944 as a winter driver?

[jeff1hughes]

How are 944s in the snow with snow tires? I am looking for a winter car and have been considering a 944. Since all of you are the experts on teh breed I figure I'd ask if anyone has used theirs as a winter vehicle. I know a scooby would be ideal, but I like Porsches and would like another one. Thanks for any insights.

[epbrown]

Mine was okay last winter but I got stuck a couple of times. This year, I'm getting some cheap-o phone dials and putting some snow tires on them, and I expect to be trouble free.

Emanuel

[Panzer909]

If its what you use as exclusive year-round transportation, then go right ahead. But I would never look for a 944 SPECIFICALLY for winter use(?) Especially if you're living through Michigan winters and have a great Porsche already, IMHO.

[nynor]

my car does great in the snow. i have an extra set of cookies with snow tires on them. never have a problem. in fact, i had a hard time getting the car to do donuts in a parking lot, with the snow tires.

[jeff1hughes]

Thanks for the feedback. The car wouldn't be "just winter" but my year round everyday driver. I just needed to make sure that they were decent in the winter before I went ahead and bought one.

[Zero10]

I drive mine 365 days a year, it's made it through some insane snow storms, freezing rain, everything. I got a set of Canadain Tire winter tires (the same as the BF Goodrich winter tires I think), and I've never gotten stuck once.
I frequently pass SUV's with all-seasons on at lights, when they just sit there spinning their wheels, icing the road for the rest of us =)

Just remember to get some kind of block heater. Lower rad hose heaters don't work well on these cars, since the thermostat is in the lower rad hose.

[Rmills944]

I don't have much trouble either, but I have snow about 1 time and it's only about an inch deep. I have driven it in snow before with out salt, and it wasn't fun on performance tires. Now, it sits in the garage and laughs if there is snow...

[jeff1hughes]

My other option is a 959 Paris-Dakar, I just haven't found one that's reasonably priced yet!

[Rmills944]

Damn Jeff! I never knew that existed, but it looks awesome!

[sasquatch]

Before I turned mine into a restored concours garage queen, I drove it through years of rocky mountain winters. Had a junk set of phone dials with Blizak snow tires on it and a ski rack for the skis. Handled great, if not excellent. Would pass suv's all the time on the way to the ski resort in the snow. (unless it was too deep, then the 944 is just a plow)

[nynor]

amen.

[bryanthompson]

We had a foot of snow on Saturday at areas around my house, only 6-8" at my house.

Aside from normal squirlyness on ice, it handled awesomely. I could get out of the driveway and up a hill when our other cars couldn't.

It really sucks though, the dude that plows our road is so afraid to damage the road, yes, the gravel road, that he sets the blade like 1" off the ground, leaving a perfect sheet of ice the entire way. Its not any better on the main road either... I swear, he couldn't have done a suckier job if he used a damn Zamboni.

[jeff1hughes]

It's not the road he's protecting, it's the plow blade! The cheap bastard city municipalities attitude is "get the big snow off the road and let the salt melt the rest." That is a direct quote I received one time.

[vital-transform]

I had mine going great in about a foot of snow last winter!
worked really well with regular tires great weight balance I guess?
I drove it in all the storms with the only trouble being traffic

[unclebilly]

Best CAR I've ever had in the winter. Excellent weight distribution so good traction, good braking. I'd like to get a 968 for a winter car...

One thing I would suggest is that you get glass coverage if you plan to drive it in the winter... 944 W/S glass is expensive...