Posted on Nov 27, 2019
What kind of car should I get that works good in the snow for an assignment at Fort Drum?
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i’m going to fort drum and i know it snows there a lot. and if i wanted to have some sort of fun i would have to get off base and go kinda far so i was wondering what type of car should i get that would work good with the snow or just a good car in general to get
Fort Drum
Cars
Private
Advice
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 28
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Most cars work just fine once you put snow tires on them. They have little spikes that bite into the snow and give you a good traction. Just stay away from anything with rear wheel drive
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LCpl Michael Cappello
What you are describing are "STUDDED" snow tires. They are a little difficult to find nowadays. At least they are here in upstate NY.
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SFC (Join to see)
LCpl Michael Cappello well that's unfortunate, because those things rock. I used to put them on my old Subaru station wagon when I lived up on a ski resort. They would drive places a four wheel drive truck couldn't go.
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LCpl Michael Cappello
I miss studded snows. The problem with them is that they tear up the roads (roads here in NY suck) and if they do not get vulcanized into the tire properly they can get spit out. You can imagine what the little projectiles can do to a windshield at 65 - 70 MPH. I used to work building communication towers. We had Subaru's that would get up mountains where our F350 4WD had a hard time getting up.
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As a private you are not going to be making a bunch of money.
I encourage you to go to college. I imagine you'll be stationed at drum for 2 years. You can easily get an associates in that time. You can get all the points for school, that you'll need for E-5 promotion, in that time. There's still going to be plenty of partying on base. Make friends with other guys and gals in the barracks. Carpool with one of them.
Also, not too much further north there is a place called Alexandria Bay. It's beautiful. Not too far south there is syracuse. It's ok. Basically you are close enough to catch an uber to some pretty good spots without spending a load on a car. With a car you're going to have the payment, insurance, gas, and maintenance. E-1-E-4 money is enough to get a car, but not enough to have fun with one. Do your best to not max out credit cards and get yourself into a heap of debt. That will affect you negatively throughout your military career. Budgeting is very important. Learn it now before you become one of the "statistics" with $100,000 of debt and little to show for it.
Also, there are hundreds of state parks in NY. An excellent location if you enjoy hiking or fishing.
I encourage you to go to college. I imagine you'll be stationed at drum for 2 years. You can easily get an associates in that time. You can get all the points for school, that you'll need for E-5 promotion, in that time. There's still going to be plenty of partying on base. Make friends with other guys and gals in the barracks. Carpool with one of them.
Also, not too much further north there is a place called Alexandria Bay. It's beautiful. Not too far south there is syracuse. It's ok. Basically you are close enough to catch an uber to some pretty good spots without spending a load on a car. With a car you're going to have the payment, insurance, gas, and maintenance. E-1-E-4 money is enough to get a car, but not enough to have fun with one. Do your best to not max out credit cards and get yourself into a heap of debt. That will affect you negatively throughout your military career. Budgeting is very important. Learn it now before you become one of the "statistics" with $100,000 of debt and little to show for it.
Also, there are hundreds of state parks in NY. An excellent location if you enjoy hiking or fishing.
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LTC Stephen Conway
Be a good soldier, pitch in for gas. maybe take that Soldier out to eat sometime if he doesn't accept your gas money. I live in Canada and I was assigned to an Army Reserve civil Affairs units in Mountain View, California. I needed a ride to Fort Ord to get my da photo for major. A first lieutenant offered to give me a ride from the San Jose, California to Fort Ord to get my da photo. It's Lieutenant took a day off of work from his job just to give me a ride. He refused gas money but he did accept me taking him to a steakhouse afterwards. Just food for thought.
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LTC Stephen Conway
SPC (Join to see) you may be able to buy a cheap car from those who are having a PCS and don't want to ship it with them. I live in Canada and front-wheel drive cars will work just fine as long as the base plows the roads. Since you are young, your auto insurance maybe higher. Find out if your insurance company gives discounts for being a full-time student who gets a b average or better. State Farm used to offer me that when I was in college. if your auto insurance is through the roof because you are a young driver, just find out who has a license and a car and just be friends with them and make sure they get some money for their efforts to help you. Insurance is a rip-off when you're under 25, and not a full-time student who is not married. Find out if your army safety course we'll help you lower your auto insurance or if there is a civilian safety course you can take. Maybe they'll accept the Army one. Since I'm now in my fifties and living in Canada, things may have changed over the decades.
SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSG Carlos Madden CPT Chris Loomis SFC (Join to see) LTC (Join to see) SMSgt Lawrence McCarter LT Brad McInnis SFC (Join to see) SPC (Join to see) COL Lee Flemming
SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSG Carlos Madden CPT Chris Loomis SFC (Join to see) LTC (Join to see) SMSgt Lawrence McCarter LT Brad McInnis SFC (Join to see) SPC (Join to see) COL Lee Flemming
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SPC Stewart Smith
LTC Stephen Conway - I went with USAA after I got out and got a car. They gave me a discount for my army driving: defensive driving, roll over training, winter driver training
I ended up paying about $540 every 6 months for full coverage with glass breakage and only $50 deductible.
I ended up paying about $540 every 6 months for full coverage with glass breakage and only $50 deductible.
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Honestly, the car matters far less than the driver. I grew up driving in Michigan. When I went to Drum, me and my Front Wheel Drive Taurus fared far better than the southerners and their 4WD pickups or Jeeps. If you DO get that perfect snow truck with 4WD and snow tires and weight over the axle, don't get a false sense of security. RESPECT THE SNOW AND ICE.
That being said, what everyone else has said about 4WD and snow tires is accurate. (And also about making sure you can afford the car/using the lemon lot/ getting a beater).
That being said, what everyone else has said about 4WD and snow tires is accurate. (And also about making sure you can afford the car/using the lemon lot/ getting a beater).
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First my credentials, I live in Northern Michigan. In priority order
_Get good snow tires. DO NOT drive on them all year, once the snow is gone for the winter put your summer tires back on.
_Pay attention to deer crossing signs. Swerving/braking to avoid a deer causes A LOT of rollovers. If you are in a deer crossing area, between morning nautical twilight and about a half hour after sunrise (opposite at night) slow to around 45mph. If a deer does pop out, foot off the gas. DO NOT BRAKE, DO NOT STEER TO MISS. A deer strike causes far less damage than a rollover.
_Get 4 wheel drive. 2nd best front wheel drive. Last choice rear wheel drive.
_My wife swears by her PT Cruiser. I like my pickup truck with 200lbs of sand over the axle. We both have SERIOUS Snow tires.
_If you don't have a lot of experience driving in the snow, get a junker. One dent on top of another isn't going to decrease the value much.
_Get good snow tires. DO NOT drive on them all year, once the snow is gone for the winter put your summer tires back on.
_Pay attention to deer crossing signs. Swerving/braking to avoid a deer causes A LOT of rollovers. If you are in a deer crossing area, between morning nautical twilight and about a half hour after sunrise (opposite at night) slow to around 45mph. If a deer does pop out, foot off the gas. DO NOT BRAKE, DO NOT STEER TO MISS. A deer strike causes far less damage than a rollover.
_Get 4 wheel drive. 2nd best front wheel drive. Last choice rear wheel drive.
_My wife swears by her PT Cruiser. I like my pickup truck with 200lbs of sand over the axle. We both have SERIOUS Snow tires.
_If you don't have a lot of experience driving in the snow, get a junker. One dent on top of another isn't going to decrease the value much.
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MAJ Bryan Zeski
Maj John Bell Good advice.
Off topic question - You live in northern Michigan. WTF is up with car insurance in Michigan?! What's the secret to not getting raked over the coals on insurance? I'm trying to help someone get some decent insurance up there, but damn, it's crazy!
Off topic question - You live in northern Michigan. WTF is up with car insurance in Michigan?! What's the secret to not getting raked over the coals on insurance? I'm trying to help someone get some decent insurance up there, but damn, it's crazy!
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Maj John Bell
MAJ Bryan Zeski - If you find out, let me know.
The prevailing theories are:
_No fault insurance (I don't know, but I don't think other no fault states have our rates.)
_Lots of minor accidents because of winter road conditions
_Michigan drivers are crappy drivers (certainly true on my occasional trip to the southern parts of the state.
_Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois tourists are crappy drivers when they vacation in Michigan.
_Michigan drivers drink a lot.
_Deer population is out of control (absolutely true in the northern part of the state and the upper peninsula)
_People in Michigan make more money than they can spend. ;)
It falls into the category of there isn't much I can do about it, so I move on to simpler problems things I can do something about, like global climate change, world peace, and planet killer meteors.
The prevailing theories are:
_No fault insurance (I don't know, but I don't think other no fault states have our rates.)
_Lots of minor accidents because of winter road conditions
_Michigan drivers are crappy drivers (certainly true on my occasional trip to the southern parts of the state.
_Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois tourists are crappy drivers when they vacation in Michigan.
_Michigan drivers drink a lot.
_Deer population is out of control (absolutely true in the northern part of the state and the upper peninsula)
_People in Michigan make more money than they can spend. ;)
It falls into the category of there isn't much I can do about it, so I move on to simpler problems things I can do something about, like global climate change, world peace, and planet killer meteors.
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AWD is recomended on snow. Ask someone who can help you get a the vehicle before you get screwed with payments or if you think you know what youre doing go for it.
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SGT Carl Blas
SFC Casey O'Mally - Lol, you're right, just like, Four Wheeled Drive is 2 letters, "4X"
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SGT Carl Blas
SFC Casey O'Mally - SFC O'Mally, you wouldn't happen to be from Eaton Ohio, would you? I had a good Army buddy from there, SPC James McCowen, and still looking for him online.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
SGT Carl Blas sorry, nope. I can barely point to Ohio in a map, let alone tell you where Eston is.
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Why you should invest in one of those new Tesla Wonder Trucks. Just don't drive anywhere down-town or questionable neighborhood after dark since it's not bullet-proof (LOL)
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I've had good luck with Subarus, not there hotrod turbos, but the normally aspirated kind. A cheap AWD SUV would be acceptable, if you can find an affordable one. If you're and off-roader, then a Jeep is good almost anywhere, any duty station
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