Three Tips for Finding Quality 4WD Cars Around The Gold Coast

Posted by rivieramotors on April 1st, 2021

Not all four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles are made the same. Just because a vehicle is labeled a 4WD doesn't mean you're getting a quality vehicle. These tips will help you find quality 4WD automobiles for sale around The Gold Coast.

Get Tyres With the Most Traction

The main feature of off-roading is limited traction. Whether you're driving through mud, water, snow, ice, or dirt, your vehicle is driving on surfaces with limited traction. Roads are designed to provide consistent grip for your tyres, so when looking for a 4WD vehicle, you want the one that offers the best tyres for traction. A 4WD vehicle won't do much for you if you don't have the right tyres on your automobile in the first place.

While you can always change the tyres on a 4WD after you buy it, you can save some money by purchasing a vehicle that already has all-terrain or mud-terrain tyres already on it. These tyres are designed to grip surfaces like mud, sand, wet grass, and snow, and will provide additional stability when braking and cornering on these terrains as well. You simply cannot underestimate the importance of the right tyres on a 4WD vehicle.

Look for Locking Differentials

When wheels or axles turn at different speeds, power is sent to the area with the least traction. All 4WD vehicles have a locking center differential that forces your front and rear axles to spin at the same speed to maximize your vehicle's grip. A quality 4WD vehicle also allows you to lock the differentials on either the front or the rear axle to ensure both wheels on the axle spin at the same speed to increase the overall traction.

It's important to note that not all All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) cars work in the same way as 4WD cars. Some lower-end AWD cars do not have locking differentials that cause both axles and all wheels to spin at the same speed. They actually transfer power to the wheel that's spinning the fastest, which may not be helpful if you're stuck in mud or snow. Higher-end AWD vehicles, though, may have some locking differential features, so it's vital to ask these questions.

Choose Angle Over Clearance

Many AWD manufacturers advertise the clearance on their vehicles as an indication of how well they'll perform off road. However, clearance really isn't as important as angle when you're driving over large boulders or other objects that are truly off-trail. There are three angles that should be considered when looking for a quality 4WD: approach, breakover, and departure. The bigger these angles are, the better your 4WD is for off-roading capabilities.

Smaller 4WD vehicles naturally have bigger angles than larger ones, so a two-door 4WD is going to have better angles than a four-door model. You will also want to look for vehicles with tall suspensions, which can increase the angles when you're driving over larger objects. You can always lift a 4WD to get better angles, but you should never lift an AWD because doing so won't improve their angles much, if at all.

Buying a 4WD car is a good investment if you're looking to take your vehicle off-road or frequently drive in poor weather. However, knowing what to look for in a quality 4WD will ensure you get the right vehicle for your purposes. Test drive a 4WD today to determine which vehicle can do everything you need it to do.