If you live in an area where it snows heavily, i would not rely on one. Anything more than 3-4 inches and you are going to be plowing the street.

With the right tires it does better than most expect, but defenetley still carry around a shovel with you as there will probably be times when you get plowed into spots or into heavy snow that gets packed under the car.

I use my 944 as a daily driver and have done 4 winters in a Porsche, 2 in a 924S and 2 in my 944 so far. Ive only gotten stuck once in the 944 (in super high stuff at low speeds) and spun it once (i was driving really slow also). But i do not need to rely on my car 24/7 like you as roads are usually cleared up by the next morning.

I would defenetley consider something newer or atleast with AWD / 4WD if its within your budget.

 

I drove my 944 one day in the snow last year completely by accident...one of those freak Minnesota days where it was 45 in the morning and snowing 8 hours later. My old Audi was in the shop and I thought, "hey, I can make it...no problem". Never again, my friend, never again.

Even with brand-new all-season Bridgestones in just a little bit of slushy snow the car was a nightmare. They're small, they're light, and they're low to the ground - meaning it was hard to get traction and even harder to watch out for the crazy idiots in SUV's. The heater and defrosters work great, but I found myself thinking "this is totally the wrong car for this kind of work." It was just a terrible, nerve-wracking experience.

The other issue, of course, is that they're all oldish cars now. Things will break, it can easily strand you. This is no big deal for me in the summer - pull it home, put it up on the lift, fix it. They're a reliable second car...as long as there's something with a warranty sitting next to it in the garage.

I followed the "one good car" rule and bought a new VW. At least I know it will always start, and if something goes weird I just call the dealership and they worry about it.

If I was buying a winter car I had to rely on, I'd find a mid-90's vintage Buick LeSabre that an old lady owned. It would probably be gold or dark red with velour seats and smell like Oil of Olay. I'd change the oil, tranny fluid, and coolant, put a new battery in it, and make sure the tires were good. Then I'd drive the hell out of it, knowing I have 20+ years of GM know-how and a ton of cheap parts available at NAPA if anything ever went wrong, even though nothing ever would.

 

Good info... everyone's addressed how it handles.

It can be a cheap car, but it would be a shame to have one of these wonderful vehicles get banged up because some McMuffin eating, cell-phone talking idiot dents your 944 because he/she thinks four-wheel drive in their SUV means they can drive 90 MPH on glare ice

 

I will say that I have NEVER had problems w/ traction in snow (this is with one sandbag in the back and skinny winter tires). UNLESS the snow is high enough that I am "plowing" the snow.
In that case: YOU WILL NOT MOVE!!!!!!!!! (but, you can still back out and take a diff. route)

PS: my driveway is STEEP and I always make it up, however, I usually block my tires once I'm there so it doesn't go slidding down the hill into the neighbors living room.

 

Thanks for all the tips gang.

I'll give the mazdaspeed with it's snow tires one more year. Even though I might have just bought a 944t...

 

I drove a 944 daily as my only car through seven Ohio winters, the most recent being 04-05. Went through two sets of four Blizzaks. It was my "one good car". Never had a problem.

Don't even think about driving one in the winter with all-season tires, though; you will find yourself off of the road very quickly.

 

e - If you keep up on the regular maintenance they should be very reliable. I'd have no reservations about daily driving my car if I needed to.

There is a pretty good group there in Omaha that turn their own wrenches on 924/44s. They have a lift and get together once a month or so. If that is something you are interested in doing let me know.

 

One last note - I think "traction" is a relative term. I tried to drive to work once in a 1st Gen RX-7 on all seasons in a snow storm. That was my starting frame of reference. I now rally with a Viscous center dif and a Torsen rear dif AWD and BRAND NEW Blizzaks for winter rallies. This is near the OTHER end of the spectrum and the baseline below which I no longer accept as safe or useful for snow or ice.

A Blizzak shod, open rear dif 944 is closer to the slippery end of spectrum and not suitable for me - nor I think for someone who NEEDS to get to work in the snow. IMHO.

RK