Porsches in the snow

Well, it finally snowed here in Pittsburgh this weekend. Most of the winter up to this point has been of the "dusting" type, but nearly 6 inches fell on Saturday/Sunday and I thought you all would like to know that I drove around all day in the 928S with 200lbs. of rock salt in the hold. Not exactly like my old Jeep Grand Wagoneer (with full woodgrain), but it went! This was with all season M/S tires, NOT full pattern snows!

This may sound a bit misguided, but some of you out there will remember that the 928 is the daily driver, I keep the old 912E indoors when it gets cold!

So, for those of you considering a 911-alternative Porsche for a driver, I can confirm the possibility of driving a 928 in the snow successfully.

Doesn't sound misguided to me at all. 912's are probably easier to drive in the snow than my SC, but I'd take a 928 over both for snowdriving any day. A friend of mine drove his 928S4 from Nashville to Little Rock during the ice storm of Christmas, '99. It was bad, but he made it. When snows, my SC stays at home. I've tried it a couple of times already. Not my idea of a good time.

Now, if I had an old rusty clunker of an SC that I didn't give a flip about....then I could have fun in the snow. But, how do you not care about a 911? Haven't figured that one out.

I love them all,



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Aubrey Parker
'79 SC (silver/cork)

I've been driving my SC in the snow all this winter. We've had the second coldest and snowiest December in Minnesota history, and the car has performed great. I put on a set of Goodyear Ultragrips on 6" cookie cutter rims. This is the best non AWD car I've driven on snow, plus it's a blast!



I do wish I had more ground clearance though!

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

Dave:
I'm halfway between Pittsburgh and Erie... have had my '85 Carrera for less than a year. Do you recommend any places to work on the car if I get desperate? Also, any places in particular to stay away from? Thanks
jlex.

Bill -

I can't believe how well yours performs in the snow. Did you try it before the cookie cutter/Goodyear combo? I can barely keep mine on the road with 6 & 7 in. Fuchs and Firehawks. I'll keep your idea in mind if I ever decide to use it as a winter car.

Thanks,

Aubrey Parker
'79 SC (silver/cork)

[This message has been edited by Aubrey Parker (edited 01-22-2001).]

Aubrey,

I drove it for about a week on icy roads with Dunlop 8000's 205/55R15 front and 225/50R15's back. It was awful. No traction and little steering, even with 120 1bs of sand in the front. I only drove it a few times like that because it was so bad. I got the cookie cutters cheap from another board member, and a set of four 185/65R15s
Ultra Grips from tirerack.com. I used to own an old VW bug back in college that was incredible in the snow (but no HP), so I was confident that the P-car would do well also.


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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

Ready to go in the snow too!


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'75 911S Targa
http://member.aol.com/asaffery/my911s.html

I've been driving mine with 185s on the front and 215s in the back with no real problems. It's actually hard to do donuts in the car - front traction was too good. Braking is fine, lateral traction good; if you have a light foot on the throttle, there's no problem. It feels firmly planted at all times. I try to maintain a full tank of gas, though.

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Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9
The Porsche Owners Gallery

I left snowy McKeesport in 1981 for sunny south Texas. Had the targa top off Saturday and Sunday this weekend. I think this the best long term solution for P car winter handling problems.

[This message has been edited by larryboy (edited 01-22-2001).]

How's that AC in the South Texas sun in August? Don't think it got into the 90's last year in PA!

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8 9 9 1 1, The last of the line.

Bill -

What width are the cookie cutter wheels?

Thanks,



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Aubrey Parker
'79 SC (silver/cork)

For Mark and Bill - - - who are running in the snow. Do your cities use salt on the roads. One of the problems here in the WashDC area is salt. We have such poor drivers, that with even one inch of snow, the counties and cities coat the streets with salt and sand. I learned to drive in Colorado and I sure don't remember having much salt on the roads. We would just change to snow tires in the winter and go. I would love to drive my SC in the snow but I fear that over the years, I probably have nicks in the galvanize material and thus have openings for the rust curse.
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Chuck

Aubrey -- the cookie cutters are 15x6.

Chuck -- Yes, lots and lots of salt. I understand the concern with rust, but the body on my car is crap anyway. One of the POs wrecked it, and had it repaired and repainted poorly. For what the car is worth, I decided that it was a better value to me to get the enjoyment of the additonal miles. It really came down to either being able to drive the car year round, or selling it and getting something that I could drive all the time.

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

Chuck - plenty of salt around here in Cincinnati. No sand, thankfully - what's the idea behind that anyway? Sand the ice off the road as you drive? Pfeh.

I actually try to not drive on the roads if they're wet and salty. I'll get the beater out for that usually. But when there's just a lot of snow on the roads, salt sometimes just doesn't do anything. Plus there's a lot of roads that don't get salted.

When I do get salt on the car - and it's inevitable - I take it to a do-it-yerselfer car wash and hose down the car, including the undercarriage. I get that hi-pressure spray going under the car and I soak it. I don't really care about how dirty it gets or stays, I just want that damned salt off my car.

I also prep the car in the fall by waxing the heck out of it. During the winter, I don't have a good place to clean up the car - I don't have a garage - so I have to make do with a good wax job in the fall. Come springtime it'll really need a new wax job, but I don't mind. I like waxing my car.

I've had several other cars in SaltyNati, and with this type of treatment, they've had few problems.

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Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9
The Porsche Owners Gallery

More of that Pittsburgh snow!
Woa is me. Not that I could go anwhere anyway. That's still in the future (not to far, I hope).



Clint
73T Coupe

[This message has been edited by Rustbucket (edited 01-23-2001).]