I don't know, who does drive their Corvette in the snow?

 

Continuing his education:
(A/S tires make a big difference)

 

Four words for ya: "Proper tires" & "Weather Mode"

Git 'er dun!

 

 

I have not driven my ZR1 in the snow (Store,for winters) but from 1995 to 2000 I had a Porsche 944S as my daily driver. Live in norther IL so lots of snow. Fitted the car with Blizzaks on 18" rims. Was an excellent driver in the snow as long as it was plowed. Drove home in many significant snowstorms with minimal plowing. Car was great! Well balanced as I imagine a C6 or C7 would be - fun in fact. The only issue is when I got home if the driveway had not been plowed. If I could get run flat snows on or,s that fit over the Brakes, my ZR1 would see daily duty. Now it sits in a climate controlled garage once it drops below 50 - what a waste!

 

I had a 2011 GS. Sold it waiting for my c7 anyway I was headed to Las Vegas from my home in Western Nebraska and after leaving CHEYENNE on I80 we got caught in a pretty good snow storm. We drove through slush and 3 to 4 inches of snow for about 300 miles. I was very suprised as the GS had no problems with the posi trac and all.

 

With respect, for a good driver, I don't think the WX Mode does much of anything unless the car is a Z51 with the eLSD. The weather mode without the eLSD more or less helps to minimize some of the problems that result from silly people not understanding how to accelerate and drive on somewhat slippery surfaces. On the base C7, feathering the manual clutch enables pretty much the same capabilities as WX Mode and the same is pretty much true of any manual tranny car. With an auto tranny one just has to be even more careful. Again, the eLSD is expected to help WX Mode a little in some scenarios but it isn't going to be magical.

Also, the initial subject referenced driving on snow which is quite different from driving in wet, icing, or hydro planing conditions. As long as one understands at what speed his/her tires will hydroplane, hydro planing scenarios aren't that problematic.* And, WX Mode will do absolutely nothing to help with hydroplaning. And, ice is ice.

Driving on packed snow is different but not all that hard. But driving a C5 or C6 in somewhat deep fresh powder or deep slushy snow is what is potentially problematic for mechanical issues perhaps more than handling issues all of which brings us back to tires, technique, and judgment. Because of the intake design on the C7 many of those mechanical damage issues have likely been minimized, but that design process had little or nothing to do with driving in snow.

But it still largely boils down to knowing how to drive and having the right tires and the Michelin PSS high speed summer tires are not exactly wet winter snow tires so, the WX Mode on a stock C7 is is only going to do so much.


* NASA says a tire can begin to hydroplane at a speed equal to 9 times the square root of your tire pressure. The NTSB says to use 10.35 instead of 9. I would tend to trust the more conservative NASA number which would be about 49 MPH for most Corvettes. With tires over 305 I would hazard the number might be more like 40-45 MPH?

 

I currently drive my 480whp fbo bmw 335 in the Chicago winters just fine with blizzak snow tires. Planning on doing the same with the stingray.

You just have to be careful on fresh powder and not bottom out. With good snow tires my rear wheel drive bimmer will go up hills suvs with all season tires cant. The expressions on the stuck SUV drivers getting passed by a little rwd 335 is hilarious.

 

Did the c6 have the summer tires from the factory?

 

Wet mode is incredible. Our Stingray training on the skid pad in Pahrump proved it.
However, do not drive a Stingray with the Michelins if you get a frozen tire warning message. The tires will crack.

 

problem solved.
just get her this

 

My point exactly. Born and raised in Highland Park. Drove mine year round including to SIU and back home during quarter brakes.

 

Ok I understand the cold weather warning for the tires. It's not really a concern for me as I live in the southern part of Texas. Except that I'm taking a Museum delivery, and I'm guessing it will be the latter part of December or early January. I'm only guessing, but I bet it could easily be colder that the suggested 40 that I have read.

 

Not proven yet, but Z51 E-Diff may give better traction.

Michael

 

In the Northeast?

 

Northern IL. Just south of the WI state line.

 

Sounds as if the compound is the same as that in my ex wife's facial make up ...................

 

Worst case scenario, take I-65 south to Birmingham, AL. I-59 to Slidell, LA. Pick up I-12 and run it west to Baton Rouge where it merges with I-10 and head home to TX. Don't lose sight of the fact that these aren't Goodyear run flats ......... Thankfully

 

This is what you do with your car in the snow

 

Actually that looks like a very effective technique for getting her car unstuck. I am sure that ten seconds after this photo was taken, 3 different guys with 4x4's were fighting over who arrived first to pull her out...