Winter weather car:

[Spazdog]

I Had a discussion about cars with one of my brothers in law about his car. He wants to get rid of his 2009 Mercedes Benz SLK 350. It’s undriveable in heavy snow (understandable given the different sized front and rear summer tires and being low slung) he can’t get it up his driveway with all the snow the mid-west got blanketed in recently, but it’s mostly because he’s since discovered that it is perceived as a “chick car”.

I don’t care about the whole “chick car” stigma. I would drive a Mazda MX-5 in spite of it’s “chick car” status. To [heck] with what anyone else thinks. It’s already outlasted the production run of noteable roadsters like the MG Midget and the Triumph Spitfire. And it’s a good roadster. I would certainly drive an SLK but I have a 6-year old. I gotta’ have a backseat.

He’s really twisted about the chick car thing.

Here’s the kicker: He wants to get a Mercedes Benz GLK.

I’m certain it’s a well engineered fine automobile, but the GLK looks to me like Daimler Mercedes Benz took a Subaru Forester and said, “ Jah, put ze 3-pointed star on ze grill…ve are done now.” Not really getting out of the whole “chick car” thing.

I told him to save his money, get a $5000 beater. Throw on a set of winter tires. He shot down that idea.

I also suggested that if he was worried about the perception of his car, he could get a new Hemi Grand Cherokee, have a Mercedes Benz platform dripping with Hemi testosterone, Spend about the same amount of money, and cease to worry about whether or not it is a chick car. You’d have thought that I suggested he buy a Russian Lada from his response.

So any other, good winter weather/exclusive brand name/at or around $40,000 suggestions?

I was thinking 328xi. But I don’t live in the snow belt so I don’t know if that is a good suggestion for winter weather. Maybe just as low slung as his SLK.
Maybe I just need to be sold on how good the GLK is?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Get a dedicated set of winter rims and tires for SLK and he'll be good to go. No need for another car.

Unless of course the image thing is bugging him too much.

GLK has a yuppie soccer mom image, so he may not be happy with it either once he figures it out.

 

[unixguru]

How about Nissan Murano, Infinity EX or FX, Acura RDX/MDX, BMW X3/X5, Lexus RX or RX Hybrid, MB M350, and etc.

This class of cars probably has the greatest representation on North American market.

P.S. if he wants a macho car he might as well get Hummer H2 aka "midlife crisis" aka "compensating for something"

 

[J_Sap]

If the image is too much for him to bear I have a 94 Subaru Legacy that I would be willing to trade him. He won't complain about my car in the snow, its got four snow tires on it already.

 

[z917990]

I just bought a 2002 Honda CR-V with 4WD for $8000.00. It has less than 100,000 miles and came with full repair and maintenance records. It's been a great third/winter weather car and has already saved my butt twice in 45 days. If you're looking for suggestions and the Honda is too plebeian, I would get an Acura RDX, a 2009/2010 Acura TL with all wheel drive or an Infinity G35x or G37x.

 

[GenSan]

Tell your BIL to test drive the new 5th generation 4Runner trail edition.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I Had a discussion about cars with one of my brothers in law about his car. He wants to get rid of his 2009 Mercedes Benz SLK 350. It’s undriveable in heavy snow (understandable given the different sized front and rear summer tires and being low slung) he can’t get it up his driveway with all the snow the mid-west got blanketed in recently, but it’s mostly because he’s since discovered that it is perceived as a “chick car”.

I don’t care about the whole “chick car” stigma. I would drive a Mazda MX-5 in spite of it’s “chick car” status.


I agree with those who suggest getting dedicated winter rims for the vehicle. Some say it's too nice of a car to drive in the winter. Life's too short. Take good care of it, drive it, and enjoy it.

As for the chick car thing, there are a couple points. For one, I'd rather be driving a Miata than a soccer-mom-mobile. Secondly, you and the brother in law are both wrong. An SLK is not a chick car, and a Miata certainly is. As I recall, Homer Simpson said something along the lines of, "I'm Nelson. I drive a pink Miata."

In any case, if he's ashamed of the SLK, he can drop it off here, and I'll make sure it gets used without embarrassment. He can trade for my 1984 F-150. No one considers that a chick car.

 

[sciphi]

Any recent FWD Buick with snow tires ought to be pretty good in the snow. Mine's a tank with 4 decent snow tires on it.

If he wants a "truck", one of the higher-end crossovers, again shod with snow tires, ought to fit the bill well.

Tell him that most 4-door sedans with non-staggered tires and snow tires will be pretty good in the snow. AFAIK, that's true.

 

[rjundi]

What floats his boat RWD, FWD, AWD with a $800-$1300 set of wheels/winter tires from tirerack. All-seasons are cruddy in terms of control (cornering/stopping) vs dedicated winter tires.

Winter tires are not the same thing as snow tires that are loud, poor handling on dry/wet pavement, and noisy. Snow tires are 20+yrs ago.

My neighbor is a die hard skier and uses an older M3 equipped with Blizzacks as his winter car. We pass SUV's, cops, whatever in the left unplowed lane and climb steep ski roads without much drama.

 

[rshaw125]

The tires. Summer tires are not going to cut it. I remember the piece Top Gear had on the BMW X6? Useless off road. Could not handle wet grass let alone real snow etc.

 

[d00df00d]

The GLK is one of the ultimate chick cars...

If he likes Mercedes, have him get a C300 4MATIC. It'll be better than the GLK in the snow, too.

Just be warned: obviously you are not dealing with someone who is looking to make a sensible choice, so be prepared to have a very hard time talking sense to him. He's not thinking with his head, so if you talk to him by appealing to logic, you might as well be speaking another language. My experience with people looking for brand/exclusivity/image at all costs is pretty uniform in one respect: if you want them to make the logical choice, you literally have to manipulate the person emotionally into doing it. This involves being really cunning and knowing EXACTLY what buttons to press, and in the end you will have made someone do what YOU think is right, rather than what they would have wanted themselves. Ask yourself if it's worth the effort for you, and if you can live with yourself for treating a friend that way (not to mention putting the friendship on the line). I've done it to keep friends and family from buying cars that would have caused them a LOT of trouble, and even then it's been... rough.

I'm right with you on the MX-5, by the way. And just about every other car that has been marginalized due to its image. I'm the one driving the car; I'll make the call, thanks. We seem to be quite rare animals in that respect.

 

[GenSan]

Just get your BIL a set of these for the Holidays:

His chick car will now have some manliness with these

 

[mpvue]

brother in laws are almost always idiots (that includes ourselves also; you will always have someone who thinks you're an idiot)
anyway, stop trying to help the chronically stupid. they are the ones who buy all the image vehicles and 'gotta have it' products, they keep the economy working!
sounds like he isn't confident in his masculinity. if he can't grow a pair, or buy a pair, just tell him to get a hummer and have at it.

 

[JHZR2]

Given his mood swings, Id not advise on anything. He is the type that either has enough money to spend away without issue or else thinks he has enough money to do so, and then will ultimately get himself into trouble with poor financial decisions.

I dont think that you can win here, he is going to do what strikes his fancy at the time, and so it may not be worth the time.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: GenSan
Just get your BIL a set of these for the Holidays:

His chick car will now have some manliness with these


LOL, probably needs it but Ive rarely seen anything in poorer taste than those hanging from the back of a vehicle.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

GLK has a yuppie soccer mom image, so he may not be happy with it either once he figures it out.

I don't like to assign cars gender roles but that's kinda' the perception I get from the GLK.

If I found myself looking at the GLK and liking it, I would probably just get a Subaru Forester, pocket the $10-15,000 I saved and call it a day. But he won't even look at a Lexus, Infiniti, or Acura let alone a Subaru.

Originally Posted By: Garak

...As for the chick car thing, there are a couple points. For one, I'd rather be driving a Miata than a soccer-mom-mobile. Secondly, you and the brother in law are both wrong. An SLK is not a chick car, and a Miata certainly is. As I recall, Homer Simpson said something along the lines of, "I'm Nelson. I drive a pink Miata."

In any case, if he's ashamed of the SLK, he can drop it off here, and I'll make sure it gets used without embarrassment. He can trade for my 1984 F-150. No one considers that a chick car.


I don't think of the SLK or the MX-5 Miata as "chick cars". I don't get that whole chick car thing. I was actually considering the New Beetle Turbo S at one point. It was like getting a GTi for $1000 less in most cases. I don't have any problem driving an SLK 350. I think I would like that. I certainly enjoyed it last time we visited. I didn't get to "drive" it. It's not my car. But at 50% it was an entertaining and fun car.

 

[The_Jeff]

Isn't there a mitsubishi lancer evo thingamagig with AWD? That would make him look like a 17 year old boy again. Is he going bald too? Get that and some steel rims and those home-plate sized neon mudflaps inspired by the rallys.

 

[bullwinkle]

1 word-Gelandewagen!! Those are the MANLIEST Benzes I've ever seen! But seriuosly-why not one of the ML series crossovers with AWD and a winter package of the new Blizzaks from the Tire Rack? He'd be stylin' & unstoppable!

 

[Thermo1223]

That's too bad about a Forester, the manual XT's could put most sport cars to shame in their price range.

I have already embarrassed my fair share of cars.

 

[OVERKILL]

He needs a G-class: