Seriously, why not just drive it?
02-12-2017, 12:25 PM
#22
Drifting
I will start with a disclaimer that I am a new Vette owner and do not have all of the knowledge that many of you have but I have a question after reading thru multiple posts on winter driving. (ok, maybe more of an opinion than question)
Living in Minnesota definitely has its drawbacks when it comes to winter. Usually a ton of snow (not this year) and it seems like the salt, brine and sand is either feast or famine on the roadways. So why would you not take your car out and enjoy it if the roads are relatively clear and salt free when the temps are above 40? I bought my C7 to fulfill a life long dream of having a true american icon to drive around. I hate having to park it in the garage and with temps this next weekend expected to hit 50 it will be coming out of storage. I understand that there may be some salt residue on the roads but I bought the car to drive and not to look at. I don't have the patience to clean the underside like I have seen some of you do (my hat is off to those of you that polish the underside of your car) nor do I expect to have my car be a 30 year old masterpiece being auctioned off for high $$$. Never driving it unless it is a perfect 70 degrees with no clouds in the sky seems like the same thing as buying the best ATV or side by side and not taking in the mud and water because it will get dirty. I am not trying to tick anyone off with this but curious as to why some are so adamant about it and why some think you should be taken out back and dismembered for doing it?
Living in Minnesota definitely has its drawbacks when it comes to winter. Usually a ton of snow (not this year) and it seems like the salt, brine and sand is either feast or famine on the roadways. So why would you not take your car out and enjoy it if the roads are relatively clear and salt free when the temps are above 40? I bought my C7 to fulfill a life long dream of having a true american icon to drive around. I hate having to park it in the garage and with temps this next weekend expected to hit 50 it will be coming out of storage. I understand that there may be some salt residue on the roads but I bought the car to drive and not to look at. I don't have the patience to clean the underside like I have seen some of you do (my hat is off to those of you that polish the underside of your car) nor do I expect to have my car be a 30 year old masterpiece being auctioned off for high $$$. Never driving it unless it is a perfect 70 degrees with no clouds in the sky seems like the same thing as buying the best ATV or side by side and not taking in the mud and water because it will get dirty. I am not trying to tick anyone off with this but curious as to why some are so adamant about it and why some think you should be taken out back and dismembered for doing it?
02-12-2017, 12:48 PM
#23
I live in SoCal and mine has not been driven since late November. I only take mine out on warm clear days as that is why I purchased the car. I have other vehicles for daily use and see no reason of taking out the Z in bad/cold weather just to be in it. If the weather is bad, I drive the truck. If I need to make a quick run to pick something up, I take the SUV. If its nice and warm out and I feel like taking a spirited drive up to Idyllwild or Julian, I take the Z.
02-12-2017, 12:52 PM
#24
It's a matter of personal choice. Some owners are more **** about the cleanliness of their car, some less. To me it's like this: Would the Louvre take the Mona Lisa outside during poor weather so that more people could get to see it? I like to keep my vets very cleaned and detailed, and rainy weather kicks up all kinds of dirt particles into places you never get it out of. This has been the rainiest season in Cali in decades, so my GS hasn't even reached it's break in oil change yet. But my C6 has over 185,000 miles on her, so what do I know.
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Old Goat MN (02-15-2017)
02-12-2017, 01:00 PM
#25
Just a matter of preference. I have other cars to use so I keep the Vette garaged during the winter and for any commuting duties. If there is no salt or sand on the roads, I will occasionally take it for a blast but other than than it waits for spring. I get a real sense of enjoyment of having a car that is pristine and that is magnified when they get old. My previous new car sits in the garage with the Vette and it looks near brand new despite 21 years of age and 75K miles. And the best part for me? Every time I get into the Vette, it is treat.
02-12-2017, 01:49 PM
#26
Safety Car
Member Since: Mar 2009
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Once winter sets in, I just park mine in the garage with a Battery Tender ready to go should conditions permit.
I don't see a problem driving in cold weather with a second set of wheels with A/S tires for Fall and early Spring.
Car runs great in cold weather
Put 150 miles on last week with roads clear and dry before we got hit with 14 inches of snow.
With another Blizzard today it'll be Spring time before it leaves the garage again
02-12-2017, 01:59 PM
#27
Instructor
Thread Starter
it was in another thread that I read this morning when I was searching Salt. Just was curious
02-12-2017, 02:04 PM
#29
Burning Brakes
I used to drive my C5 any time between the end of march and Thanksgiving. (yes, even if it snowed) with off-site storage from December to March due to lack of space. Now with the C7 GS 3LT there's always a garage space, but it's way more cost-effective to remove the insurance during the winter months, not to mention I drove it when it was around 40° and the PSC2s had less than stellar traction.
02-12-2017, 02:07 PM
#30
Burning Brakes
I am in Georgia and do get quite a few warm winter days to drive my GS. The only issue i have is that whenever there is snow or ice ... they put down lots of gravel and sand on the roads. That crap stays on the roads until Spring when they bring out street sweepers and clean it up. I had my GS out the other day and I cringe on the amount of stuff sticking to the summer tires and smacking the bottom of the car .... I have a Jeep Wrangler and Focus ST I use as my daily drivers.
Last edited by dmhines; 02-12-2017 at 02:07 PM.
02-12-2017, 02:37 PM
#31
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2005
Location: Big Bend Country, TX
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15- '16-'17-‘18-‘19-'20-'21
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Must be nice to be able to buy all season tires. 
So far, noone makes them for a Z06.
So far, noone makes them for a Z06.
02-12-2017, 03:04 PM
#32
Melting Slicks
I want to make sure the next owner gets a totally clean, zero corrosion, zero stone chip, zero salt stained carpets C7!!!!!
Kidding but every joke has an element of truth in it.
Kidding but every joke has an element of truth in it.
02-12-2017, 04:55 PM
#33
Race Director
My C7s have never been in storage. I do drive in winter but not on salted wet roads. Salt gets in cracks and crevices and the darn stuff leaches out seems like forever. I wish the highway department would never ever use salt again. And pretreatment is a joke, really doesn't prevent ice and once dry we have to breath the horrible dust.
02-12-2017, 09:33 PM
#34
It's a matter of personal choice. Some owners are more **** about the cleanliness of their car, some less. To me it's like this: Would the Louvre take the Mona Lisa outside during poor weather so that more people could get to see it? I like to keep my vets very cleaned and detailed, and rainy weather kicks up all kinds of dirt particles into places you never get it out of. This has been the rainiest season in Cali in decades, so my GS hasn't even reached it's break in oil change yet. But my C6 has over 185,000 miles on her, so what do I know.
02-12-2017, 10:04 PM
#35
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,,,this but curious as to why some are so adamant about it and why some think you should be taken out back and dismembered for doing it? ....I am just curious why so many people think it is pure evil to drive it...it was in another thread that I read this morning when I was searching Salt. Just was curious
a) So many people are adamant
b) People should be dismembered for driving it
c) It is pure evil to drive it
and when asked where you read this you say
d) you read all this on some thread about salt you can't name.
So EXACTLY WHO is adamant about not driving it. EXACTLY WHO said people should be dismembered for driving it, and EXACTLY WHO says it's "pure evil" to drive it?
It's a Straw Man argument. Nobody said those things. You just made them up to bolster an argument that does not really exist all that much.
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Old Goat MN (02-15-2017)
02-12-2017, 10:08 PM
#36
Instructor
Here in Cleveland during the winter they salt the roads so heavily that it eats away at the roads regardless if its asphalt or cement. If it eats away at the road like that imagine what it does to the soft metal, painted pieces and clear coat on all our cars. It's definitely all personal opinion. If I can I would rather save it for the nicer days when I can drop the top, go fast and enjoy the sun. I have a truck that has AWD and an AWD sedan that work much better in the snow than a RWD roadster can handle. Driving down a Cleveland road in the winter is also a game of "Dodge the 2 foot deep Pothole" which reeks havoc on rims and tires. This year I had to replace a 700$ rim on my wife BMW due to a pothole bending the rim beyond repair....problem is she never saw it because of the slush on the road. Again, subjective but I prefer to leave the Vette until the weather breaks...Oh and I have a little OCD about keeping my cars clean. My neighbors (and wife) all think I'm crazy because I wash my truck and her car just about every week. Stay safe my friends and we can all agree on this, we all love our cars .
02-13-2017, 08:00 AM
#37
I will start with a disclaimer that I am a new Vette owner and do not have all of the knowledge that many of you have but I have a question after reading thru multiple posts on winter driving. (ok, maybe more of an opinion than question)
Living in Minnesota definitely has its drawbacks when it comes to winter. Usually a ton of snow (not this year) and it seems like the salt, brine and sand is either feast or famine on the roadways. So why would you not take your car out and enjoy it if the roads are relatively clear and salt free when the temps are above 40? I bought my C7 to fulfill a life long dream of having a true american icon to drive around. I hate having to park it in the garage and with temps this next weekend expected to hit 50 it will be coming out of storage. I understand that there may be some salt residue on the roads but I bought the car to drive and not to look at. I don't have the patience to clean the underside like I have seen some of you do (my hat is off to those of you that polish the underside of your car) nor do I expect to have my car be a 30 year old masterpiece being auctioned off for high $$$. Never driving it unless it is a perfect 70 degrees with no clouds in the sky seems like the same thing as buying the best ATV or side by side and not taking in the mud and water because it will get dirty. I am not trying to tick anyone off with this but curious as to why some are so adamant about it and why some think you should be taken out back and dismembered for doing it?
Living in Minnesota definitely has its drawbacks when it comes to winter. Usually a ton of snow (not this year) and it seems like the salt, brine and sand is either feast or famine on the roadways. So why would you not take your car out and enjoy it if the roads are relatively clear and salt free when the temps are above 40? I bought my C7 to fulfill a life long dream of having a true american icon to drive around. I hate having to park it in the garage and with temps this next weekend expected to hit 50 it will be coming out of storage. I understand that there may be some salt residue on the roads but I bought the car to drive and not to look at. I don't have the patience to clean the underside like I have seen some of you do (my hat is off to those of you that polish the underside of your car) nor do I expect to have my car be a 30 year old masterpiece being auctioned off for high $$$. Never driving it unless it is a perfect 70 degrees with no clouds in the sky seems like the same thing as buying the best ATV or side by side and not taking in the mud and water because it will get dirty. I am not trying to tick anyone off with this but curious as to why some are so adamant about it and why some think you should be taken out back and dismembered for doing it?
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AdventurePoser (02-16-2017)
02-13-2017, 08:08 AM
#38
Pro
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Old Goat - some of us have different perspectives and desires - it's as simple as that. I'm happy to not judge you and would just ask the same in return. I have a 2014 I obtained in December 2013 - it's resting comfortably in the garage with 3100 miles on the odometer. Next to it in the garage are a Mercedes SUV and a relatively new Chevy Colorado - both better suited to inclement weather in my mind.
02-13-2017, 08:55 AM
#40
Drifting
It's a matter of personal choice. Some owners are more **** about the cleanliness of their car, some less. To me it's like this: Would the Louvre take the Mona Lisa outside during poor weather so that more people could get to see it? I like to keep my vets very cleaned and detailed, and rainy weather kicks up all kinds of dirt particles into places you never get it out of. This has been the rainiest season in Cali in decades, so my GS hasn't even reached it's break in oil change yet. But my C6 has over 185,000 miles on her, so what do I know.