C4 in the snow
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Albany Ga
C4 in the snow
Situation may be causing me to leave the south, where I've lived all my life, and go north for work. Could be going to buffalo, NY. Here's a really dumb question. Why are corvettes garaged, and not driven there during winter? Is it that they're to low to the ground? I love my '93, don't wanna subject it to harm. Does this mean I'll have to find a garage? I would think my "moto-shade" cover, and cloth cover I use to protect it here is pretty much useless in these extream conditions. So what do you guys do to protect your vettes there? Are there any alternatives to a garage? (I could leave it here until spring). Do you pay for insurance during the months you can't drive it?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,178
Likes: 1
From: Bahston Mass.
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
I keep mine insured year round. No, I don't drive it in the winter, mainly because of the ill effects salt has on an undercarriage .. Many guys here drive all year, and their cars look great.. It's just something I chose not to do... The reason I keep insurance on it, is just in case my garage burns down, or for some unGodly reason it gets stolen... Who knows what could happen!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,526
Likes: 0
From: Warrick County IN
CI 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
If you are headed up towards that area I think they normally get quite a bit of snow and I don't think the vette would make a very good "bobsled" up there. What did they get this week 3 feet or 6 feet of snow??
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: chicago il
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
you can do without the garage, a good cover will protect it from the elements. but as far as driving it in the snow, forget it, unless you don't mind traveling a mile every half hour! it just does'nt move. gotta have a winter beater.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 4,931
Likes: 3
From: Fort Lauderdale FL
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
I live in Rochester and we are about an hour away from Buffalo. The snow up here gets bad and it doesn't do your Vette any good. I drove my Vette the first year I bought it until I decided I wasn't going to do it anymore. Trust me I know.. you'll do nothing but fishtails all the time and the old lady in a Geo Metro will be passing you everytime. :lol: Get a second car if you are going to keep the Vette. Thats how I ended up with my Blazer and the Vette in the garage during the winters.
Bench Racer
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,201
Likes: 15
From: Palm Beach Gardens FL
St. Jude '03 thru 14,'25
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
I drove my first C4 through three Chicago winters and even the bitterest cold was never a problem. However, if there's more than an inch or so of snow, it would be best to find an alternate means of transportation until the roads have been plowed and salted. Otherwise, you'll spend most of the time going nowhere sideways...
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 869
Likes: 0
From: Nashua NH
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
The sand that gets dumped on the road gets kicked up on the highways can really damage your paint and windshield. The salt can damage the underside.
But the worse is that fixing big chunks of broken fiberglass is expensive if someone slides into you (or you into them). I put mine away just before the first snow or ice storm and try very hard to wait till it gets warm again.
But the worse is that fixing big chunks of broken fiberglass is expensive if someone slides into you (or you into them). I put mine away just before the first snow or ice storm and try very hard to wait till it gets warm again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 7,339
Likes: 137
From: WilkesBarre PA
Re: C4 in the snow (Sandy S)
We put ours on insurance layup for 3 months. Saves us 40% per car. In PA they use so much salt and now some brine solution it covers everything. I like our cars spotless. If we drove them I would be spending every night cleaning them. So they sit in a nice warm garage while I take them apart and mod them. :D
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
Buffalo gets tons of snow. I wouldn't think of driving mine there, but here in central Jersey we don't get as much and once the roads are plowed it isn't as bad.
I was four wheeling my '93 yesterday since work cause me to have no time to keep shovelling snow, but I took traction control off and got over the hump of snow and drove the hell out of my car yesterday.
I was four wheeling my '93 yesterday since work cause me to have no time to keep shovelling snow, but I took traction control off and got over the hump of snow and drove the hell out of my car yesterday.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 18,727
Likes: 711
From: Bergen County, NJ
Re: C4 in the snow (Bilyk)
A Corvette is much too low to drive in the snow, yes its sort of dangerous.
I use my SUV in the snow & only drive my Vette after the snow is cleared and the rain washes the salt away. A personal preference: I like mine clean always.
:auto:
I use my SUV in the snow & only drive my Vette after the snow is cleared and the rain washes the salt away. A personal preference: I like mine clean always.
:auto:
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,987
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From: Kerrville, Texas USA Hook 'em Horns!
CentralTX Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Re: C4 in the snow (vinnies87)
a mortorized slip & slide.... :yesnod:
I'd get an old beater to drive in the winter.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,861
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
Re: C4 in the snow (longhorn_vette96)
I've been driving the Vette all year long since my beater through a rod.
tires is the main thing. Performance tires turn rock hard in the winter and don't have enough tread to bit the snow. I bought a used set of '86 rims, and put snow tires on it, MUCH BETTER! :yesnod:
tires is the main thing. Performance tires turn rock hard in the winter and don't have enough tread to bit the snow. I bought a used set of '86 rims, and put snow tires on it, MUCH BETTER! :yesnod:
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
Quick & simple:
1. If no garage, no fear just use a good outdoor car cover.
2. Save yourself the mental aches & heart palpitations of never-ending worry by getting yourself an ugly winter beater. I did! And now I don't cry anymore :D
1. If no garage, no fear just use a good outdoor car cover.
2. Save yourself the mental aches & heart palpitations of never-ending worry by getting yourself an ugly winter beater. I did! And now I don't cry anymore :D
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,375
Likes: 1
From: Northern CA
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
I got my C4 last November. After hearing how hearing the word snow will make you wet your pants if you hear it while driving a C4, I decided to try it for my self.
The big lightly loaded tires sure don't help you get traction. The good balance helps make up for it, but not enough. It's fun to play around with spining donuts in the parking lot, but not the kind of car a sane person would use for snowy road tranportation on a regular basis.
The real clincher is that if there is any snow more than a few inches deep, it will pack into your radiator opening. Not good for the AC condensor or cooling.
My conclusion is that I'm not going to delibertly head out to drive it in the snow, but I'm not going to change my travel plans because of a small possibility of snow either.
If I lived in snow country, I would definitelyhave another winter car.
Dick
The big lightly loaded tires sure don't help you get traction. The good balance helps make up for it, but not enough. It's fun to play around with spining donuts in the parking lot, but not the kind of car a sane person would use for snowy road tranportation on a regular basis.
The real clincher is that if there is any snow more than a few inches deep, it will pack into your radiator opening. Not good for the AC condensor or cooling.
My conclusion is that I'm not going to delibertly head out to drive it in the snow, but I'm not going to change my travel plans because of a small possibility of snow either.
If I lived in snow country, I would definitelyhave another winter car.
Dick
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 4,833
Likes: 1
From: Castle Rock CO
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: C4 in the snow (chrish3985)
Here's a really dumb question. Why are corvettes garaged, and not driven there during winter?
During the winter, our Vettes are kept in the garage covered, and we only carry comp. insurance on them. If there's a weekend when the weather is nice and the roads look decent I just call my insurance agent and she'll put the car on full coverage insurance just for the weekend.