Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I live 1.5 miles West of Wrigley Field and feel qualified to comment.

If you are going to take the brown line or something to downtown, then for the most part you won't really care about the road conditions. In the last five years we've had maybe one winter where we had snow accumulation.

If you are going to park off the street, parking structure, spot, then that's better for your car. Street parking can be rough on a nice car, your front and rear bumpers can get nicked up.

When I had my Jeep XJ, I only selected 4WD about three times out of necessity and about 20 times for screwing around.

I currently commute in a RWD TBSS and I just throw 250 lbs of sand in the trunk. You don't need AWD. Last year I borrowed my wife's '06 MDX once because we had like 5 inches of snow that night and our plowing service didn't get to us until 10am.

What you need is a warm winter coat, a hat, good gloves, and galoshes or something for the commute, and then you can leave a pair of nice shoes at work.

99FBODY

iTrader: (8)

Agree with pro stock john, I lived in lincoln park right across from the zoo and it was a pain in the *** to find a spot most of the time. Had to make a couple passes and just hope that someone was leaving. Its all going to be personal preference, I cant go without having a car.

02TransAm/Batmobile

iTrader: (32)

Man, that's what I hate about the north side. Parking is a bitch. Also, you can't go 60 yards without hitting a stop light/stop sign.

99FBODY

iTrader: (8)

Thats why Im glad to be back on the south side and its even better at school since its in the country.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Yeah but the North side has better restaurants and looks nicer overall. My sister lives at 111th and Western so I get down there once in a while.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

OP, I really suggest off-street parking if you have a nice car and won't drive it that much.

If you are planning to drive, and there is a weather advisory for big snow, don't drive out to the burbs, because the roads will get pretty bad and then you will wish you had some monster 4x4 truck.

Mr CHI

iTrader: (3)

I don't know if that's enough to justify to living up there though. They sort of lose their allure when you're RIGHT there by the top shelf stuff. It's always fun to say "We're going up to The North Side for XYZ". But that's off topic...

Snow ain't that big a deal unless you get caught IN IT. That, and having to get your car off the side of the street after the plow has created a snow wall on both sides of the road. That's always fun.

Camaro Ryder KV

iTrader: (12)

i went through 3 winters with my camaro. AWD would be nice, but just take it slow whatever you buy, EVERYTHING slides, the laws of physics do not bend for any car.

Tuner@Straightline

Until two years ago I drove my F-bodies and Nissan 350Z and 2x4 F150 through all that Chicago winters could muster. I got a 98 Jeep two years ago and love it in the snow, wish it had ABS though. Even though I only use AWD when it's actually snowing. The streets are clear usually by the time it stops snowing, so it's only actually during the storm the roads can get bad even out in the burbs aside from PSJ says about the south side. I remember in 2000 or 2001 we got hit with a two or three day storm over new years, and the Chicago media was interviewing Mayor Daley, the conversation went something like this. . .

Chicago Reporter "Mayor! When will the streets be cleared of snow?"

Mayor Daley "When it stops snowing"

dontmeSS

iTrader: (3)

I have driven RWD cars in the winter too, it is possible but not at all enjoyable. Plus you destroy the car with all the damn salt.

If you want to be safe on the road and confident driving, go with 4x4/AWD. If there is a blizzard outside, you can jump in your truck and head out if you need to. If you are driving a RWD car, it is very dangerous for yourself and others at times when there is snow on the road. My philosophy is better safe than sorry.

Get 2 cars if you can, like an old S10 4x4 Blazer and a Camaro/Ws6 or something. This way you have the best of both worlds.

FWD you should be okay most of the time. You could go with an LS4 Impala SS or GXP Grand Prix which would be FWD and fast.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I don't people should generalize about driving conditions if you don't actually live in Chicago. I think Chicago does an awesome job of keeping the roads clean. I've driven RWD in Chicago in the winter quite a bit over the last 20 years. Now if we have accumulation, and it gets a little icey, side streets can get crappy. But the main roads will be in great shape.

gixxer75094lt1

iTrader: (8)

honestly if you plan on living rigght in downtown then buy whatever u want.. if u dont plan on using the car to work and using the l-train than the choice of the car is truely up to u.. downtown area they usually do a good job plowing. u start hitting other counties like mchenry, lake, kane, dupage, meaning the suburbs and its worse as for snow. but downtown does a well job they have to its the city!! lol... by far the worst IVE EVER SEEN IS LAKE COUNTY AND MCHENRY COUNTY BY FAR!! its like they dont give a **** out that way. soo again, buy what u want and like. never settle for anything based on the weather lol. also seeing that your from PA, i mean ur guys winters shouldnt be that much off than ours probably is the same. i dont think its neccessary to have a awd or 4x4 in the winter, if you know how to drive youre fine. at most id run snow tires in the rear of the rwd cars. my bmw 3 series is **** in snow and i just throw like half tread worn blizzaks and it made the world of a difference.

AMack

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the input guys. I accepted the job offer so I will definately be moving to Chicago around next September. Now the trick is to find out how much a month I can afford to pay for a car payment + parking. Then I can start looking at specific make/model/years.

Mr CHI

iTrader: (3)

Just looked at your profile and you just hit 21? So wherever you move, try to make it age-friendly.

goof4080

I've lived all over the suburbs of chicago and work (basically just drive around in a 2wd ranger) the entire northern half of Illinois, border to border to border. I've only had an AWD one winter, the rest of them I've survived with a FWD buick regal, century, and several winters with various V8 Firebird/TA's. Unless you don't know how to drive, you don't need 4wd around these here parts!

goof4080

do u live in the hoodridge? If so I think I saw your SS last week.

maddboost

iTrader: (11)

FWD will do you fine it only snows really bad maybe a few times each year. Honestly I would stay away from getting a car if you dont need one. Its going to sit most of the time and its going to suck making payments, paying insurance, and parking on it. Every friend I had who after college moved from the suburbs to the city either sold their car after a year or wish they had since they never used it.

integraxtc

iTrader: (11)

I live near ProStockJohn, you can get around in any car you want here.

If RWD get some blizzaks. I put all four on last year and 75lbs in the back of my TA and did pretty damn good. Sucks with heavy snow and trying to get out of a parking spot, but it's not so bad.

You're going to have to save your parking spot too, in heavy snow. Good Ole' Chicago!!

WRX with winter tires would be killer in any conditions, minus 10" of snow.


I'm graduating this December, mind sharing what job you just got hired for?

cpd004

iTrader: (13)

Agreed. I've been driving RWD for years winters here and no problem. The day after Thansgiving last year I bought a G8. I was told I'd be in trouble and never got stuck once. The end of my driveway gets pretty bad. We even had more snow last winter than in the previous years. Use common sense and you'll be fine. This is Chicago not Montana for gods sake. Chicago roads are OVER salted too.