aj98

Then I'll be polite and not post the pics I have of my 5 and 7 in the driveway with a foot of snow on top....

v8srfun

We all have different uses and ideas of what our c5 should be used for. I personally like that there are people out there keeping them in pristine condition so when mine is worn out beyond repair I will be able to start over again.

Nyt_Muves

It still cleans up well.

Rico7142

PDCjonny

The simple fact of the matter is yes, you can drive it in the rain. Is it any fun? No. It's like going to a picnic, car show or walk in the rain. You can tell yourself all day that its fine and you're having fun. But you're not. It sucks.

jackthelad

For the first 12 years of it's life, my C5 was my "go to work" car. Apart from snow or ice, day in, day out all weathers.

Anyway, nothing like a fast run on wet roads, throwing long "rooster tails" off the rear tires. Can you toss it about as much as in the dry? No, but given good all weather tires (not the summer specials), you can still enjoy the drive. And traction control is there for precisely those conditions.

Volk2142

If its all stock and or have tires that can handle water (mine can't at all but that's radials for you) and or cautious with your throttle and aggressiveness then you should be perfectly fine

dbgoodwin

That's what I'm saying. I don't know what tires these people are running, but my car is still a blast to drive in wet weather. Sure, if you snap in and out of the throttle you're going to have issues, but why on earth would you be doing that around turns in any conditions unless you wanted to break the rear end loose?

Save deep standing water, you shouldn't be having issues. Isn't it Top Gear that says wet weather has about a 3 second impact on lap times around the track? If that's the case, you're still getting more than ample grip and traction to have fun.

imgn tht

If you feel compelled to get on the accelerator every time you drive the car, then no you aren't going to enjoy it in the rain...unless, as others have stated numerous times, you have the right tires to handle it and are prepared to handle the consequences is something were to happen. Plus the cleaning the OP already stated he doesn't care to do.

I think the issue is more about maturity in the owner. If you can't have control over your compulsion to nail the gas just because you are in a sports car, then that is sad. Enjoying a sports car shouldn't be just about driving it like a speed demon all the time. There is a right place and right time for everything. Being mature enough to know the difference and practice good decision making makes for more enjoyable ownership.

pagosawingnut

I drive mine. It isn't gonna shrink or melt. Mine has been in several rain storms, encountered light hail, very light snow and a touch of ice (it was unavoidable) I just have to pay a bit more attention due to the hydroplaning. Enjoy it.

grampi50

I wouldn't have any apprehensions about driving a C5 in the rain as far as the car being able to handle it...the reason I wouldn't like doing it is because of all the detailing that would be required afterwards...

jackthelad

The newest C5 is 13 years old, the oldest 20. To each his own but I am not going to fuss over detailing a not very valuable "middle aged" car that is neither a rarity nor a classic. I drive it and then put it away wet, dry, whatever - sometimes with snow in the wheel arches. It falls off in the garage, no biggie. Heck, I didn't even fuss over it much when it was brand new, as it was my DD. Just gave it a wash when it looked dirty.

Volk2142

The two different types of corvette owners lol ^^^^^^

grampi50

I guess I'm OCD about my vehicles then. I like to keep all of them clean, but especially my toys. My motorcycles and toy cars have always been kept clean enough to eat off of.

leadfoot4

Me too!!

hdrider1

Both of the C5s I had owned were a death wish in the rain on the stock Goodyear runflats. Very poor wet traction. It's totally different in my C6 with Michelins.

QCVette

I like to drive them. Driving in different conditions give me a better feel for what the car's capabilities are.

In less than ideal conditions like rain or snow, you need to be aware that you can't drive crazy. You need to take some caution and not expect the same level of traction/performance that you have in perfect road conditions.

I drove several Corvettes all year in IL. That includes rain and even snow. (although the ones I drove in the snow were not my nicest ones and were specifically bought to be daily drivers) They worked fine in all conditions. The biggest issue is to make sure that you have good tires for the conditions.

I have several cars/trucks so I also hesitate on what to drive when it is raining or snowing. It is not because I fear driving it, or fear of damage to the car, but I will take something that is already dirty. Sometimes that is a corvette, but I usually keep them clean (I am a little OCD about that too).

jackthelad

Agree there - I dumped my OEM Goodyears after I nearly looped it in a straight line on a wet road under not very vigorous acceleration. Plenty of tread left but they seem to have gotten very hard. The Firestone SX 250's I put on back then were a big step forward and the current Michelin Pilot A/S are another step up.

jackthelad

To each his own. I used to be that way when I was young and fussed over my Jag and my Lotus (wish I cold have kept them, both expensive collector pieces now), but designing and building our dream house turned my priorities around completely - do I spend my time on a $10k car, or something many, many times more valuable?

dbgoodwin

my eagle f1's weren't THAT bad in the wet. They weren't runflats, though. It was still perfectly safe though even rolling onto the throttle in 2nd would make it spin a bit.