All 4 of my vehicles are 4WD or AWD. For the vast majority of driving RWD is great thus the selectable-disconnectible transfer case equipped vehicles. My wife's DD is a Subaru Outback wagon and it drives great and is reasonably economical.
On occasion, better traction under less-than-ideal conditions is necessary and I can switch or take the Subie.
We don't get much snow around here but there is frequent freezing rain and if it does snow, it melts during the day and refreezes at night. We also like to snow ski and travel in the mountains so while not a necessity the majority of the time, with regard to 4WD/AWD I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Another factor that I've considered for years is resale. If you have a pickup for sale, if it's not 4WD you have eliminated half your potential market. Someone looking to buy a good used pickup will look at either 4WD or 2WD while someone looking for a 4WD pickup will not look at any other.

__________________
1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

I like my RWD 190D. Even with only 72hp, it is fun to drive. Easy to pitch into a turn and well balanced. Widen or tighten the line with the wheel or my right foot. I have NO desire for AWD. Full time 4wd is just a fuel waster unless you are somewhere that you need 4wd all the time or if you have SO many HP that you can't get it to the ground with only 2 driving wheels. FWD can be fun but I would only want it with a stick. If the rear end is trying to out run the front, just stab the clutch and things snap back where they should be. Had a '78 and a '79 (turbo) Scirocco. '78 didn't have enough hp to get into trouble (71hp) unless I REALLY tried (ok, so I tried). '79 with the turbo was bloody fast for a 2000lb car. Even then, I seldom was putting enough steering load and driving load on the front wheels at one time to lose traction.
On the track might be a different matter. FWD with an automatic is another story and a bad idea in snow/ice. As has been noted, lift on the gas and the back end will try to pass you if the road is slick.

........ And the driver well experienced. Tom is a racer and I fully expect that he has the reflexes to gather up a car when it's out of shape without even consciously thinking about it.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

You don't have to endanger anybody or anything to see one is more fun than the other.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Question for link...

When you drive spiritedly, do you try to approach the limit with regards to your vehicle's capabilities and your skill as a driver?

And read spiritedly - not recklessly. I am talking about driving within limits that are set in place by the authorities.

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I voted for FWD. I love RWD, but for simplicity/usability in all weather, FWD wins for me. All important automotive components are on one end of the car, simplifying maintenance, on the FWD cars I favor, the suspension is simple, repair is simple, still plenty of room, and a much better weight placement for snow driving.

I never drive at the limits of adhesion and have had equal fun in RWD and FWD with just normal driving, so for me, they are equal in that department, leaving FWD pushing past when it comes to better grip in weather situations.

AWD/4WD while better for traction, are high maintenance in comparison. Of the 3 4WD cars/trucks Ive owned, maintenance of the 4WD system was a big pain, and the period of time I saw advantages with the 4WD systems, it was outweighed be the increased complexity and lower economy of the same platform.

for me- FWD>RWD>AWD

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I disagree with FWD being simpler to service. Try changing plugs, pulling transmission, more wear on the front cv joints than any RWD.

Cheaper to build yes, but not cheaper to maintain.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

you missed "on the FWD cars I favor"

The average 4 banger gas FWD is easy to service, V6, not so much. I find the transmissions to be about the same difficulty to remove honestly, again, depends on the car largely.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

RWD is easier to do maintenance on 99% of the time. Compare a clutch replacement between an AWD, RWD, and FWD. That's a big part of why I have a RWD daily driver.

__________________
$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

depends on the car either way is my opinion. For example my 86 jetta, you can remove the engine/tranny combo in less time than it takes to pull the manual transmission from a 123 MB. 3 mounts and the whole thing is out.

Plus Im a big fan of Macpherson struts, I love cars that have them. Couple bolts and the whole thing is out to play with on a table, can't get better than that

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I've been very impressed with the old jettas. I helped my roomate change his transmission in the driveway, took around 2 hours

A modern FWD isn't quite that simple, from what I've seen

__________________
$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

Well shocks only which is mostly why you'd take a strut out, is 500% simpler on a double a arm car....which could be front or rear drive.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I like the strut setup as it eliminates the whole upper A arm, upper ball joint, ect, and combines everything but the lower control arm into a single easily removed suspension assembly that can be removed and worked on the bench given the right tools.

I just prefer a strut bearing over an upper ball joint personally

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

For simplicity, body on frame, inline NA motor, manual trans, rwd, leaf spring, whatever front end.

__________________
$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

If I could find a fairly late-model 'simple' sedan, I might go for a rear-driver. Too bad they don't build cars like that anymore.

Servicing issues are a toss-up. I've seen operations in both FWD and RWD that were a real pain. I stick with inline designs, as many of the V-engines in either can be an SOB to service.

Plus everything RWD now, like my W123s, uses Cv-axles. Though longer-lived because they aren't steering, those eventually develop the same joint issues as FWD.
Since axle rebooting in my two diesels is virtually impossible, replacement is the only option, and the job is much more complicted than in my Camry.

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW