Just moved to Tucson and I live in a semi-remote area with access to
the open desert. I'm thinking about getting a quad but can't decide on
a 2WD or race quad versus a 4WD quad. Ideally, I want to use it to
explore the desert area around my house up here and thought that a 4x4
would keep me out of trouble, more access in the really sandy, loose
dirt areas and so on. From a base price standpoint, 4x4 look to be far
more expensive dollar-wise than the 2wd models and since I'm a
beginner here, I don't want to invest a ton of money initially, only
to find that I could have done okay with a 2wd.

Any suggestions?

Couldn't you just take up hiking and carry a bedroll rather than foul
up the atmosphere with pollution and noise?

Doesn't really answer his question, does it? Interestingly, you are
polluting the atmosphere with the fuels used to make the electricity
to run your PC, from which you posted your answer.

Maybe you should be spending the time you are wasting on your power
hungry computer doing something worthwhile?

Thanks, Murunbuchstansinger. Your comment doesn't address the topic at
all (while mine at least does so obliquely) and thus is an even
greater waste of space. I will withhold comment as to how this
reflects on its author.

While I do not usually post my credentials (except my professional
ones), I would like to say that I have a relatively small ecological
footprint. My sole vehicle is ultra low emissions (ULEV), my cooling
system is high efficiency Puron, I have a rainwater holding system for
irrigation and runoff control, I walk to mass transit (and spend more
on it than it would cost to drive, which peeves me a bit), I have a
sailboat rather than a stinkpot, solar panels power several charging
systems around the office, and I am a vegetarian most of the time (my
God, how can anyone give up steak entirely?). These are just a few of
the things-- there are a number of others-- I do to minimize my
ecological damage.

Normal people who live in remote areas should want to keep them quiet,
pristine, and uncrowded. Numbskulls zooming across these areas in
pollution-belching buggies for "enjoyment" could get their jollies at
a go-kart track in downtown Boston just as easily as mucking up the
desert. I suspect if Marcomguy developed an appreciation for his area
afoot first, he would be vehemently opposed to quads ruining his
space.

Marcomguy, look at what you are asking-- "Should I get a quad that
goes really fast, or get one that isn't quite as fast but can drive
over anything I want to?" I'd get the insanely fast death machine as
the desert is unlikely to offer many areas that you couldn't drive
around rather than over, and speeding is always great fun.

Better, Murunbuchstansinger? I hope a herd of quad-runners moves in
next door to you and goes zooming around every morning, jetskiing in
the afternoon, and juggles chainsaws into the night.

Dammit, you see what you've done? You're turning me into my
grandfather. Kill me now.

I live in a rural area and a field behind our farm is often used by
idiots on motorbikes. This is annoying.

I live in a rural area and have to damage the environment just by going shopping.  

Food mileage and carbon footprint, carbon cost of everything in your house.

What is the carbon cost of your little energy efficient car? How often
does it have to be replaced?  Does it depreciate faster than an
equivalent non "energy efficient" vehicle.  Would you be better
spending the extra the car cost you on technology in the 3rd world,
where CO2 pollution is much worse.

Maybe you are different, but I find most environmentalists to be naive
and lacking in understanding of the bigger picture.

The car is a Civic with the CVT. It is NOT a hybrid and I am familiar
with the limitations and hype associated with those.

Murunbuchstansinger, I realize just how limited one person is in
trying to effect global change. My travels and experiences have shown
me just how bad the situation is and expose our leader for the lying
scum he is. I figure my efforts compensate for one minute of one day
of his horrid policies and practices.

Now I just need 4,204,800 more folks and we'll be covered through
election day 2008.

I am truly sorry you have chucklehead zoomies ripping up what is
essentially your back yard. If our offspring were given an
appreciation of silence, an understanding of the solace of solitude, a
taste of the joy of peace and quiet, maybe they wouldn't need to fill
their heads with buzzing and their nostrils with fumes (see the use of
double entendre there that encompasses our discussion AND drug abuse?
I almost missed it myself).

Sorry about the quad-runner/jetski/chainsaw swipe earlier. It's
fitting punishment for some, but I don't think you deserve it.

A bedroll and a pack are so much more fun. I'm just annoyed at how
much room in my pack is consumed with water purification nowadays.

Thanks for the reply.

I agree with you, but have to admit to being a bit grumpy about the
pseudo environmentalists that run around bleating about 4x4s - many of
which have a lower carbon cost than an MPV - then order grapes from
5,000 miles away, shoes made in China and leave their telivisions on
standby.

I'm getting grumpier as I get older!

What you are looking at is a matter of needs verses costs.  The 4wd
models can go more places, but have a much higher cost involved with
thier purchase.  The 2wd models will go most all places, and have a
lower cost of ownership (lower maintainance, generally better milage)
and lower initial purchase price.  Since you are in Arizona you will
generally not have to deal with teh main problems that 4wd is meant to
overcome, namely snow and mud, but you will have to deal with loose
sand.  Loose sand can often be defeated with lower tire pressure, or
wider tires as this will give you a wider foot print on the sand, and
a lower pressure upon the surface.  Look around at the areas that you
will be riding in however and ask yourself how often are you going to
run into enough loose sand that it becomes an issue, and could you
simply just go around it?  If you look you will most likely discover
that 98% of the time you will not need a 4wd and the 2wd will be
cheaper and more efficient for your purposes.
I live in Northern Minnesota and drive a 2wd throughout the winters. 
I did have a 4wd for a few years but when I paid attention to my
driving habits I discovered that I was only actually used the 4wd in
my Jeep about 2 hours over a period of 2 years (Even going up hills in
blizzards didn't require 4wd, only goig places that I shouldn't have
gone in the first place).  Since then I have decided to go back to 2wd
as it simply makes more economic and enviromental sence.  In the words
of my father, 4wd just gives you the oportunity to get stuck in even
more impossible and remote places.