Will I die driving through winter?

[fastball]

This topic comes up every once in a while and I just have to laugh.....

I'm 35. For people my age and older, chances are very good the car they learned how to drive on, or the first car they owned, was rear wheel drive. Mine was a 1985 Buick Regal with a 305 and 3 speed automatic. I owned that car from the time I was 18 till I was 21 and bought my 1990 Chevy Beretta GT.

The Regal was my step-dad's and he bought it new. So it was in our family from 1985-98. When I sold it, it had 150,000 miles on it and it was a rust bucket.

But never once did myself or my step dad get stuck or wipe out. Cleveland winters can be as bad as any in Nebraska or Denver, just not as often. But we can get some doozies of winter storms.

Those old RWD cars had about 65% of it's weight up front, no stability controls or ABS or nothing, and the tire technology for steel belted radials was nowhere near what it is today. It had a solid beam rear axle, recirculating ball steering box, no road feel whatsoever, and since it was the 305 there was enough low end torque to get you squirly if you weren't paying attention.

The key is simply pay attention and you'll be fine. Drive slow, easy, don't hammer the pedal down. If you have the automatic, go to manual mode and start off in 2nd gear from each dead stop. And shift early, keep the RPMs low. Same goes for the manual. Modern cars are really so much better in bad weather than old tanks, even if you have a big 400+ hp engine under the hood. It's all a matter of taking it easy and being smart.

Your best bet is to go to an empty parking lot in bad weather and try it out. The stability control, traction control, and ABS will keep you from doing donuts and wiping out. The only problem you may run into is starting from a stand still on a steep hill. Just keep the gears low and accelerate as slow and easy as possible, you'll make it.

[Caddyroger]

Originally Posted by Toasty

yah. mountains. not really mountains where the OP is coming from. LOL

I will not use chains. When I lived in Mich we would get some times 6 to 12 in of snow and I did not use chains. A good set all weather tires or snow tire is all I used. My stayed in Washing after the army so I decided to move their. She warned me if it is Oct or later I might encounter bad snow stroms in the mountains and use the southern route. I was able get to Wash in Sept.

[christianchevell]

the pzeros are a all season tire ......notice the tread design...my 2011 convertible 2ss does just fine as a daily driver here in oregon and made it through a foot of snow no problem with the stabilitrak and the traction control on.........several time this last winter.....just drive like a sane driver its no problem...have you ever seen a display of drivers showing what stabilitrak does compaired to not having it?

[Caddyroger]

Originally Posted by christianchevell

the pzeros are a all season tire ......notice the tread design...my 2011 convertible 2ss does just fine as a daily driver here in oregon and made it through a foot of snow no problem with the stabilitrak and the traction control on.........several time this last winter.....just drive like a sane driver its no problem...have you ever seen a display of drivers showing what stabilitrak does compaired to not having it?

P-Zeros are not an all season tires. Here is Tire rack listing

P Zero(Max Performance Summer)



I am in the Tacoma Wa area. I Jan we got with a bad strom freezing rain and snow. I could get out of drive way. I paid a couple of kids to shovel the driveway. I manged to get in the street back could get 5 ft. Put in drive the tires would spin. The kid pushed the car back into the drive way. I finally got 3 days later. I got rid of the P-Zeros. I got 4 275x40x20 general g-max all season on my car now.

[tonyko1]

Originally Posted by chaotic84

That's your opinion, I personally think the Convertible looks like shit on the new Camaro.

Now, if I was to continue with easy "zingers" I would respond as :

"so says the guy who paid extra to advertise a child's toy that won't be remembered in 10yrs, if that."

But I won't, as this the Camaro forum, where we should all get along, it really isn't that serious. I am very fortunate to have such a fine car. We are all indeed lucky to have the resources to own such a vehicle and then spend time debating about its merits and how to improve them even more.

And I do apologize to those I "zinged", can't help it sometimes, but I will try harder.

Best to all.

[Toasty]

Originally Posted by fastball

This topic comes up every once in a while and I just have to laugh.....

I'm 35. For people my age and older, chances are very good the car they learned how to drive on, or the first car they owned, was rear wheel drive. Mine was a 1985 Buick Regal with a 305 and 3 speed automatic. I owned that car from the time I was 18 till I was 21 and bought my 1990 Chevy Beretta GT.

The Regal was my step-dad's and he bought it new. So it was in our family from 1985-98. When I sold it, it had 150,000 miles on it and it was a rust bucket.

But never once did myself or my step dad get stuck or wipe out. Cleveland winters can be as bad as any in Nebraska or Denver, just not as often. But we can get some doozies of winter storms.

Those old RWD cars had about 65% of it's weight up front, no stability controls or ABS or nothing, and the tire technology for steel belted radials was nowhere near what it is today. It had a solid beam rear axle, recirculating ball steering box, no road feel whatsoever, and since it was the 305 there was enough low end torque to get you squirly if you weren't paying attention.

The key is simply pay attention and you'll be fine. Drive slow, easy, don't hammer the pedal down. If you have the automatic, go to manual mode and start off in 2nd gear from each dead stop. And shift early, keep the RPMs low. Same goes for the manual. Modern cars are really so much better in bad weather than old tanks, even if you have a big 400+ hp engine under the hood. It's all a matter of taking it easy and being smart.

Your best bet is to go to an empty parking lot in bad weather and try it out. The stability control, traction control, and ABS will keep you from doing donuts and wiping out. The only problem you may run into is starting from a stand still on a steep hill. Just keep the gears low and accelerate as slow and easy as possible, you'll make it.

I have seen similar stories before about RWD cars from the past. That's not really the point. Point being that the stock 20" Pirelli tires are not made of the ideal ingredients to perform the best when it's below 40 degrees. Your regal, no matter how antiquated the radial technology, didn't have summer only tires, i'd bet.

[samhardy2008]

thankfully i live in texas lol...but when it snowed a couple years ago pretty bad i still had my truck so all was well lol

[OUR72GTO]

Originally Posted by christianchevell

the pzeros are a all season tire ......notice the tread design...my 2011 convertible 2ss does just fine as a daily driver here in oregon and made it through a foot of snow no problem with the stabilitrak and the traction control on.........several time this last winter.....just drive like a sane driver its no problem...have you ever seen a display of drivers showing what stabilitrak does compaired to not having it?

And the next guy is going to say they are directional....the internet ...GOT TO LOVE IT!

[Toasty]

Originally Posted by OUR72GTO

And the next guy is going to say they are directional....the internet ...GOT TO LOVE IT!

but they ARE. They have to roll on the tread face... not meant to go any other direction.

[justdenny]

Funny, my manual specifically states NO tire chains, because of clearance...that being said, as far as I know, no state, with the possible exception of Hawaii, bans tire chains. You can use them anywhere you need to in order to keep moving. "Moving" meaning 25 or 30 mph. Once the hazard clears enough, you need to take them off, or risk damage to your car as well as your life. They aren't designed to be used above 30 mph or for extended periods on dry pavement. After checking, even Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi allow chains, and they don't specify "mountains".

OP, if you stick to the Interstates, and watch the weather, and take your time, you should be fine...get a room if it starts to snow heavy.

[NathanRobinson]

I drive year round in my car in Alaska and it surprising handles probably better than my four wheel drive Sierra did we also just had one of the worst winters this year, but if it snows over a foot I'd wait for the plows to come through

[REDXIIIDave]

Originally Posted by fastball

This topic comes up every once in a while and I just have to laugh.....

I'm 35. For people my age and older, chances are very good the car they learned how to drive on, or the first car they owned, was rear wheel drive. Mine was a 1985 Buick Regal with a 305 and 3 speed automatic. I owned that car from the time I was 18 till I was 21 and bought my 1990 Chevy Beretta GT.

The Regal was my step-dad's and he bought it new. So it was in our family from 1985-98. When I sold it, it had 150,000 miles on it and it was a rust bucket.

But never once did myself or my step dad get stuck or wipe out. Cleveland winters can be as bad as any in Nebraska or Denver, just not as often. But we can get some doozies of winter storms.

Those old RWD cars had about 65% of it's weight up front, no stability controls or ABS or nothing, and the tire technology for steel belted radials was nowhere near what it is today. It had a solid beam rear axle, recirculating ball steering box, no road feel whatsoever, and since it was the 305 there was enough low end torque to get you squirly if you weren't paying attention.

The key is simply pay attention and you'll be fine. Drive slow, easy, don't hammer the pedal down. If you have the automatic, go to manual mode and start off in 2nd gear from each dead stop. And shift early, keep the RPMs low. Same goes for the manual. Modern cars are really so much better in bad weather than old tanks, even if you have a big 400+ hp engine under the hood. It's all a matter of taking it easy and being smart.

Your best bet is to go to an empty parking lot in bad weather and try it out. The stability control, traction control, and ABS will keep you from doing donuts and wiping out. The only problem you may run into is starting from a stand still on a steep hill. Just keep the gears low and accelerate as slow and easy as possible, you'll make it.

Cleveland is NOT like Denver. We have hills and mountains (yes, even in the metro area). I did drive RWD cars for a good while when I was young, (I'm 46) but nobody here would do it in winter if they didn't have to. I had too many episodes of being stuck on a slight incline in my RWD cars to ever try that again if I didn't have to. The OP may be OK, since he's going from Kansas to FL, but the Camaro is far from an "okay" snow car. A FWD or AWD car with all seasons will be better than a Camaro with snow tires.

[Brandonmos]

So after reading through all the suggestions, i find myself leaning toward the snow tire set just on the basis that if i wrecked my sub- 1000 mile odometered SS i would most likely be laughed out of my squadron... i guess now the hunt for rims begins haha

[AKA]

See if GM will allow you to trade and make a deal in Kansas then pick up your new car in Florida. Then you will have less stress over messing up a new car. You could fly and have some extra time at home with your family.