GrFa

I am so glad I got out of Boston on the 12th, that didn't look like fun at all. Instead, I left RI on the 13th and got stuck in Bridgeport, CT for the night. My M3 was fine with Michelin snows all around but the other drivers were just TERRIBLE.

I really could not believe how bad it was. On the Merritt I looked over towards the opposite lanes, multi-car pile up. Look in front of me, Honda Element bouncing off the guardrails spinning around....FIVE MINUTES AFTER THE SNOW STARTED. It was the first time I ever stopped and spent the night somewhere instead of driving on.

Our euro 3.2 cab hardly goes out in the summer, let alone snow.

mal28

I was at the Browns/Buffalo NFL game on Sunday, for those who saw it, it was a true blizzard!

My 997s was..............home in th garage, used the SUV!

2007997

winter in NJ

damoncooper

I really don't understand the trepidation with Porsche drivers not wanting to drive their cars in the winter.

It's just a car, guys. No, really!

And...it happens to be excellent in the snow and salt and slush of winter. It SNOWS IN GERMANY guys! Porsche engineers have to drive to work in this slop as well, so it's a great winter car.

I'm very pleased with my 997 C4 Cab and it's the best WINTER car I've ever had (With the hardtop + winter wheels & tires + winter deep-slosh rubber car mats of course.)

Unless you’ve got a $1million dollar masterpiece original classic 356 with 7 miles or something, you really shouldn’t let a perfectly good winter go by with your P-car in storage! Drive those puppies! Porsche's aren't bears or garage queens...they don't need to hibernate or hide from the rain!

Damon

Edgy01

You are so right! The 911 handles so well in snow. The majority of my cars are rear engine, rear drive for a reason!

InTheAir

I've just put my money down on a new C4S and, yes, it will be used year round as a daily driver. I learned my lesson with my 993 C4 Cab that slumbered during the winters.....I'm going to drive this one!

Bob in NY

no sense in keeping it nice for the next owner, I'm driving mine all year now and still with the OEM tires. Not in snow though....

MLindgren

My C2S was certainly meant to be driven! Unfortunately the 19" Sport Designs were not meant to withstand the potholes here in Michigan. I'd bet 2-3K/yr for wheel/tire damage just from potholes. If I lived where the roads were didn't degrade and fall apart I would drive. I will wait until all the new sinkholes have been filled with cold patch and rolled down before I get out again.

p-cardriver

Gotta disagree with you on this one... I drive 30 miles from Northville, MI to downtown Detroit every day (and back at night), with frequent trips to Ann Arbor, Lansing and the Thumb area. (those of you not from MI will have to look it up). Yeah there are plenty of bad roads and emergent potholes, especially when the freeze-thaw-refreeze cycle starts in spring. But I am able to avoid for the most part - never bent a wheel or got a flat (from that) on any car.

My 997S has 19s with summer tires, and I bought knock-offs from WheelEnhancements in 18inch with winter tires from tirerack. I have zero trouble in the Porsche. The traction control (PSM) and ABS systems work great. My only concern is when the snow gets deep and there are biig ice hunks on the road - they're like boulders. In those conditions I take the X3 (rare) or if go in late so there is time for the plows to get it cleaned up.

I'll post a pic or two of my car tomorrow - still has a fine coating of salt all over it from the mess Thursday, and I haven't had a chance to wash it yet.

p-cardriver

sharmat

I havent taken mine out and i do regret it. But the cold temps and salt use is extreme. I didnt want to switch to snow tires as my car is not a daily driver. I also didnt want to expose the car to all that salt esp on the under body.
I look at it this way, I am actually keeping the car nice for myself not the next guy, as i plan to keep the car for a while. Of course the next guy will get a well kept car when i let it go.
Boy, i wish i could use it every day though!

p-cardriver

Mine will be well-kept, too. But it will have had salt all over it, and dirt, and bird stuff, and rain, and, and, and. And it will have been washed a lot and polished/waxed often and still look like new. With miles. Well used but not worn!

p-cardriver

printemps2001

+1 This fear of snow is so absurd. And the salt!!! Where I live they use salt, not sulfuric acid on the roads. It will not ruin your car. When is the last time you have a modern car corrode? I thought so. It's a car, and a mass produced one at that. Drive it. Enjoy it. When you want a new one, get rid of it and get something new.

p-cardriver

Here are some shots of the car clean (its really black) and well salted (or is it turning white?). I figure it cost me about a nickel in depreciation to take these (prox 1.3 cents per minute if I've got my math correct), and that's the reason I'd rather drive it dirty than park it clean all winter.














Actually its kinda cool to be able to really see how the air flows over the car. And it gives a pretty good idea for the best places for clear-bra!

p-cardriver

InTheAir

That's what I'm talkin' about.

P-cardriver, what interior color do you have?

p-cardriver

Sand, with the floor mats that are advertised in Panorama (Christmas present from my wife - ain't she great!).

I was going to take it to the touchless wash today to show everyone how nicely all this cleans off, but it snowed lightly most of the day and the roads are covered with salt water, so it would return home looking pretty much like it left.

BTW, if you look closely you can see how the salt and abrasion has eaten away at the cheap epoxy floor we put on (properly prepped and applied, but still cheap stuff). We may try one of the better systems this summer or next, but this one has lasted 4-5 years even with this kind of abuse.

p-cardriver