My993C2

The 997 Turbos are still out of my price range and while I don't think it is time yet to put my 1999 Jeep Wrangler down as my winter daily driver (I live in Calgary Alberta where snow and icy roads are the norm for 5+ months of the year), but my Jeep is beginning to show it's age. I am experiencing problems starting the Jeep and it has been traced to a failing ECM/PCM module and I am told that they do not make ECM/PCMs for my model and year anymore. I will be trying a replacement ECM/PCM from a wrecked Jeep to see if that solves my problems. But it also got me thinking what should I use as a winter daily driver when it is time to put the Jeep down. Now I absolutely love driving my Jeep on the white slippery stuff. Believe it or not, most of the time I am driving in rear wheel drive mode and when other cars are not around I purposely induce power on oversteers for ****s and giggles and of course to practice recovering from the oversteer moments. I only ever drive in four wheel drive mode when I need to get up a icy hill or need to get off the line at a red light on snow/ice without spinning up the rears too much. But I have also had to do some costly repairs to my Wrangler in the 12 years I have owned it (it is a Chrysler) and it has me thinking maybe my next winter daily driver should be something different.

Now I hate front wheel drive automatics. I would rather take public transit than be forced to pay for a front wheel drive automatic. I love rear wheel drive cars but they are not the best to be using getting up icy hills. So it has me thinking I need either find a rear wheel drive car that can be switched to four wheel drive on the fly like my Jeep does, or just bite the bullet and get an all wheel drive car. Now the Porsche 996 Turbo is all wheel drive, but is not the most practical winter daily driver. But since this is a Porsche forum, I have to ask (because I know there are people out there that drive their Turbos on the snowy/icy roads) how do they handle on the white slippery stuff? Is there a lot of understeer? Wheel spin? Are you paranoid of being rear ended? Of course if I do need to replace the Jeep and a 996 Turbo not being the most practical, maybe I should be looking at something along the lines of a Subaru WRX STi or it's competitor the Mitsubishi EVO GSR. Cars that evolved from the world of rally racing have got to be a decent choice for winter daily drivers?

BioBanker

Go for it!!!

I haven't had much experience in the snow with mine because we didn't really get any snow last year, but with snow tires in hand I can't see a problem excepting for maybe ride height.

I think these cars are the most awesome do everything things on the road.

Get out there and enjoy em.

jumper5836

The turbos them selves will rot out and will have to be eventually rebuilt. They are not as robust and resilient to rust as the exhaust system.

My993C2

Ride height of the 911 could be a problem. The city of Calgary does not really clear the snow on residential side streets throughout the winter and one could get stranded if a lot of snow has collected and the ruts get pretty big. But the clearance issues apply to many passenger cars, not just the 911s (something I don't need to worry about with the Jeep).

My993C2

Well that is good to know ... we don't use nearly as much salt on the roads like what is used back east.
But rust can occur even without salt.

Nine11

I know a few guys who run 997TT as well as 996TT's as year round dailies. With winters, they are amazing. Weight slung out back for traction on acceleration and even weight distribution for braking. PCM is great for some electronic assistance when needed. I thought about one, but went with a Cayenne for the room (family duties) and ground clearance. I'm also in Calgary.

69gaugeman

I have only had quattro Audi's for the last 8 years. I just bought a 2004 touareg that I love and will do fine in the white stuff.

Want a car: Audi

Off road or hauler: Touareg or cayanne.

vern1

I have a 997 C4S and with snows it has been great. Have had a winter beater before but missed the Porsche in the winter and figured why deny myself so i have 1 car for all seasons now!

Its only a car so enjoy it if thats what u want - i doubt you will regret it

boman993

One day I'll have an AWD 996 for winter/blue mountain duty! (Just haven't
told the wife that's happening yet).

Bergamasco

My vote is for the WRX sti. You can go anywhere anytime on the dirtiest road, rain, snow & salt, gravel or pavement and just beat it up as much as you want. I have been driving Subaru cars for over 20 years now and really feel they make a very versatile and practical daily driver.

My993C2

Thanks for all the feedback.

If the ECM/PCM from the wrecked Wrangler does not work, I might be forced into making this decision sooner than I thought. Last night I needed to head out to the grocery store and the Jeep failed to start. In the past it was giving me severe headaches starting, but it always started. But now it is kaput ... nada ... the ECM/PCM appears to have died sooner than I had hoped.

So I reluctantly took my 993C2 complete with it's summer tires out on the snowy roads and I was surprised it did better than I thought. Years ago prior to myself buying my Jeep, I used to drive a rear wheel drive 5 speed Toyota Supra year round even on the slippery white stuff. It was only when I missed a hockey game one night due to a blizzard, that I decided to get my Jeep. For sure having the engine in the rear makes getting off the line in the 911 a lot easier than anything I remembered when I used to drive my Supra in the winter. So I can see how an all wheel drive 996 Turbo or 996 Carrera 4 would be fine as long as it was equipped with winter tires. Heck I could probably put winter tires on my 993 and be fine. Clearance in the 911 could still be an issue and I would be paranoid of being rear ended. But the problems of grip on the rears I remembered with my old Supra just do not exist with the rear engine equipped 911.

However, if I am forced to retire the Jeep (which would make me sad), the more I learn about the Subaru WRX STi, the more I think I would like it. As Bergamasco points out, I could go anywhere with it. Well maybe not anywhere like I could go with a Jeep, but still it could be used as a casual rally car on pavement, snow or gravel since it was engineered from years of rally racing.

Nacelle

I've had a number of Subaru's as well, while not a big fan of the overall new lineup, I think the STi for winter driving is exceptional and a great value. I've put over a 100k on one through all kinds of nasty weather, the car will take you just about anywhere, pop four snows on it and you are good to go!

SiFi1886

I'm in Calgary, in the winter my Subaru is my DD I just don't trust other drivers enough to drive the tt in the snow.

The AWD on the Subaru is well sorted for whatever the winter throws at it.

jasonintoronto

I drive my 997c4 all year round. The c2/c4 has the highest ride height of all 997s I believe which helps when the snow gets high.

I believe the 997.1 awd system is essentially the same as the 996 turbo one, using a vicious clutch for power transfer fore and aft. It's good but requires some slip before transferring torque. Essentially it acts rwd until that happens.

Winter wheels and tires go on tomorrow!

Nine11

I love the concept of an STi or an EVO for winter duties, but the horribly cheap interior is a tough thing to swallow for me.