winter beater
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 963
Likes: 23
Pretty sure they clear the snow off of the test track at the Bowling Green plant. And if you have ever looked under the hood of a C5 you will see that it's not completely sealed so therefore, driving through more than a few inches of snow will cause it to get caught on various parts of the undercarriage, eventually building up and packing itself in there.
I grew up in southern Indiana, I tried driving my Camaro in that weather and it was a mistake. Be safe and get a beater.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 4
From: either, ca/ohio
once more, the snow would not build up enough to stop the car.
I will try to find a video link of corvettes in the snow being tested.
here is an article on 4 seasons in a c5.
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...z06/index.html
I will try to find a video link of corvettes in the snow being tested.
here is an article on 4 seasons in a c5.
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...z06/index.html
Last edited by imavettegirl; Sep 13, 2010 at 03:36 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 963
Likes: 23
once more, the snow would not build up enough to stop the car.
I will try to find a video link of corvettes in the snow being tested.
here is an article on 4 seasons in a c5.
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...z06/index.html
I will try to find a video link of corvettes in the snow being tested.
here is an article on 4 seasons in a c5.
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...z06/index.html
If I were you, I would read an article before posting a link to it to try and prove someone wrong. Nowhere did it say they drove it in the snow... in fact, this is the only reference to snow in the whole 2 pages...
"Because we run our Four Seasons cars in all four seasons, we needed snow tires. But there are no snow tires made that fit the Z06's ultra-wide wheels (17 x 9.5 inches front, 18 x 10.5 inches rear, an inch wider than a standard Vette's). So add the cost of four standard Corvette wheels to the $1278 for the tires, and you'll understand why Z06s are rare sights at ski resorts."
Bottom line:
If you want to take the risk and drive your vette in snow then by all means go for it. Some of us prefer to keep ours in the garage. Others will charge on through the elements. That's the great thing about it being YOURS... You do what YOU want with it.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,117
Likes: 671
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Winter transportation
Don't even question it, get a winter beater. It saves the vetter from getting rust, and will also give it a better resale value. My winter beater that I've had for the last 3 years is a 1998 Toyota Corolla with 204375miles on the clock...Sure it has some rust spots and an oil leak but that's what a winter beater is. Initial cost $2000 certified and emission tested (required where I live)
1000% I went to an Auction and bought a ex-NYC Electric company 2002 Cavalier sedan. I acually only bought it cause it was bought a Huntington Chevrolet in Huntington Station, NY in late 2001 out on Long Island. I used to go right by the dealership three times a week. But also I have had the pleasure of visiting one of the vehicle maintenance facility at Consolidated Electric & Gas and they do a pretty good job on vehicle maintenance on all their fleet of meter reader cars. I had to find a matching drivers seat, and I changed every fluid in the car, put in a new starter, but it has worked out very nice for use from the end of December through to April 30 of the next year that my 2003 50th. Anniversary coupe out from a winters sleep. I just won't take the corvette out in snow and salt. Period, ain't necessary, so I store it. I put too much work in it just to let idiots drivers and the weather eat it up.
Last edited by killain; Sep 13, 2010 at 07:15 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 705
Likes: 6
From: Endicott New York
Oldtimer
If you can afford a $500 beater for the winter, why would you want to risk having someone slide into your Vette on some slippery highway, or risk sliding into some ditch? With the insurance money you save taking it off the road for a few months, you probably can pickup something to get you through the winter. As soon as it snows and there is salt on the roads here (upstate New York), mine if off the road.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 4
From: either, ca/ohio
go to you tube.
search:
c6 z51 in 'snow' at the ring
niels007007
it was indeed 10 minutes of driving in the snow.
hope that shows the doubters that it can be done even though most would not do it.
search:
c6 z51 in 'snow' at the ring
niels007007
it was indeed 10 minutes of driving in the snow.
hope that shows the doubters that it can be done even though most would not do it.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 4
From: either, ca/ohio
If I were you, I would read an article before posting a link to it to try and prove someone wrong. Nowhere did it say they drove it in the snow... in fact, this is the only reference to snow in the whole 2 pages...
"Because we run our Four Seasons cars in all four seasons, we needed snow tires. But there are no snow tires made that fit the Z06's ultra-wide wheels (17 x 9.5 inches front, 18 x 10.5 inches rear, an inch wider than a standard Vette's). So add the cost of four standard Corvette wheels to the $1278 for the tires, and you'll understand why Z06s are rare sights at ski resorts."
"Because we run our Four Seasons cars in all four seasons, we needed snow tires. But there are no snow tires made that fit the Z06's ultra-wide wheels (17 x 9.5 inches front, 18 x 10.5 inches rear, an inch wider than a standard Vette's). So add the cost of four standard Corvette wheels to the $1278 for the tires, and you'll understand why Z06s are rare sights at ski resorts."
i could even use snow tires on my subaru legacy gt in the winter sometimes.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 963
Likes: 23
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
I drove a Vette (a customer's car) that had snow tires on it in heavy snow and I was surprised at how much traction it had. That being said, I wouldn't want to subject mine to the road salt. My daily driver is an AWD TrailBlazer SS that's great in the snow. 
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: Noblesville Indiana
You will only have to subject yourself to driving the Civic for a couple of months... February is our biggest snow month. Not sure where you live in Indy but the further North of 70 you live the worse it gets. I have a company car that is AWD and my Vette will only see the road when there is no salt on it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 4
From: either, ca/ohio
the GT is a 2000 and is a little lower then the legacy outback.
they are quirky but very reliable.
the timing belt needs to be changed at around 100,000 and if not done walk away from the car.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 99
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
if you really want to use your car as a dd all year around and are afraid chevy made it as a part year driver, get a hold of a copy of "all corvettes are red" and read what they put the car through in testing before it was released to the public (eventually in 1997). there are sections of that book that gave me chills reading it (based upon weather conditions) and i was reading it here at home in south florida in the summer time, lol!! i guarantee that you will change your mind and mindset regarding how the car will work for you in the cold and snow. the only thing to remember about those conditions however is that corvettes have always loved to ice skate on even a a road misted with a light rain, lol!! the car is tough enough to take it, are you brave enough to drive it in those conditions????
Last edited by srs244; Sep 14, 2010 at 09:29 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Plainfield IL
You will need the winter beater unless you have an abundance of patience, a flexible schedule, and good friends (or a good towing plan on your insurance). We use an 04' Grand Cherokee (98k miles) and a Vovlo XC70 (120k miles) for ours. But as was stated before, anything with FWD should get you through. Good luck!