Calling all Jerseyites (Snow / Truck / Question)

So, after giving it a lot of thought, I'm probably going to be going to college in Jersey (specifically, the north - 20 minutes south of NYC). I'm a junior right now [technically], about that time to start applying for scholarships and college apps, and I've found a few colleges in the north Jersey area that have the major I'm interested in.

My question for you guys is regarding snow (if you're in the area / familiar with the area). I don't deal with it here in Sandy Eggo, so forgive me if this sounds stupid.

Would the amount of snow north Jersey gets every year be enough to require a 4x4? Or would a Prerunner be sufficient? I really don't have the money for a 4x4 Taco, and if I absolutely needed a 4x4, I'd have to go with a Ford Ranger (due to the price), which I don't want to do.

What say you? Prerunner sufficient? Lets hope so. My family (dad's cousin and his wife) who I'd be living with don't have anything of the sort (but rather, two Volvo's, and they don't seem to have any problems).

 

With a good set of snow tires your truck would be fine.2or300lbs in the back wouldn't hurt.

 

^^^ What they said.

Have you visited that area? It's A LOT different then living in San Diego.

 

I have gotten by without 4x4 for 10 yrs now. It hardly snows as much and often as it used to, snow tires would be a good investment. NJDOT is not to bad about clearing the roads fairly quickly.

 

I've lived in N. Jersey my whole life. I commute everyday, never needed 4x4. I have had 2 Yukons and never used the 4x4. I just got a 08 tacoma, guess what, it's a 2x4 Prerunner. You will be fine.

 

I believe that in the 5 years I have owned 4x4 Tacos I have had to use 4wd in the snow once. In the ten years before that I drove front wheel drive Hondas and rear wheel drive 5.7L f-150s. The snow is generally not that bad here and is managable with a 2wd, with some extra weight in the bed and a healthy measure of common sense. Consider the off-road package if it fits within your budget as the locker may help you if you should find yourself stuck. Though bear in mind that North Jersey might as well be it's own state from where I reside, as the roads are alot more congested, in worse repair, and in general the drivers are a whole lot dumber. (No offfense to the family you have up there or anyone else from the other half of the state.)

 

I live in SE PA - not far from NJ.

A Prerunner will be fine - however - the lack of experience driving in the snowy/icy conditions will be the biggest concern. Driving a 2WD truck in the snow takes a lot more finesse than driving a 4WD truck. Finesse meaning - how to prevent the ass-end from coming around on ya in slick conditions.

When you get to NJ and you experience your first snow fall - I'd highly recommend taking the truck to an empty parking lot and PLAY. PLAY in the snow - forcing yourself into fishtails so you'll know how easy it is to get into one and how to get out of 'em. Practice slamming on the brakes and see how the truck reacts. Whatever else - just *Get a feel* for the truck on the slippy stuff.

My dad forced me to do this when I was 17 - scared the bejesus out of me back then. But - it was all worth it.

 

Although not Jersey, I live in Rochester and we pretty much have our ass handed to us when it comes to snow, and most of the time I am in 2wd with just weight in the back, and a good set of winter tires. Remember there is a HUGE difference between winter tires and all season or all terrain tires, get winter for winter, then whatever you want for dry/wet driving. As said earlier, a good dose of common sense will get you through most of it. Study hard

 

I've lived in Northern NJ all of my 44 years. Had many rear wheel drive cars and driven them in the snow just fine. I had a 71' Camaro with posi rear that could go up and down most hills in the snow without a glitch but definately not the same as having 4wd when you need it. My last truck was a 93' Jeep Wrangler. COuld drive it most of the time in 2wd but weight front to rear is much more evenly distributed different than that of a pickup. If you're going to be in hilly areas, 4wd would definately get you around the safest.

Save up and get the Taco in 4wd that way you'll have the confidence and tools required to go anywhere anytime safely.

Good luck in school and with your purchase.
Drew

 

Agreed! Find a nice snow covered parking lot at a mall, state park, etc. Anything with lots of room to slide without hitting anything. I've made a couple people I helped teach how to drive do that. You'll REALLY want to know how fast this ABS system kicks in on snow/ice and adjust your habits to compensate for that. Maybe even do the ABS cut off mod for safe measures until you learn the right threshold for keeping the ABS from making the tires skip across the snow.

A good set of blizzaks and 300lbs of weight in the bed. (Sand or even kitty litter that you can open and use for traction under the wheels if you get stuck would be ideal.) I had 180lbs of sand in my bed the first winter and it was like it wasn't even there. However, I noticed it made a little difference with that low amount of weight if I could keep it close to the tailgate. Once it slid up against the cab it was worthless. So make a box or strap them down near the tailgate works best in my experience.

 

Right on!!

Also, bridges freeze before the road and keep on eye on changes in temp. The last few years, I have seen more black ice, the road looks wet but isn't.

Phoenix, sounds like you got a good head on your shoulders & think things through, good luck with school.

 

That's why I love the temp gauge in the truck! Gives me a ballpark temp to know if I should be worried about ice or not. Like if it's 45F out, then I'm not so concerned. If it's hovering around 32 or below, I keep an eye out.

 

Yeah, seems black ice is more common than snow around here anyway. Where the daytime temperatures are warmer and it rains and/or melts the snow - and the night time temperatures are below freezing thus freezing the water that's still lying around.

Obviously - ice isn't something you can drive on safely anyway. But black ice and frozen bridges - You don't even know they're frozen until it's too late and you can't do a damn thing to help yourself.

 

In NJ, ice is the problem, not so much snow. You might get 1-2 snowfalls per year of any significance. The bottom line is, if a Prerunner is insufficient, you probably shouldn't bother going out anyway.

I used to head to Home Depot and load up with 6 bags of sand (300lbs) and throw it in the bed for the winter along with a shovel. Serves two purposes: Weight over the rear wheels and traction in case you get stuck (throw the sand underneath). Good tires are important. My recommendation would be A/T's rather than snow tires since you'll be at school and swapping wheels would be a hassle.

Are you considering Monmouth Univ by any chance? My sister went there, great school. I went to Rutgers (New Brunswick), also a great school.

 

Definitely, although, never during the winter. I've been there every summer since '01 because my family has a beach house an hour south (in a town near Asbury). First time, we went to NYC - thought we were going to go to the Empire State Building. Couldn't get there due to traffic, so we went to the WTC instead. 28 days later, they came down.

As stated above, yes, I do have family there. I wouldn't go to any place (including Detroit, no offense) in which I don't have any family. I've always had family around, and it'd be too weird not having any around.

 

Not Monmouth. The colleges I'm looking at are all in North Jersey (and John Jay in NYC). Of the one's I've looked at, my first choices (due to location and what majors they have) are: Montclair State, Fairleigh Dickinson Univ, NJ Institute of Technology (Hoboken), and as stated, John Jay. Others that are a possibility are Rutgers (Newark), Seton Hall Univ, and Caldwell College.

I'm basing that off the main fact that all of my first choices have a B.S. in Information Technology program. All of my "secondary" choices have something not exact, but similar to a B.S.IT (e.g. InfoSci, Computer InfoSci, Management InfoSci, etc.)

 

I grew up in Detroit and now I live in South Jersey, Jersey does really get much snow at all(especially in South Jersey). I went threw 2 winters in my old x-runner on stock tires and I had no problems at all, if the snow was more than 4 or 5 inch's I would drive my wifes accord. Like stated above pre-runner is fine for Jersey although D-cab pre-runners are kinda hard to find.

 

If you know how to drive standard, consider getting a manual taco. the clutch gives you a little more control and enables you to rock the truck back and fourth in the unlikely event you get stuck. I live up in MA and last winter was my first with a 4X2. but just do what everyone says, ~ 300 lbs weight in the back, good A/T tires, and a shovel, you'll do fine.

 

No worries at all.

I'm just simply not one to move somewhere where I have no family... That'd be a bit too hard, being that I've grown up with a ton of family around, all the time.

 

It's hard but not necessarily, depends on your family. If they're like my in-laws, you'd be happy to be 600 miles from them like me. My wife and I moved to SC in '00 from NJ and we have ZERO family here, only friends. It sucks at times but other times I'm thankful.