soontobejourneyowner Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Hi Everyone, I'm full of questions today So, my former vehicle (Passat 4motion) was AWD. I'm used to the AWD, I absolutely love how it handles! In not owning a Dodge vehicle before, let alone a SUV, I'm wondering if I will be satisfied with the FWD, especially during our winter months here in Canada. Has anyone else gone from an AWD to a FWD vehicle and, if so, do you have any feedback you'd be willing to share please? Thanks so very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey_SeXT Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 I went from an AWD to a FWD and my wife smacked into a curb the first snowfall we got. After that I invested in a set of winter tires and it has been great ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhareFred Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 I live in Chicago, and have the FWD version. After getting rid of the crap Kumo tires and putting on Michelins, I haven't had any real difficulty getting around. Of course, we get our fair share of snow around here, but not like up North! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingit11 Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 We have had 2 Journeys over the last few years (2009 SXT and 2013 Crew). Both FWD. First thing I did was get winter rims and tires and it has been great in the snow and ice here in Alberta. I looked at the Kumo's that came with it and did not even consider running them in snow. A co-worker has the same vehicle and he tried to run the Kumo's in the snow and he has complained about the traction for 2 winters now. Just can't seem to get off his wallet and invest in winter tires I guess. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klingoff Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 I have the FWD and invested in a set of winter tires as well. My Journey had no problems in snow last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 have never had awd only frt wheel drive or rear wheel drive grew up in mich. and now live in al, i love fwd and have never had any problems with it and have seen many 4 wheel drives stuck in snow and ice because that doesnt mean you cant lose control with awd.Drive with care and fwd is all you need with out the added cost of awd and better mileage also. but if you feel safer with it go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webslave Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 (edited) We live in the mountainous area of South Central PA and we get a fair amount of snow. Being rural, very rural (my nearest neighbor is almost 2 miles away), snow removal is sometimes spotty at best. Most folks in my area, as a consequence, have 4 wheel drive or AWD. I have a 4 wheel drive truck that I use for pulling our 5th wheel, but, most of the time it stays parked. We used to use a Jeep Hemi Commander for our winter excursions, but, swapped that vehicle for the AWD Journey ('13 3.6 Pentastar). I was initially concerned about giving up the 4x4 for the AWD, but, was pleasantly surprised at the performance in the snow. Several slushy days and I was convinced that it works as well for us as the full time 4 wheel drive of the Commander. Front wheel drive (we've had a boatload of them) will let you know it is slick and you'll know the drive wheel is searching for purchase, but, with care will get you where you need to go. The AWD will seamlessly switch to the tire with traction so that you never feel the wheel spin or slip...if one of the 4 has traction, you just keep going. Do you need AWD? Absolutely not. FWD will do fine in most weather that a sane person will normally encounter and AWD is not a substitute for 4 wheel drive, but, in those "in between" times or if you have to go out in a lot slushy snow that hasn't been plowed for awhile, then the AWD will definitely be more "sure footed" than FWD. As mentioned, there is a penalty for hauling around the extra mechanicals required, but, IMHO, those "penalties" are much over-rated. Cost in mpg is a definite minus, but, the cost is probably measured in tenths and would likely get lost in the statistical analysis; my AWD is setting right now on an average, since purchase, of 24.3 mpg according to the EVIC and 24.1 according to my records of hand calculations from each fill-up (the EVIC in the Journey is much more accurate than the one in the Jeep we got rid of). Cost of repair? The mechanicals are just that and are subject to wear and tear just like the rest of the car? Liklihood of needing repair? Who knows...not very likely for most of us, but, the risk is there; just like all the other mechanicals in the car. I don't worry about the "will it break?" issue. If it breaks, it breaks and I'll get it fixed, just as I would if the power steering pump goes out or a power window motor quits. There is always a "cost" for any device; it is up to the purchaser to decide if the "cost" is worth the advantage. To me it is. Edited July 11, 2013 by webslave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.