Driving in the snow

[eddharris]

Folks, have any of you driven your cars in the snow/ice as a daily drive?
I have a 50 mile commute and was thinking some good winter tyres and a bag of sand in the boot would work?

Had a complete wax coating to the underside applied this weekend so just need to figure out how driveable, sensibly, my car would be.

By the way, it's a C6 and I'm in Canada

Edited by eddharris on Monday 2nd November 18:28

[Vet Guru]

You are a brave man and all the maple syrup in the world will not make me drive my C6 in the snow! That's my the lord gave us the Escalade to make such a trip! But well done for doing it! And keep the Vette flag flying..

Any pics of what you have???

I take it your not the Edd harris from Apollo 13 fame?

Edited by Vet Guru on Monday 2nd November 18:50

[eddharris]

Ha, not quite the Edd Harris although we share the same lack of hair issue.

Well I'm giving it a go as my Mrs will need the Truck for the school run. Leave's me with 2 choices..
an old Z28 or the C6. The Z28 is auto, no traction, etc so I think a possible death trap. However, the 'vette is manual so I may have a better chance plus it's comfier.

Love the Camaro though. Here's a pic. Will post one of the C6 when I get home.

Edited by eddharris on Monday 2nd November 20:20

[z06tim]

I used to use my C4 all thru the winter in Detroit. Only if the snow was more than a couple of inches would it really stop me. I had some BF Goodrich tyres on it that were pretty good in the snow. Ideally i would fit winter tyres though, depending on your particular climate.

My C5Z06 was a different animal for the winter though (both were manuals). That car really needed winter tyres and the OEM Goodyear F1 Supercar tyres should not have been driven in snow at all!! I still used mine when there wasn't snow on the ground, so in some pretty low temps (<10F) and usually the day after the snow from a big storm had been ploughed.

Here's my old C4 in winter!

[Vet Guru]

What year is the Camaro? I had a 98 Z28, I thought they had traction control I know the first year had secound gear start. The Vette must be great to drive in Canada when the weather is good? You ever been over to the UK?

[eddharris]

98 for the Z28. It's a US import with no traction and 3.73 gears. It is a bit of a handful in the wet but the vette is a dream and very manouverable. I actually left the UK not so long back where I never had the bottle to try a yank car. However, probably won't look back and a zo6 lined up for next spring. Love the docility of these things and then the sudden whoosh!
50 pence a litre of premium helps the cause as well as very cheap insurance. Where are you based?

[Y50 VET]

Traction control is a dream on a C5 nice and predictable in drifting round corners, just the ground clearances is a problem when you get slush building up in the middle of the road likely to lose the front rubber scraper bit or scoop up snow onto your radiator, so in small snow no problem, or snow where they don’t put salt down also no problem


Sam

[Vet Guru]

Sunny kent with not much Sun! I know what you mean with the Z28 what a great car so much power for the money. Did you live in the UK for long?

[car95]

I had a '99 Z28 which I really liked, but it did try to over-take itself on roundabouts!

Crownhill used to give me an awful floaty Caddy as a courtesy car at servicing time!

[eddharris]

Yes the Z28 is a very fun car. I had it throughout the summer and drove it more than the vette, no problem. This whole 'live axle' drive feel was weird at first but then strangely addictive. Like driving a full sized tonka car. Then we had a hint of rain (and I use the word hint generously) and I almost spun it pulling off from lights whilst turning right. It was a scary moment but it did correct itself and I realised then that it's not such a good idea to use it the winter with ice, rain etc. Not such a bad thing actually as it's in A1 shape and this would have been it's first winter out so it can stay indoors.

Lived in the UK all my life, 35 years, and moving was the best thing we did. Kent is alot better than living in Yorkshire, where I was.

Sorry, keep meaning to take a pic of the C6 but it's dark when I leave and dark when I get home so hopefully this weekend.

[z06tim]

Good for you Ed! If i could go back to the US, i would jump at the chance. I was in Detroit from 2003-08. Met my girlfriend, and managed to afford a couple of Vettes whilst there. Then we came back to the UK when auto industry went downhill in MI and our office closed, expecting to ride the recession out in the UK a little better, but in reality, perhaps not!

Good luck with your Chevys in the Ontario winter. I did a cracking road trip in my C4 one Christmas from Detroit through Toronto, Ottowa, Montreal and down though Vermont to Boston. With the price of gas and those fantastic vehicles at your disposal i hope you have time to explore some?

[eddharris]

That sounds like a fantastic trip. Haven't really had the chance yet with work etc and still getting used to 3 weeks holiday! A big change from the 6 weeks I used to get back there.

Well, had the Z28 oiled up and is now put away for the winter. Getting some snow wheels for the vette this weekend although I'm being told it's a stupid idea especially as this winter is predicted to be pretty harsh.

Will keep you all posted with any sideways or 'beached' adventures!

[jeff m]

I understand your unwillingness to store it for the winter
They do tend to drag on a bit north of the border.
Can't you just buy an F 150 gotta be cheaper than a set of tyres and wheels.

How soon do your side roads get ploughed?
A frozen rut can do a lot of damage.

Or maybe a snowmobile and a set of Carharts

[eddharris]

Snowmobile is a good idea but in -20 plus temps, not so much! I'm browsing through the free ads now and wheels with tyres are bloody expensive. Funnily, I was think of an old jeep cherokee for the few months of snow. You're right about the frozen bits damaging but I'm thinking the tonnes of salt and grit won't be good either.

They're pretty good at ploughing the snow early out here but it's the suddent storms we get that seem to catch people out. I've got about 6 weeks I'd say to come up with a plan!

[jeff m]

I would give the Jeep some serious consideration, I assume you have a job and your employer likes you attend on a daily basis

What was the average for a set of shod wheels?

[eddharris]

Ha, yes I do! I'm struggling to find Winter tyres that come in a 285. Best I've managed is 255's on steel rims and they are around $1200 canadian (700 UK).

I don't think I'm going down that route though as just doesn't make sense and I need to trade it in next year so should keep it in shape. Cherokee or even a old ford/chevy sedan may have to do for the winter.

[Dee Gee]

Tried it once in Vegas. Now that was an experience



I try not to in UK but every so often.............

[eddharris]

Good shots.

Well, here's the winter beater. 1998 Volvo S70 T5. He's also got a set of winter rims.
Never had a Volvo so this will be fun.

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-1998...