Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
Sep 27th 2017, 7:36 pm
#46
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Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
Actually, come to think of it when we lived in Switzerland we didn't need an all-wheel drive as it is compulsory to have winter tyres from 1st October until the end of March; in our five years there we had two Skoda Octavia estate cars (company cars) but then the company decided to stop purchasing cars for employees and gave a lease allowance instead. Much to my chagrin my spouse got a BMW X1 in our final year there which I think was all-wheel drive. I really disliked the car though 
However, the tyre companies store your tyres when they change them around...although there was a fee for this.
We get a lot more snow in NJ than we used to get in Switzerland (we were 25 mins from the Alpine areas and were right next to Lake Zug). However, our first car in NJ in 2000 was a Dodge Caravan mini-van. It wouldn't go up our sloping drive if it was even a tad icy or snowy. We have nowhere to store winter tyres, I have no idea if the tyre places around here would even store them for half the year? We replaced it with a Volvo XC90 which was fine until the warranty expired, then it was very expensive to maintain. We now have a Subaru Outback and a Subaru XV Crosstrek....much cheaper to maintain and all Subaru cars have all-wheel drive as standard
However, the tyre companies store your tyres when they change them around...although there was a fee for this.We get a lot more snow in NJ than we used to get in Switzerland (we were 25 mins from the Alpine areas and were right next to Lake Zug). However, our first car in NJ in 2000 was a Dodge Caravan mini-van. It wouldn't go up our sloping drive if it was even a tad icy or snowy. We have nowhere to store winter tyres, I have no idea if the tyre places around here would even store them for half the year? We replaced it with a Volvo XC90 which was fine until the warranty expired, then it was very expensive to maintain. We now have a Subaru Outback and a Subaru XV Crosstrek....much cheaper to maintain and all Subaru cars have all-wheel drive as standard
Sep 27th 2017, 7:46 pm
#47
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
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Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
After living in NJ for almost 20 years...I would recommend a 4x4 SUV. Winter tyres on a car may be as good as a SUV...but it does not have the ground clearance a SUV has. We regularly had 3 to 4 feet of compacted ice at the bottom of our drive...after the snow ploughing had cleared the road. That's not easy to move with a shovel. With a large SUV we managed to drive right over the mound.
Sep 27th 2017, 8:22 pm
#48
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
After living in NJ for almost 20 years...I would recommend a 4x4 SUV. Winter tyres on a car may be as good as a SUV...but it does not have the ground clearance a SUV has. We regularly had 3 to 4 feet of compacted ice at the bottom of our drive...after the snow ploughing had cleared the road. That's not easy to move with a shovel. With a large SUV we managed to drive right over the mound.
Sep 27th 2017, 8:24 pm
#49
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,540
Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
Actually, come to think of it when we lived in Switzerland we didn't need an all-wheel drive as it is compulsory to have winter tyres from 1st October until the end of March; in our five years there we had two Skoda Octavia estate cars (company cars) but then the company decided to stop purchasing cars for employees and gave a lease allowance instead. Much to my chagrin my spouse got a BMW X1 in our final year there which I think was all-wheel drive. I really disliked the car though However, the tyre companies store your tyres when they change them around...although there was a fee for this.
We get a lot more snow in NJ than we used to get in Switzerland (we were 25 mins from the Alpine areas and were right next to Lake Zug). However, our first car in NJ in 2000 was a Dodge Caravan mini-van. It wouldn't go up our sloping drive if it was even a tad icy or snowy. We have nowhere to store winter tyres, I have no idea if the tyre places around here would even store them for half the year? We replaced it with a Volvo XC90 which was fine until the warranty expired, then it was very expensive to maintain. We now have a Subaru Outback and a Subaru XV Crosstrek....much cheaper to maintain and all Subaru cars have all-wheel drive as standard
However, the tyre companies store your tyres when they change them around...although there was a fee for this.We get a lot more snow in NJ than we used to get in Switzerland (we were 25 mins from the Alpine areas and were right next to Lake Zug). However, our first car in NJ in 2000 was a Dodge Caravan mini-van. It wouldn't go up our sloping drive if it was even a tad icy or snowy. We have nowhere to store winter tyres, I have no idea if the tyre places around here would even store them for half the year? We replaced it with a Volvo XC90 which was fine until the warranty expired, then it was very expensive to maintain. We now have a Subaru Outback and a Subaru XV Crosstrek....much cheaper to maintain and all Subaru cars have all-wheel drive as standard
Sep 27th 2017, 9:23 pm
#51
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,442
Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
Sep 27th 2017, 9:52 pm
#54
Deep in the woods of CT
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,002
Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
Another vote in favor from CT. The rocks in my driveway make clearance hard all year round, but when there's snow in addition . . . I live in hope that one year the plow will somehow rip them out of the ground, but after 18 years that hope is dimming.
Sep 28th 2017, 1:23 am
#56
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Posts: 315
Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
Hope you are settling well, we are still new but beginning to make some friends.
Sep 28th 2017, 1:27 am
#57
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,020
Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
Basking Ridge is very nice...daughter went to high school in Martinsville. We lived not too far away from BR in Mendham.
Sep 28th 2017, 2:49 am
#59
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Re: Relocation to a new job , U.K. To NJ
There is one in Bernardsville too.