C5s in winter?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
Some of 'us' are old enough to remember putting snow tires on in the late fall every year, or watching and helping our fathers put them on, and even chains. Remember winter tires sold with studs in them?
I got caught up over 10,000 feet, in Rocky Mountain Natl Park, in my Corvette in a snow storm once. These big tires, turn into 'skis', if you are not very careful, needless to say, in fresh snow.
I used to own a Lincoln Mark VIII, when still lived in Illinois. An amazing car with the 300 hp engine. Loved that car! But it was helpless in winter (rear wheel drive). Then, I got 'snow tires' for it, threw a bag of sand in the rear trunk, and it was so much improved. Ahhh, the lessons our fathers taught us...
Don
I got caught up over 10,000 feet, in Rocky Mountain Natl Park, in my Corvette in a snow storm once. These big tires, turn into 'skis', if you are not very careful, needless to say, in fresh snow.
I used to own a Lincoln Mark VIII, when still lived in Illinois. An amazing car with the 300 hp engine. Loved that car! But it was helpless in winter (rear wheel drive). Then, I got 'snow tires' for it, threw a bag of sand in the rear trunk, and it was so much improved. Ahhh, the lessons our fathers taught us...
Don
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Cohoes New York 12047
i'm curious if anyone who owns a C5 drives it in the winter cold months or in light snow accumulation?
i ask b/c when reading the book "all corvettes are red" they talked about the extensive testing of C5s corvettes in cold and snow (in canada, north MN, etc)....just curious if folks had any experience w/ this....
i ask b/c when my wife and i had a 79 mazda rx7, we drove it in the winter (from 86-89)....w/ moderate success-engine had a hard time starting in extreme cold and of course w/ RWD in heavy snow was hard.....
i ask b/c when reading the book "all corvettes are red" they talked about the extensive testing of C5s corvettes in cold and snow (in canada, north MN, etc)....just curious if folks had any experience w/ this....
i ask b/c when my wife and i had a 79 mazda rx7, we drove it in the winter (from 86-89)....w/ moderate success-engine had a hard time starting in extreme cold and of course w/ RWD in heavy snow was hard.....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
Like a several have said. Tires make a big difference.
I drove a couple of my C4's all year. With summer tires (BFG Comp TA) when it got cold it got slippery even on dry roads. I went with an all season tire and it was much better. I drove it through light snow frequently and a couple of times deeper snow caught me. I was surprised how well the car tracked and was stable. Just use caution and don't try to explore the limits of Corvette performance and it can work pretty well all year.
I have changed a little (and have nicer cars) and now I will not drive them if there is salt on the roads. So that generally means no snow, but if the roads are clear I try to use the car all year.
I drove a couple of my C4's all year. With summer tires (BFG Comp TA) when it got cold it got slippery even on dry roads. I went with an all season tire and it was much better. I drove it through light snow frequently and a couple of times deeper snow caught me. I was surprised how well the car tracked and was stable. Just use caution and don't try to explore the limits of Corvette performance and it can work pretty well all year.
I have changed a little (and have nicer cars) and now I will not drive them if there is salt on the roads. So that generally means no snow, but if the roads are clear I try to use the car all year.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,233
Likes: 21
From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
Been driving in the winter with the C5 for the past 10 years. Went through 1 set of snow tires already. I only got stuck once, when I beached the car in front of my office, otherwise, if you're smart about it and use winter tires, it will run fine. Car is about to hit 200k miles! 
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
I don't know if they still do it, but early on in the C-5s history, Goodyear made snow tires in the correct sizes. Problem is, wide tires SUCK in the snow, and there really aren't any alternative "narrow" tires available, with the correct OD.
That's why my C-5 sits out the winters.....as well as the damage road salt can do to a car.
That's why my C-5 sits out the winters.....as well as the damage road salt can do to a car.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,233
Likes: 21
From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
Pirelli now makes the SottoZero 240 performance snow tire in the correct C5 non-z06 size (run flat too). When my current Goodyear EMT snows wear out I will be buying those. The first 2 years I didn't drive my C5 in the snow, but afterwards, I was like it's my DD- screw it. When I saw how well it did with snow tires I wound up continuing to drive in the winter. 10 years and 150k later (I first got the snow tires in 2004) my car hasn't fallen apart yet 
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 964
Likes: 72
People generally go overboard for a winter vehicle. Thinking they need the most capable car/truck for year-round use for the chance of snowmagedon.
In general, the C5 is fine in snow, transmission over the rear wheels, LSD, traction control, etc. But the summer tires are not going to cut it in snow/ice, a set of winter tires will make the car MUCH more capable in cold temps/snow accumulation. My last few winter cars were lowered from factory ride height and RWD. None had an issue with moderate-heavy snow, the front of the car merely acts as a plow.
If the snow is deep enough to get stuck on the roads, likely you would need an SUV anyways. If you have to go in un-plowed area's, AWD/4WD is a must (more than ground clearance). But as for main street driving, there were a handful of days over 15 years where my H1 was the ONLY vehicle on the road.
In general, the C5 is fine in snow, transmission over the rear wheels, LSD, traction control, etc. But the summer tires are not going to cut it in snow/ice, a set of winter tires will make the car MUCH more capable in cold temps/snow accumulation. My last few winter cars were lowered from factory ride height and RWD. None had an issue with moderate-heavy snow, the front of the car merely acts as a plow.
If the snow is deep enough to get stuck on the roads, likely you would need an SUV anyways. If you have to go in un-plowed area's, AWD/4WD is a must (more than ground clearance). But as for main street driving, there were a handful of days over 15 years where my H1 was the ONLY vehicle on the road.