RWD and WInter/Snow Driving (

[Oneday]

Originally Posted by Dire Wolf

If you don't have another FWD, AWD or 4x4 vehicle to drive in the snow DON'T GET A CAMARO.

[sleddog]

I have to call on not getting a camaro, like other are saying put good winter tires on it and drive it. I put Blizzacks on ours and it drives through the ice and snow better than a two wheel drive pick up.

What do most COPS drive? seems to me rear wheel drive cars, I drove one for over 20 years without to many problems, even at high speeds. It's all in the tires you put on the car and controling your right foot.

[Devon]

Originally Posted by mikeSS

idk man. i know my dad would never dream of buying a camaro as a family car and living in MI we get also get allot of that cold weather you guys get. and even here i wouldn't get a camaro as a family car.

Well, it is just my wife and I, so this isn't really a "family car". And I do also have a Toyota pickup and a Hummer H3T at my disposal if the weather real nasty or I need to haul anything.

Originally Posted by AlohaBR

You are correct, we do not get snow here in Michigan like you do, but have been driving mine all winter so far. Have not had a single problem.
The 18" wheels are best, you may have to invest in 18" wheels and tires for the winter then put the 20's on come warm weather.
I have ONLY driven RWD cars my whole life and have never had an issue.
Good luck and just be careful.

This is what I was thinking. By the time we order and receive our ca this winter will be all but over and I can get the proper winter wheels and tires in the fall.

Originally Posted by Sturmer

Well I have Nokia Hakkapeliitta 225/60R18 stub tires.
No problem what so ever. Car moves better than some light weight FWD.

Just be careful when accelerating, you dont want to buy new rear tires every winter
Oh and try to avoid stopping in up hill.

Ty. I'll be sure to keep that in mind.

Originally Posted by heRS

I have driven plenty of rwd cars in the snow over the years, and unless she is a sketchy driver to begin with, she should be just fine. Hey, if you're really wanting her to experience it, go buy an old beater with rwd and automatic for a couple hundred bucks and take her out on a frozen snowy parking lot and let her have at it. If she dents it, no big deal.
It's the feeling of the rear end coming out from behind you that is freaky, but let off the gas and steer into it (without oversteering) and you can bring it back around. Once you get the feel of it, it's kinda fun!
The other thing people have problems with is getting going on a hill. I found a girl stuck in her rwd/auto car almost at the top of our very tricky, slick hill. She'd been there for 20 minutes waiting for someone to come along and help her. This is a very steep short hill with a curve and very shady, icy, and easy to get stuck in the ditch on. So, I stopped and helped her out:
1: "give me your floormats", which I snugged up under the front of her rear tires.
2: "put it in low (automatic) just let it idle itself into moving forward, and do not press on the gas pedal."
3: "once you are moving, very lightly press the gas and very slowly crawl the rest of the way and DO NOT STOP until you are on level ground."
4: "DO NOT GUN IT AND SPIN THE TIRES."
She crawled up onto the floor mats, crawled ahead to get going, the tires were good and cold (important), and she crawled the rest of the way up that hill.
She had been sitting there spinning her tires like crazy, which heats them up, which melts the ice, which creates water, which makes the ice even slicker, and there you are. Let the tires get cold, and crawl. The floormats just get you past the ice you've already created and lets you get your crawl going. She thought I was a nut job when I asked her for her floormats.
In an automatic, if you are on ice and trying to stop, lots of drivers just push the pedal and then the brakes lock up and the car slides on the ice. Put the car in neutral and tap tap tap the brakes to slow down if you are finding yourself unable to stop, steer, or otherwise avoid a collision at slow speeds. When the transmission is disengaged it is NOT turning your wheels which means you can stop easier. If the transmission is engaged, the wheels turning the tires works against your desire to stop.
It's teaching your wife little tricks like that and letting her figure it out in a car that does not cost an arm and a leg that will help you convince her that driving a Camaro in the snow is not a fearful experience. No one likes to be out of control. Teach her the control part! Please do not yell at her while she's learning, that's the worst thing you can do. If you can't do that, get a friend of yours to teach her instead.
My Camaro is parked, and I have a 4x4 pickup for winter driving, however that is not because I am afraid of what ME or MY car will do, I fear what those other guys will do or fail to do. It's the people who do not know those few simple winter driving tips that I'm afraid of.
Tell her that THIS winter driving girl says "it's OK, you can do it!"

She is a very cautious and safe driver. She has never gotten stuck no matter how bad the weather. She sometimes drives my RWD Parieienne, and though I store it in the winter to keep it minty, we have experienced some early fall sleet where she has been driving it and we have had no problems. And this is with all season rubber. One thing I will be sure to do is borrow a friends' car with RWD and let her loose in an empty parking lot to get a feel for the dynamic. As far as teaching her the finer points goes, we get along great in those kind of situations so there will be no yelling. She is a fast learner and is usually not afraid to try things.

Originally Posted by Mark Myles

I have a little experience driving in 6+ inches of snow and understand your climate. Having said that, my Camaro is in the garage until the snow starts to melt and roads are dry....PERIOD!

I've driven a 74 Camaro in the winter, and it's not fun... And it had STUDDED snow tires.....

Purchase a 4X4 beater for the winter and park the Camaro. Save yourself, and your WIFE, the hassel of driving a hot rod in the winter.

People will tell you it's no probelm, but I must disagree. I could give you all kinds of examples of why I'm right, but I think you already know the correct answer to your question. I know what kind of snow you receive each year. I think it would be a mistake to try and drive the M6 or A6 in much snow at all.

M

While I do not take issue with your opinion, I must say that I do not wholly agree with this. Maybe it's just because I'm experienced in driving RWD vehicles in snow (I've driven/owned an '89 Ford f-150, '91 Toyota 1/4t ton pickup, '95 Toyota Tacoma and 2008 Ford F-150) and I've only kicked them into 4x4 while towing or going down remote logging roads. Otherwise it's been straight up rwd, and I have never had any problems with them. Considering that they carry a 70%+ weight balance on the front, and the Camaro is much closer to 50/50 I would think that the Camaro would handle far better than those vehicles.

But again, I did ask for your opinions on this matter and yours has been duly noted. Thanks.

Originally Posted by skuttduck

I drove mine in 6 inches of unplowed snow and with 20" wheels and Pirelli scorpion ice and snow tires. It is like a tank in the winter.

I wouldn't be afraid of driving it in the winter. Just don't have that attitude that some people have and think

"Summer tires, oh that is for everyone but me"

My 2010 Camaro is better than my 2000 Camry in the snow and ice because of the even weight, snow tires, stabilitrac and traction control.

Just get the right tires and you'll be more than fine. I do kind of laugh about the majority of "get a winter beater" and "my car will never see snow" comments you get in threads like these.

The only car of mine that will never see snoow is my '72 Pontiac, and that is because it's nearly mint and I aim to keep it that way.

Originally Posted by sleddog

I have to call on not getting a camaro, like other are saying put good winter tires on it and drive it. I put Blizzacks on ours and it drives through the ice and snow better than a two wheel drive pick up.

What do most COPS drive? seems to me rear wheel drive cars, I drove one for over 20 years without to many problems, even at high speeds. It's all in the tires you put on the car and controling your right foot.

Interesting point you make about the cops. The cruisers up here are Ford Crown Vic's and a couple of Chargers. They all run RWD and have to patrol the highways at all times of the year, day or night and no matter what weather. And I have only seen one cop car in the ditch, and tha was because he had to swerve to miss an out of control minivan on the highway.


In all, thanks for your responses guys! Look forward to hearing more.

[snkeyes069]

I got a set of 18" LS wheels/tires for the winter and am running very well. The all-season BFG Radial T/A Spec tires do okay, although I think I'll invest in some Blizzaks when I get some extra cash.

The only issue I've had is that the car doesn't do reverse well in the snow. I pulled straight into a spot at work last month and it took me 10 minutes to get out using reverse because of this. However, when I backed into into the same spot during the next snowstorm, I just put the car in drive and got out without any issues.

The rear can kick out if you're too heavy on the gas. In a parking lot this is actually fun, as the Traction Control kicks in and straightens out the car. Highway isn't too bad either, as Traction Control and Stabilitrack keep the car pointed forward.

As for the brakes, just jam the petal to the floor. The ABS will kick in to stop you safely. On a non-ABS car, you need to tap the brakes to keep from locking the wheels and skidding. Unless you can tap your foot as fast as the ABS pulses, let the ABS do the work for you!

All said, the Camaro is fine in the snow if you drive responsibly.

[Gforce8]

I got a 2SS for my wife.
Best trade I ever made, HAHAHA

But seriously, Mine is a 1ss lowered by 1 inch with winter tires. Drove through unplowed roads 4-6 inches, no problem. Only problem would be big snowdrifts, but those can stop any car. I love driving in snow, go normal if you want to (below 2500 rpm) or madass fun when U feel like it
It really makes you a better driver.

[fastball]

What short memories people older than 30 have, or people younger than 30 have never understood (I'm 33).....

There was a time when ALL cars were RWD, and it wasn't that long ago. My first car, as a 19 year old in 1996, was a 1985 Buick Regal. My stepdad bought it brand new in 1985 and gave it to me after he bought his '96 Grand Prix. It was a 2bbl carb'd 231 cu.in. V6 and a 3 speed automatic driving the rear wheels on 15" tires. It had a solid beam rear axle, about 65-70% of the car's GVRW was at the FRONT due to the cast iron engine and virtually nothing but a gas tank in the rear (unless you had something in the trunk).

I drove it for two winters. Never once got stuck. Sure he gave me tips on how to drive in winter, but really the truth is until the late 1980s most EVERYONE had RWD cars. And there's just no secret, drive carefully no matter what you drive, and you will be fine.

Today's RWD cars are SOOOOO much more modern - the Camaro has a nearly 50/50 weight distribution, independent rear suspension, a posi diff, electronic traction control, stability control, ABS brakes..... BMW has until the last 10 or so years made ONLY RWD cars and they can go up hills in the Alpine mountains in the dead of winter - and did so even before THEY had traction control and stability control technology.

My point is no need to worry about the Camaro being RWD. And I encourage you to show this to your wife OP. She may not understand that, there was in fact a time not too long ago when EVERYONE had RWD.

[Cam2011]

I live in CT, and I my Camaro's wheels will never touch snow. A good back up winter car is key, in my opinion.

[Mike's LazruSS]

I drove my 2002 SS year-round for several years. We had some pretty good Michigan snow in those years! I put approx 200 lbs of lead bars in the trunk well, and those help a lot. Word on what other posters have said... the only time I ever had any trouble was deep, wet snow that was hard to push through with wide tires. If you get 18" winter tires... no problem. Happily, I can now drive my Equinox in the winter, and Lazruss can hibernate until spring.

[Mark Myles]

Originally Posted by Devon

While I do not take issue with your opinion, I must say that I do not wholly agree with this. Maybe it's just because I'm experienced in driving RWD vehicles in snow (I've driven/owned an '89 Ford f-150, '91 Toyota 1/4t ton pickup, '95 Toyota Tacoma and 2008 Ford F-150) and I've only kicked them into 4x4 while towing or going down remote logging roads. Otherwise it's been straight up rwd, and I have never had any problems with them. Considering that they carry a 70%+ weight balance on the front, and the Camaro is much closer to 50/50 I would think that the Camaro would handle far better than those vehicles.

But again, I did ask for your opinions on this matter and yours has been duly noted. Thanks.

No problem Looks like you've made up your mind. Go order that Camaro so it will be ready for you this spring!

M

[StreetReporter]

Originally Posted by AlohaBR

You are correct, we do not get snow here in Michigan like you do, but have been driving mine all winter so far. Have not had a single problem.
The 18" wheels are best, you may have to invest in 18" wheels and tires for the winter then put the 20's on come warm weather.
I have ONLY driven RWD cars my whole life and have never had an issue.
Good luck and just be careful.

That's exactly what I did.

No issues here.

[SSN8R]

Like others have said....

NO SUMMER TIRES IN SNOW...

Otherwise great car in any weather.

[Devon]

Thanks alot for all the reply's everybody! I've shown this thread to my wife and she is now a believer. We're now working out options and pricing. So far we have settled on: 2lt w/ A6 trans, RS package, imperial blue metallic, tinted windows and no sunroof.

Going to be test driving a 2lt a6 without the RS on Saturday morning, and 4 inches of snow is forecasted for Friday overnight so I'm going to have a good indication of how it's gonna handle.

[GQ4Life]

Originally Posted by SSN8R

Like others have said....

NO SUMMER TIRES IN SNOW...

Otherwise great car in any weather.

I still got summer tires. Runs great (after they plow all the roads)

[tjudah87]

I have had a little trouble in the snow here but my main concern is other drivers in the snow sliding into my car. It's just one of those things I know I would regret if somebody hit it. I trust my driving but not others. Got some maybe 8inches in the last couple days so I have been driving my old park avenue.