Also, what storage unit? That is way cheaper than any I have found within a 20 minute drive of BloNo.
Also, what storage unit? That is way cheaper than any I have found within a 20 minute drive of BloNo.
FYI i have a kid, and i kept my corvette when he was born. i just used him as an excuse to get the wife to let me buy an impala ss and put an lsx in it. then i parlayed it into my avalanche, now i've almost got her talked into an LT1 fleetwood brougham as winter backup to keep miles and salt off the truck. kid loves impala, it stays forever.
You should be good.. Ether way this sort of article was what I used to like about C-N-D.
I realise it is a C6 but I remember reading about cold weather testing of previous vettes
patgizz wrote: FYI i have a kid, and i kept my corvette when he was born. i just used him as an excuse to get the wife to let me buy an impala ss and put an lsx in it. then i parlayed it into my avalanche, now i've almost got her talked into an LT1 fleetwood brougham as winter backup to keep miles and salt off the truck. kid loves impala, it stays forever.
This would be ideal. It also will likely not happen, just due to budget. I'm too conservative for that--I'd like to get a fun family car, and sell the fun car and the costs that go with it until I can be sure that my [future] kids don't have to worry about paying for college, and I [and my fiance] don't have to worry about our retirement.
Can it be done? Absolutely. You can even bring home your Christmas tree with a C5.
I'd try to run 16s from a camaro/firebird if they will fit over the brakes. The 17s from a corvette will fit f-bodies just fine. New 225s snows and you could do it. I tried to drive my camaro last year on worn snows and it was a futile effort with all the snow I get in my area. I found places that had inclines that I had never noticed before.
I had 225's Blizzaks on my M3 and it handled awesome in the snow. It was lowered some as well. I know it's a different animal than a Vette but still...I think it's possible.
Didn't MT do an article on driving a C6 through some highway in an Alaskan winter or something? It was back when the C6 was new if I recall....
Nitroracer wrote: Can it be done? Absolutely. You can even bring home your Christmas tree with a C5.
This. I'm assuming Vette's can handle some 17's with 225's like he said. That's exactly what my M3 had and it was the best snow car I've owned. Way better than my Miata, e30 or Focus.
mtn wrote:patgizz wrote: FYI i have a kid, and i kept my corvette when he was born. i just used him as an excuse to get the wife to let me buy an impala ss and put an lsx in it. then i parlayed it into my avalanche, now i've almost got her talked into an LT1 fleetwood brougham as winter backup to keep miles and salt off the truck. kid loves impala, it stays forever.This would be ideal. It also will likely not happen, just due to budget. I'm too conservative for that--I'd like to get a fun family car, and sell the fun car and the costs that go with it until I can be sure that my [future] kids don't have to worry about paying for college, and I [and my fiance] don't have to worry about our retirement.
If the 15k your going to possibly loose owning a Vette for 3-5 years will impact your life direction it probably isn't for you.
I would only persue a Vette as a second car. If your financial plan cannot support a moderately pricy second car and still allow funding those things in an acceptable fashion you shouldn't buy one as your primary car to try to make it work.
That said live a little while you can. You literally never know when your number will be up or what may be in the cards for your future. I'm not suggesting be reckless and irresponsible however I know you and your a responsible guy. If you think you can afford this it probably isn't a stretch at all.
nocones wrote: If the 15k your going to possibly loose owning a Vette for 3-5 years will impact your life direction it probably isn't for you.
C5's (non-Z06's) are getting into the 15k range. Below, actually, for a well used one. I don't see it depreciating 100%.
No but factor in tires, storage, depreciation on the beater and 2nd car insurance/registration, and you'll possibly approach that. That was kinda my point though. If that probably exaggerated guess is a scary number then reconsider. If 15k makes you feel warm and fuzzy your probably can go for it.
If you can own a C5 for $3000-5000 per year, DO IT.
The C5 was when they started to become serious cars instead of flexi-flyer toys. I used to think C4s were nice until one day in 1997 when I got to drive a new C5. I was like, wow this thing doesn't creak! And the stiff chassis allows the suspension to be soft enough to move! And the low doorsills mean getting in isn't like trying to slip on a pair of tied hightops!
I daily drove a c-4 vette on c-5 zo6 chrome repo wheels, in northern PA.
That meant I had 275 17's on the front and 295 18's on the rear.
I never bought winter tires, but they were available in these sizes, but were expensive.
The road salt destroyed the crap chinese chrome wheels.
I drove it through a few snow storms, the tires were the primary limiting factor. The secondary limiting factor is 4" of ground clearance. Tertiary would be tire cost.
How often do you get more than 4" of snow? I bet allot.
Want 2 sets of wheels and tires for a corvette? cost way more than most vehicles. All I can find now are tires on closeout at tire rack for a little under 300 a tire for the rear. I know blizzac's were avaliable in this size. I cant find snows for the front. But figure $1000 in tires for the winter, and $1000 for tires in the summer, and $x whatever you would spend for the second set of wheels and tmps.'
I thought the vette would be perfect for corrosion resistance; fiberglass and aluminum with a galvanized frame. I can't comment on the dynamics of a c5, but the c4 was just a little too extreme for a dd with adverse weather. The c5 would probably be better. (in terms of weather tight cabin, hydroplaning resistance)
Bottom line, just do it. The older you get the more common sense creeps in. Keep common sense at bay and make rash decisions. You can make anything work as a DD.
that must me cool~lol
There's a lady in Danville who commutes in a C5 year-round, though I've never seen it out when there is more than just a light covering on the roads. I believe she also lives in town, so probably no more than a 4-mile drive each way, with a highest posted speed of 45mph.
I don't know her personally, she's just a fellow commuter I see on a pretty regular basis.
Both of my parents did back in the mid 2000s, I was driving a C4 at the time as well and made it through 3 Michigan winters with no issue. The C5 actually does fairly well as long as you run the right tires.
Lets see...
Bugeye, Midget, Miata and now I drive an FRS year round in a snow belt.
The answer is snow tires. Skinny snow tires.Forward progress has never really been an issue. The FRS is the wors for the tail wanting to come around, but the TC keeps it on a tight leash.
I can count with one finger the number of times where ground clearance was the issue with any of these cars. And that was in an umplowed parking lot where I took a flying run at a large snow drift.
A bigger isssue is visibility. Being down so low puts you into a new world of white-outs. The snow storm generated by trucks and snow jumping the ditches tends to happen under the 4 foot level and that is where you are; so while the rest of the happy people are driving 80 mph in a clear world, you are blind and scared. Echolocating becomes a skill.
The real answer is...
Keep the 'Vette, move down here to Florida.
Forecast high of 77 today in Melbourne, bright clear blue sky, 0% chance of rain.
And yes, I'm gloating. Northrup Grumman is building their new design center right nearby where I am right now, and they're hiring.
So we've established that it is doable with snow tires on narrower wheels. We've also established that such wheels are available (it's not like Corvettes have a weird bolt pattern) He's young and has no kids and this is the perfect time for such an adventure in his life. Once he heads down the path of family/kids he might be looking at two decades where this sort of thing is only a dream or a memory. You can always dream, but you only get the memories if you've done it.
Go for it. You might have a butt clenching winter or two, but you'll look back on them fondly when you're shopping for minivans the first time.
Still in the running. Thanks for nobody saying ZOMGWTFBBQ you're a moron!
And as for ground clearance, in my experience in everything from a 4Runner to a SAAB to a lowered Miata, if you're having issues with ground clearance and the snow, you probably shouldn't be driving anything unless it is 4wd+snow tires. And I believe my Miata actually has less ground clearance than the Vette. In any case it is shorter than a stock C5.
I would do it. I drove a 81 Camaro through Syracuse winters that most of the board has hear often enough to get sick of. Nasty skinny snow tires and a bit of newtonian mechanics at your side and you'll be fine.
nocones wrote: No but factor in tires, storage, depreciation on the beater and 2nd car insurance/registration, and you'll possibly approach that. That was kinda my point though. If that probably exaggerated guess is a scary number then reconsider. If 15k makes you feel warm and fuzzy your probably can go for it.
I call this fuzzy math. Why does he need a beater if he has snow tires, and why is a Corvette any less of a practical proposition than any other car once snow tires are added. I don't htink it comes down to wanting/not wanting/not affording a lock up, I guess he just wnat a second car. ANd that's OK. I'd say a $15K C5 is just as good, if not better than most $15K used cars.
mtn wrote: Still in the running. Thanks for nobody saying ZOMGWTFBBQ you're a moron! And as for ground clearance, in my experience in everything from a 4Runner to a SAAB to a lowered Miata, if you're having issues with ground clearance and the snow, you probably shouldn't be driving anything unless it is 4wd+snow tires. And I believe my Miata actually has less ground clearance than the Vette. In any case it is shorter than a stock C5.
I give you a hearty go for it. Living in SE Michigan there are always lot's of Corvettes round here. All the C5's didn't vanish from December to March when they were new, let alone now. Heck, when I was you age my year round DD was a a 351 Supercharged 94 Mustang on BFG Comp TA street tires that I drove in the snow. I had access to another car, but only used it when there was more than 2" of fresh snow on the ground, which was usually plowed out of the way by the evening. I'm not that stupid now and love snow tires, but a cheap set of F body wheels with snow tires seems to be the win win here.
Just drive it backwards all the time in the snow...it'd be like having FWD. 
nocones wrote: If the 15k your going to possibly loose owning a Vette for 3-5 years will impact your life direction it probably isn't for you.
ROLF losing 15k owning a c5 for 3-5 years. I guess if he paid 15k for it, then set it on fire and burned to the ground, all while having no insurance, your argument would have merit....
As to the OP....I'd go for it. I drove my modified 944t though several winters on crappy all season tires.
You should be fine in winter driving. Global warming and all that. Just get a full set of the 17 inch front wheels and add snows. Having driven a C5 Z06 extensively I would probably find it annoying trying to drive it in snow even with skinny snow tires. Hope you're ready to operate the throttle by imitating Uma Thurman and, "Wiggle your big toe."
For a more serious answer, I think if you put the skinniest snows you can find on it, you'll be able to get around in maybe 2-4" of snow. I owned a few C5s, but never drove them in the snow. I had good summer tires on them and they were just "OK" in the one or two times I got caught in a heavy rain. RWD with snow tires can work. Many people have given examples. I had a RWD XJ Cherokee as a company car. With snow tires, it was a mountain goat. Your limiting factor is going to be ground clearance. Anything more than a few inches and I think you'll be in rough shape.
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