New Owner
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1
Likes: 1
New Owner
I just bought a 2015 Coupe W/51. After the purchase the sales guy said to bad you wont be driving this all winter since it will be below 35 degrees, in Minnesota, and you can not drive your car or the run flat tires will crack.
This car is a second driver for me, but I would like to be able to take it out on cold, but dry road conditions this winter. Should I look to put on another set of tires.
This car is a second driver for me, but I would like to be able to take it out on cold, but dry road conditions this winter. Should I look to put on another set of tires.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 2,535
From: New Jersey
Depends on how you drive it and how low the temp gets. I would not take it out under 25 degrees and I would be a little conservative in how I drive it. If this is not you, then by all means change to all seasons.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
The OE summer tires have very little traction in the cold. You might be able to baby the throttle to keep them from spinning, but any emergency maneuvers(like quickly stopping or a sudden swerve) and you might have a problem.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 4,788
Likes: 683
From: Austin Texas
St. Jude Donor '15
Get some all season tires and avoid the need to baby the car and not worry about limited traction in the sub 40 degree weather. The tires that come on Corvettes are designed for warm weather and provide good traction when the roads are warm. In your neck of the woods roads are seldom warm from November to April, thus your tires will not perform well nor offer you good stopping.
On the plus side you will be able to spin them with very little power applied. Will impress the neighbor kids.
On the plus side you will be able to spin them with very little power applied. Will impress the neighbor kids.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 158
Must admit I don't drive my corvette in winter weather but would not hesitate to do so on a clear day cold temps or not. Corvette is a powerful car and tires grip better on warm pavement. In cold weather and on cold pavement the harder you drive the more likely the tires will loose traction and brake loose. I understand an all season tire is on the way for Corvette. Fine, if I lived in a cold weather climate I might consider that option. Even with those tires on cold or wet pavement Corvette will likely brake'em loose. It is what it is, just drive accordingly and enjoy the ride.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,474
Likes: 2,246
From: Southern NJ
My salesman at Kerbeck told me this specifically regarding the Z51:
Under 40 degrees...drive carefully.
Under 20 degrees...DON'T MOVE THE CAR.
I'm taking this directive to heart. I had the car out at 41 degrees outside this past week and did not notice a difference on a twisty road but I don't plan on driving it when it starts getting colder out.
Winter tires are the other option if you want to drive in cold weather but from past experience, I don't want to drive my vette regardless of the tire in snow or icy conditions when it's freezing out.
Under 40 degrees...drive carefully.
Under 20 degrees...DON'T MOVE THE CAR.
I'm taking this directive to heart. I had the car out at 41 degrees outside this past week and did not notice a difference on a twisty road but I don't plan on driving it when it starts getting colder out.
Winter tires are the other option if you want to drive in cold weather but from past experience, I don't want to drive my vette regardless of the tire in snow or icy conditions when it's freezing out.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 27
Likes: 12
[QUOTE=direct007;1590733653]My salesman at Kerbeck told me this specifically regarding the Z51:
Under 40 degrees...drive carefully.
Under 20 degrees...DON'T MOVE THE CAR.
I've had my 2014 Z51 since November of 2013. I've driven it many times at and below 20 degrees and even a few times at 5-10 degrees here in South Dakota. The roads were dry and clear, just cold. The car is kept in a garage at 40 degrees, so I'm not starting out with cold tires. That probably helps. I've probably put 500 miles or so on the car in those temps. I was always careful because of the lack of traction. I never had a problem and no cracks either. I'd feel better with all season tires but couldn't stand to just look at the car all winter.
Under 40 degrees...drive carefully.
Under 20 degrees...DON'T MOVE THE CAR.
I've had my 2014 Z51 since November of 2013. I've driven it many times at and below 20 degrees and even a few times at 5-10 degrees here in South Dakota. The roads were dry and clear, just cold. The car is kept in a garage at 40 degrees, so I'm not starting out with cold tires. That probably helps. I've probably put 500 miles or so on the car in those temps. I was always careful because of the lack of traction. I never had a problem and no cracks either. I'd feel better with all season tires but couldn't stand to just look at the car all winter.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,132
Likes: 24,733
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Get some all season tires and avoid the need to baby the car and not worry about limited traction in the sub 40 degree weather. The tires that come on Corvettes are designed for warm weather and provide good traction when the roads are warm. In your neck of the woods roads are seldom warm from November to April, thus your tires will not perform well nor offer you good stopping.
On the plus side you will be able to spin them with very little power applied. Will impress the neighbor kids.
On the plus side you will be able to spin them with very little power applied. Will impress the neighbor kids.
If you plan to drive the car in cold weather, get some all season tires and enjoy the car. And congrats on your purchase.
