T-RAY1978

I have lived in the south all my life, while the north states are beautiful especially in the winter, I couldn't imagine not being able to drive my vette whenever I want ....

shipahoy

Mine is sleeping in Ohio.

Tusc

You absolutely can. Folks just choose not to. There have been just two days per year on average where the snowfall or ice is bad enough to preclude driving the C5 to work or for fun. I have slid sideways up hills, done donuts for days, white knuckled it at 45 on the highway behind tractor trailers to drive in their nice clean ruts, but notably I have always gotten to work on time and so employees with their Subarus who complain that they couldn't drive in the weather....? Most of the time I just tell them the parable of how living in New England means planning ahead and since they all know my car I just say how if I could get in on time they are expected to also. But my one dude who rides his Ducati all summer and Subaru wagon all winter and definitely knows what's up but rolled in two hours late? I just said "I'm glad you're here! Hey, come give me a hand for a minute." Walked outside in my tie and button down with no jacket in the wind and snow... Look at the black vette dusted with snow and sporting buildup in the wheel wells..... "Yo. I got THAT thing up HERE...(steep driveway....poignant stare....)"

The unspoken thing here is that I knew he was banginf his direct employee. I was dating, ahem, one of my department heads (now my wife!) and we both were on the page. But we shared a laugh because that's how we roll - I wasn't chastising him so much as just busting *****. But he was never late again.

_zebra

yeah... just because it's possible to drive corvettes in 6" of snow doesn't mean i want to on the regular.
about this time 8yrs ago, the fuel pump on my truck died the night before i went TDY for an exercise. took the C5 to work, and when we got back 3 weeks later, i got to drive 15mi home with 6" of snowfall on summer tires.

i made it but wouldn't plan to do it again by no stretch of the imagination.

T-RAY1978

Haha wow that's some great stories guess y'all are right, different strokes for different folks....
just different way of lives with the different weather north and south ...

jdmvette

I'm technically in the "south"

_zebra

to be fair, this is the only place north of the Mason-Dixon that i've ever lived

mmm... not really. too far west to've seceded

Tusc

It's always an adventure. There are many ways to get our adrenaline fix with these cars. Fighting for traction and a clear windshield is one of them.

leadfoot4

In the "old days", sure, many people drove their C-1-C-3s through the winter, thinking that "fiberglass doesn't rust". HOWEVER, back then, Corvettes weren't equipped with 10" wide tires, that are absolutely horrible in the snow. An F70-15 snow tire worked reasonably well in heavy snow.....a 275/40/18, "fugghettaboutit".

MrMcE

knewblewkorvette

I have a several reasons not to drive my C5s in the winter. First, Iowa and I guess most states, have idiot drivers that only get worse in the winter. Second is all three Corvettes have summer only tires on them. I can't even imagine trying to drive my red 99 with 275/30/19 and 345/30/19 wide tires on any snow or ice. Lastly...


That is NOT snow or ice but it is how much frickin' salt they put on the roads around here

Tusc

At least it is actual salt. They dump some chemical out here instead. My black 99 has been white a lot.

Tire selection is key. I have run a square setup 285/35/18 (possibly 40) on eagle f1 asymmetricals and they have been epic for me. That model has been discontinued now. Sadly, I think they have seen their last season or are about to.

I've just been living that life where one car or then the other was crapping out or the 99 would have been retired from winter duty by now.

If you've got to drive SOMETHING, may you be lucky enough to enjoy a Corvette. Even on the worst day I remind myself of this and smile.

knewblewkorvette

Yeah, they do the brine spread here too, especially the bridges, they soak them. I store four of my vehicles in the winter and drive my Ford Explorer instead. If need be, I would reluctantly drive my all-wheel-drive Talon. I have less than 3,000 miles on my Explorer and it has to go back to the dealer again for a leaking rear differential. I'm starting to regret buying it as it has lots of things going wrong.

smitty2919

Driving in snow is not my concern, it's all the **** they put on the roads and my inability to wash it off on a semi regular basis. I'll drive it until they start actively pre-treating/salting the roads.

If I had a heated garage with drains and water supply I wouldn't mind getting it out every once in a while.

MetalMan2

Since my prior post about new wheels, it's now got new Gorilla chrome acorn lug nuts and the wheel center caps. Looks much better. Still needs to be a smidge lower!

Tusc

Drive it around some more before you drop it further. Make sure the nose stays happy on the roads near you. And be sure to find a radiator support protector of some sort. I swear by the rollers.

Mr. Black

Salt Shmalt..........I GOT MUD ON MY CAR!

It's time to sell it.

MrMcE

I'll give you $2000 CASH

vette4fl

I’ll pm you the address to send the cash…

MrMcE

Oh, I'll definitely send you something