MM951

Hey guys...I *may* be picking up another 944. If I do, I have to drive through the winter. Based on how it handles in wet/low traction situations I'm pretty sure its an easy car to drive through the winter as long as you aren't a moron. Correct? My mom drove her through winters but now she has an AWD Vibe....she wasn't a big fan (but that also could have been because we can only fit half of the kids in this house in the car)

Anyway, anyone have any tips or advice to share with anyone else about winter driving (common sense and safety!)??

Gator_86_951

Winter driving in Florida consists of not turning on the air and putting the windows down. I could see the 944 being a fine winter car. Chris_924s drives his all year 'round. Maybe have him post something in here about this topic.

GlenL

Good info, Gator. I always wondered about that.

Now for somewhere that it matters, I recommend getting thinner oil like 5w30 or 5w40 and geting snow tires. The car is pretty light. I'd make sure the windshield washer system is working well. Otherwise it's like any other car.

Ken D

Unless you plan on purchasing 4 quality snow tires, don't bother.

RI Fast Eddie

Good snow tires is the key. Porsche tests their cars in the snow so they are built to handle it. Don't mash the throttle and you should be good to go.

Mike C.

It will handle surprisingly well with good snow tires on the rear and at least all-seasons on the front. I know the snow tire mfgs try to make you believe you must have them on all 4. I don't beleive it is necessary. In fact, new snow tires are so squirmy, I'd be afraid to have them on the front until they are 'scrubbed' in. Be very careful with new snow tires on dry roads - the car will feel much looser than you are used to. After 2,000 miles, my (rear) snow tires now behave much better on dry road. YMMV.....

944kid

Mike, are you springing for the car I told you about...or another one? If the latter, where do you find these things? I want one!


~the kid

Sam I am

I took my car out for a ride after we got 3-4 inches of snow (Roads were not plowed and at night). I have stripped a good bit of my interior out of my car as well some mechanical parts so it is a bit lighter than stock. I have all season tires on front and rear, although they are rated more for winter driving than summer.

Lets just say I will never take it out again if there is any snow on the roads. I am a careful and smart driver and I constantly struggled to keep the car straight. Good learning experience though.

Just my experience.

Fishey

I am pretty sure the 944 is a great snow mobile. I now drive my 924S in the snow (granted I put on M+S tires) but they are just some crappy kelly's or something. The traction without LSD is OK but handling in the snow is amazing to say the least. I would not knock it untill you have done some serious snow driving in a 924/944. Previously I drove my my 944 with Summer ONLY tires and traction sucked *** but man that thing was fun to drive. A covering on the ground is all it takes to get a 944 with sport tires stuck even with LSD.

theedge

Drove mine on hard packed snow in summer tires. Surprisingly manageable as long as I didnt want to speed up or slow down fast Yeah yeah, not much common sense, but that was about 7-8 hours into a 12 hour drive and I wasnt about to turn back and **** off a bunch of people who were expecting me because of a measly mountain pass with some snow. Besides, I was having a blast with the new Weltmeister sway bars on a great road Ill have to post some pics of that drive.

Dont drive fast, doesnt take much sand to eat away some paint.

formerGMguy

I've had to drive my 951 on snowy roads for the past couple weeks while I fix my winter car and its horrible. Granted I've got summer tires installed, but trying to move forward is a useless venture if your on hard packed snow and have even the slightest of inclines.

BeerBurner

My 944 got stuck on a level driveway in 3" of snow. But then, those Michelin Pilot MXX3s aren't known for liking snow.

But for whatever, it's worth, my Miata is an excellent snow car with snow tires on it. It's also a RWD car with 50:50 weight distribution, and so long as the snow doesn't get deep enough to bottom out it's low ground clearance, I find that it's acceleration and handling is (under normal driving) very similar to driving in the rain. Braking, however, leaves a lot to be desired.

Now, I think that good tires (snow, preferrably, or at least good all-season) is critical. The Miata got downright twitchy that one time I found myself in a sudden storm on my summer tires. It accelerated well enough, but the tail kept wanting to randomly kick out at any given moment.

Based on that, I think that 944 will do just fine.

BB.

Bill.e1

Mike,
I'm running my 944 this winter. The key is to turn the radio off ;-) Sounds funny but being able to hear the engine and tires helps a lot since you get an "early worning" of loose traction.

Second key is to pay attention. Most accidents happen during braking- you space off and forget it's slick, follow too close, then blame the "moron" in front of you for stopping without warning. Worse yet, it all happens in "six million dollar man" slow motion so you have plenty of time enjoy the moment.

If you have a "throttle response cam," take it off. Throttle travel is your friend in low traction conditions.

Push the clutch in when you let off the gas- a preemptive version of "in a spin, both feet in." These cars have enough engine braking to break loose the back tires. Once it starts sliding, the rear-mounted transmission and gravity do the rest.

If you buy snow tires, buy Blizzaks. You will feel like a snow god. I've keep my wife and two daughters on Blizzaks and they have never had a winter accident. Tall and skinny beats short and wide. If they seem expensive, ask for pricing for similar sized. I've seen a 30.00 price diff between sizes. 15 inch are cheaper so keep your cookie cutters.

I am still running Kumo Ecsta 255's and 205's on Cup 2's. Overall not too bad as long as it's above 25F. Once they hit glass transition, the sphincter factor skyrockets. The first turn leaving our house is downhill and icy. If I don't push in the clutch while slowing, the backs let go and I gracefully pirrouette past my turn.

If you are going slowly and trying to stop, turn you wheels full lock in the safest direction. Unlike a hard surface, snow build up and help you stop/turn. This has saved me more than once. It was also a source of considerable humor at Bondurant since it is the "wrong" think to do on tarmac. I grew up driving VW's, pickups, and MG's on dirt roads and ice. These conditions force you to learn either car control or auto body.

It is a bit of a myth the FWD is better in winter. Sure, you can accelerate better and probably get stuck less. On the other hand, the front weight bias hurts braking and this is when most accidents occur. Overall, the biggest difference is whether you crash front first or back.

Have fun,
Bill

PS- I'm not kidding about the Blizzaks. Get the Q-rated "Multicell" ones and stay under 90mph. Strap an old SAAB airplane badge on the nose and you'll be just like Erik "on the roof" Carlsson.

pcarfan944

I'm used to having RWD sports cars during winter so it doesn't bother me. Of all my RWD cars, the 944 did handle the best. Without snow tires, traction will be poor. I didn't use snows, which was dumb, but I still managed. As long as you go slow you'll be fine, it's not a big deal. The biggest problem I had was idiots in their SUVs (who think they're Invulnerable - funny enough they always end up in the ditch) riding my a$$. I had discipline myself to ignore them and not speed up, because that's how you get in trouble. Now that I have a FWD Audi for winter, im glad the 944 is safely stored away. It's a lot less stressful, and I don't have to base my plans to travel or go anywhere around the weather.

_______
Pat
86 944
95 Audi 90 CS

MPD47

I used to drive my turbo all year round. It's a blast, just dont get in over your head and if you have to, drive like a grandma. You'll be fine just get some decent winter tires.