Rainy day corvette
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 291
From: Allyn WA
I bought my vette to enjoy! Now mind you spending time in the garage tinkering is very enjoying but getting her on the road is where its at and the last thing I worry about with my daily driver is rain. This car is my medicine for high blood pressure when departing work after a more than interesting day. Living in the great Northwest, if I only drove on non rainy days id have driven it almost nil. Yes it rains a lot up here in the Seattle area (right now is our non rain season and it still showers). So I can attest that this car stands up to rain. The key to owning any car is maintaining it, keeping it clean and keeping on to the minor repairs (don't let them build up). My car although being 13 years old draws jaw dropping looks when asked what year? Not many cars out there that can match a C5 Corvette for keeping its great look. I mean its astonishing to look on the forum and see a corvette that doesn't look sharpe! Best kept secret in the U.S. (this car at the age; they are a steal and anyone considering buying a brand new car instead needs a head examination - thank the lord there are a lot of uneducated folks out there). 
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,754
Likes: 167
From: Youngsville North Carolina
For me its more of the re-detailing after been in the rain. Thats not to say it never sees rain, but if I can avoid it I do. However, the wife and I use it for a getaway trips, last one to Key West, believe it was like a 10 day trip - as luck would have it - NOT A DROP the whole trip - couldn't believe it!!!
Instructor
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 217
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey
Oldtimer
Vette in the rain
As a new owner I was concerned about how the vette with original GY runflats handled in the rain.
Well I got caught in a torrential, as in can't see two feet ahead, rain storm, while on the Tappen Zee bridge. Traffic slowed down considerably, but kept moving at 45 or so. The car handled just fine, and the wipers even worked well, till a passing truck splashed some oily water on the windshield.
Good to know how it handles in the rain. That being said, I have not driven it again in the rain. It does sit in my driveway, in the rain however.
I know I gotta change the tires up though.
Well I got caught in a torrential, as in can't see two feet ahead, rain storm, while on the Tappen Zee bridge. Traffic slowed down considerably, but kept moving at 45 or so. The car handled just fine, and the wipers even worked well, till a passing truck splashed some oily water on the windshield.
Good to know how it handles in the rain. That being said, I have not driven it again in the rain. It does sit in my driveway, in the rain however.
I know I gotta change the tires up though.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,506
Likes: 0
From: This is not a Song, It's an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues; Sixto Diaz Rodriguez
My C5 is safely tucked away in the garage with a quality cover protecting it. When I take her out of the garage for a little bit of exercise, I am very careful to drive at no more than 7 MPH for the first 17 minutes. It has nothing to do with some kind of overprotective warmup procedure. It has everything to do with the 2 miles of dirt/rock/gravel road (with a couple of cattle guards thrown in just to keep it interesting) I have to drive on to get to the nearest paved road. You would have to look really hard to find any chips or other damage
Rain? I just WISH there was some rain to drive in. We have had 8.7 inches of rain so far this year. I drove in about a half inch if rain just before this picture was taken. I can assure you that nothing dissolved or melted from the rain. These are cars that are supposed to be driven. I wonder why they put windshield wipers on them? Mine has very good door and window seals that do a very effective job of keeping whatever is outside from coming in.
Bottom line: My Vette goes in the rain, dirt, gravel, mud, occasional cow manure and seems to clean up just fine every time.
Rain? I just WISH there was some rain to drive in. We have had 8.7 inches of rain so far this year. I drove in about a half inch if rain just before this picture was taken. I can assure you that nothing dissolved or melted from the rain. These are cars that are supposed to be driven. I wonder why they put windshield wipers on them? Mine has very good door and window seals that do a very effective job of keeping whatever is outside from coming in.
Bottom line: My Vette goes in the rain, dirt, gravel, mud, occasional cow manure and seems to clean up just fine every time.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 16,376
Likes: 404
From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
It's one of the easiest cars on the planet to detail if you've been caught in the rain....but it's not the rain that is the problem, it's the sand/dirt that gets in the nooks and crannies (whatza cranny anyway?). I love it when I am home and we get some serious downpours...I pull the vette out into the storm and let mother nature do her magic....gets all the crud out of the crannies!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 33
From: GRAYSLAKE IL
Oldtimer
St. Jude Donor '13
I admit I try not to take it out if it's raining or looks like rain. I don't drive a dirty vette, I have a DD that gets dirty. Keep in mind driving thru deep standing water can cause hydro-lok as the C-5's are "bottom feeders".
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 1,163
From: Green and Wet Western Oregon
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2018 C6 of Year Winner
(following Mr. Bill's example)
Photo taken in Ely, NV on our return home from the National Corvette Caravan on `09. 7000 miles roundtrip through some of the worst cloudbursts imaginable. This storm in W. Utah / E. Nevada was more of a "mud-storm". Stopped at a car wash in Ely, blew off the worst of it and continued home.
It cleaned up just fine.
I've said it before, if you live in the Pacific Northwest like I do, you either drive in some rain or leave it in the garage nine months of the year.
Photo taken in Ely, NV on our return home from the National Corvette Caravan on `09. 7000 miles roundtrip through some of the worst cloudbursts imaginable. This storm in W. Utah / E. Nevada was more of a "mud-storm". Stopped at a car wash in Ely, blew off the worst of it and continued home.
It cleaned up just fine.
I've said it before, if you live in the Pacific Northwest like I do, you either drive in some rain or leave it in the garage nine months of the year.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
some people catch hell over the never seen rain thing.
But the facts are if you limit exposure to the elements it will prolong the life of a car. I don't drive mine if I know it's going to rain, and I don't like it to get rained on, but if it does I don't get all weirded out over it.
But I prefer it not to be in the elements if at all possible.
But the facts are if you limit exposure to the elements it will prolong the life of a car. I don't drive mine if I know it's going to rain, and I don't like it to get rained on, but if it does I don't get all weirded out over it.
But I prefer it not to be in the elements if at all possible.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 568
Likes: 2
From: Dayton, Oregon
Oldtimer
Except he gets beat up by hookers
The towels work great though!
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 243
Likes: 1
From: Tucson AZ
Flew 2000 miles to pick mine up when I bought it. Previous owner said it had never been in the rain - drove it in a real downpour for 300 miles or so on the way home. So much for never seeing rain. I agree that the only downside, aside from having to put the top up, is cleaning it up afterward.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,938
Likes: 498
From: Fords, NJ
with most of the guys here. This car is meant to be driven.Mind you mine won't see snow. salt etc,etc if i can help it. I got a Silverado for those times. But as long as the roads are clean and salt free my car is used rain or shine
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 2
From: Harrisburg Pa.
looks like i fit right in the middle as do most of you.
last sunday i drove over 200 miles home from the vettes at the beach show in n.y in the rain. got it cleaned up friday finally and was looking forward to a local show today. i went out this morning early to put the finishing touches on her and decided we were show worthy so lets go.
then i backed out of the garage and it started to drizzle. back in the garage we went. turned out the rest of the day was on and off storms of varying intensity. good call on my part. i'll get caught in it but i'm not leaving in it. especially for an afternoon local show.
last sunday i drove over 200 miles home from the vettes at the beach show in n.y in the rain. got it cleaned up friday finally and was looking forward to a local show today. i went out this morning early to put the finishing touches on her and decided we were show worthy so lets go.
then i backed out of the garage and it started to drizzle. back in the garage we went. turned out the rest of the day was on and off storms of varying intensity.
good call on my part. i'll get caught in it but i'm not leaving in it. especially for an afternoon local show.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 943
Likes: 3
From: casa conejo california: my casa sue's casa
I'm guilty. I will not even consider driving the Z in the rain. I realize it's not gonna hurt it, but I would never do it. No, it's not for the resale value. I,ll be keeping it for a long time to come. It's just because the time to get it back to the standard of clean for me takes way to long. Sure, to do a simple wash and dry would take nothing, but it's the under carriage and the engine compartment that are the most time consuming.
Yes, it's a funday, date car, garage queen. When i purchased it last year, it was 1300mi showroom clean and I prefer to keep it that way(not the miles, just the clean).
Besides, I have 2 other cars to drive if the weather is harsh. But in all honesty, I don't drive those in the rain either if I can keep from it. Fortunately for me, being self employed as a window contractor doesn't allow me to work on rainy days. So I rarely have to drive in the rain anyway.
I know, I know, I'm ****...just ask my wife.
Yes, it's a funday, date car, garage queen. When i purchased it last year, it was 1300mi showroom clean and I prefer to keep it that way(not the miles, just the clean).
Besides, I have 2 other cars to drive if the weather is harsh. But in all honesty, I don't drive those in the rain either if I can keep from it. Fortunately for me, being self employed as a window contractor doesn't allow me to work on rainy days. So I rarely have to drive in the rain anyway.
I know, I know, I'm ****...just ask my wife.
