4 wheel drive

A few years ago, you could hardly find a four-wheel-drive passenger car. You had the occasional university professor in a Subaru and the occasional performance lunatic in an Audi Quattro, but today, everybody's got four wheel drive. You've got BMW and Mercedes Benz, Jaguar has one now, and today we're seeing the new Volvo. And all the customers say the reason they want this is for safety and security. But, you know? Talk to pickup truck drivers, they'll tell you that all four wheel drive does for you is get you stuck deeper farther from home, usually out of cell phone range. And in a passenger car, you could say that what four wheel drive does for you is let you have your crash at a higher speed.

Now, in the old days, the Skid Control School in Brownley, Ontario, used to ask parents what kind of car would you want to send your kid out on a bad winter's night? Front drive, rear drive or four wheel drive? And most parents would say, "Well, if I could afford it, four wheel drive would be great because of the traction." But the instructor would say, well, why would you send your kid out in a car that overstates the amount of control he really has?

I mean, a four wheel drive car can accelerate great, but at some point, you gotta stop and turn and four wheel drive won't help you much and, particularly with an inexperienced driver, that could be a dangerous situation. Now, my kids have all learned to drive on rear-wheel drive cars. Yeah, they've skated off the road, but it's been at a very low speed. A low-cost lesson for them. Now, I'm all in favour of technology. These cars are terrific, they have great traction to get you all sorts of places. But if rear drive or front wheel drive won't get you where you want to go, maybe you shouldn't be going there.

To True To true

It is very true that people should know their limitations when they have technology such as 4WD, and AWD.

The technology of AWD however, does provide better traction at the tires that are slipping in situations such as rain.

If you have two wheels driving a vehicle, and one of those tires start to hydroplane the oposite tire will replace it as a driven wheel.

These systems also have the ability to cycle there ABS systems in order to slow slippage.

In other words, I think the technology is great.

but with 4wd u get less top end speed and better take off
but with 2wd u get less take off and better top end speed

4X4's...

Those are too damned funny, lol the Jag is the best though, flippin hillbilly's are a riot.