if you want something reliable that won't leave you stranded I wouldn't consider a chrysler product....

you know that though don't you.

necessary?

probably not, one of those better to have and not need than need and not have moments.

if you're strictly sticking to just the FSR with no side trails then yah, you probably wont need any recovery equipment. i would at the bare minimum get a recovery strap and shackles, they dont cost too much and can be useful in other ways.

if you plan on travelling solo i do recommend them. its just my advice, you dont have to take it but its all peace of mind at the end of the day.

sometimes the best camp sites are just a little ways off the FSR, you cant camp on the actual FSR itself so this usually becomes the situation. if you DO get stuck with no way of getting yourself out you'll be in a world of shit, thats for sure (i speak from experience).

no excuses for getting stuck if you had this:

1998 LAND ROVER DEFENDER 90 WOLF LHD

http://images.craigslist.org/00909_l...Eu_600x450.jpg

... or maybe OJ Simpson's getaway car

1993 White Ford Bronco Custom 4WD - $13,980 - For Sale, Finance Lease or Buy SUV's Vancouver, BC - Bluestarmotors.com

http://www.bluestarmotors.com/img/in....jpg?s=320x240

Good choice on passing on the AWD sedans and such. As someone else pointed out where you are going the standard cars that people around the GVRD use to get around during winter to go skiing and not get stuck will simply get you killed up north.

The deer and wildlife population is staggering, when I worked north of Williams Lake I would be driving 1 hour to and from work and we had 3 trucks hit deers in about 3 months.

I hit a deer at about 120 in a relatively new Diesel F350 and the truck was totaled. were talking about a $60000 that was below 10K km being wrecked from a deer collision. In any smaller car on that road in those conditions with what happened I could have very well died. The size and height of the car prevented any injury to me, I literally got out of the truck and left it for the tow truck and hitched a ride to work.

mazda cx-5

good on gas and I think best looking SUV on the market.

What meme405 said. I don't like pick ups but I definitely recommend one for safety if you are up there working. I always ran into wildlife on the highway/roads when I was there for business. Also agree with the suggestion for leasing, I don't know about Burns Lake but in Prince George they salt like crazy + the additional engine stress from starting/operating in -25C/-38C weather.

As for gas there's a first nations gas station near the hospital so make some friends and get hooked up with status discount.

PG... what a shithole

If I were you I would buy this: toyota 4runner 2000 limited

Fuck buying something new(ish) and pissing away a down payment. Use your down payment and buy this. It fits almost all of your requirements except gas mileage. Not shitty but not economical.

set of hakkas and thule xb16's and she'll go balls deep in snow :fullofwin:

Ended up with a 2010 Forester XT, picked it up for a steal. $19k for a 2010 with only 40k on the clock!

Now I'm trying to decide between Hakka R2 or Xi3.
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nice... only problem i can see is the fuel economy and mandatory need for premium fuel. will that be okay out there in the middle of nowhere?

Decided to go for the Hakka R2. Costco doesn't stock the steelies, and ordering from them will take 2 weeks which I don't have so I went to Kal Tire, where I get 10% discount as a London Drugs employee - use the discount while I still have it, lol. And T4RAWR, going to find me some chains and recovery straps to put in the trunk. Any good places to find them?

I think the premium fuel required/fuel economy should be fine... The fuel economy will be better since there is no city driving to speak of. :badpokerface: I'm so close to work that I might just bike to work instead (yes in the snow, thinking of Nokian snow tires for my bicycle). I'm thinking of doing a Cobb Stage 1 but that might not be the smartest idea lol.

And there's a decent amount of big-name gas stations out where I am (Esso, Chevron, etc.) that I don't see an issue finding premium.

On my last run to Point Roberts today in the GTI I noticed some misfires when WOT. My brother will just have to deal with it. :ilied:

you can pick up recovery straps and shackles at princess auto.

rule of thumb that i was taught was to pick up a strap rated for 3 times the weight of your vehicle. this is to account for the "snap/snatch" factor, basically the slack tightening on a hard pull.

i picked up my thule xb16 chains online. ordered through amazon.com and then shipped to point roberts. it was the cheapest option i could find. you could probably order the shackles and straps online off amazon too.

if you dont have a rear tow point you can get a two inch hitch receiver with shackle.

check your owners manual on the type of chains you can run. because its a cuv you might need cable or low clearance chains for the vehicle.

also a snow shovel and a small emergency kit probably wouldnt be a bad idea either.

http://lgcdn.jeep4x4center.com/media...38.03_3294.jpg

Or a come-along.

http://www.stiblog.com/wp-content/up...2/dsc04404.jpg


:fullofwin:

That Forester looks pretty awesome, actually...
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3rd gen 4runner! Undercoat the rear bumper to prevent the inevitable winter toyota rust i have seen on every 4runner up here.. I'm from Smithers and the 4runner beasts up the ski hill/logging roads and is not terrible on gas