Corvette vs Snow
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: NJ
Corvette vs Snow
OK, so I've been perusing the other current thread about snow chains on a vette and seen the kind of reactions its gotten. Not wanting jack the thread (or have my post buried on page 5), I decided to start a new thread with my question. BESIDES snow chains, are there any modifications that can be made to the vette to make it a bit more winter friendly?
Specifically, I am thinking of studded tires (does anyone make these anymore?), narrower tires (i've heard GTO rims will fit C5s?), possibly raising the suspension a bit? Or something else I havent thought of
And please, please, pretty please no bashing this question. I am not a troll and this is a serious question. I am very seriously considering buying a C5 in the near future. This would be my daily driver in NJ. Some of you will say thats a bad idea, but I know for a fact there are people out there who make it work. My commute is not far and the roads near me are usually pretty clear within a day anyway. Buying a winter beater is not an option for me.
Thanks
Specifically, I am thinking of studded tires (does anyone make these anymore?), narrower tires (i've heard GTO rims will fit C5s?), possibly raising the suspension a bit? Or something else I havent thought of
And please, please, pretty please no bashing this question. I am not a troll and this is a serious question. I am very seriously considering buying a C5 in the near future. This would be my daily driver in NJ. Some of you will say thats a bad idea, but I know for a fact there are people out there who make it work. My commute is not far and the roads near me are usually pretty clear within a day anyway. Buying a winter beater is not an option for me.
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 30,194
Likes: 4,565
From: Bonita Springs, Florida
Set of decent All Season tires $800
Set of inexpensive C5 rims shipped $250
Set of TPM's depending on year $200-$400
Mounting and balancing $150-$200
Alignment after raising suspension $200
It would cost less for a winter beater. And you can sell it and recoup most of your money in the spring.
Set of inexpensive C5 rims shipped $250
Set of TPM's depending on year $200-$400
Mounting and balancing $150-$200
Alignment after raising suspension $200
It would cost less for a winter beater. And you can sell it and recoup most of your money in the spring.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 221
Likes: 1
From: Gurnee IL
Well I'm in Northern Illinois and my Vette is a dailey driver, this was my first winter and I can honestly say it was not much worse than the F-bodies I grew up driving as daily drivers... There are a few things to get used to mostly the added HP, starting in 2nd helps a lot, and for me at least turning off traction control in some instances helps as well, although it stays on most of the time... I also have a tendency to really overdrive the gears in the winter, that way you don't get the sudden power to the tires or the tranny grabing that could send the car into a spin...
This year was with the summer tires that came with the car, next year it will have a second set of rims with some all seasons or winter only tires mounted on them... I expect it to be night and day over what I'm driving on now so I'm pretty confident that next year will be easier...
If you want to go skinnier for winter, there was a thread on here that suggested 225/50/17 and 245/45/18 on OEM rims for winter driving...
This year was with the summer tires that came with the car, next year it will have a second set of rims with some all seasons or winter only tires mounted on them... I expect it to be night and day over what I'm driving on now so I'm pretty confident that next year will be easier...
If you want to go skinnier for winter, there was a thread on here that suggested 225/50/17 and 245/45/18 on OEM rims for winter driving...
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 221
Likes: 1
From: Gurnee IL
All season isn't bad, for a year round DD tire and if you use them only in the winter that $800 is good for what give or take 5 years of service?
optional...
optional...
going to pay that with any tires you purchase, and I can get it done much cheaper then that locally...
why raise it? again optional...
In the end you are talking about much less they you could purchase, licenese and insure a reliable beater for if you don't do a total winter conversion...
And lets say you did purchase tire, rims, tpms, and have them mounted and balanced grand total by your numbers about $300 a year over 5 years...
I know some people on here like there Corvette to be a garage ornament all winter and on rainy days but some people actually like to drive thier car, rather then look at it on those days... It's a car afterall...
Set of inexpensive C5 rims shipped $250
Set of TPM's depending on year $200-$400
Mounting and balancing $150-$200
Alignment after raising suspension $200
In the end you are talking about much less they you could purchase, licenese and insure a reliable beater for if you don't do a total winter conversion...
And lets say you did purchase tire, rims, tpms, and have them mounted and balanced grand total by your numbers about $300 a year over 5 years...
I know some people on here like there Corvette to be a garage ornament all winter and on rainy days but some people actually like to drive thier car, rather then look at it on those days... It's a car afterall...
Last edited by Exoray; Feb 9, 2010 at 01:45 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 2
From: Redding CA
All season isn't bad, for a year round DD tire and if you use them only in the winter that $800 is good for what give or take 5 years of service?
optional...
optional...
going to pay that with any tires you purchase, and I can get it done much cheaper then that locally...
why raise it? again optional...
In the end you are talking about much less they you could purchase, licenese and insure a reliable beater for if you don't do a total winter conversion...
And lets say you did purchase tire, rims, tpms, and have them mounted and balanced grand total by your numbers about $300 a year over 5 years...
I know some people on here like there Corvette to be a garage ornament all winter and on rainy days but some people actually like to drive thier car, rather then look at it on those days... It's a car afterall...
optional...
optional...
going to pay that with any tires you purchase, and I can get it done much cheaper then that locally...
why raise it? again optional...
In the end you are talking about much less they you could purchase, licenese and insure a reliable beater for if you don't do a total winter conversion...
And lets say you did purchase tire, rims, tpms, and have them mounted and balanced grand total by your numbers about $300 a year over 5 years...
I know some people on here like there Corvette to be a garage ornament all winter and on rainy days but some people actually like to drive thier car, rather then look at it on those days... It's a car afterall...
he has got it down! its a car DRIVE IT!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,670
Likes: 24,663
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Goodyear makes an EMT snow tire and manufacturers like Michelin have all season tires for the Corvette.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 475
Likes: 0
All wheel drive Audi or BMW daily driver,sports car, and winter fun car.
Snow/Ice/Rock Salt + Corvette = A big NO. Just my 2 cents worth and yes I drive my Z as much as I can. I just made a 2000 mile round trip not to long ago.
Snow/Ice/Rock Salt + Corvette = A big NO. Just my 2 cents worth and yes I drive my Z as much as I can. I just made a 2000 mile round trip not to long ago.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
Best case would be another set of wheels using dedicated -1 (smaller size) non-runflat snow tires (with snowpeaks logo on them).
Goodluck will be needed, little weight (plus near 50/50 weight distribution), wide tires and high horsepower are not conductive to driving in snow.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I have Michelin AS ZPs. Not sure I'd be happy about using the Vette as a DD in snow. Its too squirrelly down the back end in low grip conditions particularly with an A4. JMHO
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,628
Likes: 397
From: Madison Wi
Set of decent All Season tires $800
Set of inexpensive C5 rims shipped $250
Set of TPM's depending on year $200-$400
Mounting and balancing $150-$200
Alignment after raising suspension $200
It would cost less for a winter beater. And you can sell it and recoup most of your money in the spring.
Set of inexpensive C5 rims shipped $250
Set of TPM's depending on year $200-$400
Mounting and balancing $150-$200
Alignment after raising suspension $200
It would cost less for a winter beater. And you can sell it and recoup most of your money in the spring.
I used to buy a different winter beater every year in college. Spend $2000 in the fall on it, and sell it for $2000 in the spring. One year I got a really nice Grand Am from a buddy for $900 and actually made money on it when I sold it in the spring.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I used low interest credit cards to buy those winter cars. Then when I sold them I paid off the cards. It was simple, and cheap.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 714
Likes: 251
From: Grand Island, Florida
Having been born and lived in Maine most of my life, I can tell you from experience that when the snow exceeds a few inches to well over two feet, it is time to put the Vette up for a time and find another means of transportation. I have fouond that the Vette will manage just fine on wet slushy roadways, but doesn't like deep snow or hard packed icy surfaces. Is it really worth the hassle of trying to drive a vehicle designed with a high powered engine and a light frame over roads that some 4 wheel drive vehicles might have difficulty negotiating. That said, as I sit composing this message, it is snowing like he double toothpicks here in KY. It is time to crank up the 4X4 dually and head to the mall.
Bronk
Bronk
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 11,944
Likes: 1,331
From: Middletown, DE
I live in the same general climate as the OP and my Vette is my sole DD. How does it work? Great.
- All-season tires are a compromise that works fine year-round unless you are going to push it 9/10 or above on the back roads looking for the last few hundredths of a g. My car handles great when it is warm and dry, very nicely when it is wet, and if I am careful is OK in up to about 3" of snow.
- Normally, we get maybe 3 days per winter of more than 3" of snow (except this horrible year) and I just work from home when that happens on a workday. I also make sure I have a couple days of essentials on hand
- We had about 30" of snow Saturday and I was out by Sunday -- if you live near main roads and have a good community association, you might have a 12-24 hour window where you are stuck. Big deal.
- My incremental cost is zero -- I gotta have tires anyway, why not "ultra high performance all-season" tires?
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
I have a '98 ragtop and live just outside Detroit in Canada. The 'vette is my DD - if it snows too much, I take a taxi to work. A little snow (1 -2 inches) is no big deal if you go reasonably slow. I run stock run-flats. It's just common sense - If you get a lot of snow in NJ your alternate tranportation costs will go up, I guess it just depends what you can afford and how much snow you get. There's no getting around it - it's a sports car with big, fat tires. Just figure out, on the average, how many days are the roads bad and take it from there. There's nothing you can do about it, some climates are just not condusive to winter Vette driving. Good Luck!