light)

dense copper
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You do not want a pick up unless you're going to load it up; an empty bed raises the back end and makes it incredibly lightweight; even full of snow.
Once you fill it with crap to add weight, you end up taking up the space and stocking trash during summer. 😛
My sister has a pick-up, it is such a hassle. she also doesn't do construction or anything, so it's also confusing why she needed a GMC Sierra Kodiak Edition.. but whatever.
She used to drive a Ford Mustang, and added cement bags to the truck for weight in winter. Then it got humid and guess what happened.. 😛

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I wouldn't suggest anything too old, as older vehicles tend to be more likely to break; and if you don't know anything about cars, you should not try to fix it yourself, and might get taken advantage of at garages.

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I haven't kept up with cars and their issues after 2018 so far; but that should be new enough to be reliable and affordable. (Depending!)
I'd recommend a crossover SUV; they're not as big and gas guzzling as a full sized SUV, but they still have the weight to push through winter. AWD or 4WD is case by case. I've never needed it in our Canadian winters yet.

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(reference; country roads in my area are so poorly maintained, they're not even gravel, they're just dirt with sprinklings of gravel now)

dense thistle
jagged quarry
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I dont know much about snow driving (we get snow here, but my experience extends mainly to "dont" and "go really slow if you have to"), but I will note that just because a vehicle has four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive does not mean you're safe to go ice skating. Its useful for getting power to the wheels and accelerating, but every car has brakes on all four wheels so everyone has four-wheel stop, and thats what matters most. If you cant get out of the driveway it sucks, if you cant stop at the intersection its dangerous. Take it slow, take it safe.

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Not saying that 4wd isnt worth it, just that you still need to drive cautious in the snow even with it

dense thistle
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yeah. I do tend to go 100km on the 80 country roads, and 110 on the 100 highways. But I was going 70 the first time I went into the ditch pretty badly, and about 65 last night, both on an 80 road

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but my ABS isnt working right now so that didnt help

dense copper
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honestly, I'd avoid Jeeps. Currently, they are going through the wringer with customers.
They've also been the gearhead's choice because they need a lot of tinkering. Hell, I'm not even sure they've fixed the oil blowback issue on their engines, and it's been like 40 years!! (fyi; most gearheads can fix the blowback issue with like $20 worth of parts; so Jeep doesn't have an excuse for soaking your air filter in engine oil)

dense thistle
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lol

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it seems like an SUV would be best for me. My mom had one my whole life until she got this Sierra. We were city folk back then but friends live out in the country so we drove a lot.

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I drove her Pathfinder a bunch before getting my Micra so im not totally new to a larger car

jagged quarry
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I cant comment how they do in the snow, but IIRC SUVs tend to be top-heavy which isnt great

dense copper
jagged quarry
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Also theyre expensive to fuel up and expensive to buy generally. I dont know how often you get snow, but gas is a year-round cost

dense thistle
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the issue I've had both times I've slid out was that my tiny tires give up the second I touch the little mound dug by the previous guy's tire tracks. My thought is that an SUV has larger (or, normal) tires, and is taller above the ground so that would be less of an issue

eternal parrot
dense thistle
dense copper
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Too old, and most garages wont have parts; some dealerships might even outright refuse to service their own brand if it's too old; and because nothing's made to last like in the 1960's or before; parts are harder to come by.

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Since you don't know anything about cars; I recommend NOT trying to fix anything yourself.

dense thistle
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yeah my micra is 2017. I can change the headlights and the wiper fluid but thats all I've done XD

dense copper
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The amount of times I've seen people put the wrong fluid in the wrong bottle under the hood because 'it's just washer fluid' would astound you.

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My sister was coming to visit the other day and said, on a whim, "I'll be there around (whatever time she said); I just need to stop by the auto parts store."
me, "...Why? What's wrong with the truck?"
her, "The dash says I have 1% of oil left."
me, "...but it still runs?... If it has 1% the amount of oil in it, it should be seized by now. Did you check the dipstick?"
her, "No, I was just going to add a liter."

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Anyway; the engine oil was full, and the '1%' on the dash indicated the 'recommended lifespan' between oil changes. 🤦

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But now I wonder what else she's done. 😛

jagged quarry
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That engine is drowning. In fairness you can do worse to one

dense copper
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I've also taken off more oil filters punctured by screwdrivers than people are willing to admit they tried doing it at home.

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Point is; with cars, if you don't 100% know, don't touch. 😛

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The conversation escaped my grasp.
Canadian winter recommendations for no-knowledge of cars
Compact SUV; 2016 or newer. Pick a popular vehicle so parts and experienced mechanics are more abundant.

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(example; parts and labor experience probably more abundant for a Toyota Land Cruiser than a Lamborghini LM001)

dense thistle
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yeah

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thank you!

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if anyone wants to add opinions, please do but this has been helpful already

dense copper
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It'll also be less concerning when we have a Skill Tree automotive department you can bring your vehicle to for a discount as long as we can make videos with it. 😄 lol

dense copper
vast rose
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Here are some things to look for on any used vehicle, I can dm the pdf for better readability but these are a good list of things to inspect and make a buying decision based off of.

Screenshot_20250129-092716_Drive.jpg Screenshot_20250129-092738_Drive.jpg
vast rose
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Some suv options to look at, Toyota sequoia, land cruiser, 4runner, Lexus gx, Nissan rogue, subaru outback, crosstrek, forester just to name a few. I have no idea on what they may cost or many other options but these are most talked about on forums.

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Any vehicle you get you will want all terrain tires on. Don't worry about that when shopping for one, just when you buy replacement tires.

dense copper
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Biggest thing about Subaru is if there's a transmission issue, the whole engine has to come out to get to the transmission. -.-

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Oh, since Gwindan doesn't know anything about cars; one recommendation might be to find someone who does, or even talk to your local mechanic about hiring one of the guys from the shop who does repairs to come look at a car with you. Usually $100 is enough; which is better than a couple thousand for the car only to have to bring it to the shop for repairs. 😛
You can also talk to your local mechanic about doing an inspection on a car you're considering buying; the vehicle owner shouldn't have a problem if you ask them if you can bring it to your preferred shop for an inspection.
Naturally, if they don't like this idea, there's something very wrong with the car and you should skip it altogether.

vast rose
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I'll just say that my subaru in its 10 years and 160k miles hasn't needed transmission work.

dense copper
vast rose
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1 thing I haven't seen mentioned is that when you do buy a used vehicle, take it to a shop and have them replace every fluid. It should cost around 1k depending on local prices. You won't get good information on when they were last changed and you will know that the oem schedule can now be followed for fluid changes.

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Fluids being oil, brake, diferential, transmission, transfer(if its a 4x4), coolant, windshield washer, etc

dense thistle
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so how strange is it that I am looking at a 2019 model of SUV, and the service history shows work being done as far back as 2016.. It got washed, had the transmission + computer checked, and had wipers/washers checked all spread out through 2016-17. But it wasnt made until 2019...?

vast rose
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Could be a red flag, may want to look into paying for carfax for a bit and running checks on vins

dense thistle
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thats from the free carfax report

vast rose
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May want to check with the Canadian dmv if it's a valid vin, could also be fat fingered by the shop that did the work

dense thistle
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also im seeing a lot of cars with "recalls" for a burr on the metal track of the seat.. The fix is "putting tape over the burr"

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seems rather worthless of a recall

vast rose
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Carfax is only as accurate as the information entered into it by the shop that did the work. Shops don't always have to report to carfax. So some work may not show up.

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A lot of recalls can be meaningless. It really only matters if there is an outstanding (not completed) recall on a vehicle

vast rose
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One last thing, make sure, when you go to inspect the car, it is cold and hasn't been started that day to see how it starts from cold. Warm engines hide problems better.

dense thistle
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good point

soft egret
cold star
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My 2 cents: I live in Northern Nevada, and we get snow. I drive an SUV, fullsize because I am a large guy. 4WD/AWD is helpful for snow/ice driving, but not vitally necessary. It is also helpful for mud driving, so keep that in mind when selecting your ride. I have three peak tires ("snow" tires) on my SUV, mostly so that I don't need to put on chains. Your description of snow days makes me think you'll want to get similar tires for whatever you get, as you'll be driving in snow a lot. Other than that, the suggestions already given are things I would have said, but they've already been mentioned.

pale spoke
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For context, I live in north Canada.
I recommend that you choose the style of vehicle (SUV, Sedan, Truck) based on your needs for seats and cargo space- Hatchbacks are a good choice if you’re not sure, they have a good balance of everything. For an individual vehicle, get something common and at least 5 years old (preferably at least 10) but no more than 25. This will make it cheapest to repair and get extra parts like snow tires, wiper blades, and winter rims.

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As a car guy, I recommend getting a manual if you’re comfortable driving one; not only are they more fun but they’re usually cheaper to buy and repair should something go wrong.

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Given the current market in Canada I would make my top suggestions (in any order):

  • Late 2000s Mazda 3 Hatch
  • Honda Civic Hatch, anytime before 2016 (Don’t get the fancy racing package)
  • Toyota Yaris, any year
  • Early 2010s Ford Fiesta/Focus (Don’t waste money on the Focus RS)
    And if you want something a little bigger;
  • Subaru Outback, any year (More expensive but tough)
  • Late 2000s Toyota RAV-4
  • Ford Escape, the older the better
  • Honda CRV, mid 2000s up to mid 2010s
    If you want a truck for the cargo space;
  • Any Toyota truck before 2007
  • Late 2010s Honda Ridgeline, ugly but strong
  • Ford F150/250, late 1990s- Early 2000s
    If you have lots of people to haul and want a 7-seater;
  • late 2000s- late 2010s Dodge Grand Caravan (get the 3.6L V6, not the V8)
  • Honda Odyssey, any year
  • Ford Windstar, but good luck finding one
  • Toyota Sienna, any year
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This isn’t comprehensive but these cars are all fairly reliable and easy to find parts for.

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AWD or 4WD cars will be best in low-traction environments, but will be a little more expensive.

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Whatever you get, count on needing new tires before the end of summer.

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I’m not a super small dude, but I have no trouble fitting into these little Japanese cars. They’re great on gas, too.

eternal parrot
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Also to elaborate on my point about jeeps. They have a very shallow wheel base and are kinda too heavy for that wheel base. You end up learning to take turns in sections. So you dont get the feeling that you’re going to tip.

pale spoke
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Plus they’re really expensive.

vast rose
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I will just say that while jeeps are unique in how the drive (you need to adjust to them). They are some of the best off road capable vehicles from the factory. Yes they are expensive and have little in the way of luxury but that is by design. However, I would not recommend someone, who isn't car savvy, buy a used one. They are too likely to have issues from the previous owner modifying/driving past their capabilities.

dense thistle
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thanks guys! I got my current car checked over and the ABS cant read the speed of the back wheels, and the mechanic suggested replacing the front brakes if I plan to keep the car into the spring (which I definitely do not). Otherwise he said everything looks good. He thinks the shaking I had from my last wipeout was snow jammed inside the wheels, which would make sense since it isnt shaking anymore

vast rose
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If you have questions about potential vehicles you are looking at, I'm sure you can ask here and someone will be able to help.

dense copper
dense thistle
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thank you everyone for the help! Using info from here as well as people I know irl, I ended up getting a Toyota Rav-4, 2013. Only a few more thousand kilo's than my 2017 car, one previous owner. Getting a brand new windshield because of a crack, buying brand new "used" winter tires and rims with the dealer paying $200 of their price for me. It has a few extra custom bits of gear from the old owners like storage nets in the trunk, and a steering wheel cover. Trading my car in covered the tax and a little extra. I go pick it up on Friday.

dense copper
vast rose
dense thistle
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they're basically unused. The old owner got them for $1,500 and they're "at about 95%" I paid 600 for them. Which is awesome since I paid 800 for my current smaller diameter winters with no rims, just 4 months back

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I just have to survive until friday and not damage my current car any more XD

civic sorrel
# dense thistle Hello! So I know nothing about cars. I know that I need a new one, and want to a...

trucks don't do as well on the snow as you'd think as the weigh is all in the front and the power is in the rear... even a 4x4 truck can have big issues without 600-800# of stuff over the rear axle

small SUVS tend to be a great mix of good driving and semi fuel efficient... my choice if I could ever find one in the states is a Nissan XTrail 4x4 diesel 6 speed manual... drove one in Germany and that thing fit all 5 of us, got 58 mph on the Autobahn and still has both load and tow capacity ..

I'm not a huge fan of jeeps - loved my Cherokee sport for play but fuel mileage was only 16-20mpg barely fit 3 in the back seat. my big 99 f350 cc LB diesel gets 16/17mpg

pale spoke