This particular body style is one that will be gorgeous forever.
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1366705885.jpg

what does that have to do with ground clearance?

My S8 is unstoppable in the snow until it gets too deep, I think 8-10" is about the max before stuff starts to drag. We had 14" this winter and I drove my wife's F150. I don't know how people in the NE get by driving cars year round, even AWD ones.

a Sube wagon has pretty good gnd. clearance - and any thing will take the first extra inch or two and shovel it in front of the vehicle

I've had vehicles float on high snow; you hear the scrapes then see the flattened area behind you; next is the float feeling while you still have some suspension droop to let the wheels grab - time to start figuring out if you can reverse out of it...

Mine has about 14" of ground clearance. Hardly ever gets stuck.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1366749162.jpg

turn on bravo contact ground 121.9....

I've got about 21" if clearance at the diffs. on my truck, and yes that is with the stock tire size that I have on it!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1366753785.jpg

2003 Toyota 4Runner:

Front diff: 8"
Angled crossmember: 8.5"
Body seam: 16"
Transfer case: 10.5"
Gas tank: 9.5"
Rear diff: 9.25"
Front fender: 33.25"
Rear fender: 35.75"

compare that 8" (F. diff.) with

'92 Toyota 4Runner had 9.1"

new Jeep Grand Cherokee has 10.7"

2010 Subaru Forester has 8.7"

Around here it's not so much the snow, it's the hard packed ice boulders that accumulate as a result of the plows. I don't worry about plowing through some fresh powder, I worry about a big chunk of ice taking out my front bumper.

I miss my FJ80 during the winter, it was big, old, tall, and cheap. I just drove through/over all obstacles.