Do C4's go in snow??

[Edmond]

Buddy of mine told me one time that the Vette's tires are too wide for the snow, aside from being too low to the ground, etc...

He had a theory that if you put thinner tires on the Vette', it would "cut through" the snow instead of trying to "trample" over it.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Buddy of mine told me one time that the Vette's tires are too wide for the snow, aside from being too low to the ground, etc...

He had a theory that if you put thinner tires on the Vette', it would "cut through" the snow instead of trying to "trample" over it.

Yup the old guy at my shop told me that cars with wide tires tend to hydroplane more often because of the contact patch of the tire.. my opinion buy a cheap a$$ beater.. store the vette as many people told me if you can afford a vette you can afford to fix it or in this case keep it from getting ruined in the snow..
-Rick

 

[Bob Yates]

Gee ...I've been bust'in knuckles since 1966, 8 years of that as a chevy GM tech. I did leaks and squeaks and the hair pulling electrical . Here's a blast from the past . I did everything on a corvair. I guess everyone is dead because I never get any calls about them any more. I would like some cheese with my whine.

 

[Ken]

... a theory ... thinner tires ... would "cut through" the snow instead of trying to "trample" over it.

The theory behind that school of thought is that wide tires are used where flotation and stability is desired. Narrow tires are used where traction, primarily in muddy conditions, is desired.

_ken

 

[Edmond]

Rick,

Have you guys gotten much snow in Downers Grove? We're getting a decent amount in the south suburbs but it's not sticking on the roads. It's melting once it hits the roads but it is accumulating on the grass.

 

[vettn94]

I can't say anything that hasen't already been said here but after driving winter in an f-body for several years I can offer you some advice if you
have to drive in the snow.
Get yourself 2 snow tires for the rear, something in a narrower width than your stock tires. Put as much weight in the hatch area as possible. Sandbags, cat litter, whatever. I used to use actual weights and bags of litter, the litter comes in handy when you get stuck It's still going to be rough going but
this does help a little.
Instead of buying a beaters every year I took my wifes car and she got a new one. Maybe that is an option for you or buy something inexpensive but with low miles that way you'll have something dependable to drive for a few years.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Rick,

Have you guys gotten much snow in Downers Grove? We're getting a decent amount in the south suburbs but it's not sticking on the roads. It's melting once it hits the roads but it is accumulating on the grass.

We got a little bit today.. side streets were bad at lunch time.. but then it started melting.. not it's pretty slick on my street the slush is feezing.. thats the weather report..
-Rick

Almost forgot while I was on a road test I saw a Toyota MR2 slide off the road and into a small ditch on a side street by my shop..

 

[kevoinc]

I`ll never drive mine in the snow even tho i have had no problems in the rain the couple times i have been caught in it.Winter time is 4 my explorer.........last yr i hit a deer at 60mph when it was snowing with an Expidition i used 2 have.It caused $150 damage and was like riding over a speed bump..........hmmmmmmm he scratches his head and wonders......what do u think would have happened if i was driving the vette?By the way it snowed all day on Chicagos north shore but not a bit in s.e. wisconsin.

 

[GS Diva]

Do C4s go in the snow??

Well, I wouldn't want to try it around here today as it's snowing right now and expected to accumulate to 3-5", maybe to 7". I'm afraid the Corvettes would be slipping and sliding all over the roads. No way I'd want to have either of them out there!!!

Elaine

 

["94 Sixspeed]

Snow

Snow is forcast for tomorrow.... I will find out soon.

 

[ZAL81]

94Sixpeed,

So far in Mid Missouri we are snow free, so I'll look forward to your experience in the snow. Hope all goes well. Be safe Zane

 

[RLD92]

I vote for a beater save the vette!

 

[ZAL81]

And the answer is:

Yes C4's do go in the snow, but I don't recommend it. Got about an inch this morning(with a thin layer of ice underneath) for the drive to work. Got to work fine but I now have a permenant pucker mark in my drivers seat cushion.!! No it really wasn't to bad, just getting the car rolling without spinning was the hardest part, once I got rolling it was ok. Just had to watch out for the other guy. At least I got to test out my ABS system.Sure does make a mess of the car though, got some major cleaning to do when it warms up a little. I'll have to give that beater idea some serious thought, or put the company sick line number on my speed dial for the winter months Later Zane

 

[The Car Whisperer]

Put it in the garage, turn off the lights, shut the door and forget about it until spring.
I had a 69 I used to drive in the winter way back when they were new, all I can say is get used to being wildly out of control on iced over roads and forget about taking a corner over 1 MPH. As far as traction in the snow - there isn't any. Once that posi kicks in and those wheels start a spinnin you'll be doing 360s before you even know what happpened. Have you been on the Rockin Roller coaster? The thrill of driving a Vette in the winter is right up there with it!
I just put mine away this week, I don't think it will be out again until March now. Everything here is covered with snow, temps are in the teens and there's tons of salt blowing around on the roads now.

 

["94 Sixspeed]

Snow wow

Get real guys... I took the car out tonight in a shallow but very slippery snow.. Car drove fine , In the morning I am taking it to the dealer for some repair work... Hey it's just a car... If I break it it's insured, and I can get another one... I just sold my 240 Z that could probably kick my Vettes ass in a short drag and the guys on the Z site were just as sissy about this... If the car is just to look at I don't want it... It is a tool... A fun tool, but still a tool.. Driving in the snow is half the fun,,, It is like driving at very high speed with out the speed... The best part is that if you screw up you live to tell someone later. Not like a crash in a stock car at very high speed... I love being sideways, I love spinning (as long as you don"t hit something) I love the thrill of driving to the edge of my limitations... Hey if you don't lose controll, how will you ever know how far you can go????

 

[rrubel]

Uh, that's what the track is for... or empty parking lots at 3am. I'm not concerned about breaking MY glass, but someone else's. The idea is to keep control on the streets.

Besides - I'd love to see a Vette w/out ASR start from a dead stop on a hill in snow... or cross a snowplow divot without losing the entire underside.
[RICHR]

 

[Mr Dark]

I would NEVER drive the Corvette in the snow. Years ago, my 1988 Camaro was the only car I had so it got driven in the winter. It handled like a tobaggan! It could get stuck on level ground, would slide all over the road when the brakes were applied going down the smallest hill, and had ZERO traction. The Corvette sits even lower and has wider tires and more power, which would make it even worse for winter driving. In Minnesota, the only solution is to store the car. I'd walk wherever I was going before I'd take the vette. I drive an old pickup truck in the winter and have no regrets!

 

[vette-dude]

Snow - yes, ice - NO!!



:nono

 

[montanabob]

As long as you drive sensibly, it'll be fine in the snow. That is unless you've never driven a rear wheel drive car in the snow. I started out with rear wheel drive sport coupes, and that is mostly what I've driven over the years with one exception.(mustang, firebird, trans am, regal , vette) You can't drive like you're on dry pavement, and you can't drive like crazy, but that goes for any car. I've had the '95 out in the snow and had no problems on days were I saw dozens of cars that slid off of the road into ditches. For what its worth, I'm storing the vette this winter and driving the regal. I miss the vette.
One other recommendation, the goodrich g-force KDWS TAs handle much better in the rain and snow than the goodyear GSCs.

 

["94 Sixspeed]

Snow

Well we certainly got snow last night.. And I did find a problem with the whole issue of driving this morning... I forgot that I only had about 3 to 4 inches of ground clearance,,, This doesn't work too well with six inches of snow.... The car actually was taken out last night to see about the handling under these conditions... It did very well... I like the car, but cannot believe I bought a fair weather car... What a *****... I cannot afford a car for each season... I need a ride that can do it all.. Kick ass at the track and do the all season daily driver routine.. I will stay with this for now... Maybe I need an early Vette.... More ground clearance you know.... As far as taking off in the snow, it's all in having the right tires, and the right technique..