Anyone taken their Taos AWD on the beach?
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I've driven on the beach quite a few times with no problem. Granted, it was frozen, and I was driving out onto the lake to do some ice fishing 
But I agree with derekdal, especially if you're in an SEL model. Dropping tire pressure really isn't going to do much for you, but those are the rules. Make sure you have rescue equipment and check to see you have your tow hook. Personally I'd stick to the hardpack if you've not that comfortable. Also, gauge the vehicles around you and remember that AWD doesn't equal 4X4.
But I agree with derekdal, especially if you're in an SEL model. Dropping tire pressure really isn't going to do much for you, but those are the rules. Make sure you have rescue equipment and check to see you have your tow hook. Personally I'd stick to the hardpack if you've not that comfortable. Also, gauge the vehicles around you and remember that AWD doesn't equal 4X4.
go and look at youtube "matts offroad recovery" if you want to see people in their trucks getting stuck in very soft sand. you also need ground clearance to not get high centered. sand is not an easy "sure go for it" situtation. many factors, many types of sand, many conditions.
The beach in Corolla specifies 4WD and they have air stations for airing down tires and pumping them back up when returning to the road. I would check to verify AWD will be acceptable. It would probably be one heck of a fine and tow bill if you were to get stuck and AWD was not considered acceptable. Be even worse if the tide came in and you were stuck and in the wrong place.
Yes, you have to be careful of where you drive.. also where you park.
I may have destroyed a set of floor mats of an enterprise rental car at SPI quite a few years ago
I may have destroyed a set of floor mats of an enterprise rental car at SPI quite a few years ago
You guys are giving me flashbacks to being stuck in the desert of Abu Dhabi near the Saudi border. Spent an afternoon waiting for sun to go down and the temp drop before taking 4+ hours to dig out. Went from reasonably solid dark hardpack to axel deep loose due to an error in judgement/exhaustion/shadow of a few feet. Good luck if you take the Taos to beach - post some photos.
I guess I should have mentioned that I have many years of experience driving off road, and on the beach in NC. I have taken many different vehicles on the beach and the only time I got stuck was in a full sized Suburban because I thought the super wide tires I had on it would be fine and I didn't air down. I was able to drive my Jeep Renegade all over the sand without any issues and it's tires were about the same size as what's on my Taos. I'm mostly interested in how the 4Motion system is able to handle the sand. I plan on travelling with a friend of mine who will be driving his Jeep Rubicon so I don't have to worry about paying a tow bill, it would just be kinda disappointing and embarrassing
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I will once I go down. My buddy who was supposed to go down there with me ended up having his kids for the weekend. I'll get down there soon, but I don't want to go without a 2nd vehicle that I know can pull me out if needed. At least the first time I go.
With proper familiarity with a vehicle and enough experience on sand anything will work. I used to drive my IH Scout in sand without the 4wd engaged all the time. I save the 4wd for when traction got low. I use to drive my Subaru Brat and my 74 VW beetle on the same sand but that was back in the 80's. The brat would try and get stuck but that was the snow tires I had on it.
That is experience talking
Years ago, I used to have a 79 or 81 Chevy Luv pickup. When I would get that stuck, my buddy and I would jump out, pick up the back of the truck and move it over out of the ruts, jump back in and keep on getting it, lol! The Taos is pretty light, but it's not light enough two people can pick up the back of it.
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