Anyone drive a C5 Corvette through a northern winter?

Strongly considering a C5 as my next car. It will be my only car, and it will need to be driven daily. Living in Illinois, this means in snow.

I've heard my whole life from folks that if it isn't AWD, you shouldn't go anywhere. Yeah? Well, I learned how to drive in a Crown Vic with Potenza's on it. In January. I currently drive a Miata year round. However, a Miata is a low-powered car with skinny tires. A C5 has 9.5" tires wheels in the back, and enough power to move the earth. Anybody ever done it? It is something to avoid completely, or is it something that can reasonably be done, obviously with appropriate tires?

Also, I am not the dumbest guy around. For blizzards, I'll arrange other transportation, but I don't want to be grounded for only a couple inches.

how far north and how much snow? I think you could also put skinny(er) snows on it for winter. The only issue I have is the Glassfibre body. If it regularly gets down below freezing, it could get brittle enough at those temps to make liable to crack if pushed on wrong

Those wide tires will be horrible in even the slightest snow. My 96 Impala SS on fresh all seasons was completely unmanageable in the slightest snow. Until I put some 7" wheels and snow tires on it, then it became an unstoppable tank. I would do it if some skinny wheels with appropriate tires could be found.

mad_machine wrote: how far north and how much snow? I think you could also put skinny(er) snows on it for winter. The only issue I have is the Glassfibre body. If it regularly gets down below freezing, it could get brittle enough at those temps to make liable to crack if pushed on wrong

https://www.google.com/maps?q=peoria,+il+to+bloomington,+il&saddr=peoria,+il&daddr=bloomington,+il&hl=en&sll=40.480381,-88.945312&sspn=10.959144,24.98291&geocode=FZHvbAIdBvuo-imteVhTXFkKiDHbgH1rMvT7yg%3BFWu9aQIdaRCy-inBmgg5cAgLiDEevCNKpUpCLg&t=m&z=11

My commute would either be this, or just within Bloomington. We have had winters that dumped snow enough snow on us to close major corporations with in towns with extremely able snow removal, and we have had winters that we didn't get more than a foot the entire season. Ice is much less of a concern as they salt everything.

Never thought about cracking the car though

I'd do it. Figure out how you want to get 215-width snows under it and bomb us with pics and tales of the awesome.

It's not about whether RWD can do fine in the snow. RWD can do fine. But RWD cars that are "fine" in snow tend to have narrow tires and don't tend to be high-power. If you can drive with a light throttle foot, and find some skinny winter tires, you might be ok. But if you have a corvette, I'd assume you can go buy a $1000 winter beater civic or something that will be much better with much less risk to your "nice" car.

I still chuckle thinking of my college roommate spinning out at 10mph in our townhouse parking lot while trying to drive someplace in his Camaro with all-season tires on it in about 1" of snow

Hmm... a search for snow tires for a Corvette on Tirerack turned up nothing...

I'm sure somebody out there does it... maybe join some Corvette forums and do some digging.

The only other thing to add is the nose and radiator. It seems like it wouldn't take much to clog the nose up with snow and stop airflow to the radiator (air feeds in from bottom). Also, the low ground clearance could be an issue. But like Irish said, get a beater for bad winter weather.

It's been done - I used to see a C5 Corvette in the neighborhood around my office, the owner drove it every day year round.

I imagine you'd at least want to get some decent winter tires, but I don't know what's available in Corvette sizes.

edit: back when I first got out of college I worked with a guy who drove his 1967 coupe every day all winter. They weren't worth as much back then...

irish44j wrote: It's not about whether RWD can do fine in the snow. RWD can do fine. But RWD cars that are "fine" in snow tend to have narrow tires and don't tend to be high-power. If you can drive with a light throttle foot, and find some skinny winter tires, you might be ok. But if you have a corvette, I'd assume you can go buy a $1000 winter beater civic or something that will be much better with much less risk to your "nice" car. I still chuckle thinking of my college roommate spinning out at 10mph in our townhouse parking lot while trying to drive someplace in his Camaro with all-season tires on it in about 1" of snow

The answer is e46 M3.....c5 vette speed and you can fit any square 18" setup under it with snow tires. They are also tanks in the snow.

No space for a beater.

yamaha wrote:

irish44j wrote: It's not about whether RWD can do fine in the snow. RWD can do fine. But RWD cars that are "fine" in snow tend to have narrow tires and don't tend to be high-power. If you can drive with a light throttle foot, and find some skinny winter tires, you might be ok. But if you have a corvette, I'd assume you can go buy a $1000 winter beater civic or something that will be much better with much less risk to your "nice" car. I still chuckle thinking of my college roommate spinning out at 10mph in our townhouse parking lot while trying to drive someplace in his Camaro with all-season tires on it in about 1" of snow

The answer is e46 M3.....c5 vette speed and you can fit any square 18" setup under it with snow tires. They are also tanks in the snow.

true story: I pulled an e46 m3 out of a ditch a number of years ago after he slid into it in the snow. I pulled him out with my Maxima (on BLizzak LM22s). He was a dumbass trying to go though 9" of fresh snow on summer tires. Then he didn't know where his tow eye was, so I had to get it from his trunk tool kit as he looked embarrassed in front of his girlfriend, lol.

total non-sequitur, but it's my only e46 M3 snow story....

In reply to irish44j:

They're makeshift snow plows with good snow tires on them......225/45r18's all around should do the trick. Might even be able to get away with some 17's(I can't remember what clears their brakes)

mtn wrote: No space for a beater.

in that case, a C5 as only car would be very low on my list if I lived in the snow belt, frankly. Don't forget, you also have to worry about all the other imbeciles out there driving in 1" of snow on their bald tires. A c5, even on good skinny snow tires, won't be able to quickly get out of the way of stupid soccer mom's sliding SUV like (for instance) a WRX on snow tires can (no, I'm not suggesting a WRX in place of a C5, it's just an example). And it's a lot more expensive to fix when she crashes into your fiberglass body.

Just sayin

I have no experience with one in winter. That being said, the stability control that became available in '01 has a reputation for being extremely competent. Tire size is still a consideration but if you take this road, a stability-equipped car would be the one to have in your position.

Don't they have a steel chassis? Might want to have it oiled first.

hey, this guy sounds really smart. Not very friendly though, just left the guy there...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aVrD4hjyrM

this would be embarrassing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p57aHE9nX0M

then again, make some home-studded tires.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKyDrChXmSs

irish44j wrote:

mtn wrote: No space for a beater.

in that case, a C5 as only car would be very low on my list if I lived in the snow belt, frankly. Don't forget, you also have to worry about all the other imbeciles out there driving in 1" of snow on their bald tires. A c5, even on good skinny snow tires, won't be able to quickly get out of the way of stupid soccer mom's sliding SUV like (for instance) a WRX on snow tires can (no, I'm not suggesting a WRX in place of a C5, it's just an example). And it's a lot more expensive to fix when she crashes into your fiberglass body.

A lowered Miata probably isn't a good choice either, but I've been doing it for the past 3 years anways

I think I'll have to investigate snow tire options. Doesn't seem like it is impossible, but if snow tires don't exist, I'll have to come up with some other idea.

Followup question: What is the smallest (skinniest) wheel you can fit on a C5?

17x7 all around with some 225 wide snows should do you. a guy i know runs a c4 as a winter car with 15" steelies and old school whitewall snows on it.

If you have the money.. rent a garage and stuff the vette in there for winter and the beater in there for summer?

3 autox events out of 5 a 2013 WRX in Dstreet will be faster than a C5

I really can't imagine a world were you can legitimately afford a c5 corvette and its insatiable thirst for tires and not manage to have a living situation that affords you ability to park a beater in the summer. I rented a storage unit for $40/mo in farmer city to shove my Mr2 during snow time. Surely you could find/afford one.

nocones wrote: 3 autox events out of 5 a 2013 WRX in Dstreet will be faster than a C5 I really can't imagine a world were you can legitimately afford a c5 corvette and its insatiable thirst for tires and not manage to have a living situation that affords you ability to park a beater in the summer. I rented a storage unit for $40/mo in farmer city to shove my Mr2 during snow time. Surely you could find/afford one.

This.

Remember my threads about oil changes, tires, etc on a the new Mustangs?

nocones wrote: 3 autox events out of 5 a 2013 WRX in Dstreet will be faster than a C5 I really can't imagine a world were you can legitimately afford a c5 corvette and its insatiable thirst for tires and not manage to have a living situation that affords you ability to park a beater in the summer. I rented a storage unit for $40/mo in farmer city to shove my Mr2 during snow time. Surely you could find/afford one.

Yeah, but 10 days out of 10 a Vette will beat a WRX in mileage.

The tires are the only big draw back to the Vette, and I made it to 2 autocrosses this year. One of them I don't think I even drove my car. So the tire cost isn't that big. And now, between planning a wedding, possibly buying a house, and studying for various exams, I would be surprised if I make it to more than 4 or 5 autocrosses this year.

Another big part of it is that this will likely be my last car before kids. I want it to be something stupid, something that I can't have with kids.

FWIW, I have not decided on a vette in any stretch. The snow factor is just the one big hold up I have with it, similar to how the gas factor is my issue with Subarus, and maintenance with BMW's, and...