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Location: Really deep in the heart of South California Gender:
Posted:
Aug 11, 2025 - 9:55pm
haresfur wrote:
It will however drag and wear on the front end if you leave the hubs locked on dry pavement.
AWD is far superior for my driving conditions and style. I mostly need it for getting my kayak down to the reservoir shore or situations where it is "oops" this dirt track is turning to shit, or plain disappearing. Maybe sometimes where the road turns unexpectedly slick. The multi-plate clutch on my Passat is very efficient and my understanding is that it only sends power to the wheels it needs to, I'm not a car geek but do know shifting gears is almost imperceptible and my long term fuel efficiency is about 7.9 L/100 km (diesel) with mostly in town driving on short trips. Significantly better on a warm day when warmed up. I read that the AWD fuel efficiency is better than the FWD, but that wasn't from an official site. In any case the newer AWD is pretty impressive, at the expense of a ton of sensors to possibly go wrong.
Why would I want to do that?
The only time I lock the hubs is when I need 4 wheel drive. And that doesn't happen much because my truck does very well in 2 wheel drive.
Besides, I have a Tru- Trac gear type limited slip in the front axle. It pulls the front end when I steer on hard surfaces. Even when I don't shove the transfer case in 4 wheel drive.
I'm running a Detroit Locker in the rear end. It's unbeatable.
Yes I'm aware that AWD has it's place.
I'm not a fan.
I'm not sure I understand that logic.
Back in the "old days", like my truck I have, a 4 wheel drive vehicle could be shifted into 4 wheel drive. Or stay in 2 wheel drive.
It would run around in 2 wheel drive until you got out and manually "turned the hubs" to engage the front axle. Then shifted the transfer case into either low or high range.
Then full time 4 wheel drive came along to save the poor person from having to go through the process of making your vehicle do the right thing.
Oh the humanity.
I considered full time (AWD) a joke. And it was. Except for people who thought it too difficult to get out and actually work at something.
My old school "part time" 4 wheel drive will out perform any AWD/ Fulltime setup. And it won't drag or wear on the front end for no reason at all.
Not to mention that drag running all the time causes LESS fuel consumption.
And the extra maintenance.
It will however drag and wear on the front end if you leave the hubs locked on dry pavement.
AWD is far superior for my driving conditions and style. I mostly need it for getting my kayak down to the reservoir shore or situations where it is "oops" this dirt track is turning to shit, or plain disappearing. Maybe sometimes where the road turns unexpectedly slick. The multi-plate clutch on my Passat is very efficient and my understanding is that it only sends power to the wheels it needs to, I'm not a car geek but do know shifting gears is almost imperceptible and my long term fuel efficiency is about 7.9 L/100 km (diesel) with mostly in town driving on short trips. Significantly better on a warm day when warmed up. I read that the AWD fuel efficiency is better than the FWD, but that wasn't from an official site. In any case the newer AWD is pretty impressive, at the expense of a ton of sensors to possibly go wrong.
Still have the hardshell, but hoisting it up on the racks of the car is getting a bit tougher as 70 approaches. This keeps me doing something I love while maintaining upper body strength.
I strongly recommend fitting flotation front and rear, even if you don't plan on being able to self rescue to get back in. You can get float bags designed for whitewater kayaks from NRS or other places or use closed cell foam like the grey minicel foam. Need to be sure the flotation is held in place so it doesn't, um, float away. Very much worth the effort to set up because it does a couple of things if the paddle goes pear shaped. First, it keeps the kayak near the surface, which is always nice. It displaces most of the water so it will be much easier to swim to shore if that is your recovery plan. And easier to keep you near the surface so someone can come help you.
Flotation is probably my main kayak safety soap-box and it flips me out when people aren't prepared for a capsize. Not sorry.
Location: Really deep in the heart of South California Gender:
Posted:
Aug 7, 2025 - 9:30pm
Red_Dragon wrote:
We decided on the RAV4 because it's AWD, not 4WD; better fuel efficiency.
I'm not sure I understand that logic.
Back in the "old days", like my truck I have, a 4 wheel drive vehicle could be shifted into 4 wheel drive. Or stay in 2 wheel drive.
It would run around in 2 wheel drive until you got out and manually "turned the hubs" to engage the front axle. Then shifted the transfer case into either low or high range.
Then full time 4 wheel drive came along to save the poor person from having to go through the process of making your vehicle do the right thing.
Oh the humanity.
I considered full time (AWD) a joke. And it was. Except for people who thought it too difficult to get out and actually work at something.
My old school "part time" 4 wheel drive will out perform any AWD/ Fulltime setup.
And it won't drag or wear on the front end for no reason at all.
Not to mention that drag running all the time causes LESS fuel consumption.
And the extra maintenance.
Location: Perched on the precipice of the cauldron of truth
Posted:
Aug 7, 2025 - 9:24pm
KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
57, 670 miles?
It was still new!
We've got 105,000 miles on our 2017 Durango.
We were considering getting a new Durango because we just love this one so much.
But after realizing we have a killer 999,999 mile warranty on it from the factory that covers pretty much everything... and the fact that the Durango we were looking at list for $75,000... we'll probably hang on to this one for a little bit longer
Rav 4 was my second choice. What a lifer you've got!
My ride for the last 18 years. Suzuki SX4 2007â 57, 670 miles. I wear that duct tape as a badge of honor. Too old for dealership, she's gonna be my 'old woman truck' until she dies.
We decided on the RAV4 because it's AWD, not 4WD; better fuel efficiency.
Location: Really deep in the heart of South California Gender:
Posted:
Aug 7, 2025 - 1:50pm
Isabeau wrote:
Rav 4 was my second choice. What a lifer you've got!
My ride for the last 18 years. Suzuki SX4 2007â 57, 670 miles. I wear that duct tape as a badge of honor. Too old for dealership, she's gonna be my 'old woman truck' until she dies.
57, 670 miles?
It was still new!
We've got 105,000 miles on our 2017 Durango.
We were considering getting a new Durango because we just love this one so much.
But after realizing we have a killer 999,999 mile warranty on it from the factory that covers pretty much everything... and the fact that the Durango we were looking at list for $75,000... we'll probably hang on to this one for a little bit longer
very nice looking car!
I looked at foresters when I bought new back in '01. Buzz didn't fit in it. now enough head room. they were more station wagon shaped back then. so I got a Rav4. still got it 24 years later.
I can't imagine buying new now. sticker shock is crazy! Good luck with it!!
Rav 4 was my second choice. What a lifer you've got!
My ride for the last 18 years. Suzuki SX4 2007â 57, 670 miles. I wear that duct tape as a badge of honor. Too old for dealership, she's gonna be my 'old woman truck' until she dies.
Cross bars too! 
